A group of York students has won the opportunity to have their very own I-phone application developed after winning The App Challenge final, held at the Ron Cooke Hub on Wednesday, January 18.
YUSU Welfare officer Bob Hughes has warned students to be vigilant after a student loans phishing scam has been revealed.
Her Majesty the Queen will be visiting York on Maundy Thursday, 5th April, as part of the 800th anniversary of York’s Charter for the traditional “Royal Maundy” ceremony.
A flood caused by a heating system “failure” forced the university IT services to shut down many essential systems on Sunday night, causing problems for many students on the eve of their exams and assignment due-dates.
RELEVANT EXPERIENCE:
Nick Bradley: 3rd Year History Student, James JCR and Equipment Rep 2006, James JCRC Vice Chair 2007, James Freshers' Week Co-ordinator 2007, YUSU Finance Committee, Employee of Commercial Services, RAG / Student Action, Campaigning against Top Up Fees, College Sport.
Matt Burton: Current Services and Finance Officer, Management BoS Rep, Goodricke JCRC Chair and Webmaster, Communications Committee, University Senate Undergrad Rep, Finance Committee Chair, Rules Committee member, RAG Sponsored events co-ordinator, NUS Regional, Extra-ordinary and Annual conference delegate, Head of Promotions - URY, Head of IT - York Vision, elected member to the NUS Services Limited (NUSSL) Retail Trade Committee.
James Thompson: Second year Computer Science student, Treasurer of the New Generation Society
2. Why are you running?
NB: Because I Love York University!
MB: To finish what I've started.
JT: Change for the better.
3. The thing that has angered me most about Uni politics whilst at Uni is...
NB: The fact that Commercial Services started the process of decline in Campus Bars by starting to shut them down as a cost cutting device - despite a major student campaign against bar closures, and the fact that they were making £100,000 profit on the Camus Bars overall!
MB: The attitude of 'can't do' or 'won't do'.
JT: The Grace Fletcher-Hackwood witch trial.
4. Select one of these: I think the bridges should be rebuilt/demolished/replaced by a boat service/other - please state
NB: Bridges? Seriously, they need rebuilding and fast, before prospective students start getting put off by the state of campus. On a lighter side, rope bridges and zip wires would be more fun...!
MB: I think the bridges should be rebuilt and the paths on campus improved.
JT: A ferry service from Vanbrugh to Goodricke could certainly be a moneyspinner for the union...
QUICK-FIRE:
5. I love...
NB: what do you want, a list - cricket, eating, sleeping and of course representing my fellow students!
MB: My Mum
JT: Cycling. I own an embarrassingly large selection of lycra clothing, and I went to Spain earlier this month to watch a race. Also coffee.
6. My funniest memory is...
NB: auditioning to be the Milkybar Kid back in 1993, unfortunately i wasn't 'strong and tough' enough as the song goes...!
MB: first year antics including a roll down clifford's tower.
JT: Getting second place in the 'most disgusting hairstyle' category at my end of sixth form awards. I should have won!
7. My most annoying character trait is...
NB: undoubtedly grumpiness!
MB: I always want more food. Feed me!
JT: Fidgeting. Probably because of all the coffee.
8. I spent this morning...
NB: sat in a Rules and Regulations Meeting for all candidates - thrilling stuff, i can tell you!
MB: for once, laying in bed for a while... before replying to these questions. It is a Saturday morning!
JT: Researching the possibility of putting lockers on campus next year.
Full list of candidates for all positions is available here.
What about James Thompson? Nouse have him as an official candidate for this position. Why wasn't he interviewed for this article?
There should have been a ninth question, "Will you see your policies through?"
I suspect Burton would have been red-faced.
As far as I know James Thompson only started campaigning yesterday.
Which is the first day you're allowed to start campaigning under election rules, afaik?
comment deleted by the author @2
Why would Matt be red faced? He's quite openly explained why he decided not to pursue the Union venue, and lets face it, he's first person in the history of YUSU who has managed to get a student run bar. I reckon thats a pretty impressive achievement.
Part of being a good manager, particularly in finance is being able to let things go, and focus on projects which have the highest return on your time. Surely that is exactly what he's done?
The very fact that he wants to serve another term would seem to suggest that he certainly is keen to "see his policies through"
Lewis
Why Red Faced? Because officers make pledges on what they will achieve in 1 year, not 2.
The fact of the matter is that Matt is saying he 'listened' to students about the student venue when he'd done NO work in pursuing his promise of a YUSU Arena before the UGM motion had passed anyway! And anyway, a lot of universities run both city center, and campus venues.
Plus, YUSU don't *have* the student bar yet, and even if they do it'll be due to the work of the entire YUSU exec not just Matt.
I don't think its fair to speak for Matt on why he decided not to pursue the idea of a YUSU venue in town, but the point I'm trying to make is that if in light of changing circumstances (i.e. increased participation in Hes east) or as a result of experiences on the job, an officer thinks that the time spent working on a project could be better spent working on something with more immediate, or better 'value' results then I think thats a sensible decision to make.
I'm not saying that candidates should bear no responsibility for implementing their pledges, but the ability to effectively manage time and budget is, in my view, not a negative quality.
Any winning candidate may have policies which may well, for whatever reason, not come to fruition, but they should be judged on what they do achieve, not on what they didn't. I personally think that for Matt, amongst other things, Langwith Bar is a significant achievement, and I think that there is a definite benefit in some continuity.
Anyway, I'm not an official campaigner for anyone, and I promised myself I'd try and stay out of the election banter and just bask in the california sunshine, so I'll stop rambling...although I just can't stop wondering why anyone would want to spend money on putting more society and JCRC events in a University rather than YUSU run bar....
Lewis
Hmm... lockers on campus? Now that's an idea!
Indeed, that is a great idea - but perhaps something the college JCRC chairs would be better off in pursuing?
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