The "gown off" rule, 2004-05: Rest In Peace

[exnihilo]

Indeed. If, after all, the gown with the green facings failed to show up after the elections it was a pretty safe bet that the Treasurer had it. A blue one was likely with a VP, and so on. With the recent scuffle over any gown going for any strategically shaved ape with a position on SRC that has become untenable. I can assure you, Mr Bean, that by around 1997-99 sort of area we had plenty of gowns, that leads me to conclude that they went missing afterwards - especially as it's not long after that that a whole host of new ones were made to replace some of the shabbier ones.

[RJ Covino]

Quoting exnihilo from 10:59, 20th Jul 2005
especially as it's not long after that that a whole host of new ones were made to replace some of the shabbier ones.

Most of the gowns of which David is speaking belong to the latter category. Simon Atkins and I discovered two of the old-style yellow-faced gowns in a drawer in the storage room which have now been pressed back into service despite their shabbiness.

[hr]

http://www.ralphcovino.com

[David Bean]

Yes, well, ye have tried to solve the problem of SRC members wearing random gowns by codifying it a bit. I'm still leaning towards keeping them in the Union, but I'm open to suggestions, so I'll have another word with my colleagues and see what they think about the possibility of people keeping them at home again.

On the whole 'my remit' thing, it's all a bit difficult at the moment, because firstly the latest version of the Laws isn't online, and secondly, as it's the first year it has run, what the office ultimately becomes has a lot to do with what I make of it. Formally, it involves all aspects of work with societies, sub-committees, volunteering and student development, but in practice that can mean anything. For instance, I had a proposal about student development during the campaign, but another canidate might have wanted to do something else entirely. At the moment, I'm working on orientation week - I'm co-ordinating all student volunteers, making sure that societies' events and the Societies' Fair are properly scheduled, and establishing a new equivalent fair for student volunteering (which is the kind of thing that was never done before because the manpower wasn't there) - and also on a number of different proposals relating to Mermaids and the Music Fund. Later in the year, God alone knows what I'll be up to!

[hr]

"Don't ask me what you know is true, don't have to tell you, I love your precious heart. I - I was standing, you were there, two worlds collided, and they could never tear us apart" - INXS

[RJ Covino]

Quoting David Bean from 01:37, 21st Jul 2005
...Societies' Fair are properly scheduled, and establishing a new equivalent fair...

Fayre, surely!

[hr]

http://www.ralphcovino.com

[exnihilo]

It was never done because it was combined with 'Societies Fayre', I don't recall manpower bing an issue.

So, with all due respect, the DoSDAPTRGJKZE is, essentially, a sabbatical Societies Officer?

[RJ Covino]

Quoting exnihilo from 11:41, 21st Jul 2005
So, with all due respect, the DoSDAPTRGJKZE is, essentially, a sabbatical Societies Officer?

Tosh and twaddle, Mr Joss. He's got responsibility for the gown cupboard too, as you full well know!

[hr]

http://www.ralphcovino.com

[Anon.]

Quoting David Bean from 01:37, 21st Jul 2005
On the whole 'my remit' thing, it's all a bit difficult at the moment, because firstly the latest version of the Laws isn't online, and secondly, as it's the first year it has run, what the office ultimately becomes has a lot to do with what I make of it.

So basically you are being paid a salary to do whatever you want. Right.

[Eliot Wilson]

A stipend, not a salary. God bless the Association.

[hr]

Bill and Ted beat the Grim Reaper at Twister

Bill: "You played very well, Death, especially with your totally heavy Death robes."

Death: "Don't patronise me."

[Tweedle-Dum]

So David does whatever he wants, and claims that the thing he's interested in (Gowns, Debates, Societies, free beer for Sabbaticals, whatever) are in his as yet undefined and changing remit?

And gets paid?

What a job!

[hr]

Live by the sword, die by the arrow.

[David Bean]

If you're not sure about something, there ae generally two options: either ask, or make up some insulting conclusion of your own and use it to base snipey comments on. And guess what? This is (that peculiar little section of) the UDS, so quite obviously the second option is the one!

