Who am I?
Hello Friends. My name is M M Baset Oli Mishkat. In the 2021 GSU election, I am running to represent you as Executive Director of External Affairs (EDEA). I am pursuing my Ph.D. degree in General Management, and this is my third year. My research area is Entrepreneurship.

Why am I qualified?
Since the first semester of 2018, I involved in different societies, unions, and associations. In 2019, I contested for the President position in the Teaching Assistants’ Union of Memorial University of Newfoundland (TAUMUN), and graduate students have put their faith in me to serve TAUMUN. After taking the position, I made some decisions that helped the union members. Notably, I could launch Employee Assistance Fund that supports the members to cover health and medical expenses which are not covered by their regular health and dental insurance. This fund also supports the parent members to cover the costs related to childcare. I was also directly involved in resolving two grievance cases. During the pandemic, by cutting various less needed expenses, TAUMUN managed to donate Fifteen Hundred Dollar in COVID-19: Student Emergency Funds. It was a great pleasure and joy to work for TAUMUN members and give me the courage to serve a bigger community like GSU. Keeping a vision to work for the graduate students, I involved in GSU directly by volunteering in the electoral committee in 2020 and in 22nd Aldrich Interdisciplinary Conference. I represented TAUMUN as a BoD in GSU. I also worked as the constitution coordinator of GSU. These experiences with GSU helped me to understand the ins and outs of GSU administrative works. I believe my experiences with GSU, TAUMUN, and voluntary works make me a competent candidate who can understand graduate students’ wants. These experiences will help set realistic goals for students’ betterment and formulating the right strategy to achieve those goals.
What will I do for you?

  • If you elect me as the EDEA, I promise to stand for your interests and bring changes in 2021- 2022. My primary goal will be to make your voice heard
    Specifically, I will
  • Advocate to increase the baseline research funding, students’ post-graduation employability as we graduate students are facing comparatively high living costs and tuition fees.
  • Stand up for increasing the support for mental health as mental health is vital and currently should be getting the most priority.
  • Negotiate to improve the health plan coverage, housing, transportation (Shuttle services to grocery, OSC, MI, Signal Hill, downtown, and mall), and parking facilities based on the students’ needs.
  • Work to increase on-campus jobs (e.g., GradSWEP) and to reduce housing fees. As in this pandemic, many students lost their jobs or got fewer work hours.
  • Promote equity and diversity in GSU.
  • Support and promote every initiative for the acknowledgment, incorporation, support, and inclusion of Indigenous Groups.
  • Support all the decisions related to the enlargement and growth of research in MUN.
  • Ensure a better service in facilities management by bringing transparency and accountability to the table.