By Shanleigh Brosseau, Editor-in-chief
In an interview with Lambda, Katlyn Kotila, VP of Education, talked about her experiences as a first-year student which lead to her getting involved with the SGA [Students’ General Association], and her accomplishments and challenges working with the association.
Kotila’s first impression of the SGA was in her first year at Laurentian, when the executive team was making its rounds in classes to spread awareness and encourage participation.
“It was like, okay, you guys seem desperate. I didn’t want to get involved, but clearly you want people,” she said. “By the fifth class, I lifted my hand and said, ‘Okay, how do I sign up so you can stop talking?’ It was one of those things where [I thought] I’ll put my name forward just to see.”
Her first role within the SGA was a place on the board as a Faculty of Arts Representative. That role was a turning point as a first-year student, and propelled her to continue working with the association.
“I was walking on campus, it was a day with really bad weather, it was raining and everything. I slipped and fell and I scraped my knee. I was having a rough day.”
Her first year, she said, was a struggle – the transition from high school to university, to not knowing where to find or access the resources she needed.
That particular day, the only place she knew to go was the Students’ General Association.
“I [walked] in, and I’m like, I just need someone. It was in that moment that I realized there were many people going through the same things I was, who didn’t know where to go for help or how to navigate the system,” She said.
“But, [most students] don’t have that connection with the SGA, that they feel comfortable going there. I was lucky, I signed up for the board.”
Finding a sense of community and comfort within the association, she realized it had more to offer, such as being a place of support for students.
“I saw the [SGA] had so much potential, but it wasn’t always being utilized. I think that’s what made me really want to continue [with the organization],” She said.
“I wanted to be that person for those first years, for those people who are struggling and feel like they have nowhere to go, or don’t know where to go.”
The following year, Kotila ran as a senator, hoping to make bigger changes at the senate level, the role was also a learning curve for her.
“It was figuring out, how do processes work? How do I make the changes I want to make?”
Now, she is at the end of her third year, and her role as VP of Education.
“It’s been a really great year,” She said. “I’ve had the opportunity to pursue some of the things where I struggled.”
“I’m very open with my story and my struggle about mental health, and how I didn’t understand the services we have at the university. This year I really pushed for that.”
“My main goal [in this role] has always been to leave Laurentian a little bit better than it was before I got here, and to make sure those students coming in don’t have to struggle the same way I did.”
Kotila said her role as VP of Education (formerly VP of Policy and Advocacy) included government-relations work and educational campaigns, as well as academic appeals.
“I see [this role] being about how we help students not only academically, but also to help educate them on the things that they’re going to need once they graduated from university.”
Kotila says that mantra was the focus of many of this year’s campaigns – including a sexual health campaign, and an environmental campaign.
“Advocacy is [also] a big part of my role, and the student voice is something I tried to bring with me in everything that I did,” She added, that included meeting with individuals at the university, municipal and provincial levels, to discuss student issues.
“I had the opportunity to author the LGBTQ [plus] students’ paper, as well as the opportunity to co-author the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance’s (OUSA) rural and northern students’ paper.”
The latter piece, Kotila said, was crucial for advocating for students in the north.
“I think a lot of students in the north are affected by decisions [at the provincial level], but are never consulted,” She said. “They don’t really think about the north at all, when making decisions at Queen’s Park. I helped bring that voice, and it’s always been [about] making sure that student voices are heard.”
Along with these accomplishments, she says this year was a challenge for the entire executive team, with the Student Choice Initiative (SCI) implemented this past fall.
Looking back, Kotila said, “We inherited a really weird [year].”
“There was so much uncertainty about where we would get funding, how we would be doing things.”
“A large portion of our summer was [spent] figuring out how to operate with little to no funding. We didn’t know what would happen and we didn’t know what the opt-in fees would look like. We needed to reassess how things were done in the past, and we transformed the way the organization operates now. We couldn’t stick with status quo.”
“Because of that, there are a lot of things that I didn’t get to do that I would have loved to.”
One of the things Kotila said she wished could have been accomplished this year was Indigenizing the SGA, from updating policies to empowering Indigenous voices.
“It’s something I wish we would have had the opportunity to spend more time on, because I think it’s really important, especially with the number of Indigenous students that we represent.”
Kotila added, “Another thing that I really wanted to do was [focus] on mental health and life skills.”
