Name: Michael Davies-Cole
Hometown: New Glasgow, NS
Program: Honours in Sociology, Pre-Law
Nominated for: Senate
Relevant experience: Sat on several boards as president, co-chair, advisor and consultant including the Halifax School Board, and several government boards; current Black Students Representative on DSU Council
Dalhousie Gazette: Why are you running for a senate seat?
Michael Davies-Cole: I’m running not because I need experience, but because I’m a little disappointed in what the school doesn’t do for students. I feel I have a strong enough voice to move things for the students because my key thought is that students need a voice. They need someone that will listen to them. As kids, nobody listens, and here as young adults, nobody listens again. For an establishment like Dalhousie, without the people beneath [the governing board], they are nothing. Without students, there would be no need for a council, a governing board or even buildings. It’s 2015, and we’re still fighting misogyny. There is no such thing as postcolonialism, we’re still fighting.
DG: What role do you see Senate having in the upcoming year?
MD: I think the big thing the Senate needs to do is to keep on the establishment, and always be one step forward, it should never sit there and rest. Dalhousie calls themselves a progressive university but they will need to step up and act on that word: progressive.
DG: What policy experience do you have?
MD: I was on the policy-making board for Halifax Pride. I’ve sat on the policy board for the mission statement for the Halifax Regional School Board. I’ve also spent time with policy within healthcare, and I’ve taken courses on policies in college in Ontario.
DG: If you were on the Senate this year, what issue would you bring to the table?
MD: The issues that I would bring is the fact that in doing the report for the school for inclusiveness and diversity, they have still missed the mark. They haven’t addressed everybody, especially the minorities. Those people that they don’t approach themselves, aren’t going to come forward. How can they look into something they don’t have?
Some stuff they did was good, but we’re a media culture – with five minutes of fame, but ten years from now we do not look at the issues we need to keep things fresh on the radar.
It’s about going for common sense, but somehow when you go up in the establishment, you miss the point – it’s about the students. Without the students, there would be no Dalhousie.
DG: What committees would you hope to serve on if elected, and why?
MD: Unfortunately, too many. I’m the Black student chair right now and would still have avenues with that. I’m also a member of the Native Unit and would continue with avenues with that too, and South House.
Also, committees that look into governance. I am open to be on any committee when students need a voice. I want to make students more aware of all the committees out there so everybody can have their voice heard. We need to work together to move forward, and being in pieces only leaves you in pieces.
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