As promised, Salient brings you the profiles of the candidates in the upcoming VUWSA by-election. Voting begins this Thursday and goes until Thursday next week. You can vote online or at polling booths across all the Vic campuses. And don’t forget the Candidate’s Forum at Mount Street on Wednesday at 12.30pm.
The profiles have not been edited.
Vice President (Administration)
Richard Carr
I am currently enrolled as a BCA and BSc, majoring in Operations Research and Economics. I want to be involved with VUWSA to help ensure that we can create a sustainable organisation which can function proudly and co-operatively in partnership with the University and the larger community while providing excellent services to students. I have three main goals which will help lead VUWSA toward creating an organisation which can be a stable, functional and valuable asset to all students at Victoria.
1. Working with the VUWSA Trust to increase the non member revenue. In doing this I hope that I will be able to reduce the membership fee without sacrificing the services we offer by growing the amount of revenue generated through other channels.
2. Develop a more accountable and transparent office by using the VUWSA website to inform students of strategic plans and decisions that are under consideration so that students can be aware and have more input towards the choices made by myself and the Executive.
3. I would like to work towards a more efficient Students Association by reassessing and prioritising current spending to ensure a sensible allocation of the VUWSA resources, so that the money we do have has the most impact on us, the students.
Thomas Horrobin
Do you think VUWSA needs to get its shit together?
Do you think the way that it has operated in the past few years has contributed to student apathy?
Or do you just not love Joel Cosgrove penis?
If the answer to any of these questions is ‘yes’ then you need to vote Thomas Horrobin for administration vice president. In resent years VUWSA has been plagued with mismanagement. From the time former President Geoff Hayward spent $22,000 pimpin the VUWSA van to the year after when Cosgrove tried to cover it up and the time Jasmine Freemantle’s executive didn’t participate in ANZAC Day ceremonies because they didn’t believe in war. Well, all this is about to change because once we get VSM, you’ll no longer have to pay your VUWSA fee unless you actually want to be a member. So VUWSA will have to either earn students respect and pay its way or it can die in a cesspool of debt and complacency. VUWSA has a 100 year history and it was here representing students through both World Wars, the Vietnam War and other history changing events like the 1985 Springbok Tour. This history doesn’t need to stop but it will if VUWSA doesn’t prepare for VSM. I don’t want VUWSA to die and that’s why I want to be your Administration Vice President.
Alan Young
Profile submitted late.
Hi I’m Alan Young and I’m a Political Science, Philosophy and International Relations Student from Victoria University of Wellington where I’m currently in my third year of study. My leadership experiences range from being a Class rep at University, Campus coach where I help 1st year students settle into University. In my current role as Activities Officer and a Member of the general executive I help assist and organise events and activities for the Students such as Speed Dating and Poker nights whilst also assisting in orientation and re-orientation events. At the moment I’m a Volunteer Walker/ Driver for Disability Services for those with mobility Impairment and Just simply giving them a helping hand should they require it. I wish to stand for the Position of Administration Vice-president as I want to expand my skills and gain experience in the role. In the role I will Draft and maintain the VUWSA budget and provide Financial advice to the executive, clubs and at general meetings. I will be expected to achieve goals 4, 7 and 8 in the VUWSA Constitution which are to control the Student Union Complex and provide quality cost-effective services for members. Maximise the benefits to members by minimising fees or user charges and to ensure that the structures and procedures of the Association result in effective and efficient communication, management and accountability.
Vice President (Education)
Bridie Hood
Hi! My name is Bridie Hood and I am running for the position of Vice President (Education) in the upcoming By-Election, a role that I have been filing since the beginning of the year. The last few months that I have spent filling the role of EVP has given me a good foundational knowledge of the role and what it requires. I believe this to be an asset as I will be ready to get to work with implementing some new ideas into the Education Team. I have helped contribute to a stronger and more recognised Class Rep system and am leading the Education Team in producing a new Alternative Student Guide. But there is still a lot of work to be completed in the EVP position. If elected I will continue to work on strengthening the Student Representative system, seek to broaden the scope of the VUWSA Alternative Student Guide and lay some foundations for the future Education Team. Unfortunately I can’t promise free coffee on campus or anything exciting like that, but I can promise that I will help to make sure students are getting the most out of their time here at Vic. That their rights are upheld and that I won’t go down without a fight. So go on, do it! Vote for me Bridie Hood! – ‘Keep the good going’
International Officer
Paul Zhong
No profile submitted.
