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Preston Byrne: Nominated for Association President

Postby someone on Tue Mar 07, 2006 2:51 pm

Unfortunately I'm not allowed to answer any questions regarding policy positions, or anything for that matter, until this Friday after the candidates' meeting (election rules prohibit campaigning until then). But I thought I'd throw this out there in the meantime.



someone,
Candidate for Association President.
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Re:

Postby Al on Fri Mar 10, 2006 10:51 pm

In the absence of any questions from students, perhaps you'll answer one from a Life Member of the Association. I believe that you have resigned from two SRC positions. In addition, you have missed meetings during your present post. Do you really think that this cavalier attitude is good enough in a candidate for the Association Presidency? How can the electorate be sure that you'll take the duties of Association President any more seriously than you took your previous posts?
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Re:

Postby Harry Giles on Sat Mar 11, 2006 10:39 am

If elected, what commitment to environmental and ethical issues can the students expect from you? What do you consider the role of President in this regard to be, and how do you intend to best fulfil that role?

--
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Re:

Postby someone on Sat Mar 11, 2006 1:35 pm

Quoting Al from 22:51, 10th Mar 2006
How can the electorate be sure that you'll take the duties of Association President any more seriously than you took your previous posts?


I expected that. I resigned from Chair for personal reasons and the fact that academic work was taking precedence over Union involvement in the latter half of my Junior Honours year. I was unable to commit the necessary time to be the Chair of the Association and after an extensive discussion with Simon Atkins, and after making sure that adequate replacements were available, I stepped down. Resigning was hardly a rash decision.

However, this year should be an indication as to what a Byrne presidency could be-- serious and progressive. My attitude towards my work on the SRC is hardly "cavalier." Yes, I've missed a meeting or two... so have Ben Reilly and Alex Yabroff. Sometimes you just can't make it. This was mostly due to dissertation deadlines, which I won't have to deal with if I'm a sabbatical. Furthermore, the SRC has elected me to sit on the Association's Board of Trustees, a position not given lightly. I have the faith of the student body and my co-workers and I think that this should be evidence enough that my dedication to my work, and my candidacy, is very serious indeed.
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Re:

Postby someone on Sat Mar 11, 2006 1:43 pm

Quoting Harry Giles from 10:39, 11th Mar 2006
If elected, what commitment to environmental and ethical issues can the students expect from you? What do you consider the role of President in this regard to be, and how do you intend to best fulfil that role?


Hi, Harry.

People say a lot of things about me, and one of them is that I'm not committed to environmental and ethical issues. Quite to the contrary, much of my academic and professional life has been in the field of sustainability and human rights (the family business is Lawyers Without Borders, so I grew up with human rights in particular).

As far as I am concerned, official Association E&E policy calls for the President to be committed to E&E issues. No matter what a President's personal opinion is, every candidate is obliged to listen to the will of the students on these issues. (I am fortunate in that I happen to agree with the existing E&E agenda.) However, it has to go further. In many of the communication initiatives I am proposing (and will go into detail later in the week,) I plan to include political activism as part of the Association's plan for bettering the student experience. Independent groups such as OneWorld work hard to raise awareness of issues like FairTrade, EI, and global AIDS. Their hard work should be assisted by the Association because they do work that we would like to do, but that the Association does not have the manpower to undertake. Independent student groups are an important Association asset that do not get the credit they deserve.

It's important for a Union to be seen as ethically responsible so that we have the trust and confidence of the students, and if elected, I will speak for students concerned with E&E at all levels of Association and University government.

Edit: typo.
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Re:

Postby flossy on Sat Mar 11, 2006 7:52 pm

My usual question for all potential sabbs: wnat are your plans for next year if you don't win?

[hr]

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Re:

Postby someone on Sun Mar 12, 2006 11:26 am

Quoting flossy from 19:52, 11th Mar 2006
My usual question for all potential sabbs: wnat are your plans for next year if you don't win?



