punditry.ca — uncovering DSU elections

On behalf of Punditry, I’d like to make sure we keep our readers up to date on information about the campaign and the candidates.  As such, this is a correction to our previously-stated candidate list for two reasons.  First, we’re removing two candidates (Dahn and Kutcher) since, as we’ve stated previously, they have withdrawn from the race.

The second update requires an apology on our part – we apparently made some serious mistakes when identifying the candidates with their positions.  Thanks to the candidate’s posters, we have been able to correct the mistake by going with the position the candidate has identified on their poster.  This is a gamechanger, folks – and it looks like we’re going to have a record-breaking number of Executives after this election.

President
Sebastian Fiszman
John Hillman

Presedent
Chris Saulnier

Vice President (Academic and External)
Andrew Mecke

Vice Presedent (Academic and External)
Sarah Bouchard

Vice President (Education)
Karl Dempsey
Evan Price

Vice President (Internal)
Christopher Connors
Kayla Kurin
Imad Mekhail

Vice President (Student Life)
Jamie Arron
Tom Dobbyne
Adam Reid

Undergraduate Senate (3)
Jonathan Michael Magill
Margaret Scrimegeour

Board of Governors (2)
Dustin J.M. Griffin
Max Ma
Christopher Ross Rector

Feel free to draw your own conclusions as to which positions do or do not, in fact, “exist”. A minor detail, but one I feel obliged to note. Personally, I’m giving props to Hillman, Fiszman and Mecke (and all candidates for positions other than Pres/VPAE).

Admittedly, we don’t have concrete information on a few candidates who listed VP as to whether they’re running for a “Vice President” or a “Vice Presedent” position.  Perhaps we could replace the Sexton debate with a spelling bee in order to clarify?  It would spare us the usual pandering.

Additionally, since we do not have a poster at all from Reid, I’m going to assume that he doesn’t exist until I’m notified otherwise.  This may be in no way his fault.  With that said, I think non-existent candidates shrouded in mystery just spices up the contest, don’t you?

“Don’t Vote” – DSU Elections 2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnN2pVI84w0

Props to the Elections Committee.

The following are issues that were raised at the Candidate’s Cafe by the incumbents.  They are not by any stretch the only issues that may arise, but this might help frame your mind around what candidates are likely to be talking about.  Turns out I did pretty well in my earlier guesses, so either I know what I’m talking about or the current Exec are reading my posts.  Either way, I’ll be taking 100% of the credit.

Check out the issue breakdown by position after the break.

Read more…

UPDATE: The stakes just doubled.  Two beer for an Executive candidate I don’t have on my list, one beer for a Senate/Board of Governors candidate.  Offer still closes at midnight on Monday.

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For the first time, I would like to offer you a very special challenge.  With prizes!  All you have to do is name a candidate in the DSU Election whose name I haven’t already heard. If you’re able to do it successfully, I will buy you a beer at the Grad House.

Rules:

1. Enter the candidate using the Submit News button at the top.  Mike will verify the time stamp with my most recently circulated candidate list.  If the name you provide is not on the list, beer!

2. Punditry will not release the names of any candidates discovered this way until the contest is closed.

3. In entering the contest, you must agree that if the candidate you have named withdraws from the campaign at any time, you will have to buy me a beer at the Grad House in return.

4. You must provide your name in the submission to be eligible in the contest.  Please feel free to submit candidates anonymously as well, but unfortunately, I can’t buy you beer if I don’t know who you are!

5. One (1) Executive candidate = One (1) beer.  Two (2) Senate and/or Board of Governors candidates = One (1) beer.  Substitutions for beer will be entertained.  However, if you are only able to provide one Senate and/or Board name, I will provide you with a TBD supplementary prize.  Perhaps cheaper beer.

6. Limited supply.  The total number of pints I will purchase is five (5).

7. Contest closes at midnight on Monday, February 14th.

UPDATE: 8. Pundits are not eligible to participate in this contest.  Please note that this clause is retroactive.

As a fellow pundit put it, “it’s the most wonderful time of the year”.  A time for council hacks, society overachievers and ambitious outsiders alike to seek high office in student politics.  The DSU Elections are upon us, and the stakes could not possibly be higher.

Nominations are now open.  This includes the Executive positions (President, Vice President (Academic & External), Vice President (Internal) and Vice President (Student Life)) and non-Executive positions on the Board of Governors and the Senate.  On top of that, we have two referenda on the ballot (with whispers of the first ever official “No” campaign for a referendum). There are lots of rumours going around about potential candidates, but we’re hoping that you can help keep us in the loop.  If you have any information to share, confirmed or rumored, please share it with us via the “Submit News” button at the top.  Don’t worry, it’s fully anonymous.

For any of you who may be considering a run, I strongly encourage you to go for it (nomination forms available here).  While I never served as an Executive, I’ve seen how rewarding the experience can be to those who take it on.  Even the Board and Senate positions gives you an unprecedented opportunity to see the inner workings of the university and help make Dalhousie a better place for students.  Don’t let rumours of incumbents running deter you; for our part, I’m sure we won’t hold back our constructive criticism from those who should know better by now.

While I joke about the stakes involved, this year’s election does comes at a notable moment in several areas.  Just yesterday, the provincial government announced capped increases to tuition, funding model for universities and, perhaps more importantly for our purposes, that a new Memorandum of Understanding for 2012-2015 will be negotiated next year.  Dealing with the associated budget cuts and planning for next year’s MOU will be in the hands of this year’s winners.

Also, the DSU is also undergoing a review of food services in the Student Union Building; while the contract with Sodexho has been extended by one year, next year’s student leaders will have to make a decision as to how they will offer food in the SUB.  The Campus Master Plan, approved in principle by the Board of Governors, will continue.  Dalhousie Homecoming, moving into its second year after a somewhat bumpy first run, will also be coming up next October.  These are just a handful of the big issues for the 2011-2012 DSU Council and Executive.

Finally, I’m afraid you won’t hear too much from me this year.  I’ll be busy with plans of my own that you’ll no doubt read about here.  Nevertheless, I encourage you to read up, whether here or directly from the candidates, to learn about platforms and cast an informed ballot for who you believe to be the best candidate.

I’m bored.  I’ve already voted, and now there’s really not much going on other than waiting.  I want to see the action of results day, and I don’t have the patience to actually do schoolwork while I wait.  The thing is, given that you’re here, I know I’m not alone.  So let’s play a game.

For those of you who have heard of Six Word Stories, you’ll know this idea isn’t a new one.  Come up with the best statement of exactly six words that you can to sum up a part of the election. It can be the election as a whole, a description of one of the candidates, a story about something that happened… anything goes.

For example: Nothing can stop the Debogorski machine.

Don’t be shy to post multiple ideas (though if you are shy, just change your username, God knows enough people are doing it already).  The best six word story, to quote Peter Stoffer, will win “an allegedly fabulous prize”.

I know you guys are creative.  Let’s see what you’ve got.

What are you doing here?  You should be here, voting! If you are visiting this page even once to see this post, you should have already voted by now.

It’s pretty straight-forward: all you need is your banner number and your date of birth.  Executive positions are ranked ballot, unopposed races are yes/no, and Senate gives you up to three votes out of the four candidates.

Do it!  Democracy!  You know you want it!  For the Union!