KJ360

(Originally posted on http://www.kj360.ca)
Here are the more official results. All of the winners in my previous post are correct, but this post has the orders, and well, one of the races that was affected by the new preferential ballot!

(Originally posted on http://www.kj360.ca)
I am hearing early results in the PIDSSA elections

President – Patrick Ciaschi
VP-Finance – Kevin Ng
VP-Academic POL – Amanda Iarusso
VP-Academic DVM – Ethan Plato
VP-Academic EIL – No one
VP-Academic PAP – No one
VP-Internal – Reem Zaia
VP-Social Anglo – Amanda Marochko
VP-Social Franco – Emilie Poitevin
Second Year Rep – Aileen Duncan

(Originally posted on http://www.kj360.ca)
Are you in Political Science, International Studies & Modern Languages, International Development & Globalization, or Public Affairs, or any combination thereof, thus being a member of the best students’ association currently on campus: PIDSSA? Then you have until 6PM today to go out and vote in our student association elections. The polling booth is in the UCU today. Likely somewhere around the SFUO office, although I have not seen it today.

Don’t know who to vote for? Don’t even know who’s running? Below is a list of candidates with a link to their respective interviews. I managed to interview all but one of the candidates (it was a hectic week). The last one never responded to my request.

President – Patrick Ciaschi
VP Finance – Brandon Clim & Kevin Ng
VP Internal – Andrej Sakic & Jesse Root & Reem Zaia
VP Academic (POL) - Amanda Iarusso & Cliff Hansen
VP Academic (DVM) - Ethan Plato & Gorana Botic & PJ Crosby
VP Social (Anglo) - Amanda Marochko
VP Social (Franco) - Emilie Poitevin & Samuel L. Genest & Sebastien St. Amour
Second Year Representative - Aileen Duncan & Michael Kelly

(Originally posted on http://www.kj360.ca)
This one was a fun one. I couldn’t do as much with it as I hoped, but anyone who is following the elections knows, Gorana Botic is currently on an international exchange in Spain. So I think under the circumstances it turned out great. And as I was also pressed for time, being a one-man operation, and filming, editing, and posting so many candidate interview this week, I had to limit myself on how long to work on this one.

Andrej: Starts with the late hour, and says that one thing being mentioned all night is communication. Talks of his work this year with communication. Did the website and listserv. Focuses his points on communication. Stresses the communication within the executive. Talk of the use of new technological methods used this year, like Google forms and stuff like that. (He is the current Director of Communications at PIDSSA).
Talk of 101 Week and the importance of getting students involved early or they won’t come out after.

Jesse up next: Again mentions the time. Says he wants to make sure the rest of the exec has the required info so they can do their job the best they can. Does not want people to be resigning during the year, or not doing their jobs, since this is the task of the VP-Internal. Wants to engage and encourage the 101ers on a personal level. In an attempt to make an easier transition to being involved. Calls the PIDSSA Exec an exclusive type group. Wants to make sure the volunteers also have a pleasent experience so they keep coming back.

Reem. Jokes about her name. Mentions how her platform isn’t filled with promises. Talks about the Unemployment rate for youth. Integration between PIDSSA and outside government bodies, and connect people with opportunities available to them in political type positions. Talks of her PIDSSA experience and Executive Secretary. Talk of conflict resolution skills.

Candidate QP.

Floor Questions!
Kyle Simunovic (to all): Mentions how Freedom of Speech doesn’t exist on Campus. The role is “Internal”. What are two problems that you see and how you would solve those.
Andrej: Problem of getting information to the exec (vps). Integrate the info, a central database
Jesse: There is a strain in relationship on the executive that might be getting in the way.
Reem: Professional and Freindship needs to be amalgamated at PIDSSA.

Amanda Iarusso: She is the Exec Secretary currently. This position will be taking a lot of the things she does currently. Talks of the HR Process and what they can do to make sure the process is fair and equitrable
Reem: In job now she deals with a fair hiring process that includes a bunch of different voices.
Jesse: Thinks they won’t have the opportunity to affect a lot of change right away. But the focus need to be on promotion.
Andrej: Thinks experience in appointments is most important.

Ethan: This position really requires the summer to be here: what are you plans?
Jesse: Working in the city this summer, will be available
Andrej: Will be in France for 3 weeks in May, but be back end of June
Reem: Here all summer.

