SGPS president set to advocate for grad students

SGPS president set to advocate for grad students

May 12, 2014

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By Hollie Knapp-Fisher, Communications Intern

After winning a gruelling, tightly contested election, Kevin Wiener (Law’15) is happy to move on and focus on his duties and responsibilities as president of Society of Graduate and Professional Students (SGPS).

[Kevin Wiener, SGPS president]As SGPS president, one of Kevin Wiener's goals is to work with Senate to develop a policy addressing the academic harassment of graduate students.

“This was a very different SGPS election than the past. Usually they are very low key but this year was a big event,” he says. “Now I am really looking forward to working alongside my new team.”

Even before officially taking over from Iain Reeve on May 1, Mr. Wiener had started doing a lot of work. “I needed to make sure I was up to date with all that had gone on in the past so I could properly proceed into the future.”

Mr. Wiener plans to focus on some key issues during his term as president. First, he aims to develop an online municipal voter registration system for Queen’s students. That effort is in line with his work last year challenging Kingston city council’s decision to adopt new electoral boundaries that did not count the postsecondary student population. Mr. Wiener and his co-appellants, the Alma Mater Society and the Sydenham District Association, won the Ontario Municipal Board appeal and city council’s decision was nullified.

Additionally, he wants to work with Senate to develop a policy addressing the academic harassment of graduate students.

“These are both issues I am passionate about because I believe they meet the needs of our students,” says Mr. Wiener. “My door and inbox are always open to talk about the important issues happening around campus. I want next year to be the absolute best it can be for the SGPS.”

Although his studies and his new position demands a lot of his time, Mr. Wiener remains active in both the Queen’s and Kingston community volunteering his time to a number of different organizations. When he finds a spare moment, he enjoys engaging with peers on social media as well as the occasional video game.

 

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