Jonathan Winchester - Nominated for Athletic Union President

[JonCore]

Hi all,

I'm running for Athletic Union President 2006/07. Please leave any questions regarding my campaign and I'll get back to you shortly.

Whether you vote for me or not, it is most important that you cast your vote. For too long the issue of sport has been ignored by the University. This can be seen by the lack of funding for AU clubs and the quality of the facilities available to the student body (such as the gym). If a significant population of the student body votes in the AU President election then the University will have no choice but to take notice of the views of the student regarding Sports and Exercise at St Andrews.

Cheers,

Jon Winchester.

[Vesperal Carpenter]

Hi Jon,

I'm a member of what one might call a 'minority' sports club, and I was wondering what your stance was on a) promotion and b) funding on such often overlooked clubs within the university.

[tordenskjold]

Hey jon,
Just wondering about how you think the AU could spend its money more wisely and what mechanisms you would put in place to make new clubs more viable? With the one year self funding rule it seems difficult to set a new club up regardless of support, what would you do as president to help new clubs with funds and also with things such as safety rules, constitutions etc?

[hr]

Kæmp for alt hvad du har kært,
Dø om så det gælder.
Da er livet ej så svært,
Døden ikke heller.

[JonCore]

In response to Vesperal Carpenter-

Hi there,

I am also a member of a 'minority' sports club (Rifle Club Treasurer), amongst others. From my experience of dealing with the AU, it has in the past had a policy of treating all sports clubs as equals. For those of us in minority clubs that have low funding and/or membership due to a lower awareness of the sport, it is often frustrating to be fobbed off with the same answer as a larger club like Hockey or Rugby would receive when it doesn't help the problem. I don't believe this approach works to the advantage of the AU or the minority clubs. The AU needs to get a better understanding of each of it's clubs, and their own requirements and long term goals. Every club should be able to sit down with the AU President and discuss their current state and future aims. Without this knowledge the AU cannot hope to cater for it's member clubs in the appropriate way, and as in the past this had led to inappropriate responses to problems.

Regarding my stance on publicity, I think the AU has a responsibility to promote the clubs it represents by using it's links with the Students Association and it's related organisations such as The Saint and Star Radio. In addition to that, I hope to have regular forums where representatives of various clubs can sit down to discuss any problems they are having and hear what other clubs have done in similar situations. Between our sports clubs there is a wide range of experience and a wealth of knowledge regarding issues such as fundraising and raising awareness, amongst other things. In the current AU structure there is no close cooperation between clubs and this has so far been very detrimental. The Vice-President assumes a publicity role within the AU committee, and both candidates seem capable of running good fundraising campaigns from what I've heard. Their input, and that of all the committee would also be available in such forums.

In answer to your second question: I have covered parts of this already, in that the AU doesn't understand the needs of it's clubs. It doesn't know all the costs involved in all sports, and as such I think this needs to be clarified. The President and Treasurer of the AU should meet with the Captain and Treasurer of each club (or any clubs that have such problems, but frankly all clubs would benefit) to discuss what funding is needed and create a sustainable and realistic budget that supports the club. Whether the AU has the money to support sports clubs' desires completely is in some ways irrelevant, although that's not the say that clubs will not be supported. The exercise is still worth doing, because without a broken down costing the AU cannot understand the problems that it's clubs (especially it's minority sports clubs) have. If these practices are put into place then I feel that minority sports clubs will be represented equally, if not treated in the same way as larger sports clubs.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to ask and if my policies are to your liking, please support me in this campaign. It would be great to get as many clubs on side as possible, so pass on the message to your club too. Above all though, it is most important that as many people as possible vote in these elections because that will force the Univeristy to sit up and take notice of the AU, which in turn should provide greater funding.

[JonCore]

In response to tordenskjold-

Hi,

To answer your question about the AU spending its money more wisely, I would need a complete set of its records with me to talk specifically about that. I do think that the AU needs to invest more in the clubs, but it will only be prepared to do that where it sees a defined hierarchy with short, mid and long term plans with regard to spending its income. Obviously part of those plans would have to include fundraising schemes by the clubs themselves. In addition I think the AU needs to assist the treasurers in managing and expanding the finances of their clubs. I also think that more money needs to be available to clubs for professional coaching, because that is an area in which the majority of University's sports teams are lacking.


I would work hard to find a place in the AU's budget to provide a small amount of capital towards starting new clubs (basic equipment, venue hire etc), but would expect very regular progress reports from the organisers as to exactly where this money was being spent. The AU has set guidelines describing what a club requires in the way of a constitution and safety policy and I would be keen to have a meeting with anyone interested to go through the requirements with me. I think that the most important thing the AU can do is be supportive of new initiatives, because I'm aware of how much work is involved in setting up a new club. Such a gargantuan task is tough enough to those not studying a full-time degree, and therefore I think it's important that any persons willing to put in the time and effort to set up a new club do not feel alone in that endeavour, but instead supported by their AU. Finding enough interest for a new sports club is a difficult enough task and I think the AU should work with the Students' Association to find people interested in new sports (linkup emails) and use such means as the "Wednesday memos for undergraduates" to reach the student body.