Closing Statements
Andrej: Talks of Greg and Kyle leaving and how much help they provided. He has gotten experience passed on to him from them.
Jesse: This is a new position and he wants to make it all that it can be to improve PIDSSA and make it the best association out there.
Reem: Be confident in the candidate(s), talk of the job thing again.

AND WE ARE DONE!!!!

Seb vs Sam vs Emilie!

I think this thing is mostly going to be in French, sorry folks. I’ll try to get as much as I can.

Emilie up first. Talks about the great work and the necessity of volunteers. Wants to work with the VP-Academics to make their events more Francophone as well. Wants a forum for event planning so students can put their input into events and create a feedback type system.

Sam up next. Will be speaking both languages because not everyone here is fully bilingual. He thinks it is essential that he really be able to reach everyone. What he wants to do is build a community. When he thinks of communities he thinks of all the different cultures within French. He wants to reach out to all those clubs and engage people. Wants a greater connection b/w our university and the city, much like happens at UWO. Wants awesome events.

Seb: A lot of joking. Is heavily involved in PIDSSA right now. He works hard and enjoys the event. I recorded his part. Might post it later.

Onto the Candidate QP.

Someone needs to yell “YOU LIE” or “BABY KILLER”

Floor Questions:

Steph (to Sam): Talk of his confidence (he has called himself the next VP-Social Frnaco a number of times tonight. But a large part of being on the exec is working together with people. What does he think of the other candidates and what in the other candidates does he like?
Sam: He likes both the candidates. Thinks Seb is very funny and engaging. Emilie has a very good personal platform. And talk of the academic portions. Explains what sauced means.
Emilie: Thanks Samuel.
Seb: Thanks him as well.

Dude I don’t know (to Emilie): It was in French and unfortunately I didn’t get it (something about Cegep?)
Emilie: Provides an answer., Same with Sam and Seb.

Amanda Marochko: A week before 101 week, we have a disabled 101er, and we have no transportation to get her to the event, what do you do?
Seb: Has a car…but is told that’s not allowed. Will work with the SFUO to figure out a way.
Emilie: Work with the accessibility centre. And make sure that all events are accessible.
Sam: Agrees with Emilie. Use the experience provided by the rest of the exec as well.

Sam’s Brother a planted question (to Sam): How important is it to have new people involved in student government.
Sam: Very important. Mentions he has been involved in Arts. But mentions that we must try to get new people out.
Emilie: Thinks new people do bring something but its also about reaching out to new student groups.
Seb: Agrees with Sam: its important to have new blood. Having experience is just as good though. You are here to make a point, any new idea is a good idea.

Closing Statements
Emilie stresses the importance of voting.
Sam stresses the importance of getting everyone involved everywhere.
Seb calls the St. Love Marochko duo an academic orgasm.

Gorana submitted a video as an opening statement

Ethan up first. Mentions the 75% girl population in DVM. Talks about the work he is doing this year as the current VP-DVM. He knows how to do the job and what it entails, like the institutions and organizations to deal with. Talks about the future: primary goal is Program Review. Wants to ensure that all the recommendations get implemented. Wants to create a community within DVM. Including those francophones students who might feel not included. And talks of ICDW.

PJ next: Talks of her 1st year status. She spent a lot of time talking to people and immersed herself in PIDSSA life. Talks of how DVM is a relatively new program. Wants to create an online forum to allow students to communicate with each other. Because of the large amount of co-op students in DVM she wants to work with the admin to make it easier for those students to do international exchanges. Switches to French to show he bilingualism. Wants to increase event promotion to increase participation.

Gorana has submitted questions. And there was coordination to send her questions too. But like always, no live-blog of these questions.

Floor Questions
Aileen (to PJ): ICDW was one of the biggest and best yet, why did you say that it was well promoted? or in your face
PJ: More students should have been at each individual events, if you look at the total count the number is high, but each individual event needs more participations.
Ethan: Thinks that the reformation of the exec with regards to ICDW, and hire people who are built into a specific skill set to make things work better. ICDW is in its first year after all.

Kevin (to both): DVM is a far reaching fields with a lot of different localities. But our classes are very broad, how can we reconcile this.
Ethan: There are general course, but we could really focus in on case studies within them. Allow the Profs to give a specific case study on a specialty.
PJ: Thought about case studies as well. We need more Case Studies and well promoted.

