Platform | matthew-patterson

Matthew Patterson

What I Stand For

The vice president of University affairs is first and fore-most an advocate for the students of Huron, and that is precisely what I intend to be. If elected my primary focus will be on making sure that student voices are heard by the administration, and that the school’s focus is on its students. My plan is to make Huron stronger right now, invest in the future, and ensure that any needs that arise are dealt with as efficiently and effectively as possible.

The Present

Huron is a great place to be, but it still can – and should – be improved. The position for which I am running is primarily a position of academic and social advocacy, working with the school administration in the day to day running of the college, and that is what I intend to focus on. This does not however, mean that I will not help create new policies both as an advocate with school administration and a member of the HUCSC executive. It is for this reason that I am proposing investment in student services and facilities at Huron, specifically a new mental health protocol, and the continuation of the project towards a Huron gym.

Huron students have access to a strong base of mental health resources on main campus, but as anyone who has worked with mental health situations before knows, getting people who need help to those resources can be a challenge. This is why I am proposing a no wrong door policy, which will help make sure that everybody who comes forward for help receives it. This will involve ensuring that all faculty and administrative staff are aware of the resources that are available, and how to access them; as well as making it protocol that if someone comes forward seeking help to a staff member, they must make sure that the student is not only aware of the resources, but makes the next step of accessing them.

The athletic facilities on main campus are phenomenal, but sometimes they are just too far for Huron students to go to, especially in a winter like this one. That is why I am committing my support to the project that is currently underway with the HUCSC, which would dedicate a space at Huron and buy the equipment to have gym facilities on Huron campus. I would use my position on the executive to help ensure that this is done without placing a financial burden on students.

2010 - present

Huron’s worst kept secret is that we have a problem with recruitment. We simply are not getting enough high school students interested in Huron. I will work alongside Huron faculty and administration to expand our recruitment efforts and continue to build Huron as the elite intuition which we know it is.

I will also offer continuing support for the projects which are underway to make Huron a more desirable location. The recently passed referendum for library expansion, as well as gym facilities, and other long term projects will help make people see Huron as the school for them. If elected, I will use my position of advocacy with the Huron administration to ensure that we continue to make these investments in Huron’s future to help solidify Huron as a top post secondary destination.

Huron also has a role to play in helping students after graduation. I will work with the administration and existing services to help expand existing networks and create new connections, with both alumni and local employers, to help Huron students find employment after graduation. I will also work to help strengthen to programs already in place to help graduating students find graduate programs if they intend to continue their education after their time at Huron. Furthermore, I will work to create a collaborative program with the student connections provided through Western, so that Huron students can access the largest pool of resources possible after graduation.

The Future

Continuing Committment

The bulk of the work of the VP of University Affairs is not glamorous or public, but day to day hard work and commitment to the student body. That is what I will do without fail and with relentless commitment. I will guarantee that if any student comes to me with an issue that is within the scope of my office, I will make sure to do all that I can to get it fixed. I wish to be a tireless advocate for all Huron students. If you elect me, you will have a vice-president who will never stop working to make sure that your voices are heard, and that Huron is run for its students.