It's looking a lot like law school at the moment, actually.
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Re:

Postby someone on Sun Mar 12, 2006 11:40 am

Quoting flossy from 19:52, 11th Mar 2006
My usual question for all potential sabbs: wnat are your plans for next year if you don't win?



Law school.
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Question

Postby someone on Sun Mar 12, 2006 2:06 pm

I got these two questions over Facebook. The young lady who asked said she didn't mind if I put them on the Sinner. So, Miss X, here are the answers you asked for!


a) If a sale of a hall was proposed, would you be within your power to protest against it as Association President?


Yes, and if I'm not mistaken, I'm pretty sure it's association policy to oppose hall sell-offs. Certainly getting rid of in-town accommodation is a bad thing--- it hurts what community spirit and feeling we already have. Furthermore, in-town hall communities like McIntosh, Hamilton, Regs, and John Burnet are important parts of St Andrews community life that make life... how shall we say... more interesting! And more fun.

In short, I can, and I will oppose the sale of any in-town hall to the fullest extent possible.

(Note: I opposed the sale of Hamilton and was the President of the Hamilton Hall Protest Committee in 2003-04. Just for everyone's information.)

b) Would you also argue for the cause to find out where the university was spending its money in cases such as the sale of Hamilton?

I believe it is going to go straight to reducing the University's debts (which are considerable in size.) If elected I would ask Derek Watson (the University Quaestor) that same question, and I suspect he'd be happy to answer it. If not, would ask the Association to demand them under the Freedom of Information Act, as that kind of information doesn't fall under the prejudicial exemption provided by the FOIA.
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Re:

Postby Dave the Explosive Newt on Mon Mar 13, 2006 1:31 am

This question goes out to all the AP candiates - no copying from each other, kids.

Following on from the other thread, it's a great shame how under-advertised this election has been thus far and the high number of uncontested seats can only be deleterious to the quality of candiates being elected. Do you believe that the student population is, by and large, quite apathetic towards union politics and how would you go about solving this problem?

[hr]

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Re:

Postby someone on Mon Mar 13, 2006 1:50 pm

Quoting Dave the Explosive Newt from 01:31, 13th Mar 2006
Following on from the other thread, it's a great shame how under-advertised this election has been thus far and the high number of uncontested seats can only be deleterious to the quality of candiates being elected. Do you believe that the student population is, by and large, quite apathetic towards union politics and how would you go about solving this problem?


I see three problems.

1) Interest in the Union is at, I suspect, a low.
2) The SRC has too many posts for election that
3) Officer training is so poor, that only few turn out to be qualified to stand for higher offices.

1) No interest:
The Association fails to advertise itself and fails to make itself relevant to its members. The SRC is a prime example; for years, the posters advertising campaigns had "SRC" written on them, which people would respond to by saying, "is that a hall?" That's not the response we're looking for.

Much of this is related to the SRC's philosophy of being "reactionary"--- i.e. not going out and looking for trouble, but letting trouble come to it. As President, I'm not going to go "look for trouble," but I will begin the year by opening verbal and written communication to the students of this university, informing them of our mission, our philosophy, our goals for the year, and how to get in touch. I would write the document this spring in consultation with the members of the post-election SRC and would have it ready for distribution in august. That alone won't solve the communication issue--- communication is an ongoing project that should be taken into consideration all the time. But the SRC Representational Strategy document is a good start.

On a side note. I am an approachable guy. Just ask the students of McIntosh hall who saw me walking down the street and said, "hey look! It's the guy who's running for president! Get him!" and proceeded to kick off a snowball fight with me. It was fun, and it's a level of contact and comfort with the students that is important for responsible representation. While I don't plan on getting full-contact-sport communication with students, at least not all the time, I'm very suitable for the post of AP.

