UNB News
News and stories from one of Canada’s top universities

Driven by a concern for his fellow students during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kordell Walsh (BPhil’21) ran for a seat on the University of New Brunswick’s (UNB) Board of Governors.

“Students are often in precarious situations, and that was an even larger issue during the pandemic,” he recalled.

“Students were struggling with not feeling heard, me included. The best way to change that was to be in the room where these impactful decisions were made and ensure students’ voices were heard.”

Walsh served on the board from July 2021 to June 2023. He’s among the many students who serve the university through election to the Board of Governors or one of the two UNB Senates.

“Having the student perspective at the table is integral to the effective functioning of the Senates and the Board,” said Sarah DeVarenne, university secretary at the university secretariat, which serves the Senates and Board of Governors.

“Students’ contributions to discussion and debate are highly valued by our governing bodies.”

Dr. Petra Hauf, provost and vice president academic, urges students to participate.

“Participating in university governance is a unique opportunity for students to contribute to decisions that shape academic programs and student support initiatives. This experience not only strengthens the university but provides students with invaluable leadership and learning opportunities.”

UNB’s governance system includes separate Fredericton and Saint John Senates, and a single Board of Governors which receives recommendations on academic issues from the Senates.

The Board also manages finances, property, facilities and other matters.

The two Senates are responsible for academic matters on their respective campuses. They function through standing committees, on which student representatives can serve, including joint committees that handle businesses of common interest to both Senates.

“The size and scope of the issues the university deals with ... it’s quite impressive when you finally take it all in,” said Walsh.

The Fredericton Senate has 73 members. Seven are students. In Saint John the ratio is similar. Of its 39 members, three are students. The remainder includes faculty, librarians, contract academic employees, alumni and administration members.

The Board of Governors has 46 members, of whom three are students, one from Saint John and two from Fredericton.

Elections for the Board of Governors student seats are open to undergraduate and graduate students and are administered by the Student Union (Fredericton) and the Students’ Representative Council (Saint John).

Elections for the Saint John Senate student seats are open to undergraduate and graduate students and are administered by the Students’ Representative Council.

Elections for Fredericton Senate student seats are administered by the Student Union, except for one seat open only to graduate students. The Graduate Student Association administers that seat, and this election is held in conjunction with its election process.

Safe AbuJayyab, in his final year of a B.Sc. in biology-psychology, is a student representative on the Saint John Senate and the Board of Governors.

He wanted to learn more about the university’s inner workings, challenge himself and understand what it took for universities to succeed. He also wanted to determine how university decisions were made and whether there was proper advocacy for students.

“I was surprised to see how complex running a university truly was,” he said.

“I think people have this preconceived notion that universities are simple businesses that just make money off tuition. However, they are multi-faceted institutions that work with community partners, conduct vital research, host educational programs, teach students both in-person and online and maintain international relations.”

AbuJayyab assured any student thinking of running that they won’t be thrown into the role without preparation.

“The Senate and Board of Governors were both very respectful and mindful of the new and old members. New members were taken through orientations, given detailed documents and invited to all functions,” he said.

“They are both very organized, with meeting dates and agendas circulated well before meetings. I was very happy to be able to serve the UNB student body and meet some of the great faculty members that help guide university decisions.”

Patrick Hickey (B.Sc. ’21, MA’23), now a doctoral candidate in clinical philosophy at Dalhousie University, served on the UNB Saint John Senate from 2019 to 2022 and the Board of Governors from 2020 to 2022.

He also wanted to learn how the university worked and ensure a student voice was heard at these levels since he was president of the Saint John Students’ Representative Council.

“I realized the importance of having student voices at these meetings, and it was great to see how valued my perspective as a student was by the professors and university administration on the Senate and Board of Governors,” he said.

“Members always encouraged and supported hearing student voices and perspectives. Student members can influence university decisions at many points to better support the needs of students across both campuses.

“Members and leaders in the Senate and Board of Governors always provided excellent guidance, and there were countless opportunities for mentorship and development as a student leader.”

Francisco Bonilla, a BBA finance and economics student who is currently serving on the Fredericton Senate, said balancing his academic work with serving on the Senate is challenging but rewarding.

“You can get real-world experience and enhance abilities like critical thinking, strong communication and collaboration with professors and other students,” he said. "These qualities enable one to navigate the complexities of university governance.

“Experience in the university Senate helps students better understand university governance and the challenges that institutions face in operations daily, such as balancing budgets while maintaining quality academic programs.”

Law student Caitlin Grogan (BA’19) is currently serving on the Board of Governors. She served on the Saint John Senate during her undergraduate years.

Grogan wanted to make a meaningful difference within the university community and gain valuable insights into institutional governance.

“My primary goal was to advocate for student interests, ensuring that their voices were represented in discussions and decisions that shaped the university’s future,” she said.

Grogan said the experience had deepened her understanding of governance and strengthened her leadership skills, equipping her with tools she could apply in her personal and professional life.

“I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve and would encourage current students to step into these roles to gain a deeper understanding of university operations and make a lasting impact,” she said.

Grogan said students should consider running in the upcoming governance elections to make their mark on UNB’s future.

“Strong student voices in these spaces are crucial and can make such a huge difference in the lives of other students at the university.”

Saint John

Nominations: Jan. 20 - 24
Campaigning: Jan. 27 - 31
Voting: Feb. 3 - 7

Fredericton

Nominations: Jan. 27 at 9 a.m. to Feb. 7 at noon.
Campaigning (starts): Feb. 7 at 4 p.m.
Voting: Feb. 24 at noon to Mar. 2 at 11:59 p.m.