VP AUA Platform | Zarifa for VPAUA

As VP Academic & University Affairs, I will focus on...

Advocate for the creation of a month-to-month off-campus rental housing bursary
Advocate for on-campus student housing rent increase to be capped
Ensure that UBC continues to prioritize low-cost, high-density student housing by advocating for the development of more than 3300 beds, as outlined in Campus Vision 2050; and ensure that this is central in the development of the 10-Year Update to the Vancouver Campus Plan

Ensure that at minimum the $800,000 multi-year commitment for Food Security Initiatives is renewed and maintained, including supports for the AMS Food Bank and Undergraduate Society Initiatives

Continue to advocate for the expansion of need-based aid for international students by working with Enrollment Services to create a mechanism for assessing financial need in foreign countries and reviewing Policy LR10 (Financial Aid)
Advocate for the increase of value per recipient of the International Community Achievement Award from $5000 to $10,000 by working with the International Student Initiative for Senate approval
Advocate for revisions of the tuition allocation model so that 8% of international student tuition goes towards financial aid instead of 7.5%, which allows for more money to be available for needs-based and merit-based aid for continuing international students

Ensure that UBC continues to implement the provincially-mandated Multi-Year Tuition Framework
Endeavour to review Policy LR4 (Tuition Consultation Policy) to be more realistic and transparent in how students are surveyed
Continue opposition to tuition increases by working to meet with individual decision-makers and presenting to them strong affordability arguments while also articulating the harmful impacts of these increases to students
Continue advocating for the creation of a Multi-Year Cost Calculator, as per Student Affordability Task Force Recommendation #2
Advocate for timely action and implementation of the remaining Student Affordability Task Force recommendations

Expand the Textbook Broke Campaign to reimburse students for textbook costs incurred in both terms 1 and 2, and collaborate with Undergraduate Societies to ensure that more students are being reimbursed for their textbook costs
Continue advocating for open educational resources (OER) and universal design for learning (UDL) through the Textbook Broke Campaign and Teaching and Learning Champions Campaign
Ensure that UBC continues to fund open-educational resources and the OER Impact and Excellence Awards beyond 2027

Advocate to increase PhD Students’ Minimum Funding Packages from $24,000 to $26,000 and for it to be available beyond 4 years
Advocate for the creation of Masters Students’ Minimum Funding Packages

Review the GenAI Teaching and Learning Guidelines to focus more on the integration of GenAI tools like ChatGPT into teaching and learning activities, rather than its prohibition
Prioritize the review of Policy V-102 (Examination Hardships and Clashes) so that the definition of an exam hardship is more flexible and reflective of real student circumstances
Prioritize the review of Policy V-103 (Use of the Formal Examination Periods) to improve clarity around the definition of “In-term Examinations” and advocate to ensure that no exams are being held within the two weeks before the formal examination period, and for the removal of the formal examination requirement for first and second-year courses

Academic Experience

Advocate for the permanent extension of the course withdrawal deadline to the last day of classes
Work with the President’s Office and UBC Provost to develop an exam database with resources available from all faculties
Utilize Workday Survey data to advocate for changes to Workday such as a term-by-term calendar view, the ability to download timetables, return to registration time based on average in last Winter Session (not overall GPA), and better user interface
Encourage greater participation in Student Experience of Instruction (SEIs) by raising awareness of their significance and importance and advocate for broad implementation of mid-course feedback surveys by working with Undergraduate Societies

Continue to increase opportunities for undergraduate research by ensuring that the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Expansion initiative launches in all Faculties by September 2025
Advocate for improvements to the Co-Op Program such as increased transparency around program fees and competitive salaries by working with Constituencies, Faculties and the Provost’s Office
Advocate for continued funding into WorkLearn, and increase of year-over-year funding to create new jobs

Career Development Support

Advocate for the establishment of Faculty-specific Career Advisors, continued funding for Black and Indigenous students’ advisors, and advisors for students with disabilities
Advocate for the implementation of international student specific career advisors that are able to advise students on Canadian work experience supports, post-graduation employer transitions, post-graduation permanent residency processes, and the navigation of new immigration policies
Establish university-wide initiatives to embed career development programming into the First Year Experience

In its upcoming review of the Responsible Investing Strategy, ensure that UBC continues to prioritize social, environmental and governance (ESG) principles, with a particular emphasis on the social dimension
Ensure that UBC continues to prioritize harm reduction and increases the number of drug testing sites for Fentanyl and other drugs; raise awareness for Naloxone and harm reduction training
Ensure that UBC continues to prioritize sexual violence prevention through adequately funding services like the Sexual Violence Prevention Office (SVPRO); work with the Sexual Assault Support Centre (SASC) to promote sexual violence prevention training
Advocate for the increase of Embedded Counsellors proportionate to Faculty size and demand, ensure that the responsibility of funding Embedded Counsellors do not fall on Undergraduate Societies
Improve procedures associated with academic misconduct cases to be more student-centric and transparent by working with Faculties, Academic Integrity Hub and the President’s Advisory Committee on Student Discipline (PACSD); ensure that student consultation and priorities are central to the review of PACSD rules
Advocate for there to be a student seat on the Indigenous Strategic Plan Implementation Committee

Work with student stakeholders to ensure that student priorities and consultation are at the centre of the review of Policy LR7 (Disability Accommodations), advocate for the removal of vague language and integration of temporary health issues into the policy
Continue to advocate for increased funding for the Centre for Accessibility to improve the registration system, the connection process between Faculty and CFA Advisors, and improve the front-end website
Expedite the release of a comprehensive list of accommodations available through the Centre for Accessibility
Advocate for the creation of an exam testing centre designated for writing standing deferred (SD) and supplemental exams
Work with the Provost’s Office and Faculty Association to raise awareness on the importance of recorded lectures among instructors