The Students’ Union presidential position keeps Dalmy Baez bouncing around the entire campus much like Tigger. Although she doesn’t have a tail, Baez does have the boundless energy that is necessary for her workload. As president, Baez directs the vice-presidents and tries to keep the SU and administration’s focus on student needs.
After a long year that started with figuring out what she wanted to do, campaigning and winning her spot, Baez quickly took to her role. She continued former president Julie Bogle’s professionalism and close relationship with the university administration, but also worked hard to maintain a healthy relationship with students.
This can easily be seen in this year’s tuition consultation. While last year the SU took a new approach by asking the university for specific changes to benefit students if tuition was raised, Baez went a step further by actually meeting with students for feedback. The major themes brought up were then included in the document that will be presented to the Board of Governors, although some may argue that students took a minor role in it.
The recommendations in the document are less measurable than last year’s. While Baez is very approachable and willing to listen to students, she needs to present their communication more effectively to administration.
Several commissioners felt that after the university failed to reach the goals set in last year’s proposal and that asking for more instead of having a stronger anti-tuition increase stance goes against the role of the SU.
But Baez is making good use of student clubs to gauge students’ needs. One of her biggest projects this semester is the SU leadership conference taking place at the end of January. She even secured funding from the university for the event. It was initially going to be this semester, but the planning turned out to be more than expected.
Herself and vice-president operations and finance Alex Judd have met with several different clubs to expand SU sustainability projects on campus. This is positive given complaints from commissioners about her struggle with delegation. Baez likes to know what’s going on in her own projects and therefore needs to be aware of the helpful resources she’s surrounded by. She is always there to help commissioners, but needs to remember that they are there to help her as well.
In the next several months, the SU will be faced with the arts faculty amalgamation. Baez has already increased the participation of SU members in the decision making process and plans to do even more so in the future.
Overall, Baez has been a gleaming, energetic face for the SU. She’s had plenty of communication with students, university administration and the community (even if she wasn’t the best liaison) and her VPs have accomplished many goals under her direction.