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By Viktorija Trunova
At the Faculty of Arts Celebration of Academic Excellence on November 27, 2007, Krisna Saravanamuttu, a third-year criminology student and the President of the Faculty of Arts Student Council (FASC), received the FASC Service Excellence Award. This award recognizes a FASC member’s outstanding service to the student community at York and significant contribution to student life. Sarvanamuttu was nominated for this award by the FASC executive committee.
Left: student leader, Krisna Saravanamuttu
“I am very thankful to my team for showing me how to be a great leader and for always supporting me,” he said at the ceremony.
Saravanamuttu got involved with the Council in his second year through Hamza Dawood, the then-president. When Saravanamuttu first joined FASC in 2006, the group only had 10 members. Today, 50 students share the responsibility of representing Faculty of Arts students on the Faculty of Arts Council and on important Council committees. Saravanamuttu has been one of the few FASC members to serve on significant university-wide committees. He has served on the University Senate, (the highest decision making body at York University), and on student forums and
committees that are part of York’s Student Community and Leadership Development department. Saravanamuttu is also
representing the interests and perspectives of Arts students on a few restructuring committees that were created inresponse to a Senate decision to create a new Faculty by merging the Faculty of Arts and the Atkinson Faculty of Liberal and Professional Studies.
Students Making a Difference
The Council seeks to involve more students through projects that encourage leadership and academic development. One of the most recent initiatives that FASC was
able to get off the ground with the suppport of the Faculty of Arts is the LEAD (Leadership, Education, Achievement and Development) program. It is designed for upper and lower-year students who wish to develop the skills to become successful leaders. The program will allow more experienced student leaders (designated as mentors) to mentor junior peers (designated as mentees) and to help them develop their leadership potential. LEAD is still a pilot-project. Another FASC initiative is the Ian Greene Award for Teaching Service and Excellence. This award was established to recognize those professors and teaching assistants who immeasurably contribute to student life at York.
“None of these projects would have been possible without the support of my team,” Saravanamutu says.
It is interesting to learn how Saravanamuttu stays committed to both the Council and his school work during the year. “It is all about time-management and finding balance,” he
says. “If you find something that you care about and wish to get involved in, then it becomes easier to do because you treat it as a passion and not a chore."
This ambitious and fiery young man has always been interested in social justice and fighting for equality. His passion for protecting the interests of those who are
marginalized, and for giving voice to those who are voiceless, has made him a great leader. It is no wonder he wants to pursue a career in law and eventually get involved with non-governmental organizations like Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch.
“Krisna belongs to a distinguished league of students who excel equally in their studies and in their contributions to the York community,” says Marilyn Lambert-Drache,
Associate Dean, Student Relations in the Faculty of Arts. “His success both inside and outside the classroom shows that getting involved in clubs and student government is the key to a full and rich student experience. I encourage all of our students to follow his example and to become a member of one of the Arts program-affiliated clubs and/or to join the Faculty of Arts Student Council.”
It is a pleasure to know that there are passionate people like Saravanamuttu who share their time, energy, skills and knowledge with others. The desire to make a difference is
what continues to drive individuals like Sarvanamuttu.
“Keep your eye on the prize and never forget what you are working for,” Saravanamuttu says.
To learn more about FASC, please visit: http://www.yorku.ca/fasc/index.htm