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candidate forums
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Mar 12th, 2008 at 05:49am |
Today was the first all-candidate forum/debate. Reports say attendance was a "record low", though I'm not sure how they got less than "0". I have in my hands four separate reports from readers to whom I now owe a great deal. I wasn't there in person, but these reports are highly credible. Based on them, I'll be naming winners in the forums. I'll also summarize some of the points made, but remember the damn thing went on for like eight hours, I can't get all of it.- President. Winner: Courtney Larkin. Not by much, but enough. Demagogorski told us you can't represent students if you aren't taking a full course load - apparently an executive is incapable of remembering what it was like to take a full course load a whole year ago? Tara played the "ideals but no concrete ideas" cards, which stopped impressing me in early 2001. She is capable of delving deeper, I think, and she should. Hillman pushed his competition for ideas funded from his own pocket, as described in his platform. Debo encouraged budget cuts and getting out of the office to talk to students. Gault pushed for visibility, approachability, and working with societies. Larkin suggested intellectual events (PROTIP: aren't they called 'classes'?) and more attention to beyond the 18-22 demographic. Apparently some took issue with Debo doing schoolwork during the forum, especially given his insistence that he'd be taking 5 courses as president.
- VP (Internal): Winner: Daniel Boyle. Mostly, VAJ said "VAJ" too much. What was she thinking? Boyle could have stood there and read from the constitution and sounded better, but instead he had solid things to say. He talked about addressing some apathy issues, gave a teaser including residence students and some communication strategies, and then sent us to his website to read his platform.
- VP (Student Life): Kris vs Krista. Infodesk vs Infodesk. Blue vs Pink. Winner: Krista, by a nose. She summarizes her answers on her website, but she didn't get it for that. Ali admits to some inexperience but came across as highly competent. One point of disagreement was society nights at the Grawood - Kris wanted to require societies to bring a certain number of people to get cover, while Krista thought that disadvantaged the smaller societies and wanted to get them access that didn't depend on size. Kris mentioned licensing other areas on campus (*cough* GeekBeer *cough*, plus many other well-established events). He backed off some of his ideas when they took criticism - could be a good quality, could be bad.
- Undergrad Senate: Winner: Eric Snow. He knows his stuff. There weren't a lot of questions - one about academic issues, and a second one that was a pop quiz about vanilla Senate stuff. They all named academic integrity as the top academic issue. Eric answered his pop quiz question and then went on to recite a bunch of other information, like that annoying know-it-all in your first-year English class. Other op quiz results: Christofi was asked when Caucus meets, said every Monday - not a bad guess, Senate meets on Mondays, but no specific meeting time is stipulated for the caucus. Fraser guessed that the quorum for the caucus was the senators, the president, the VP Ed, the faculty reps (?). (Actual quorum is three people, any three of the four senate reps, the president, or the VP Ed). Hughes didn't know who the chair was (VP Ed); Mason correctly named the DSU President as the deputy chair. Luckily, your ability to memorize Section 6 of the Constitution has no bearing on your ability to be a Senator. But ya'll should probably give it a look. Yes, I said ya'll.
- HSA Referendum: Snoozefest. This referendum needs a strong "no" campaign, just to inspire a little healthy debate. I know VAJ opposed it in Council, as did Zimmerman - ladies? Anyone?
Comments:
Kris Osmond says:
[Mar 12th @ 10:50am]
I just wanted to clarify something after reading the summaries of the candidate’s forum. The idea of having societies apply to the Grawood in order to host a society night, and basing the decision on society size and event type is something that is already in the works and taken effect. I was stating that I support the idea for the following reasons. The Grawood is mainly used right now as a common area for societies to host a "party" or "theme night" of some sort, serve drinks and here music. This has been incredibly successful with large societies that are able to promote the event to a larger audience including those outside their own society. When a society does not have these larger numbers the Grawood remains relatively empty on these nights and losses money (a lot, $7000 a just from the door cover) and the little bit of money that does come in goes to the society from the door. By limiting the Grawood's use by societies to those with larger numbers and requiring a certain number of people in attendance to receive their share of the door, this will encourage the night's host to promote the Grawood to as many people as they possibly can. This will help both the Grawood and the societies. With that said the Grawood is a Student service no doubt about it. However it is a service that is provided by the DSU that falls under the larger umbrella of DSU Bar Services, the Grawood is just part of this service. This new system is in no way taking that service away from students. There are many more venues all over campus that can be used for society events. If a society or group applies for a night at the Grawood and the committee feels it is not the most appropriate venue for the event that this society wants to run the committee along with myself will do everything thing we can to find the most appropriate venue for it whether that be the T-room, a student lounge, auditorium or some other area of campus. This isn’t about taking anything away from societies, the DSU Bar services will still be provided, as I said we can licence anywhere on campus. This is about working with the societies to find the most appropriate venue and atmosphere for the event. I will be trying to use the full resources of the DSU to help societies and student groups host and run the best events that they can, not take things away from them. This is new system has been worked on and put in place because the current system isn’t working; it’s there to help both the Grawood and societies not take things away from them.
