That Girl from Derwent dwells on the value of religion this Christmas.
That Girl from Derwent has learned a few more things about prejudice since moving up North.
That Girl From Derwent reckons if you're going to be offensive, you should find a better reason.
That Girl from Derwent considers why it is that some words have wider implications than others.
The presidential candidates have begun their race, and let's be honest, even with Wentworth bar full to the brim for hustings, and posters plastered around campus, how many students really know what’s going on? Over the campaigning fortnight, candidates will promise you pretty much anything for your vote in such a close race. Many of their policies may be eye-catching, but without knowing all the facts, how do you pick out the right one?
Nadz has presented a list of attention-grabbing policies. His idea of an online module rating system is interesting, but with students already fed up with filling in numerous feedback forms to their department, would this really be a success? He claims to have to have contacted departments to release this information to no avail, but would it not be a better idea to take the issue higher at a university level?
He has promised to carry out a campus-wide Hes East Survey. Whether anything beneficial will come from this is unclear as notoriously only a select few will reply, and the results will most probably be a central venue, environmental effects, facilities, and keeping the college atmosphere. All of which are currently being addressed by the University. Since it would be printed, can he justify the cost?
As for a free media, this could be rather controversial. Media outlets in York are award-winning institutions, and of course should be supported in every way possible, but there has to be a clear line between news and the welfare of students. The media charter already in place seems to be doing its job just right, so why change it?
His suggestion of splitting the role of academic and welfare officer into two separate positions was possibly not thought through completely, as there is currently a paid external consultant who is assessing the roles of union employees, and presenting it shortly. Pre-empting the decisions would be a mistake and a clear waste of money which has already been spent.
Finally Nadz seems to be rather confused over what the president’s role is, promising an international Viking Raid. Clearly his experience as an Ents officer would have better suited the role of Services and Finance, and when asked about his experience of campaigning, which is one of the presidents main roles, he admitted that other than assisting with Barcott in 2005/6, it was non-existent.
Laura’s campaign has revolved around the traditional major student annoyances such as bridges, buses, kitchens and portering. None of these are particularly controversial and would appeal to the majority. But are they achievable?
Laura has certainly demonstrated real campaign experience with respect to the opening up of Women’s Committee and the recent NUS referendum, a quality which is very much a necessity in any president. However, these have tended to be UGM and YUSU orientated, how she would deal with commercial opposition in the form of the Estates Department, Bars and First is less clear.
When quizzed at debates she has knowledge of where these issues currently sit, and mostly promises to continue the ongoing work. With a bit of digging through her facebook group you can also find how she plans to deliver on her ‘Buses, Bridges, Bars’ promise, with sensible strategies, such as a Buscott with a replacement YUSU minibus service. Although a lot of this campaigning seems to have been fairly recent, and will she be able to encourage large numbers of students to follow in protest?
There are also some more innovative ideas: she has suggested that students may be able to volunteer to help keep the library open longer. Whether or not this is feasible is debatable, but it’s a possible solution rather than a promise and such thinking tends to be exactly what University committees need.
Laura has played it safe, relying on her superior experience in campaigns and representation to oppose Nadz’s more Ents-orientated approach. Her experience would naturally lead her towards the role of president, though only being a second year you could suggest she has a year less experience of Uni life in general.
It was generally thought at the start of campaigning that the captain was some what of a joke candidate, and it’s probably true that he expected it to be seen this way, especially given some of his rather interesting policies. Of course it would be great to have a canon on central hall, and I for one would love my own cutlass, but, to be honest, we all know it is not going to happen any time soon.
However over the past week the Captain has demonstrated an in-depth knowledge into many issues and has been able to identify the fundamental problems and their solutions. Being the first candidate to understand the real reasons as to why York has fallen in recent league tables, and even reveal the difficulties of altering funding for the library quickly given that the budgets are set years in advance.
The other candidates' experiences have mostly come from within YUSU, and it can be easy for them not to notice some of the smaller issues which affect a lot of students. When quizzed on problems with communication in YUSU the Captain was able to speak passionately and bring examples from personal experience when he was a society chair, and how he would sort them out. This outside experience is a real advantage compared to the other candidates who are both well inside the YUSU fold.
Mad Cap’n Tom has certainly impressed with his answers given in debates, and it would be beneficial if these could be known on a wider scale through posters or his facebook group. Although one important question still remains: given he has promised to stay in character for the entire year, how seriously would a pirate be taken in university meetings?
The week may have started off as a two-horse race between Laura and Nadz, but Mad Cap’n Tom really has been shown to be a credible candidate leaving the possibilities wide open. A poll by Nouse suggests Laura to be in the lead, one by URY has given the Captain a huge majority, and The Yorker gives Nadz the edge.
It seems too close to call between all three, and the winner will be the one who can really convince the ordinary student that they are the person for the job. Whoever you’re thinking of voting for, make sure they have a plan of action, a clear idea of how to deliver on their promises and the experience to get things done. Take up their offer to ask them personal questions – they all supposedly want an open YUSU, why not see if they can perform now?
Ryan should have been honest from the start and said this was a pro-Laura blog rather than a "review" of Presidential candidates. Shameful behavior from supposed "experienced" ex-college chaIr...
