Q&A with DSU presidential candidate, Mia Jager

Mia Jager is a fourth-year music student campaigning to be the Dalhousie Student Union’s president for the 2026-27 academic year.

She is running against Anjali Seshadri, the sole other candidate campaigning for the role. The DSU’s general election voting period runs from Feb. 10 to 11.

Currently serving as the DSU’s sponsorship coordinator, Jager says she is passionate about her community and hopes to foster a stronger sense of pride in Dalhousie University as a whole, rather than in individual programs.

This interview has been edited for clarity, grammar and length.

Why are you running for this position?

I have friends who work at the front desk. [The DSU] cut the staff hours so there weren’t two staff there, just one, and it really fucked my friend over. She relied on that job and having consistent hours to buy groceries, and was tossed aside. The DSU is overly complicated; it took me months of being here to understand how it works. A lot of [executives] come in, and they spend the summer learning, instead of actually going in with a plan that’s feasible.

What experience do you have that makes you the best candidate for this role?

I don’t have a lot of political governing experience. That’s not something that I’ve studied or am involved with. But I have a lot of experience dealing with people and dealing with the DSU. I’ve worked in customer service for years. I know how to talk to people, make small talk, get to know people and see what they’re looking for from me. That’s what the president should be doing.

What are the three most important things your campaign is based on?

I want to implement a policy that there must be a certain ratio of student staff to non-student staff to ensure students can see the DSU as a place to see their friends, get a job opportunity and see themselves among the people who work here. Increased advocacy — it’s important to maintain the conversation with staff about tuition increases and budget cuts that have been ongoing. Also, increasing the shared experience that students have through the Student Union Building. The executives need to advocate for more student-friendly spaces, like the Abstract Café, where people can come and go as they please.

Following last semester’s lockout and lost class time, how will you support students in receiving tuition refunds?

The complicated thing about this is that the only thing that the executives really can do is advocate. It’s not within the DSU’s scope to make a decision; it’s about communicating the students’ displeasure and frustration to the board. I would gather interest and support with the other executives who get elected and maintain the conversation at every board meeting.

Maren Mealey, the current president of the DSU, campaigned on getting Dalhousie to divest from Israel. Is that something you plan to continue during your potential term?

It’s absolutely a necessary component of the advocacy efforts that Dalhousie students need. It’s an issue that a lot of students have personal stakes in. When people are connected to the community, they’re in some way or another affected by it. It might not be something that Dalhousie does to them directly, but it’s something that impacts the way they feel about their institution.

What would you do differently compared to the previous DSU executive team?

I would focus more on the in-house issues rather than the larger social issues that are being discussed amongst students. Of course, they have an important place in the discussions of advocacy, but in terms of governance and policy work and dealing with the staff here, there’s a lot of opportunity to introduce change that hasn’t been exercised by the students.