I posted this on the elections blog, so I figure I should also post it here. As a student who enjoys following Union politics closely (one of the few, I think), I feel it necessary to point out to all the voters out there just how many of the “innovative,” or “new” ideas that the Prez/VP candidates have presented in their platforms and at the debates are actually currently in place. A lot of their ideas are really nothing new at all. This might be a little long, but I think it’s worth knowing before your vote. Here we go:
MACGILLIVARY AND CLARKE
The “new idea”: Hold a “Meet Your Union” event at the beginning of the year to be visible get people involved.
The status quo: The same thing was done in this and several previous years.
The verdict: I guess they didn’t notice it?
The “new idea”: Hold social events involving House Presidents and RAs.
The status quo: Already in practice. RAs are required to run events for people on their floors, and R @ X is beginning to host house-wide events. In the majority of cases, the House Presidents are involved in these events.
The verdict: They can do more of it, but it’s not a new idea.
The “new idea”: Create an Activities Advisory Committee including a random first, second, third, and fourth year student to consult when planning activities.
The status quo: The Union’s Activities and Promotions Committee does the same thing and includes the VP Activities, VP Finance, VP Student Relations, 6 House Presidents, 1 Off Campus Leader, the Entertainment Coordinator, and several Councillors.
The verdict: How will creating a second committee with random students be any better than one full of people elected specifically to represent students’ interests?
The “new idea”: Get the Union involved with intramurals.
The status quo: House Councils, under the purview of the Union, include Intramural Representatives.
The verdict: The only way Matt and Julia want to get further involved is to create a new full position within the Union to oversee all intramural sports. No word yet on how they’ll be able to find money to pay an honourarium, or how they’ll do a better job that the people with the same responsibilities in the athletics department do.
The “new idea”: Create an “X Factor” program which organizes volunteering projects and keeps track of students’ volunteering time.
The status quo: Sounds pretty much like X-Project, except that it goes out and asks students who aren’t volunteering already to go do stuff? The VP Union Services already finds volunteers where they’re needed for a large number of events.
The verdict: Don’t we dislike excessive, repetitive bureaucratic waste?
The “new idea”: Under the “Services” part of their platform, they talk about organizing tutoring services.
The status quo: This is already done by the Union. It’s under the portfolio of the VP Union Services. Look it up.
The verdict: There’s no indication of how they’ll do it any better than it’s already being done.
The “new idea”: Run a “Frosh 101” session to help students become acquainted with life at StFX.
The status quo: The same things they plan in their platform are currently done during Frosh week.
The verdict: They’re not talking about improving orientation, they’re talking about repeating it.
The “new idea”: “Promoting students in the community” on their platform seeks to promote students who are active in the community via the website and talks given on campus.
The status quo: Already happens. The Union gives funding to students partaking on volunteer projects, they frequently address societies and other groups of students, their accomplishments have been featured on the website and in the Xaverian Weekly.
The verdict: They’ll do it better somehow? More frequently? No innovation though.
The “new idea”: Matt and Julia indicated in their platform that they will work with lobbying groups CASA and ANSSA and lower tuition and with the administration to improve life at X.
The status quo: These are tasks expected of every President and VP of the Union! Why list them in the platform?
The verdict: I’m waiting to see platform plank #10 – we will hold office hours and attend Council meetings!
CONNORS AND MATHESON
The “new idea”: “Reach out to students” by holding forums to consult students and generate interest in the Union.
The status quo: Forums were once held often, but are rarely used today because people never come out to them. The forum on the yearbook this year was attended by less than 20 students. Pat and Scott would like to use of blogging and streaming video to reach more students, but they’re only really expanding upon the ways these are used. The relative lack of original, innovative new means to communicate to students the ways they can participate is a little unsettling, considering the fact that their platform planks are named Innovation, Communication, and Participation.
The verdict: You need interest in the Union to be present before forums will work, you can’t hold forums and expect all the apathetic students who don’t have the energy to email their Councillor about anything will suddenly get up and participate.
The “new idea”: Hire a professional webmaster to manage the Union site.
The status quo: Council passed a motion a while ago to allow the VP Comm to hire a webmaster using the honourarium money for the student position if no student can be found to fill it.
The verdict: It will be something new if they can find money somewhere to pay a webmaster well enough to get some work done. All they’ve offered to explain how they’ll come up with this money is that they’ll go over the maxed out budget “with a fine toothed comb” and cut out all the “inefficient parts.” Oh, and they’ve also stated they think every position in the Union is important and they won’t be cutting anything. I’m sorry, if every dollar is spent, which it is, then they’re talking about cuts.
The “new idea”: Adopt a tiered system for societies where the societies that benefit the community get what they need.
The status quo: When giving out society allocations, the Budget and Finance Committee already uses a flexible tiered system, and rewards societies which are doing a lot to benefit the community. It’s not officially enshrined in the by-laws, but it can’t really be, because the activity level, needs, and number of societies in different categories is always changing semester to semester.
The verdict: I could probably say more if they explained what they specifically wanted to do, but they didn’t.
The “new idea”: The Union should advertise for societies.
The status quo: The Union already does advertise for societies. Every year hundreds of posters are printed to advertise society events at no extra cost to the societies themselves, and big society events are advertised on theu.ca.
The verdict: I’d be happy if they actually had an innovative new approach here, but they never mentioned one.
The “new idea”: We should publish the budget and the activities of Council.
The status quo: The budget and minutes of Council are already publicly available. If the most recent update isn’t on the website right now, it’s because someone forgot to put it up, not because the Union is a shady secret organization.
The verdict: Learn more about how the Union works before running for President and Vice President.
Well that’s about all I feel like writing. It’s getting a little long, and I have work to do, but I hope you get the point. Remember that you can spoil your ballot if you’re disappointed with both candidates