Queer Officer
Kerry Brown
Entering into the Queer community that thrives at Vic was a key point in my life, and has introduced me to so many fantastic queer and queer-friendly people. The gutsiness, energy, and heart with which these people engage with queer issues has inspired me to get involved and to participate.
As well as being a volunteer mentor for the Queer Mentoring Programme at Vic in 2009, I also recently participated in Challenge for Change, an amazing twenty-week mentoring programme for 9- to 13-year olds, and I would be super excited to apply the skills I’ve gained to co-ordinating the Queer Mentoring Programme here.
I think visibility is an important part of keeping the Queer community strong. It was when I treated my sexual identity as unmentionable that my well-being was most in danger. I want to promote an atmosphere of support where people are empowered enough to be visible – if they want to be!
There is a great Michael Leunig prayer that pays tribute to that rebellious, tribulating part within all of us that has worked for the causes of love and joy. I think this position should be of interest to everyone, queer or not, because of that sentiment. Syrupy, I know.
Cruz Johnson
Hello, Victoria University! My name is Cruz Johnson. I’m a first-year student, studying towards my B.A./B.Teach, majoring in French and History, and I am honoured to be standing for Queer Officer on the VUWSA Executive.
Why do I want to be Queer Officer? I’ll tell you. So far, I’ve had a wholly positive experience as a queer student at Victoria University, and I want to do my very best to make sure that all queer Vic students are safe, happy, and comfortable on campus. I’m not just talking about being at a UniQ meeting, either; I’m talking about being able to walk across the Quad, or check out a copy of Men Alone, Men Together, with no negative repercussions. Hence, I want to give my support to the Queer Mentoring Programme, which I perceive as playing a fundamental role in helping queer students develop a positive self-identity.
The role of Queer Officer is also one in which I can learn. I will discover the world of politics and administration. I will encounter some of the cogs which help keep Victoria University running, but only if I am elected, so I look forward to your vote on election day.
Tom Reed
Hi everyone, my name is Tom Reed and I am running for Queer rights officer. I am in my second year of a BA majoring in international relations, politics and history. I believe that there is still work to be done in tackling homophobia and heterosexism on campus, and in the wider New Zealand community. I have had formal training in Queer issues, including having completed a safe space sticker training program and being a member of the rainbow speaker’s bureau at American university in Washington D.C.
It is my goal to make Victoria New Zealand’s safest, most accepting and coolest University for Queer students. I will achieve this by continuing to run and facilitate the Queer mentoring program, which helps people who are coming out or who are unsure of their sexual identity. It will also be my responsibility to organise Pride week, and to publicize the results of the recent national Queer student survey. I would also like to implement a safe space sticker program, which is a workshop that educates students and staff on issues facing the Queer community. This will encourage a more accepting and diverse campus for all students.
Publications Committee Representative
Timothy Parker
Hi! My name is Timothy Parker and I’m running for Publications Committee Representative in this year’s by-election. Essentially this position overlooks the goings on at Salient and has a say in who will be editor for 2011.
I’m currently studying honours in English Literature and in my four glorious years at Victoria University of Wellington I’ve done plenty of reading – and dear I say it – critiquing the student publication that is Salient. In that time I’ve also been involved with the VBC 88.3 (Victoria’s very own student radio station), primarily as a DJ, so I know how a media outlet functions (and, on occasions, fails to function!).
The position of Publications Committee Representative, which is currently vacant, is essential for keeping checks and balances around Salient’s publication process. My experience in Victoria student media puts me in good stead to fill this position. The more positive, articulate and enthusiastic contributors there are involved with Salient the better! Give Timothy Parker your vote for the position of Publications Committee Representative in this year’s by-election!