[rubbermuffin]

Regarding the proposed merge of the DoSE and the AU:

1. Are you for or against the merger?
2. Do you think the merger would see business interests (i.e. DoSE interests) put before the interests of AU clubs?

Laurence Tonkin

[hr]

'If something has to change then it always does'

[munchingfoo]

Hi Jon.

I have been informed people at my new club, Ju-Jitsu, that the AU has a class system, or atleast plans to, for clubs. Those classes being A,B,C where A is the most funded and C is the least. These classifications are, or are atleast planned to be i can't remember the exact situation, related to the participation of clubs in national/university wide events. Ju-Jitsu doesn't really have a national event as such it is, or will be, classified as a class C club pretty much meaning it will receive next to no funding even though it is one of the largest sports clubs in the AU and all of its members pay the same AU membership fee as everyone else. Do you think this is fair? And if not, what do you propose to do to remedy this situation.

[hr]

Tired Freudian references aside - your mother played my mighty skin flute like a surf crowned sea nymph trying to rouse Poseidon from his watery slumber!

[JonCore]

In response to Laurence,

Hi, and thanks for your questions.

I am for the merger of the AU and DoSE. As most of the sports clubs within the AU currently use facilities managed and maintained by the DoSE it seems highly inefficient for these two organisations not to exist in as close a relationship as possible (a merger). However, I do not believe that the AU and DoSE will be completely merged within the near future (1-3 years), but instead will have a much closer relationship than they have at present.

I do not believe that a merger would see changes made which would be to the detriment of any students, whether members of an AU club or not. Provided the membership fee to the Sports Centre does not rise to an unacceptable level in future, in which case students would be negatively affected, I think students will only see improvement in the facilities available to them. With the merger in place, representatives of the AU (acting as a voice for all students) will sit on more committees and have more influence regarding where resources are used in the sports centre, and where the membership fees to the Sports Centre go. This can only benefit the student body, especially those who are members of an AU club. If the committee of the AU can provide a more constant policy than it has in the past, something which should be made easier with the employment of Matt as the Sports Development Officer, the "merged" ogranisation of AU and DoSE will act in the interests of students. A successful business requires a happy customer base, and in St Andrews we students (along with members of the public) are that customer base.

I hope that answers your questions.

Jon Winchester.

[JonCore]

In response to Munchingfoo

Hi,

You are correct in saying that the AU has proposed a new system of classifying clubs. The classes are Development Clubs, Performance Sports (and Elite Sportsperson) and Participation For All. I will not post the defined criteria for each of these classes, but copies are available from the AU on request, and all captains (and treasurers) of AU clubs will have received an e-mail detailing these criteria. I am surprised however that your club has informed you of this, because technically what you say is incorrect. As your captain is standing for the same position as I am, I would have thought this would have been made clearer.

The proposal for a new class system was submitted to the University Court earlier this month, and fits in with the new "Strategy for Sport". You are correct in suggesting that Performance sports will receive more funding than that of a Development Club, or Participation for All club, however the proposal strictly states that the University will need to provide extended funding in addition to the current AU grant to fund these new Performance Sports clubs and Elite Sportspersons. Funding will not be removed from clubs such as Aikido and Ju-Jitsu who have no national event, but they instead may be reclassified as either a Development Club (if your club wishes to aim for performance club status) or a Participation for All club (if your club wishes to receive further funding to open your doors to non-student members and higher numbers of participants). If you are attributed any of these classes your club will receive greater funding.

I do not support any policy which penalises clubs for being non-competitive (such as Aikido, Ju-Jitsu or Sub-Aqua), but I also support clubs who aim to increase their level of performance too (such as Basketball and Football). Both types of sport have a valuable place in this University's AU, and as such I think that the proposed scheme is fair and will reap rewards, but not at the detriment of other clubs. I will also mention that the fees your members pay to your own club is set at your clubs discretion and is your club's money, and there is a seperate fee which is levied by the Sports Centre for using it's facilities. The second of these fees does not provide money that is at the AU's disposal, but instead goes to the DoSE. With a merger hopefully in the future between the AU and DoSE the uses of this membership fee will benefit your club through improved facilities.

I hope this has answered your question fully.

Cheers,

Jon Winchester.

[munchingfoo]

Thanks Jon.

As a point to note. I did not receive this information from the Captain, or indeed the club officially. It was just a changing room conversation. I am quite certain your fellow candidate is just as aware of the policies as your good self.

[hr]

Tired Freudian references aside - your mother played my mighty skin flute like a surf crowned sea nymph trying to rouse Poseidon from his watery slumber!