LUSU 2026 Elections: Everything You Need to Know

Lakehead University's Student Union (LUSU) is seeking ambitious, dedicated students to fill a variety of roles central to student life, advocacy, fees, and services from Spring 2026-2027.

There are four full time student leadership roles available on the Executive Team, and 9 total openings for the Board of Directors that are split between the two primary campuses (3 in Orillia, 6 in Thunder Bay). 

Specifically, LUSU's Executive Team roles include a President, who will largely represent students within the university and greater community, a Vice President of Operations and Finance, who will oversee budgets, businesses, and services, a Vice President of Advocacy, who will be responsible for student life initiatives and academic advocacy, and lastly, a Vice President for Orillia, a hybrid role that allows for effective leadership and representation of Orillia campus students. Joining the Board of Directors is a part time commitment that involves attending 2-4 meetings a month. The Board assists in guiding LUSU's strategic direction, ensuring accountability, and further representing student interests.

I asked LUSU's Chief Returning Officer, Nancy, for some more details on what these roles look like, who should get involved, and how to best represent yourself if you do decide to run. 

Nancy considers getting involved with LUSU, either through self-nomination or other means, to be "incredibly important", reflecting that she wished she had taken the opportunity to engage more with her own student union during her post-secondary education. "Clubs and events are an important part of campus life, but serving in a campus role really directly allows students to understand [how to manage concerns such as] student life, services, and advocacy", she said. 

By getting involved with LUSU leadership, students will have the opportunity to directly engage with external partners. "[This can include] all levels of government, as well as national and provincial student units, including CFS. [Students can] also contribute to policy and strategic direction, and help shape initiatives related to equity, support, and campus life".

Alongside this, Nancy considers LUSU's student positions to be "an incredible opportunity to develop skills, including leadership, governance, and advocacy". All of these skills are transferable, and benefit students in any field both during and after graduation, while also "making a meaningful difference in the lives of fellow students in university right now". 

I asked Nancy if holding a position in LUSU is the same as holding a position in any other university student union, and in what ways Lakehead's student union is unique compared to other schools. 

"Structurally and generally speaking, most student unions share common governance features, [such as] elected representatives, a board of directors, governance features, and a mandate to represent students, the same way a laboured union represents workers", she told me. "A lot will be the same. The difference will be in the specificity of each university and each union. At Lakehead, we have a multi-campus structure that represents students in 3 locations (Thunder Bay, Orillia, and Barrie). This requires some thoughtful coordination to ensure equitable representation for campus specific advocacy, and is why Orillia has a specific representative role to ensure their needs are being met." 

Nancy went on to add that Lakehead's small size, which naturally facilitates more interaction between faculty and students than would be possible at larger schools, also makes working for our student union unique. Because of the size, "students can really influence decision making and see the tangible results from that leadership, even just within one term. [Students have a] more direct and personal influence compared to larger institutions".

What sorts of students should get involved in these leadership roles? Are these opportunities generally intended for students in fields related to political science, advocacy, and economics? 

As it turns out, they are not. Rather, LUSU encourages all students to get involved in leadership roles, and boasts a history of students from science-oriented programs holding crucial positions within the organization.

"[Non-political science students are still] students like any other, and anything the student union does affects them as much as it would a student in a political science program, or any [of the] more traditionally political faculties. [Student union decisions] affect all students equally, and having a say, even if you're in engineering, compared to education, is still important", Nancy told me. 

With that in mind, if you do intend to run for an Executive Team position, you should be aware of the expectations associated with it.

"Executive positions are 34-hour-week, paid roles, with some weekend and evening meetings for program events and advocacy", said Nancy. "It is not recommended to carry a full course load while serving as an executive. The commitment involves an expectation students will be [available and working for LUSU] from 8:30-4:30, 5 days a week during fall and winter. This time period allows for internal meetings, external advocacy with CFS, student casework, as well as planning initiatives and events… the workflow fluctuates based on the time of year, but requires consistent engagement and commitment." 

In fact, Nancy told me that summer is one of the most important periods for LUSU Executives. This is when plans for the upcoming year and preparation for orientation occur. 

"Students who want to run [for the Executive Team] should approach it as a full commitment", said Nancy. "It's a job. The Board of Directors is better for those wishing to maintain a full time course load. Both [the Executive Team and Board of Director roles] are really valuable, depending on what students want to do with their lives at this point in time."

Lastly, I asked Nancy if she has any advice for students who are interested in running on how to effectively and captivatingly represent themselves, as well as what they stand for. 

"Start by reviewing LUSU's website and governing documents", she told me. "Reviewing the base documents [will put students in] a very informed position going into [the election]. By doing this, they'll understand LUSU's mandate, services, programs, and priorities. Strong candidates demonstrate that they understand the role they're running for and how it fits into the overall structure [of LUSU]."

Alongside this, she emphasizes the importance of clear communication, thoughtful ideas, and demonstrating a willingness to learn. "All of these components will resonate [with students] far more than catchy phrases. Do not rely on slogans or big, broad promises. Speak clearly and completely about what [you've] observed on campus, what other students are saying. Talk to faculty, [seek to] understand different perspectives."

Students who are interested in running for the general election must complete the candidate nomination package before the deadline at 4:30pm EST this Friday, February 20th.