Matthew Athanasopoulos
Program & Year of Study
2B, Nanotechnology EngineeringTop three platform points
1. You spend a lot of money every term on mandatory WUSA fees ($489.91 for co-op students in Fall 2023). I will advocate for a freeze of fee increases for 2024-2025 on WUSA funds which have a growing surplus with no concrete plans of utilization, call out when your money is being spent inappropriately or mismanaged, as well as continue to represent you and ask the tough questions and demand answers around university fee increases to administration (e.g., Student Services Fee -> SSO, CCD, Athletics and Rec, etc.)
2. I will take actions to make it easier for your elected student leaders (Board of Directors) to speak to Waterloo Regional Council, as well as engage with MP's and MPP's on your behalf without the burdens of unnecessary red tape and legal constraints. Effective communication between our elected student representatives and local, provincial, and federal leaders is crucial for addressing the concerns and needs of our student community. With that being said, the advocacy topics I'm most deeply passionate about are equitable access to local and regional transit, improved transit services and forward-thinking expansion, as well as affordable and inclusive solutions to student housing. I'd be more than happy to voice your concerns on these topics to elected officials directly.
3. Mental health issues continue to be very prominent at UW. I will continue to advocate for improved mental health services on campus and further promotion of these services, taking into account the direct feedback from undergrads who have actually used them.
Reason why someone should vote for you in 100 words or less
With the experience of being on our current Board and taking on various roles at UW including co-op terms and a number of different leadership positions, I've gained a pretty good understanding of how our admin systems work, what can be accomplished within reason, and what challenges we may face when trying to make changes. I am a strong leader and believe my variety of experiences across the University will continue to make me a strong asset to the Board of Directors. If elected, I commit to helping build a strong, inclusive, transparent, and well allocated WUSA for 2024-2025.
Links to any website, social media accounts and/or email address
If you have questions about current WUSA, my platform, or anything else, please contact me directly through the following channels. I will respond ASAP.
Instagram: @mqzpt
Email: mk2athan@uwaterloo.ca/mk2athan@wusa.ca
Teams: mk2athan@uwaterloo.ca/mk2athan@wusa.ca
Discord: @mqzpt (@mqzpt#3675)