UWSA elections have a lot to offer

So apparently everyone’s interested in the UWSA again! It must be because of my fabulous blog…

This year voters are treated to 22 candidates vying to represent students next year.

It seems many candidates are responding to the widespread criticism that the UWSA has become out of touch with students, and is not accessible, accountable and transparent enough. (see my piece in Issue 23)

But despite plans for weekly info sessions, budget updates and more, how well the next exec keeps those campaign promises (because that’s what they are—same political game as ever) when they get into the daily grind down in the fishbowl has yet to be seen. It’s not as if any executive WANTS the UWSA to be inaccessible and ineffective.  People get bogged down in office work, by-laws and bureaucratic entanglements. Or, shit happens. This year the exec struggled to pick up the slack for an absent (due to illness) general coordinator, a staff position president Vinay Iyer described as the backbone of the UWSA.

Knowledge of the UWSA and political know-how are characteristics that some newbies in this race may lack. The UWSA suffers from a lack of institutional memory by definition. Kelly Ross, current vice president student services, is the only incumbent executive candidate. And knowing how projects can fall through the cracks of a changing executive, (such as the new daycare, a project over two years in the making that only got approved by the board last night) she may be a valuable asset to next year’s exec.

Current execs may not be completely off the radar next year- Iyer’s sole bid to be Canadian Federation of Students’ (CFS) liaison director will only be defeated if students vote an overwhelming ‘no’ on his ballot. In his speech, Iyer explained that he wants to leave the UWSA but isn’t quite ready yet, and feels that a directorship is a good way to ease out of the organization while putting his experience to use. I don’t know how he expects students to react to that—do we really want a director that wants to quit the UWSA but can’t quite bring himself to do so, thus taking an easy position instead? That’s pretty depressing.

Current vice president internal Geoff Brown is running against incumbent LGBT* director Jonathan Niemczak, an interesting race. In board meetings it’s become clear that Brown has some serious problems with Niemczak, feeling he is not representing LGBT* students through his actions as director.  Unfortunately Brown was away sick for the speeches Wednesday. I look forward to hearing him tomorrow.

So don’t forget to come out to the presidential candidate speeches tomorrow (Friday March 13), 12:30 in the Info booth foyer. We’re down to four now, as Shimby Zegeye-Gebrehiwot was recently disqualified for lack of credits.

And don’t forget to vote Monday March 16 – Thursday March 19 in the Riddell Hall Atrium! All students are members of the UWSA and thus eligible. Go help make some important decisions.