Candidate List for Election

[Elections Officer]

Candidate List for Election

Association President:
Anders Bjorgung
someone
Tom D'Ardenne
Seth Ewin
Brendan "Furry Hat" Moroso
Bonnie Ryder

Director of Representation:

Laura Wilson

Director of Student Development and Activites:

Lee Kane

Director of Events and Services:

Graeme Hamilton

SSC Debates:

Jamie Potton
Jules Watt
Rachel Whitbred
Bryn Williams

SSC Performing Arts:

Ali Rosen

SSC Music Officer:

Johanna Crosley-zels

SSC Charities:

Sarah Clarke
Lindsay McDougal

SSC Societies Officer:

Katherine Valentine

SSC Postgraduate Officer:

Nicola Foister

SSC Member for Societies Grants:

Louise Hallman

SRC Environment and Ethics Officer:

Harry Giles

SRC Accommodation Officer:

Ben Nicholson

SRC Education Officer:

Adam Fellows
Rob Fett

SRC Equal Opportunities and Welfare:

Sarah Bertness
Steve Savage

SRC Absent Students:

Dickie Douglas

SRC Private Accommodation:

Sarah Louise Flowers

SRC Community Relations:

Euan Clarke

SRC 2nd Year:

Royce Hunt

SRC 3rd Year:

Christoph Gottstein

SRC Finalist:

Charlie Beare
Katherine Thommason

SRC Postgraduate Research:

Ciara Brewer

Senate Arts/Divinity:

Neil Campbell
Adam Fellows

Senate Science/Medicine:

Steve Savage

Senate Postgraduate:

Ciara Brewer

[hr]

Election Officers Committee
University of St Andrews Students' Association
St Mary's Place
St Andrews
KY16 9UZ

[exnihilo]

So, of 25 posts 7 are contested? Dearie me.

[Dave the Explosive Newt]

I believe the advertising for these posts consisted of a memo on the student portal. It's hardly surprising.

[hr]

It has been brought to my attention that certain people refer to me as a legend. Should you meet one of these people, maintain a safe distance and telephone the police. Under no circumstances attempt to deal with them by yourself.

[DrAlex]

I, for one, have no idea how I would go about getting nominated if I were so inclined...

[hr]

http://standrews.facebook.com/profile.php?id=37100343

[Sid]

I think it's a really poor show. They're trying to cover it up by saying that people haven't put themselves forward because they're happy with the way things are being run, I think that's bullshit, most people are apathetic about union politics in this town. And yes, the elections could have been better advertised, the only poster I saw was a little black and white one on the window at the side of the entrance to the union, basically most people wouldn't notice it or want to read it.

Quoting Dave the Explosive Newt from 01:02, 13th Mar 2006
I believe the advertising for these posts consisted of a memo on the student portal. It's hardly surprising.

[hr]

It has been brought to my attention that certain people refer to me as a legend. Should you meet one of these people, maintain a safe distance and telephone the police. Under no circumstances attempt to deal with them by yourself.

[Dave the Explosive Newt]

Bang on. As I was saying around the last election, the union hackery system makes very little effort to publicise what it does and why it's important. For instance, I'd like to think I'm reasonably well informed and I only found out what the initials SSC stood for a couple of weeks ago. I still don't know what it does.
If people realised how the people sitting in these seats could really make a difference I think we'd have far fewer uncontested positions and far more voters at the polls. But are people really going to vote for someone they don't know in a position they don't care about?

[hr]

It has been brought to my attention that certain people refer to me as a legend. Should you meet one of these people, maintain a safe distance and telephone the police. Under no circumstances attempt to deal with them by yourself.

[Cain]

also, one days notice of the hecklings on the sinner doesn't bode very well for turn out tonight.

but then, you could argue that if people really wanted to get involved, then they would have bothered to find out for themselves, and that the association's lack of publicity serves as a way of eliminating the weak and feckless candidates.

[hr]

I hold an element of surprise

[Oli]

The positions and elections were advertised throughout the entire university by means of posters, SIPS screens and emails (linkup and Wednesday Memos)

[Alex Jennings]

Yes, there were posters in the Union. Yes, it was in the linkups. Yes, it was on the screens in the Union. However, the people who spend the most time in the union are the hacks themselves. The people we have been constantly trying to get involved with student politics were not effectively targeted.

As a two term member of the SRC I have seen first hand how insular that body can get. I firmly believe that if people actually feared not getting re-elected (because I believe many do it for the CV/gown and not because they are passionately worked up over the issues at hand) because there were constantly new people running campaigns in the election diets it would force people to actually do something during their tenure as an officer/member. That being said, there are people who I have been pleasantly surprised at how much they have accomplished in a relatively short amount of time. (Names are not mentioned in order to stay within election rules.)

However, that's just me. I'm slightly cynical and bitter now - hence my decision to retire.

