Academic Board — election of a student from Faculty of Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology

Candidates in ballot paper order

Sam Dryden

Vincent Jiang

Taya Higgins Tugaga

Arushdeep Singh

Liya Nagawkar

Candidates’ statements

Sam Dryden

I want to improve the student experience at UTS by creating stronger connections between academic learning, professional development and the wider community.

As President of the UTS Civil Engineering Society, I have worked to create high-value workshops, laboratory opportunities, industry engagement and outreach initiatives that complement coursework and give students opportunities to apply their knowledge. I have also volunteered to teach students at both high schools and university, seeing firsthand how accessible and engaging education can build confidence and encourage students to pursue further opportunities.

I am seeking election to the Academic Board to extend this work beyond Civil Engineering. I want to contribute to improving student learning and engagement across UTS, while supporting student societies and outreach as valuable parts of the university experience. 

Vincent Jiang

Hi, I'm Vincent, a first-year Bachelor of Information Technology Co-op student at UTS.

The Academic Board plays an important role in maintaining the quality and integrity of education at UTS. If elected, I will represent students by providing thoughtful, evidence-based feedback on academic matters and advocating for high-quality teaching and learning experiences. I believe academic excellence should be balanced with innovation, student wellbeing, and meaningful engagement with industry. Through my own experiences as a Co-op student and active participant in societies, I believe student engagement is important when shaping academic policies and future directions. 

Taya Higgins Tugaga

I want to join the UTS Academic Board to represent engineering students and contribute a student perspective to decisions that shape teaching, learning and the wider university experience. Through my involvement in student leadership, engineering societies, outreach and industry, I have seen how academic policies and course structures can directly affect student engagement, progression and opportunities.

I would bring a practical and considered perspective from the Faculty of Engineering and IT, while ensuring that the experiences and concerns of a diverse range of students are heard. I am particularly interested in strengthening communication between students and the university, supporting accessible and high-quality learning, and helping ensure academic decisions reflect both student needs and the expectations of an evolving engineering industry. 

Arushdeep Singh

FEIT should prepare us for the world ahead, not assess us for the world behind. 
I'm Arushdeep Singh, a Computing Science student who works as a cloud and AI developer in the federal public sector. 

I'm nominating for Academic Board to advocate for a Future-Ready FEIT:

• Clear AI expectations on every assessment, so no student has to guess what's permitted.
• Authentic assessment that tests genuine understanding and practical capability, not just output.
• Coursework that connects to the skills industry and research actually use.

At work I build with AI tools daily under strict governance rules. At uni they sit in a grey zone that shifts subject to subject. Students deserve consistency.

I'll bring concrete issues with evidence to the Board and report outcomes back to students across Engineering and IT.

I've lived both sides of that gap. I want FEIT to close it. 

Liya Nagawkar

Hey UTS student body! I’m Liya, a 3rd-year Biomedical Engineering and Medical Science student running to be your voice on the UTS Academic Board. University policies directly shape our daily study experience, and I am excited to step up, learn how board decisions are made, and pitch fresh ideas for our community. Having navigated complex dual-degree workloads, I understand the challenges students face balancing assessments, learning styles, and university expectations. I want to ensure our feedback leads to real action: advocating for fair assessment standards, transparent course policies, and responsive academic support. I’m passionate about bridging the gap between students and university leadership to make our academic journey as equitable and practical as possible. I’d love the opportunity to represent you and ensure student voices are heard loud and clear. Vote Liya for Academic Board!

How to vote in an online ballot

1. Note your candidate choices and preference order
2. Log in to UTS: Elections Online Polling Booth
3. Choose the election you wish to vote in
4. Select the candidates you wish to vote for
5. Check your vote
6. When you are ready, choose 'submit' to record your vote.

Conduct

Participants in elections (candidates, their representatives and voters) are expected to follow the same high standard of conduct and behaviour during the campaign process as is expected on campus generally. The behaviour of election candidates and their representatives should meet expected standards of conduct. See Code of Conduct for UTS Elections.

Concerns about security due to election-related conduct should be reported to UTS Security and Emergency Management. Phone 02 9514 1192 or dial ‘6’ on any UTS phone.

Further information

The schedule for this election has information about the election rules, Returning Officer and Academic Board.

See Voting for information about votes, confidentiality, appointing a scrutineer and results.