GO NADZ!
Why are all of Nadz campaigners (or campaigner) being such idiots. This is all just opinion, and the pirate has probably been given the best review. The question's raised here are ones i didn't even think about, and so far no-one has tried to give an answer, just the usual 'GO NADZ' of 'Vote Payne'.
I'd rather listen to what an 'experienced' ex-college chair thinks, than some guy who still thinks go nadz is the line of a serious candidate.
Good blog. Was undecided and this has probably persuaded me to vote Payne.
I seem to be getting accused of siding with one particular candidate, which is just not true. To be honest it’s not something that’s going to effect me at all, and personally I believe that the most important elections are at a college level. I offered to write the blog because I realised that the majority of students would not know how viable some of these campaign promises are. For those of you who can remember, last year there were some great policies, but it was clear that some of them were never going to be acted upon.
That is why I have questioned policies, and clearly the problems I have raised have not been thought through as no-one has responded with a real argument. If you disagree with what I wrote, fine, disagree all you want, just back it up, and give all this anonymous rubbish a rest. It’s exactly things like this that put students off YUSU and what it does.
Over the past week there has been rubbishing of each others campaigns, underhand tactics, and banning of candidates from campaigning. All with the exception of the ‘joke candidate’. What I great start to a year, which all candidates have promised to be clique free and transparent.
Get a grip guys, it’s not the bloody government. What is it that you all really want? To win? Or to ensure that the students of York have the best possible year?
Why Nadz?
Firstly, Ryan, you showed what I believe to be an unfounded skepticism against the online feedback being accessible to students. Am I much mistaken in saying that Biology students can check the feedbacks and choose their modules taking into consideration the feedback these modules received? Take it to university level? Is this not something that concerns the departments alone?
Let us move on: Hes. East survey! Ryan, your blog has an undeniable pro-Laura slant (or at least it appears as such from a reader's perspective), yet she was the one to answer The Yorker question about Hes East with a big '?'... PuZzLiNg
Media: weren't the two YUSU societies Nouse and Vision risking closure or a very radical riduction in the number of issues they could print because of new elevated printing costs? The interest in media is one of the, arguably the most, positive features and expressions of the active life and involvement at York University. Is making sure that the university keeps its badge of media award winning uni such a bad thing?
About welfare and academic being split roles: is it really such a bad idea? Let us ignore the problem of Grace (although Nadz idea might be a way of solving the problem of the officer getting the sack). Read the last paragraph of your comment, "what is it that we want"? The answer is fairly obvious, that the students have the best possible year and we want to do that by making sure that if they get in trouble there will always be someone there. No? Having two, rather than just one person looking after the welfare of the students, is it not ensuring that they have the best possible year?
Viking raid and the role confusion: is it not good that a President concerns him/herself with other duties, tries making an event international? Would the sharing responsibilities over the making of a Viking raid of the sort improve communication within the SU? Getting SU officers to work together, as a unified representative body, is that such a bad thing? Sharing responsibilities and give York an international reputation for pushing forward such an idea, is that really a ghastly thought?
His experience campaigning maybe argued over but the mere fact that we've been talking about him so much in the comments of this blog does it not prove he ain't doing such a bad job after all?
Last question: Am I allowed to say GO NADZ now?
By the way: my comment about Laura's response to Hes East must not be read as a criticism of her. I think she's a good candidate and I am so glad for the tête a tête her candidacy has given us. I just wanted to stress the fact that, because Hes East is a big '?' a survey would be, in my own personal arguably biased opinion, a good thing.
And sorry for the lengthy comment/s
I appreciate that someone actually had the ‘Go Nadz’ to post a real comment. However I think you may have slightly misunderstood the questions I posed:
Modules: The policy is to set up a separate YUSU system. My questions was why not get the university to make departments publish feedback to students? Less forms and less cost.
Hes East: The policy is to ask all students about Hes East, not inform them about it. It’s pretty clear what everyone does want, but there is a lack of information coming back the other way.
Media: The policy is to do with media censorship, not printing costs.
Ac&Welfare: Fair point, but my questions was in reference to an external review into sab roles currently going on which is costing a lot of money. Again, why pre-empt this? And what students do want is bridges, bars and kitchens, and possibly graduating on the moon inside a floating St Paul’s Cathedral decorated with tinsel.
International Viking Raid is a good idea, and what I ment by this was that Nadz would have made an excellent services and finance officer.
And the amount of time a candidates policies have been argued about does not make them the best person for the job. It just means they’ve yet to answer some pretty fundamental questions about them still.
Modules: Making it a YUSU system is a) a facilitated way of getting the information, b) brings YUSU closer to the students which might result in c) getting people to be more involved with it. d) YUSU would make sure that ALL the information is available (i.e. increased transparency).
But, if these points are not convincing let us take joy in the fact that he was the only one to suggest that feedback be made public (at least on the basis of my knowledge).
Hes East.: On this note I agree with you in part. Greater Clarity is needed about what's happening in Hes East. I do however think you are making a massive assumption. Is it really clear what EVERYONE wants from Hes East.? The fact that I don't probably means I am a witless person if compared to others.