Chris Nickerson says:
[Mar 12th @ 11:55am]
I've gotta side with Kris here. I work for the tech department in the SUB (I'm a sound guy), and I've seen too many society nights in the Grawood where a small society brings out maybe 20-30 people. It makes far more sense to put small societies in a smaller venue, and reserve the Grawood for societies that will bring out a decent crowd. Not saying the DSU shouldn't support events by smaller societies (they absolutely should!), I'm saying events should happen in a venue appropriate to the number of people who will show up. I might also suggest that a few smaller societies could work together to host a Grawood night, if they really want the bigger bar. More people would show up, the bar would do better, and societies would still make money. We all win.
DSU Worker Monkey says:
[Mar 12th @ 12:27pm]
When the costs for staff alone outpace bar sales by 5x or more (there have been events where the ratio would be closer to 10x), then the Grawood isn't the location for your event. The DSU isn't a charity, and (ultimately) it is the students who are paying for some society to host some crap night that no one showed up to.
As Kris mentioned, this is in the works anyway, so it's more of how can small societies be included in Grawood activities. The debate over yes and no has already past.
DSU Worker Monkey says:
[Mar 12th @ 12:33pm]
When the costs for staff alone outpace bar sales by 5x or more (there have been events where the ratio would be closer to 10x), then the Grawood isn't the location for your event. The DSU isn't a charity, and (ultimately) it is the students who are paying for some society to host some crap night that no one showed up to.
As Kris mentioned, this is in the works anyway, so it's more of how can small societies be included in Grawood activities. The debate over yes and no has already past.
Gregory Debogorski says:
[Mar 12th @ 03:14pm]
I agree with the smaller societies being placed elsewhere opinion.
It has been my experience that smaller societies are often used as social propellants for a small clique of individuals. Unless, societies can appeal to the larger crowd it is senseless...
The problem I have with this position is that is is leaving out one key component. If a small society bring 20-30 people to the bar of their own accord and wishes to have a society meeting, I feel they should be exempt from paying cover if declaring a society meeting with prior notice.
Granted their is the matter of policing who is who that must be addressed, but cover should not be charged to any society if it should decide to call a general meeting.
Will this hurt the Grawood's revenu? Probably.
Will societies try and give prior notice for big ticket events that normal students, outside of societies, have to pay? Guranteed.
The positive externality of this is that students will have a greative motive to join and network in societies. SO what if they only join them for free cover at first! If they stay long enough in their chosen society to network and develop a little bit more unity on campus, the $7000 dollar loss is the cost of doing business. If greater socialisation occurs where everyone is involved in student societies and student affairs, the Union is working!
Antics Observer says:
[Mar 12th @ 03:27pm]
Contrary to Greg's point, if the cost of doing business results in the Grawood going under, I don't think it is reasonable to assume that everyone who enjoys the Grawood facilities should be affected (if indeed the pub had to close) because of the inability of some small societies to get sufficient support for an event.
Zimmerman says:
[Mar 12th @ 03:28pm]
My HSA comment is the same one it has been for over a month.
I don't want HSA to fail as an organization but I don't think it's time for a levy. I think the organization knows what they want to lobby but I still don't think they've worked long enough to make a levy worthwhile. I don't feel that an ED is going to have enough work to do to be payed around $30,000 and work 40 hours a week.
HSA was set up as a way for the different President's to work together to create a body that lobbies the municipal government. I think it still can work that way as long as the President's start focusing more on one lobbying group rather then 3.
Maybe I can still be persuaded but chances are I'll be voting No for the referendum.
Gegory Debogorski says:
[Mar 12th @ 04:46pm]
If the Grawood goes under because of offering free cover to societies that bring only "20-30" students, then the Grawood is already going under and the Director needs to be dismissed immediately!
If "20-30" extra students drinking at the Grawood does not compensate for the loss of cover and added unity within the Union, we have pricing issues or are not managing our variable cost pools effectively.
