My name is Mustafa Afridi, and I am running to be your next Vice President Operations because I believe the Students’ Union should serve to be more accountable, transparent, and work to revolve around our sense of community.

Too often, students deal with small frustrations that pile up into a bigger feeling of disconnect. Not knowing where to go for support, getting stuck in unclear processes, or struggling to access services should not be accepted as normal. The union exists to serve students, which means it should feel approachable, efficient, and genuinely responsive to the people it represents.

One of my biggest priorities is transparency and accessibility. I genuinely don’t think it takes too much to be reachable. Students deserve leadership that is present, honest, and easy to contact. I want to be one call away, even on my personal phone number, because representation should not feel distant or hidden behind layers of formality. If students have concerns, ideas, or frustrations, they should know they can reach me directly and trust that they will be heard.

I also want to help build a stronger sense of community at TMU. Right now, real togetherness can feel like a foreign concept on campus, and I want to change that. We are not meant to move through university as strangers passing each other by. We live in a shared community, and we should know each other, support each other, and be useful to each other. University should feel like a place where people belong, not just a place they pass through. The Students’ Union should play a real role in building that sense of connection.

I care deeply about integrity in leadership. I want students to feel like they are just as much in control as I am. That means being transparent about decisions, listening closely to feedback, and making sure students feel included in the direction of their union. Leadership should not be about distance, ego, or control. It should be about trust, accountability, and shared ownership. Students should never feel like decisions are being made around them instead of with them.

I also want to strengthen support for student groups, course unions, and campus organizations. These communities are a huge part of what makes university life meaningful. Student leaders should be able to focus on building community, creating opportunities, and supporting their peers instead of constantly running into avoidable barriers and frustrating processes.

Operations may happen behind the scenes, but they shape how students experience the union every single day. My goal is to improve systems, simplify processes, and build a Students’ Union that is organized, transparent, and genuinely connected to the students it serves.

I am running because I believe students deserve better, and I am ready to do the work to make this union feel more open, more supportive, and more ours.