2) Too many posts
Students may vote for up to 33 positions in this election (including the Senate and AU posts.)
The SRC needs to re-evaluate how it represents students and, in my opinion, needs to cut down on posts to be elected by allowing specific constituencies to vote for them (for example, taking four representatives from each year--- 4 from first year, 4 from second year. etc.--- and having each constituency (the year) vote for them. It cuts down on posts each student votes for and increases the ability of the SRC to communicate while, with committee carve-ups for the remits of already-existing posts. Par example.

Keep in mind that this is one alternative, and is not a policy proposal. Just know that I've thought about committee reform extensively.

As usual, reform disturbs the insular nature of SRC. While I've advocated something along these lines this year, it is unlikely that committee structure will change unless I'm elected as a Sab and the work is carried on full-time. Furthermore, there is considerable resistance to many proposed reforms and a lot of negotiation will need to happen so that we can have internal consensus within the SRC while still solving our communication problems. The candidates for the three other sabbatical posts and I have discussed at length the need for representational reform and in fact it is a key element of my representational strategy proposal. If elected, a lot of consultation will need to get done before anything on that front changes... and I will be more than happy to finish next year the project that I've started this year!

3) Officer training is... not good at all.

About two weeks ago I heard a member of the SRC say that he/she (not telling you which) didn't know the difference between a member, officer, or sabbatical. Let's keep in mind that elected members go to meetings every other week. That's not something I want to hear from an elected officer who is ostensibly representing you and we need to inform them of their duties, responsibilities, and powers better than we do currently. Our elected officers should know what they're talking about, and I'll make sure they do!

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Re:

Postby Spike on Mon Mar 13, 2006 11:03 pm

In the hecklings this evening you mentioned using money invested to be used to pay for the STAR radio. What, in your opinion, is the benefit of running STAR radio for a year compared to that of running it for the two weeks it runs for? Also how would you ensure that the 2000+ hits a day would be kept up?

In another point you also mentioned the fact that RAG week raised over £10K for charity in a week and suggested that this could be done again for the students. As far as i am aware the majority of the work done for that week was done by the events crew of the union and that some spent almost every waking hour in the union ensuring that the events were efficiently and professionally run, so my question is how would you manage to get a similar week for fundraising to run without majorly overworking the ents crew?
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Re:

Postby ShinyHappyPerson on Mon Mar 13, 2006 11:12 pm

a few questions i didnt get a chance to ask at the hecklings...

Firstly, as a supplementary to the question about your (lack of) participation in the Rent Rises protests of Feb. 2004.

You seemed to think that it was acceptable to not have participated because you didn't currently hold office at the time. Surely the petition would not have been at all successful if only elected officials signed it... the fact that over 2100 students signed it shows so. Secondly I can think of one individual who did not hold any elected position at the time, yet she managed to collect 700 signatures, plus lobbying a member of court in Edinburgh and steward the rally too. Doesn't this put you to shame?

Secondly...i was interested to hear you make reference to the Charities Campaign and in particular their stellar efforts of fundraising at Rag Weeek. However did you have any affiliation with RW06, any previous Rag Weeks, infact does RAG Week even fall under the remit of the President or is it not more accurate that it is the responsibility of the DoES and DoSDA. Infact why even mention it at all?
It's not as if anyone would be shameless enough to try to take the hard work of the Rag Week committee and volunteers and try to use it for your own political agenda...surely?

[hr]
Edited because proper spelling is my friend...
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Re:

Postby Al on Mon Mar 13, 2006 11:23 pm

"My attitude towards my work on the SRC is hardly "cavalier." Yes, I've missed a meeting or two... so have Ben Reilly and Alex Yabroff. Sometimes you just can't make it. This was mostly due to dissertation deadlines, which I won't have to deal with if I'm a sabbatical. Furthermore, the SRC has elected me to sit on the Association's Board of Trustees, a position not given lightly. I have the faith of the student body and my co-workers and I think that this should be evidence enough that my dedication to my work, and my candidacy, is very serious indeed."

