Presidential Debate...PEP Style

Presidential Candidates

Nadz Kunwar kicked off proceedings by making his three minute speech about his policies. He threw down the gauntlet and said: "YUSU isn't all about Sabbs, despite what they think."

He discussed his policy to split the role of Academic and Welfare into two positions: "As we saw with Grace, the pressure of that job is immense."

Why shouldn't students themselves tell us what students want?
Nadz Kunwar

Kunwar is running on a policy of an open YUSU, something he said is "partly because of the media, and partly because, they, we, act as a clique. Students either think you're stupid or you're being arrogant and you don't know what they want."

Next up, Laura Payne said that there are "key facilities that are being neglected because the Students' Union isn't putting them at the top of the agenda".

With reference to her policy calling for an improvement of the bus service, she said: "I think that there should be a subsidy - there's one for staff, why not students?"

Mad Capt Tom, said he was running for "mystery, adventure, and the lure of the seas".

He was asked by an audience member whether his policies, such as having a cannon on Central Hall, would ever pass Health and Safety, to which he replied: "Health and Safety, quite frankly, not be having much say on that, in the unlikely event that I do get elected."

In a rare break from his jovial policies, Tom said: "If I do win, I'll be throwing myself into the role, talking to Brian Cantor and answering the phone as Mad Cap'n Tom."

I be having a genuine opinion on this.
Mad Capt' Tom

Questions were then addressed to candidates from the audience. The first regarded the proposed split of Academic and Welfare into two separate Sabbatical Roles.

Tom said: "I be having a genuine opinion on this. I think we not be havin' the budget to split. I don't think there be enough workload to split it."

Payne brought up the role of an auditor who has been employed by YUSU to monitor the effectiveness of each role, she said: "We shouldn't be employing an expert and pre-empting the decisions."

Kunwar reacted with agreement, although he said: "We've got an expert in how YUSU should represent students, why shouldn't students themselves tell us what students want?"

Tom responded: "Most students not really be caring about what's going on in YUSU. If there's an expert who's doing studies, we should listen."

Another of Kunwar's policies, an online Module and Lecturer feedback forum was questioned. Payne said: "Instead of having another set of bureaucratic things to go through, we should link feedback from departments to the Union."

Kunwar said: "Before they choose a module, students should see if a module is for you, and what you're letting yourself in for."

The proposal gained the support of Tom: "It'd be a grand idea, but I'd be concerned about the workload."

Key facilities that are being neglected because the Students' Union isn't putting them at the top of the agenda.
Laura Payne

When the hot-topic of a central venue was brought to the candidates, Kunwar said: "It's what our Union lacks, and what our Union needs." He added: "As an Ents Rep, I know more than anyone we need a Central Venue."

Tom warned voters that: "It's a probablity, but fairly slim. Don't get your hopes up, we've been here a long time and we haven't seen one yet."

Payne was more optimistic: "I'm very optimistic, if we show we can run a bar, our proposal should be taken seriously."

Ryan Bennett, ex-Vanbrugh Chair asked the potential candidates: "You'll be leading campaigns, as something of a figurehead - what is your actual campaigning experience, give us two examples?"

Tom listed being the British representative of 'Talk like a Pirate Day', something he said raised around £10,000 for Marie Curie. He also told the audience that his charity single, whilst not a great success, showed his ability to campaign for a needy cause.

Payne listed her involvement in the opening of Women's Committee to men, and her involvement in the NUS Referendum, a campaign which she says "doubled quoracy".

Kunwar, last to answer, admitted that whilst "the position I hold isn't about campaigning, it's about getting things done. I'm going to cut out the crap and get stuff done."

Alexios Mantzarlis, Club of PEP Chair, said: "I was very happy with the structure of the debate and with the fact that candidates and their policies were put under far greater scrutiny than that exerted during Hustings."

"I was slightly disappointed at the absence of the returning officers, but I am sure they had good reasons not to be there."

Sam Bayley replied: "We weren't invited in our capacity as Returning Officers, and Club of PEP decided they wanted to be "YUSU-neutral" according to the Facebook group. We had a UGM to set up and run. We'd just had two late nights at the official Hustings/Question time and needed some rest!"

The evening was hosted by Club of PEP. Voting opens Monday, Week 9.

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