I would guess that many of you don’t know that the NUS elections are being held today. I don’t know this for a fact, but I bet I’ll be vindicated by another pitiful turnout. NUS elections don’t seem to be taken seriously by anyone beyond the Guild Community. I doubt very much that the students who vote are interested in the slightest but are just dragged along to vote for their friends. And yes, the turnout is so low that a candidates success can depend on no more than a handful of votes. It’s quite useless really. It seems there are two main reasons for this. One is that little effort seems to be put into publicising NUS elections, and the other is that students have no interest in the NUS. No interest in the sense that it is unclear how the NUS can have any impact on their own grievances. There is more interest in Guild elections, although not much more, again because it is unclear how the Guild can have an impact on student grievances. The current President of the Guild of Students, Gary Hughes, is criticised for not communicating directly with the students but rather concentrating too much on the bigger picture, a criticism that could cost him a second term.
30/01/2007 at 15:46 |
Second term?! Don’t tell me they introduced two year sabb posts now. I was a NUS conference delegate and pushed hard for a referendum on NUS membership when I was a non sabb. I’m not convinced NUS provides value for money and the money could be reinvested in the Guild. I think Aston disaffilated recently? NUS is only good for student discounts, and you don’t need to be a member of NUS to get student discounts. NUSSL certainly wasn’t giving us value for money during my exec year.
Exec elections are important (mind you i’m biased!) so I hope there is a good turnout and many candidates per position.
30/01/2007 at 22:25 |
Turnout this year was over double what it was last year! Full credit to all candidates, campaigners and Guild elections committee for ensuring turnout was so high by comparason. This bodes well for the exec elections!
30/01/2007 at 23:27 |
I have to eat a small slice of humble pie actually. In fact the turnout is expected to be around double last year’s. However, not too bigger piece of pie. 800 votes, or there abouts, is still a very small portion of the University. Though, as a campaigner myself, it’s hard going, and I wish everyone all the best for the results tomorrow!
31/01/2007 at 13:25 |
Excellent news on turnout. Keep it up and keep engaging with the students.