With respect, that is completely disingenuous. Is it not the case that you were elected to the Association Board before you started missing SRC meetings? It is a matter of public record that the SRC were not happy about your unexplained absences. Your need to work on the dissertation may explain why you missed a meeting. It does not explain why you left a meeting early. Why did you?
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Re:

Postby ShinyHappyPerson on Mon Mar 13, 2006 11:34 pm

something i forgot to ask before....

You proposed that it would take around £15,000+ a year to fund a continuously operational Radio Star.
If STAR were to go continuous, would it be the only SSC sub-committee to receive such funding (the same amount as almost the entire affiliated socieities budget) or would similar monies be made available to the other SSC sub-committees such as Charities, Mermaids, Debates, the Music Fund & the soon to be affiliated SVS?

[hr]

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Re:

Postby someone on Tue Mar 14, 2006 12:33 am

Your need to work on the dissertation may explain why you missed a meeting. It does not explain why you left a meeting early. Why did you?


I have a younger sister at this university. For reasons I do not care to share I was required to leave due to a family crisis. Family comes first, sorry guys. A note was given to the Chair and should have been duly minuted.

Considering you weren't even in attendance at these meetings(as you said you were a life member, not a student, and not here) you're clearly not acting with the best of information. Because whoever is getting it to you isn't exactly my biggest fan, and clearly isn't going to be informing you of the good aspects of my membership on SRC.

I think my contributions in meetings of the SRC, SAEC, Strategic Working Group and Board have been superb, particularly in the Representation Strategy meetings. I would recommend to anyone who hears 'this or that' that you talk the people who work with me, and get things done with me, or heck, even talk to me, myself. Just a suggestion!

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Re:

Postby someone on Tue Mar 14, 2006 12:44 am

Quoting shinyhappyperson from 23:12, 13th Mar 2006
a few questions i didnt get a chance to ask at the hecklings...

Firstly, as a supplementary to the question about your (lack of) participation in the Rent Rises protests of Feb. 2004.

You seemed to think that it was acceptable to not have participated because you didn't currently hold office at the time. Surely the petition would not have been at all successful if only elected officials signed it... the fact that over 2100 students signed it shows so. Secondly I can think of one individual who did not hold any elected position at the time, yet she managed to collect 700 signatures, plus lobbying a member of court in Edinburgh and steward the rally too. Doesn't this put you to shame?


Not particularly, no. I was in second year and was helping to run the Ambassadors' Ball that month so, to be fair, I had a lot on my plate. Earning £18,500 through ticket sales for the Overseas Society, to be specific.

If the same thing happened today, I would certainly be at the fore. If elected, it would be my full-time job to help organise such a campaign, and Association policy being what it is, I would try to succeed and meet, if not exceed, student expectations. But I am certainly not "ashamed" of my prior actions in any sense.

Due to my intense preoccupation with other projects I can say with confidence that I wasn't aware of the protest until I read about it in the Saint. While 2100 students may have signed the petition, and I may well have been one of them but as I can't remember the campaign I can't say anything for sure, 4,900 students didn't sign.

Would you say that two-thirds of the student body behaved shamefully by focusing on other projects of equal importance to them as rent rises were to others, which in my case were my obligations to 300-odd members of the Overseas Society? Of course not. If anything I am very proud of my actions at the time, chiefly my helping to put on an excellent ball, to provide a service to the students of this University, and to help my society.

As AP, my full-time job would be to help with anti- rent rises campaigns and the like. I take my work seriously and will do this job well.

Secondly...i was interested to hear you make reference to the Charities Campaign and in particular their stellar efforts of fundraising at Rag Weeek. However did you have any affiliation with RW06, any previous Rag Weeks, infact does RAG Week even fall under the remit of the President or is it not more accurate that it is the responsibility of the DoES and DoSDA. Infact why even mention it at all?
It's not as if anyone would be shameless enough to try to take the hard work of the Rag Week committee and volunteers and try to use it for your own political agenda...surely?


