The Insiders
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Jan
25
Voting Questions
Posted by: Neal Yonson | January 25, 2007 | 20 Comments
We’ve received many questions about voting. A few are worth answering publicly:
What’s the Ubyssey Publication Society Board of Directors?
The Ubyssey paper is published by editors. Those editors report to the Board, which has very low-grade oversight of the paper’s operations. The Directors pretty much just handle business-y type stuff, and eschew editorial interference.
Who are the candidates?
I have no friggin’ clue. I go to school with a couple of them (Jeff and Jeremy) and they’re nice guys, so you should vote for them. The Ubyssey takes the AMS to task for not communicating with students, but doesn’t see fit to mention the elections for its own Board. Which are student-wide. Go figure.
What’s the Student Legal Fund Board of Directors?
Besides a playground for law school resume-padders? A very important fund that supports student-interested court challenges. When students take on serious court cases, they can turn to the SLFS for support. The Directors administer the funds and decide which cases to take on.
I have no idea what’s up with them. Their formerly functional website is no longer operational, so your guess is as good as mine.
What’s with the joke VFM entries?
We actually like the joke entries. If they’re bringing an actual perspective to the race, and trying to add some value, then we’re happy they’re involved. But there are probably people doing this because there’s “free” money. Putting in no effort and expecting remuneration. We’ll leave it to voters to determine which media outlets are attempting to engage with the election, and who are screwing around with an otherwise interesting experiment.
However, some are coming from AMS Directors. If you wonder why people see the AMS as a joke, look no further.
Comments
20 Comments so far
I am refusing to vote in both the student legal fund elections and Ubyssey elections due to lack of coverage. If only there were a mechanism in place to encourage further, more accessable, coverage of the issues in those races.
I am refusing to vote in both the student legal fund elections and Ubyssey elections due to lack of coverage. If only there were a mechanism in place to encourage further, more accessable, coverage of the issues in those races.
About the VFM Candidates:
So far there are 9 legitimate candidates competing, as well as The 432 and possibly The Underground, which would make 11 candidates.
6 are serious and have provided at least minimal coverage(Elections Insider, Elections Erection, Elections Daily, The Knoll, Myrfield.com, Thethunderbird.ca)
3 are joke/humourous coverage that have brought something to the table (CGF Media, Eatcake, Radical Beer Tribune) and a unique perspective of the elections.
The 432 at least did an article about the elections.
If the Duncan/Kearney Media group, or Novfmmedia win a prize for popularity, It would come at the expense of one of the 10 or 11 organizations that at least put a effort to participate in the spirit of the contest.
About the VFM Candidates:
So far there are 9 legitimate candidates competing, as well as The 432 and possibly The Underground, which would make 11 candidates.
6 are serious and have provided at least minimal coverage(Elections Insider, Elections Erection, Elections Daily, The Knoll, Myrfield.com, Thethunderbird.ca)
3 are joke/humourous coverage that have brought something to the table (CGF Media, Eatcake, Radical Beer Tribune) and a unique perspective of the elections.
The 432 at least did an article about the elections.
If the Duncan/Kearney Media group, or Novfmmedia win a prize for popularity, It would come at the expense of one of the 10 or 11 organizations that at least put a effort to participate in the spirit of the contest.
Anon,
Yeah, you’re right. And I don’t want to explain to a student who put in the effort and comes ninth, losing to one of the name recognition entries, why they don’t deserve a prize.
Anon,
Yeah, you’re right. And I don’t want to explain to a student who put in the effort and comes ninth, losing to one of the name recognition entries, why they don’t deserve a prize.
I, as well, would be disgusted if a name-recognition entry won any prize whatsoever. I work for the AMS Services and do not have a large budget. There are many great things that could be done with that prize money, things that would be useful for UBC students and the community at large I have no problem with the idea of the contest. It’s great to get more people involved with the elections. I do have a problem with AMS councillors misusing their reputations and this money for doing absolutely NO work whatsoever with the elections. If they are given any money, I will be absolutely appalled if it is not donated right back to the AMS or a local charity. Working for a service, I must be accountable to AMS Council for how I spend the money in my budget. I will have a hard time standing up in a council meeting, explaining how I have stretched every dollar in my budget to people who clearly have no respect for the students’ hard-earned money.
I, as well, would be disgusted if a name-recognition entry won any prize whatsoever. I work for the AMS Services and do not have a large budget. There are many great things that could be done with that prize money, things that would be useful for UBC students and the community at large I have no problem with the idea of the contest. It’s great to get more people involved with the elections. I do have a problem with AMS councillors misusing their reputations and this money for doing absolutely NO work whatsoever with the elections. If they are given any money, I will be absolutely appalled if it is not donated right back to the AMS or a local charity. Working for a service, I must be accountable to AMS Council for how I spend the money in my budget. I will have a hard time standing up in a council meeting, explaining how I have stretched every dollar in my budget to people who clearly have no respect for the students’ hard-earned money.
Anon 9:54 –
Thanks. Your feedback is appreciated.
Anon 9:54 –
Thanks. Your feedback is appreciated.
Actually, this isn’t students’ hard earned money. It is not students’ money at all. It was donated by a man named Mark Latham, and was donated specifically for this reason.
It is a bit of a social experiment, so you can rest assured that this money isn’t being squandered, at least by the AMS. Because the money would not have been donated otherwise, there is really no loss to the student’s society.
Actually, this isn’t students’ hard earned money. It is not students’ money at all. It was donated by a man named Mark Latham, and was donated specifically for this reason.
It is a bit of a social experiment, so you can rest assured that this money isn’t being squandered, at least by the AMS. Because the money would not have been donated otherwise, there is really no loss to the student’s society.
Matt –
I’d agree, except there are students who have worked for it, while there are students who haven’t. The students who haven’t are likely to win over the students who have worked.
So in a way Mike Duncan is taking money from students, even though he technically isn’t.
Matt –
I’d agree, except there are students who have worked for it, while there are students who haven’t. The students who haven’t are likely to win over the students who have worked.
So in a way Mike Duncan is taking money from students, even though he technically isn’t.
alex,
abstaining from voting in the student legal fund elections and the ubyssey elections
— tim, stop taking pot shots at the ubyssey! —
is not a “statement.”
it’s what everyone else is doing anyway, just not so high-and-mightily.
it would a conflict of interest if the ubyssey covered it’s own elections. not to mention that it’s a lot less than $20,000 at stake.
alex,
abstaining from voting in the student legal fund elections and the ubyssey elections
— tim, stop taking pot shots at the ubyssey! —
is not a “statement.”
it’s what everyone else is doing anyway, just not so high-and-mightily.
it would a conflict of interest if the ubyssey covered it’s own elections. not to mention that it’s a lot less than $20,000 at stake.
this is vfm. be the mechanism you want to see in the world. snap, ghandi.
this is vfm. be the mechanism you want to see in the world. snap, ghandi.
what about the fact that both friedrich and maxwell are americans? testament to the global citizen? or the disenfranchisment of BC students personified?
what about the fact that both friedrich and maxwell are americans? testament to the global citizen? or the disenfranchisment of BC students personified?