Four ways to fix the CSU
Some suggestions to better the next CSU
March 29th, 2011 Since each of the candidates for the council, senate and board of governors get a $50 budget for their campaigns, it seems unfair for one candidate’s posters to be featured on the school’s billboards because they got to it first on poster night, or because they got their friends to run on every floor of the Hall building before the other guys’. Or for them to have more posters up because they got a better deal with the printers.
Poster night craziness just seems unnecessary because there are easier and fairer ways for posters to be put up. There should be either limits of the number of posters put up per candidate, or delineate spaces for each slate and independent candidate to poster. It officially starts the campaigning period, but candidates should all start at a level playing field.
2. Let students vote for individual execs
Students should not have to vote for an entire slate of CSU executives. We are able to vote for individual councillors who are supposed to keep checks and balances on the executives. It makes sense to have top honchos be from different slates so the tab-keeping is done right at the top, not just through the councillors. It would also make the executives work harder at convincing their fellow executives to go along with a project. It would be like working with the enemy, but compromising and listening and respecting the other side, just like a minority government would “work” in parliament. There would be more focus on what works best for the most amount of students.
3. Students should think of the execs like employees
The CSU president and VPs do get paid, and since you all pay fees to the CSU, you, students, are directly paying them. Seriously. So, in a sense, they are your employees. They all boast about being accountable and working for and on behalf of the students, so it is imperative that the student body keep the union accountable throughout its term, by asking questions, going to council meetings and calling their bluffs on transparency and accountability.
4. Campaigning on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube
The candidates love to change their profile pictures to their poster during the campaign period, and that’s fine. They are easy to spot and in terms of recognition, they definitely work. But if candidates want to use their Facebook accounts to campaign, voters should do what everyone does and use their hours on Facebook to “Facestalk” the candidates. As per point 3, they are your potential employees. Potential employers check people’s social media profiles in order to suss out solid candidates. You can do the same! The CSU had a budget of $2 million in 2010-2011, would you hire a party animal to take care of your finances?
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