Greogry Debogorski says:
[Mar 12th @ 04:55pm]
Another thing- I agree with these view points, but I am not the originator of these notions- King's students should hold no priority over any elected Dal student for any position in the Gazette. When it is apparent that all positions that are wished by Dal students are full, after election, then King's students may have the opporunnity to fill positions within the Gazette. The Gazette is paid for on the Dal dollar; the Gazete is ran by Dal students. The King's students want to have equality in the Gazette, start carrying an equal share of the cost burden. Oh, and by the way, go back to your own damn gym and stop spitting on the floor of the Dalplex locker room you lippy little s**theads!
That brings me to my next issue. Why the hell are executives allowed to campaign on paid hours? I am receiving complaints all this week from students about exec's not being in there office. There I said it and kept my promise. If I can make the meeting tonight at the T room I will say it again.
Anonymous Coward says:
[Mar 12th @ 05:07pm]
"The debate over yes and no has already past."
Is that how it works? Once one year's exec makes up their mind then next year's has to simply deal with it? That is a bad way to run any group of individuals where leadership changes every year. The whole point of elections is to bring about change. Besides, I doubt it is actually set in stone. And if it is- why would I bother voting? Next year is only going to be a repeat of this year.
Chris Nickerson says:
[Mar 12th @ 07:01pm]
I'd like to clarify a few points, if I may. First, regarding the Grawood "going under" - I think that's misleading. The Grawood is a student service, and has operated at a loss for a number of years now. That isn't news. However, people complain when the Grawood loses too much money. To that end, I don't think it makes sense to give a small society (who will bring a very small number of people) the use of the bar for the night. As was pointed out, on some of these nights staffing and other costs (even with minimal staff) easily exceed any revenues. To me, it's all about choosing the appropriate venue for an event. The Grawood does not suit an event which maybe 50 people will attend. Societies can already get grants and a variety of other support from the student union, I think it's unreasonable to expect the DSU to subsidize poorly attended Grawood nights to the tune of hundreds of dollars or more a night. That simply does not make sense. It seems to me that some people see this proposal as somehow anti-society, and it's not. I think it's just a matter of balancing the student union's obligation to support societies with its obligation to spend money (money which, in part comes from student fees) responsibly. To be blunt, I'm not interested in my student fees paying for poorly attended society nights, I think the money could be better spent (and benefit more students) elsewhere.
Greg - your posts lead me to believe you may be unfamiliar with the present procedure for societies who want the use of the Grawood. Allow me to clarify. Friday nights are reserved for society events. Societies may submit an application to have the use of the bar on any Friday that isn't already taken. Generally, societies have an idea for an event. The bar staff and management may offer feedback or suggestions on how to improve the event, but its my understanding that societies are rarely turned down. Societies do occasionally get the bar other nights than Friday, if demand is high I think. Exec or Grawood staff are welcome to correct me if any of that is inaccurate.
Furthermore, Mr. Debogorski, the Grawood is operated as a student service, as I said. As such, they try to keep prices fairly low. So slinging around terms like "pricing issues" and "variable cost pools" is great, but the point of the Grawood is not to turn a profit, it's to serve students. I'm also not clear why you're so keen to fire people, or why you think that would fix anything.
Also, I'm not sure publicly expressing your (rather shocking) hatred of King's students in a public forum is wise when you're trying to get elected. Just saying.
Sorry for the long post folks, I talk too much.
Maggie says:
[Mar 12th @ 08:53pm]
Hi Greg,
Just so you know the DSU execs are using their vacation days to campaign.
Larkin and Gault have also saved up about a years worth of overtime!! Seriously, those girls work really long hours!
The Waaaaaaaaaambulance says:
[Mar 13th @ 05:15pm]
Did someone call for me?
Gregory Debogorski says:
[Mar 13th @ 05:33pm]
My concern over the executives was not my own; I was simply repeating what was said to me.
Chris- I am noy saying that we should give small societies run of the Grawood. I am saying that societies that are able to bring 20-30 students to events of their choosing should be exempt from cover. The way to make any bar/club(which the Grawood environment kind of is) is to get the numbers up. If you pack the Grawood and give the students a blast, the students will start congregating more often on campus. I helped promote the old "Stars" club back home on (Duggan Hip-Hop night) Wednesdays. It finally was sold, because the mission was to pack it full of people. It takes time and money to create a public awareness like that. The student opinion of the Grawood is not what it should be. In my opinion, it suffers from the same "clique" illness as the DSU itself.
Reality Check says:
[Mar 13th @ 05:37pm]
The student opinion of the Grawood is low because the Grawood sucks. They ripped out the old cafeteria, stuck a bar in the corner and called it a day. Critical mass is important, but it doesn't help if the venue is just an unpleasant place to be.
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