I'm not using RAG week for a political agenda. I freely admit that the limit of my involvement in the event was buying a bop band.

The point of my statement was to showcase RW06 as an example of what students at this University are capable of doing and expressing my desire to inspire more students to follow their example. Every time someone whinges, "the Union does nothing!" we should all point to the Rag Week committee and praise them for their good work. Having pride in the work of others in our community and showcasing their efforts may well go a long way to developing the student community at this university. Unless, of course, you think that the University is going to build strong student societies/athletics/arts programmes for us, in which case you are gravely mistaken. The community project is one we must undertake ourselves. I am the person best suited to do it.

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Re:

Postby someone on Tue Mar 14, 2006 1:26 am

Quoting Spike from 23:03, 13th Mar 2006
In the hecklings this evening you mentioned using money invested to be used to pay for the STAR radio. What, in your opinion, is the benefit of running STAR radio for a year compared to that of running it for the two weeks it runs for? Also how would you ensure that the 2000+ hits a day would be kept up?


The benefit of running STAR radio is that it is a direct link between the Association and the students. Yes, it is an independent station and should rightfully remain so. However, as a year-round station it could be used to keep the student body interested in the SRC, in our campaigns (think: future rent rises? Since everyone seems to be hot to trot on that) and to gather support for these causes. Furthermore, it could be used to support the athletics and societies agenda I proposed--- all in exchange for substantial Association funding. If we make the station serve a purpose then we can keep interest in the Association and, as radio stations are elsewhere, make it a financially and practically viable asset.

In another point you also mentioned the fact that RAG week raised over £10K for charity in a week and suggested that this could be done again for the students. As far as i am aware the majority of the work done for that week was done by the events crew of the union and that some spent almost every waking hour in the union ensuring that the events were efficiently and professionally run, so my question is how would you manage to get a similar week for fundraising to run without majorly overworking the ents crew?


The entire idea behind my campaign is that we would start to communicate with students more actively. The end goal of such an effort is to get more students involved--- volunteering to achieve a common goal. I understand that the Ents crew work their asses off, and that running another RW-style event is probably not the best way to diversify Association services. However, what RW proves is that year after year our students are capable of doing incredible things, at least, that the students who are interested in doing incredible things do incredible things. I want to make the Association relevant again and encourage more people to come forward and give their time to their community! And I think that if we reach out to our students, they will do just that.

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Re:

Postby someone on Tue Mar 14, 2006 1:43 am

Quoting shinyhappyperson from 23:34, 13th Mar 2006
If STAR were to go continuous, would it be the only SSC sub-committee to receive such funding (the same amount as almost the entire affiliated socieities budget) or would similar monies be made available to the other SSC sub-committees such as Charities, Mermaids, Debates, the Music Fund & the soon to be affiliated SVS?


Initially? Yes. The Association could not afford to give £15,000 annual grants to each sub-committee. Even the STAR-FM expenditure would not be able to happen without extensive consultation with the leadership of STAR-FM and discussions with other sabbaticals this spring.

Before you start yelling "Preston hates the performing arts!", know that I like performing arts as much as anyone else. However, bear with me for two seconds while I explain.

STAR-FM differs from other projects in that its creation is, in a sense, a valuable tool--- in campaign lingo, a "key asset"--- that the Association could, and ought to, use to communicate with the student body and increase business in the building (as well as run campaigns for athletes, societies, arts, etc.). Furthermore, our efforts would not stop with STAR FM--- it would be part of a wider plan to acquire funding and grant increases on the whole.

STAR FM is, rightfully, an independent station and so it should remain. However, as a tool for communication with students it would be unparalleled in its effectiveness and this would justify the initial capital outlay.

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Re:

Postby Sid on Tue Mar 14, 2006 1:56 am

I'm not yelling you hate perfomance arts, but I've never seen you at any of the many student plays here, but then I don't go to that many either. Hmmm.
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