The board does not endorse Cassarah Chu for Student Welfare Commissioner.
Chu has worked with the commission previously, but that was not clear from her interview. She was unable to articulate the details of her platforms and seemed unprepared for the position.
She did identify issues relevant to college students, such as body image and the effects of drugs and alcohol. But she relied heavily on continuing existing programs, and for the few original ideas she did have, she could say little about how to achieve them.
For example, Chu proposes to provide students with “unbiased” sources of information on drugs and energy drinks, but when asked how she would evaluate whether or not a source is biased, Chu was unsure.
Chu also proposed an “I Love My Body” week and more open forums for students to discuss body image issues. Chu, however, did not establish how she would encourage students to speak about such personal issues. When pressed for details on “I Love My Body Week,” she said she planned to have a photo contest for students to submit photos of themselves, emulating campaigns by national organizations.
We recommend that Chu rethink her platforms by asking students what they want from her office, then take more time figuring out how to deliver.