Media: Let me focus on the point you just made, since my earlier one was not relevant to Nadz policies. Censorship: let us take the example of "nouse" and the security officer. Don't you think students have/had the right to know what was going on? 'Nouse' was not allowed, 'on YUSU orders?', to state the name of the person because threatened of legal action against them. Is that good? Bad?
AC/Welfare: fair point to you too on the first section of the answer.
What student wants: Of course I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU. Being Italian that is EXACTLY why I came all the way from Rome to York. To drink well, party well, and be able to cook my pasta properly. Those things have precedence over someone helping me out in case I plagiarized without meaning to on one of my essays or god knows what other scenario which might affect my welfare.
Come ON! B, b and b's are important, and are problems that need be addressed but don't you think I would be rather more concerned about achieving the BEST POSSIBLE EDUCATION and enjoy the best possible support in case I was having some trouble, somehow, somewhere.
I think you are portraying VERY shallow students that need to get their priorities right if they think academic excellence and welfare are second to drinking loads, eating well and not walking an extra mile.
Vik Raid: I guess Nadz would make both an excellent Serv and Fin Officers AS WELL AS President.
Conclusion: or it means that their policies are the most interesting, achievable and students are more curious to know the details about them. Make sure they are applicable by playing the devil's advocate....
I think maybe you should approach The Yorker about writing a blog Nicolas and write shorter comments 
I did apologies n.27
"Get a grip guys, it’s not the bloody government. What is it that you all really want? To win? Or to ensure that the students of York have the best possible year?"
What is the point of this rant?
Obviously, what students really want is for the candidate that they support to win BECAUSE they believe they will provide York students with the best possible year.
Ryan,
Although I appreciate you taking the time to review the candidate’s policies, at no point have you approached me to ask me in any detail as to what my policies involve, so I’m not quite sure upon what your assessment is based…
The module system DOES NOT involve creating a separate YUSU system. For 90% of departments it simply involves creating a CENTRAL website, with all module feedback details published for students to access. It would be up-dated by a YUSU officer (ideally a separate Academic Officer) who would be able to monitor how well departments were responding to student feedback.
The Hes East student survey: I disagree with you that it is clear what everyone wants. Apart from a central venue/bar, students have barely been asked their views on the biggest development in their university's history. I agree that information coming the other way has been limited, a situation which need to be rectified.
Media Charter: The media charter is not doing its job. Stories are removed for POLITICAL as well as welfare reasons. Of course welfare is paramount, but at the same-time I believe that we need a media that is fully capable of holding elected officials, both YUSU and JCR, to account. The Media Charter in its current format does allow the media to do this effectively.
Splitting Academic & Welfare: I agree with you completely that ignoring the findings of an expensive review would be a waste - but this review DOES NOT ask students what they want, it asks YUSU officers what they want. I may be wrong, but was this not the reason why you spoke out against the review when Vanbrugh Chair? Also, at last night Alcuin JCR meeting, two of the candidates running for Academic & Welfare agreed that we seriously need to look at splitting this position (the third was not present).
International Viking Raid: I don’t believe I have the Presidents role confused. Whatever the ‘traditional’ perceived role of a President has been, clearly has not worked. Disillusionment with YUSU is at an all time high, and previous Presidents who may have correctly ‘perceived’ what the role of President is have failed to address this. My perceptions of a Presidents role include representation, leadership, consultation but also some fun. That may not be traditional, but there it is.
Finally, with regards to experience. I represented Eden’s Court students on Derwent JCR and Derwent College Council (a university committee). I’ve was Vice-Chair for a society for 2-years, I’ve run college and university events in the UK and abroad and I’ve set on the Unions highest committees for over year as well as chairing one myself. I believe I do have enough experience as well as passion to run our Union and I hope York students will agree. Lastly, let me just say that I don’t agree with some of the Ryan-bashing that has occurred with some of the comments on here. Having worked with Ryan on a number of occasions, I know him to be a competent, fair and intelligent person and his comments are always welcome.
Kind Regards,
Nadz Kunwar
YUSU Presidential Candidate
Nicolas: To your point about removing things after legal threats, The Yorker has removed things from their website presumably at the risk of legal threat, so abolishing the media charter would not solve that problem. (I presumably can not mention what was removed under threat of legal action, because my comment will probably be removed again... But you'll have to take my word for it). As for sabbs abusing the media charter for their own political gain, surely that shows a failure with the sabbs involved, rather than a fundamental failure with the media charter?
Nadz: Perhaps you should make your policies clearer, as your Facebook group states "A new website where YOU can rate your modules, lectures and tutors", which implies the creation of a new website, rather than using the current module feedback system - http://www.york.ac.uk/systems/feedback/info.cfm.
As for the splitting and Ac&Welf, I think that comes from a difference of opinion, I'm more inclined to trust an in-depth review on sabb workloads by a professional over the relatively uninformed decision of the student body.
Nadz, good answers to questions not just i have been thinking about. Although i might not agree with everything, it's pretty close to what my answer would be in your position, and does show that you've been thinking about how to achieve you're policies.
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