[hr]

"Look, I told you when we met that I was not a leprechaun, that I was from Rhode Island, and that I was half Korean, but you said it didn't matter."

[exnihilo]

The interesting thing for me is not only the paucity of contested posts but the fact that, despite not having been in St Andrews for over three years, I recognise almost every name. Either I move in very exalted circles or this is a list of the usual suspects. I wonder which.

But that's enough sniping from me.

For now.

[Akasha]

Quoting Cain from 08:33, 13th Mar 2006
also, one days notice of the hecklings on the sinner doesn't bode very well for turn out tonight.

The sinner isn't an offical method of communication within the university. The EOC isn't obliged to post anything on here.

[harmless loony]

It may not be obliged but it makes sense to exploit EVERY channel of communication with students to ensure that those who are non hacks have the chance to get involved or at least find out about the process.

If the Union was very keen on ensuring as many people as possible knew what was happening they would use EVERY possible form of communication. The fact that they have failed to do this for the 4 years that I have been here says a lot of its insular nature.

I know I would have liked to have stood for a position, however, I wasn't even aware that nominations closed on Friday and given that I don't spend much time in the Association building and sips has been down in New Hall - it hardly was a fab way to publicise it.

Given the sinner is used by a lot of people, why was this not used as a method of communication too?

Looking at the list of candidates it looks like just a re jigging of the hacks and it seriously puts me off bothering to vote this year. Given I had just one request for the hacks this year (and that was to ask them to publicise each month what each person in the SRC and SSC has done/achieved) and they couldn't fulfil that simple request - I don't think a rejig of people is going to produce anything better and the lack of competition is perhaps the worst I ever recall it being.

[Akasha]

Quoting harmless loony from 12:03, 13th Mar 2006

I know I would have liked to have stood for a position, however, I wasn't even aware that nominations closed on Friday and given that I don't spend much time in the Association building and sips has been down in New Hall - it hardly was a fab way to publicise it.

Don't you read the Wednesday Memo's?

[exnihilo]

It also seems slightly odd to me to be publicising what the positions are and what they do now that nominations are closed. Somewhat pointless by this stage.

[harmless loony]

Quoting Akasha from 12:18, 13th Mar 2006

Quoting harmless loony from 12:03, 13th Mar 2006

I know I would have liked to have stood for a position, however, I wasn't even aware that nominations closed on Friday and given that I don't spend much time in the Association building and sips has been down in New Hall - it hardly was a fab way to publicise it.

Don't you read the Wednesday Memo's?

Didn't have chance to read them till Friday morning (funnily enough I don't spend every Wednesday sat on my computer waiting eagerly for the wed memos) - there were a lot of memos that week - if you recall. So unless one was really looking out for the elections one, they wouldn't have been spotted immediately.

But still stands to reason - that if you wanted them publicised everywhere you'd do it!

[Tweedle-Dum]

Just searched my e-mail, I wouldn't blame people for missing memo 18 of 27, which incidentally does not mention the hecklings.

[hr]

Tetragrammaton is a four letter word.

[ronald villiers]

Quoting exnihilo from 00:47, 13th Mar 2006
So, of 25 posts 7 are contested? Dearie me.

Seeing as only having one choice on ballot papers isn't exactly democracy, I personally always vote to re-open nominations on a point of principle.

[hr]

"Swill gin? Sir, I have sipped, lapped, and taken gin intravenously but I have never swilled"

[puzzled]

7 out of 25 is a bad joke. The SRC is becomming not merely a laughing stock, but actually detrimental to our interests; the univeristy wont have to listen at all as they know the students don't give a damn.

The number of posts need to be cut - perhaps to 12, with 2 reps per year and the 4 sabbs.

We should be holding this kind of debate on the main board, but I suspect that such threads would be deleted by the powers that be of this 'independent'-from-the-union-but-complies-with-union-rules-anyway site.

Election issues need to be discussed in the open; part of the problem of our elections are the stupid elections rules, like those that prevent posters above a certain size, mean that people are never persuded to get out and vote.

[exnihilo]

The rules are absurdly over prescriptive now, based on individual past instances, they completely strangle any sort of initiative in campaigning. That and there are so many electoral lawyers kicking about filing complaints over every little infraction of the letter without giving any thought to the spirit.

The whole thing needs to be overhauled. but I've said that for years.

[Dave the Explosive Newt]

Quoting oli from 10:24, 13th Mar 2006
The positions and elections were advertised throughout the entire university by means of posters, SIPS screens and emails (linkup and Wednesday Memos)

I never got a linkup advertising the elections until today (and I will add that an email about the president's hecklings sent out three and a half hours before they start is going to make as much difference as a fart in a wind machine).

[hr]

It has been brought to my attention that certain people refer to me as a legend. Should you meet one of these people, maintain a safe distance and telephone the police. Under no circumstances attempt to deal with them by yourself.