This is where I introduce myself. My name is Dana, and I was a candidate for UMSU Vice-President in the 2003/04 elections (back when President and Vice-President were the only elected positions).
I'll be guest-blogging for the Manitoban over the course of the elections.
But who cares about elections? Not university students, that's for sure. Voter turnout has undergone a general decline since the 1960s across all levels of government, spurring Elections Canada to start a campaign to boost turnout among young electors (complete with, um, a "Games Corner" and crossword puzzle ... whatever they paid their consultants, it was too much.)
And what could young people care less about than a "real" government election? Um, a student union election! The fact that no one challenged Team Sran's re-election efforts was doubtlessly a big reason behind the pathetic 7.46% voter turnout in last year's UMSU election, but it wasn't the worst UMSU has seen in recent years:
- 2005/06: ~12% - 2871 ballots cast (one full slate, one partial slate)
- 2004/05: 15.2% (two slates - this was the last year with only Pres and VP on the ticket)
- 2003/04: 11.5% (six slates, only three of which received substantial support)
- 2002/03: 9.1% (two slates)
- 2001/02: 4.6% (three slates, only one of which received substantial support)
- 2000/01: 16.2% (two slates)
- 1999/00: 14.3%
- 1998/99: 23% (five serious slates; this was the last year there was a 14-day campaign period; Steven Fletcher, now a government MP, was elected President)
Will turnout be higher this year? It's hard to do worse than 7.46%, especially with two and a half slates. But to really increase turnout, I guess we'll have to hold out and hope that the transformer Soundwave declares his candidacy. Decepticon or not, he'd have my vote.
7 comments:
"I guess we'll have to hold out and hope that the transformer Soundwave declares his candidacy. Decepticon or not, he'd have my vote."
Can joke candidates run? I know that by-law 1011.4 states that no joke slate can run.
You're absolutely right that joke candidates can't run. The last one to run was ... I believe in the year that the Louizos/Kuzie slate was first elected, which was 2000/01.
But that Soundwave video is hilarious.
"(back when President and Vice-President were the only elected positions)". Does anyone know why other positions with fluffy names (ie. VP advocacy)? and which executive team added them?
They were added during Amanda and Cathy's second term, I believe.
I'll give you my own view on why they were changed, and you can take from it what you will.
First, some people didn't like that three of the five members of the executive committee - the directors of student affairs, programming, and public relations, as they were then known - were un-elected. They were appointed by UMSU Council on recommendation by the Selections Committee, which was consisted of the Pres, VP and three members of UMSU Council chosen randomly. The Pres and VP usually were able to push through the candidates they wanted.
Second, the four-VP format is what you'll find if you explore the executives of many other CFS schools in Canada. I haven't done the research as to what the intentions are of CFS (and, indirectly, executives who subscribe to their values) when they push for the 4-elected-VP format, but I can tell you its effect: it's much more difficult to put together a five-person slate than it is a two-person slate, which generally offers an advantage to individuals already in power or those already possessing a substantial support base on campus. It perpetuates the status quo, which is, currently, candidates having ideologies similar to that of CFS.
I welcome alternate explanations but I think I've covered the two major ones.
And because I can't find the answer, how easy is it to add other executive positions, or remove them? As well, since I am a newcomer to post-secondary education, in UMSU's history has there ever been any direct evidence of CFS supporting 'CFS-friendly' slates in the past. Or is this ideology kept alive by previous executive teams grooming new candidates.
Adding or removing executive positions requires an amendment to the UMSU By-laws, which can only be done via UMSU Council, and can require other hoops like the By-laws Committee.
Direct evidence? Well that would ruin all the speculation and guesswork. Grooming is a big part of it, but it also comes in the form of informal assistance like advising and poster design.
A good start into the murky world of CFS politics might be Carson Jerema's recent take on this strange leaked document affair.
I would follow that up with a read through the Manitoban's archives, and a little bit of Google searching.
Hey Dana,
Thanks for the link. A great article, an award winning article in fact, on CFS politics was published by the Eyeopener last year and details, among other things, "CFS-Friendly" student politicos campaigning for other "CFS-Friendly" at other schools. http://www.theeyeopener.com/article/3350
The Manitoban ran a lengthy feature last year as well. http://www.themanitoban.com/2006-2007/0314/120.A.banner.darkly.php
And Titus Gregory's blog studentunion.ca has a wealth of information, though he hasn't updated it in awhile. As does Joey Coleman's blog: macleans.ca/joeycoleman
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