Student Union General Election Candidates’ Survey

Candidates for Student Union Executive answer some questions

BY BRUCE DAVISON

Onz OF THE MOST FREQUENT (AND VALID)

complaints about the electoral process at U.PE.I. is that people don’t get a chance to learn about the people running for office. The candidates’ forum is seldom attended by more than about 125 students, and people don't often get a chance to meet candidates. Campaign posters seldom give much substantive information-- I hope this article can help provide that information. Voting is this week, Monday and Tuesday nights, Wednesday and Thursday during the day, in the Library on Monday and Tuesday and also in the Cafeteria and Blanchard Hall Wednesday and Thursday. Read

this article before you vote.

The following are how the six candidates running for executive positions answered a survey I distributed. The only changes I have made are concerning spelling and capitalization. The questions on my survey were:

1. Why are you running for this position?

2. Ifelected, what will your objectives be for your term?

3. Please list any experience you have had in on-campus organizations or what other work you have done while at UPEI.

4. Ifelected are you prepared to put your duties ahead of your academic work, at least sometimes?

5. How important do you think the UPEISU’s lobbying work with government is? What should our objectives be?

6. How do you view the autonomy of CIMN and the X-Press?

7. How do you propose to keep Student Council and the rest of the Student Union informed of what you are doing on their behalf?

8. What’s your favourite breakfast

cereal?

Andrew MacPherson: President

1. ‘‘Iam running for SU president because I feel I have the experience and the ability to be the spokesperson for the student body at UPEI. My involvement in students affairs since I have beena student UPEI has convinced me that students must speak out for our well being because no one else is going to do it for us. I guess this is my main reason for putting

8 X-Press, March 29, 1994

Andrew MacPherson, Candidate president

name forward for the position.”’

2. ‘‘My primary objective for the coming year if elected president include actively lobbying both the provincial government and the university to keep tuition at an affordable rate and to bring student loans up to a level which allows accessability to university to as many students as possible. Another goal Ihave for the coming year is to get the construction of anew student centre at the top of the priority list for future development at UPEI. A student centre is vital the growth of the university community and unfortunately the barn does not fulfil these needs adequately.”’

3. ‘Involvement in on-campus activities. Frosh: -advertising manager for the X-Press,

Student Handbook and the yearbook -writer for the X-Press -member of the UPEI Debating Society -student representative on UPEI Senate -volunteer for the UPEI White Ribbon Campaign -volunteer at CIMN radio -member of the UPEI Engineering Society Sophomore: -Vice-President Internal, UPEI SU_ -National Executive representative from PEI on the national executive of the Canadian Federation of Students -member of Debating Society | -member of the UPEI Orientation Committee -member of the UPEI Accessability Committee -volunteer for the White Ribbon campaign -occasional contributor to the X-Press -member of the UPEI Engineering Society”’

4. ‘‘As VPI an National Executive Rep. have occasionally had to put my position ahead of my school work and I will continue to make these sacrifices if elected president although I believe we are still students trying to get a quality education so these sacrifices must be weighed very carefully.”’

5. ‘‘As I have previously stated I think this work is among the most important things we do. This is a perilous time for students in Canada because of the attack of government at all levels on social programs. A major threat to students is the propose income contingent loan repayment system which is being looked into in New Brunswick right now. I won’t go into precise detail here but this system would allow universities to increase their tuition fees astronomically. This is just on example of the threats to accessibility to auniversity education which students face.”’

6. ‘‘Ihave worked diligently asthe executive member responsible for these organizations to ensure their autonomy from student council as much as is possible at a university of our size. We do not want to see a situation were the X- Press and CIMN could be closed for criticizing the actions of the Student Union. Campus media and student government must have a safe separation for the health of both of their organizations.’’

7. ‘Open lines of communications a vital to operation of any elected body. If elected I would like to see the number of general meetings held each year increased from 2 to 4. I would also like to see the student union information desk in the pit be put back into use in some fashion. These two things are only the first step toward a more accessible Student Union but this is obviously one of my main

priorities.’’ 82 Cottee:’

Patricia Embleton: V.P. External 1. ‘‘To improve communication between external organizations and the Student Body and also to better represent the student body o1 the student union.”’ 2. ‘‘- better communication promotion of campaigns on campus”’ 3. ‘‘[positions held on campus] -Senate rq -Sexual Harassment Committee - debatin [society] | - Student Academic Appeals ; Presidential Search Committee’ 4. ‘‘I hope to find a balance betw academic and student unions. I’m sure the

- mor

Patricia Embleton, Canidate VP External

will be times when S.U. willneed tocome but I’m sure that there will be times when" academics will need come first. So as n0! sacrifice one for the other I hope to find balance.””

5. ‘I feel it is very important, in that! one of strongest means of communication the gov’t. Our objectives should be to be education => increase funding and get help our students.”’

6. I view the autonomy of CIMN and the Press essential in the quality of the produ we get from them.’’ ;

7. ‘*V.P.’s give reports at every meé but besides that I would like to see artic!’ the X-Press and on CIMN (updates, that