I thought I'd come on here, provide a little information and answer some questions, and all I get for my trouble is abuse. Well, whatever you want to think I'm being paid for, it's not this.

The only thing I'll say is that no, manpower has never been the issue that prevented us from running a volunteers' fair - it was space. It's going to involve external organisations looking to recruit volunteers, which simply cannot fit in at the same time as all the societies and sub-committees. But then, you wouldn't have known that, because instead of asking why it was needed, you decided (based on no information) that you thought it was a waste of time, and worked from there. What a surprise. But still, why let ignorance get in the way of a good carping session, eh?

Don't think I really feel like continuing this conversation, in view of the above.

[exnihilo]

Indeed, my ignorance of the Students' Association is legend.

[Anon.]

Speaking for myself, I am basing whatever conclusions I draw entirely on your own explanations as given above.

[Cain]

Quoting exnihilo from 23:47, 21st Jul 2005
Indeed, my ignorance of the Students' Association is legend.

Then it should be added to your wikipedia entry.

As for the remit of DOSDA, is it me or is the office becoming a chance for the incumbent officer to promote whatever pet projects that they fancy?

[hr]

I hold an element of surprise

[RJ Covino]

Quoting cain from 04:30, 22nd Jul 2005
As for the remit of DOSDA, is it me or is the office becoming a chance for the incumbent officer to promote whatever pet projects that they fancy?

In David's defence, he's actually got a shitload to do - there's a PG soccer tournament he's got to organize for the weekend which I know from bitter experience is a true bitch to organize and run. But, as ever for sabbatical officers (including those who spend their time playing computer games against each other, incurring the wrath of the Building Supervisor, etc. - nothing quite like a Union where you walk in and the fist thing you encounter is a scruffy old man swearing about the elected officials in the foyer), there's plenty more he could be doing.

So long as he doesn't end up with pie-in-the-sky ideas about building a "housing solution" on the North Haugh and getting the SA to foot the bill for the praelim studies, he's cool by me. Well, until something goes horribly horribly wrong, of course.

[hr]

http://www.ralphcovino.com

[exnihilo]

Quoting cain from 04:30, 22nd Jul 2005
Then it should be added to your wikipedia entry.

I should like to make it clear that that entry has nothing whatsoever to do with me, indeed I didn't even know it existed until recently when the URL was sent to me. It is a shame that whoever did write it doesn't seem to know as much about me as he or she thinks.

[Eliot Wilson]

Quoting cain from 04:30, 22nd Jul 2005
As for the remit of DOSDA, is it me or is the office becoming a chance for the incumbent officer to promote whatever pet projects that they fancy?

That could only happen if the constitutional re-arrangements were badly thought-out and executed. Oh, wait...

[hr]

Bill and Ted beat the Grim Reaper at Twister

Bill: "You played very well, Death, especially with your totally heavy Death robes."

Death: "Don't patronise me."

[exnihilo]

Not to worry, though, some more ad hoc hatchet work on the Constitution should sort it our, or finish it off entirely.

[Tweedle-Dum]

Quoting David Bean from 20:17, 21st Jul 2005Well, whatever you want to think I'm being paid for, it's not this.

Good, I didn't really want to think that after electing you, and contributing to your wages throught the Union Bar, that you were being paid to fuck about on the sinner.

[hr]

Live by the sword, die by the arrow.

[Al]

That's a strange argument. Presumably David would have voted for himself and, on occasion, bought drinks in the Union. That being the case, and following your "reasoning", he would be perfectly entitled to do whatever he likes as DoSDA as he elected himself and contributes to the payment of his wages.

[old hack]

Quoting exnihilo from 11:41, 21st Jul 2005
It was never done because it was combined with 'Societies Fayre', I don't recall manpower bing an issue.

So, with all due respect, the DoSDAPTRGJKZE is, essentially, a sabbatical Societies Officer?

In fairness that would be no bad thing.