It is seriously that easy.
Everyone has an opinion about these elections.
Some find them redundant: “I see that all candidates that come and talk to us in class are the same or at least give the same type of promises”, thinks Aiman Nader.
Others, like Jennifer Proulx, believe “that students coming into our classrooms and telling us about themselves is sometimes interesting but also kind of annoying.”
No matter what you think of these elections, they are happening. You might as well win an iPod Touch. Right?
All you need to do is write about it. In fact, all you need to do is document it - whether it is with words, images, videos or other.
To participate, send us an email at info@iwillrun.ca or call/text message (819-208-4237) with your thoughts on these elections.
Serge Miville is leading the pack. Not to worry, there are many iPods to be won.
UPDATE: New Blog! New Blog! Spencer M has just launched uOttawa Elections 09. Check it out.
ÜBER-UPDATE: Kyle Ryc, also a candidate in this election, has started a video/audio blog.
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m in my third year, and for a long time I’ve seen the election of what I’m going to call “UCU Insiders” … people who have worked with the SFUO in some capacity for a long time. It feels like most of the people in any position are already familiar names who have been with the SFUO for a while. My problem with that is that it makes it harder for new people to come - when someone who doesn’t follow elections too close gets to the voting booth, I think they’re likely to just pick the name they recognize.
I think some experience with the SFUO is important for candidates, whether it be through senate, or BoA, or through a department student association or whatever, but people need to know that outside experience is good experience too!! I think the saturation of the SFUO with UCU Insiders is responsible for the ridiculously low voter turnouts and student participation (proportionally to student body size), because once you become an insider, it’s really hard to keep a common touch.
The main issue with our election is that they lack the overall accountability that everyone demands in their platforms. For instance, if we were to comapre our elections with those held by our city, province, or country, we will find several glaring omissions. For starters, we have very relaxed poster rules when it come to clarity. Each and every poster should have a line document who is responsible for said poster, ie “This poster is authorized by Seamus Wolfe”. Even if the poster is clearly a campaign poster for Seamus Wolfe. While this may not have an immediate effect on clarity, for posters supporting or against referendums it can help students see past the paper poster and realize the thoughts and motives behind the referendum.
As far as this campaign goes, we have very few actual choices when it comes to who we choose. The current manifestation of the SFUO abandoned us when it came to the bus strike, and refused to support the shuttles, leaving the entire task to the school administration that they constantly malign. This is the message that the student media needs to stress when it comes to this election, and force individuals like Seamus Wolfe, Roxanne Dubois, and Julie Seguin to answer the question of why they abandoned the students they say the support.
Ken
As far as the posters go, I’d be happy to add the line document into my transition for rule changes for next year. Any any other comments you have. Feel free to email me, sylvia@iwillrun.ca
As far as campaigns go, I’m not going to go into who did what or said what, but I do think I should say that the current SFUO executive did work hard on the shuttle service, especially Dean Halendby, the president of the SFUO (many people attributed the shuttle service to another SFUO executive)
Yes, the SFUO did also supported the striking workers, but the shuttles were not direct from the Admin.
Might as well throw my hat in the ring.
I didn’t realize website didn’t show up automatically, click my name to visit.
If you are a candidate and you did not recieve an email from me, but would like an opportunity to answer some questions for the blog email me or leave me a comment and we’ll make it happen.
Also, thanks to whoever put me in the main posting on here.
@ Yusuf Malik
The only thing I have to say about your comment is this: be the change you want to see.
But also: Yes, it’s kind of true, the same sort of group of student leaders hover around the SFUO, but that’s not (just) because they’re a tight-knit network of friends, it’s because they’ve taken an interest and taken the initiative to get involved and closely follow the workings of the SFUO.
To say that it’s hard for new people to come in is kind of false: look at Tyler Steeves. He’s a relative outsider to the “UCU Insiders”, as you call them, but he has a solid platform, nice posters and a great website (not to mention the best candidate video I’ve seen so far). I think he has a great shot as the Presidency.
http://twitter.com/maximem
I have created a feed that integrates all of the various non-candidate elections blogs. It’ll make it easier than having to look at all of them yourself!
J’ai créé un ‘feed’ qui relie tous les blogues sur les élections (excluant les candidats). Ça rend le tout beaucoup plus facile!
Check us out. I say us because we are a collaborative effort.
Surely if we win one of these wonderful prizes we can split an iPod into several equal shares.
Though I do want to ask the question
New blog!
http://election2009uottawa.blogspot.com/
http://sfuo2009.blogspot.com/
I might as well branch out beyond my facebook blog!
Emelio, your blog isn’t working for me!
@ Fedesaurus:
If it can blend an iPhone, it can surely blend an iPod touch…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg1ckCkm8YI
Hi maxime, it’s working….
http://election2009uottawa.blogspot.com/
Perfect! Thanks
Hey,
Thanks for giving me an opportunity to vent
The elections coming up are of the highest importance, we are to become the future and, as the university is so happy to point out, that future starts here. As Manjak said, “We can change things, not in the inconsequential manner that more thoughtful, more careful, OLDER minds embrace, but by action now”. I want to elect student leaders who have the guts to demand real change from the administration, leaders like Manjak, whose nomination was not accepted by the SFUO and who would have been twice the leader any of the current candidates will ever be.
After my first comment I didn’t really hear or see anything more about the SFUO election except for a few posters here and there. The posters do catch your eye but for me I have to say that normally I see these posters when I am heading to class so I don’t necessarily have time to read them or actually pay attention to what they are saying. Also, in one of my classes we had a few more campaigners come to talk to our classrooms and I got to say that again I was kind of annoyed with the fact that they once again interrupted the class. I understand that they are only trying to get their messages out there and to as many people as possible but for those who really are not interested in it may not feel that they need to hear all of it. The three people that came to my class were more enthusiastic then the first few that came last week sometime, but were not really saying much about what they represent, except for the students, which we already know. Also I think these people need to have a better strategy for getting people to remember their names. Only hearing it once or twice doesn’t really make it stick and so if you really agree or like someone and you would like to vote for them, it would be hard if you couldn’t remember their name. I think they should all have business cards or something.
I have to say that the fact of possibly winning an iPod touch is what caught my attention but now I am actually very interested in the SFUO election. Before I didn’t really pay attention to anything that was going on with the SFUO but now I am actually listening to what these people are saying. Sometimes I really agree with what some people are saying and sometimes I don’t but atleast now I am listening. Today another person interupted my class which I was annoyed by because we were about to have a midterm but when he started talking I wasn’t annoyed anymore. He was actually interacting with the students in my class and asked our opinions. It was a very quick and easy way to get the students involved and think that this guy actually does want to help US and not just himself. I would really like to vote for him the only problem is that I can only remember his first name! Hopefully I will see maybe a poster of him in order to figure out his last name! I never though I would be interested in voting for an SFUO election but I really want to help make a difference!
@Jennifer: What was his first name?