GSA Representative 2009-10 - jonathan karoly

Background

My background has a little bit of everything. Over the past 9 years I have worked in the financial industry as a financial sales assistant. I have also worked in import and wholesale. Finally, I have also worked in the area of marketing and sales. My experience includes being policy director for my local electoral district association.

Vision for DEMSA

In this position, I feel it is important for a student to have an extensive knowledge of York’s administration as well as York’s student union in order to be effective in representing this program in the Graduate Student Association. As I have been a student at York on and off since 2001, I have learned how to deal with the administration on various issues and have watched numerous student unions place external issues ahead of those that actually deal with what students actually need. It is my belief that a person within this position should be placing the interests of Graduate students first and foremost and external politics should bear no place in student politics. In regards to our program I feel that it is important to bring up an issue that I have heard over and over again from students within our program. This issue is access to classes outside of our program. As I have heard from numerous first year students, they have had issues registering in classes outside of our program, as they are either full or restricted. This issue is one of importance now for students entering the program as more and more students are choosing the coursework option over the thesis option. The offer of being allowed to take courses at other universities is not an option for some students as a result of the added costs associated with it. As well, they should not even have to consider this option especially when there are enough courses within our own university to complete our educational requirements. It is my intention that should I be elected I will work to fight for those students in our program to be able gain easier access to courses that will allow us to advance academically within our program.