New MSU president has big plans for McMaster students

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/Kasmani_Azim1.jpg” caption=”Azim Kasmani is the new president of the McMaster Students Union. “]Only weeks into his presidency, Azim Kasmani is already busy.

“It tends to age you. I certainly don't get much sleep anymore,” the McMaster Students Union president says of his new job. “It's a fantastic learning experience though.”

The long hours demanded by the position come as no surprise to the MSU's newest leader. Kasmani brings with him years of experience in the Student Representative Assembly, the Executive Board of the MSU and the External Affairs Committee. Since the MSU runs over 35 diverse businesses and services for students, Kasmani's experience is a tremendous asset.

Along with the incoming vice-president education, finance and administration, Kasmani has been working to ensure a speedy and smooth transition from the previous Board of Directors.

He's attended countless meetings, responded to a mountain of e-mails, toured MSU services, assessed organizational needs, and has been using his new position to learn all he can about the University, government and community groups he will work with.

“We need to make sure we're getting a fair shake,” he says. “Things like making sure we have a voice in the creation of a new tuition framework, and ensuring quality of education for all students here are going to be my priorities.”

Kasmani also wishes to make an impact on student culture, improving student/MSU communication, as well as giving more recognition and publicity to student leaders and volunteers.

“I think we could use outlets like the Silhouette and the [to-be-redesigned] website to great effect in this regard.”

Boosting the profile of McMaster volunteers and leaders is not only a great way to recognize them for their hard work, but also to give the student body's public image a lift. He also wishes — in the spirit of his administration being as inclusive of student ideas as possible — to have presidential think-tanks on issues students face. In these, representatives from all aspects of student life could meet to discuss issues and solutions.

Perhaps one of the most interesting aspects of Kasmani's presidency is his ambitious long-term thinking. He hopes to start investigating the possibilities of several projects, such as a green roof [a turf-based roof that would allow plants to grow while insulating the building], and a full-time communications officer to ensure that the MSU is always representing student opinion.

While these ideas may not come to fruition in his term, as proper implementation takes time to fully investigate, he wants to get the ball rolling so that future years can enjoy a cutting-edge student environment.