While advocating for mental health at Queen’s Park and as a panellist, sharing her story with mental health, Kotila says she wishes she could have had the opportunity to “dive fully deep” with it at the university level.
Campaigns lined up for March and April included “life skills” campaigns focused on resume building, taxes, and preparing for post-graduation, a different spin on the SGA’s usual financial literacy week.
“That work was unfortunately lost because of everything going on.”
With the first case of COVID-19 in Sudbury, Laurentian University was one of the first University’s in Canada to move classes online in March.
“I was impressed with everything and how quickly [they decided to move classes online]. I think I commend them for that,” she said.
However, COVID-19 and the measures put in place cut those campaign ideas, as well as some elements of her role, short.
“You realize in this role, that one year goes by really fast. You have all these hopes, dreams and ideas but you [can’t] get them all accomplished,” she said.
According to Kotila, “The hardest part of this job is knowing that you wanted to do more, but knowing you didn’t have the time, resources, or opportunities.”
“I used to have a countdown on my whiteboard of how many days until I was done [the role],” she said.
“People laughed because they thought, ‘Oh, you can’t wait to get out’. And I’m like, no, that’s not it. I love this role so much, and I want to stay in it. But [the] countdown [reminded] me that I only have so many days left.”
“It motivated me to make the most of every single second of the role.”
Another ‘bumpy’ road for this year’s executive team was the election, which sparked controversy and a student protest.
“That was difficult for me, I basically had to sit back and kind of watch,” She said.
“I don’t think people realize that I didn’t have an opportunity to put my say into the decisions being made,” she added, citing the processes in place, such as the elections committee.
“During that whole thing, I tried to stick to my morals, and do what was right for me.”
Kotila added that she assisted the disqualified candidates with their appeals to the elections committee.
“I wanted fight for them [the disqualified candidates], to make sure that they had a chance,” She said.
For Kotila, reading the election commentary on social media was difficult not to take personally.
“I was watching some of my closet friends [criticize] an organization that I put my blood, sweat and tears into,” She said. “I had to step back and realize, this isn’t about me, this is about the system.”
“This is about the way things work, they’re not criticizing my work. I know I did all I could, but I was still very much in the midst of it all. It was very hard to watch that.”
“During that whole thing, I tried to stick to my morals, and do what was right for me.”
According to Kotila, the backlash brought light to issues that need to be changed within the organization.
“While it’s unfortunate that this happened, hopefully the election process will improve and things will get better in that respect. Change is done through people who see an issue, bring it to attention and it gets worked on.”
This upcoming September, Kotila said she plans to take a break from student politics.
“One of the things I noticed this year is that I have been involved with the SGA for so long that I have almost forgot who I am without it,” She said. “I need to take some time to myself, figure out what I enjoy and pursue things that are going to interest me and challenge me.”
Continuing to be involved with the SGA and advocacy work is something she is considering, but she says, it might look different than direct involvement.
“I don’t know how I will [remain involved], or in what ways, but the SGA will always be something I hold dear to my heart.”
“When I got here in my first year, I said I wanted to leave this place better than it was when I got here. That still rings true.”
“In my role, I’ve always felt, ‘Why me?’ I’ve always felt this sense of imposter syndrome”
Looking back on all that she’s accomplished this year, she said there’s still much she’d like to do.
But, she said, focusing on her academics and own interests will be something that comes first for now – that includes volunteer work with Sudbury Pride, as well as mental health organizations.
Her advice to students, is to be opportunistic, and to share their ideas and passions about the university and student life.
“Take every opportunity that comes your way, even if it’s something you think you’re not ready for, or something that won’t interest you. Do it anyways. It will be worth it in the end.”
According to Kotila, her own experience getting involved with the student association opened doors for other opportunities, and allowed her to overcome self-doubt.
“In my role, I’ve always felt, ‘Why me?’ I’ve always felt this sense of imposter syndrome,” she said.
“I think that’s a really dangerous thing for people to feel, and I think a lot of the times it has stopped me in the past from doing things. And, I think that [feeling] is entirely not true.”
“All it takes is one idea to move something forward,” She said. “It’s about taking that leap of faith, believing yourself and having the courage to move forward with it. It can be scary but it will work out in the end. So, take that opportunity and believe that you have what it takes to also make a difference.”
“At Laurentian, there are so many people with so many amazing ideas, who are capable of great things,” She said. “I think if every student really pursued what they were passionate about, with the courage to do it, Laurentian would be amazing.”