Irmeen (to both): felt bombarded by “events” throughout the year. But went to the events her friends brought her too. (I don’t like this question) How will they reach out to break this apparent clique in PIDSSA?
PJ: More e-mails, instead of specifically targeting via FB. and direct communication to students.
Ethan: Use Virtual Campus e-mail and class list. And use TAs and Prof to help promote the events.

Samuel (to both): How would you work with the VP-Socials (specific)?
Ethan: Wine and Cheeses and other fake “academic events” like that.
PJ: Will work to get things done.

Closing Statements:
Ethan: Was elected when he was in first year. He’s really learnt a lot this year. Running because he really wants to see concrete things happen. He is dedicated to the program and proud of the program review. Wants the changes to go though.
PJ: Mentions her first-year status again. She has enjoyed her life here so far and wants to help fix the problems she sees. Wants to work with student in DVM to make the program better. She has a lot to offer to really move the program into something that is envied in other schools.

Gorana’s video plays at the end. If you want to learn more about her, be sure to check out the site later when our interview should be posted.

Opening Statements

Brandon up first. Starts in French. Its his third time running for the PIDSSA exec, the first not uncontested. Thanks Kevin for being here to debate.
Talks of the current PIDSSA financial situation, a lot of confused faces.
Wants to be able to accommodate all students. We need to open to a diverse and bilingual student association. We need leadership he thinks he can bring to this position.

Keven up next. Flows between languages flawlessly. Wants to make sure that resources are available and all the fun stuff we want to do can happen. Talks of the current situation, but much more clearly, and mentions the audits have been submitted. He is motivated to fix the problem to make sure that this thing will not happen again. Make sure the rest of the exec knows what’s going on. Talks of his executive experience. Talks of his Navy experience. Points out that I recognized that he is Asian.

Again with that QP.

Floor Questions!
Stephanie (to Brandon): What are your finance policies?
Brandon: Produce a balanced budget. Prudence be the number 1 priority. We did a good job this year to not waste students money. It is important to be able to be accommodating to all the exec members but still be responsible.
Kevin: He agrees with fiscal responsibility. Make sure that the budget is open to everybody. Make sure the audits get done.

Michael (to both): What experience do you have managing financial things?
Brandon: Doesn’t have a lot of experience (other than one retail job where he worked with cash).
Kevin: He is a Business Minor and studied economics. Uses logistic skills to make things work: money can be the same thing.

Amanda (to both): How do you plan on working with external groups (like the services or other groups).
Kevin: Likes the relationships, and they should be respectful. Would be happy to pursue such partnerships.
Brandon: It is important to be able to work with all the services. But the relationship shoudl be respectful and engaging.

Jesse (to Brandon): During a question from Kevin about conflict resolution Brandon said he goes with his gut. Brings up when Brandon left a GA and the meeting lost quorum. It doesn’t seem like the best way to deal with the conflict.
Brandon: Walked out because he did not agree with the issue (this stems to the change to remove the VP-Francophone Affairs from the Constitutionally).
Kevin: Uses his time to explain what the situation was.

Closing statements.
Brandon encourages people to contact him if they have further questions (among other statements).
Kevin implores everyone to get out an vote.

Cliff Hansen vs Amanda Iarusso

Opening Statements
Amanda up first. Works for transparency and meeting member needs. She attended countless PIDSSA events to show her support for both the Association as well as the hard work of the exec.
She wants to make each poli sci student have an enriching
Model Parliament next year will be the 10th annual.
First semester trip.
Work in coop with PAP to create a model First Ministers Conference.

Cliff up next. Wants to get us involved. We are here for an academic experience. But we need to get students involved. Put it to the students and ask what they want out of their program. Talk of program review. Work with us to bring Professor critiques to the administration.

The QP starts with each candidate being able to ask the other candidate 2 questions. I don’t like it. I like the floor questions much better.

Floor Questions!
Samuel (to both): Talk of the upcoming municipal candidates and their want to perhaps talk to students on campus, how would you do it?
Amanda: A town hall would be a good idea.
Cliff: Agrees completely, discussions and debates are the way to go. We should be doing it for all the elections we have coming up.

Carmen (to Both): What sort of initiatives would you take in terms of promoting the Poli Sci program on and off campus)
Cliff: We should start putting in more advertising but…runs out of time.
Amanda: Distribute a manual during 101 week to let them know about opportunities, including those on campus. And to outreach to other faculties: invite them to Model Parliament.

Closing Statements.
Amanda: Talk about Greg, and a quote he has given.
Cliff: We’re all here to learn. What we really need to be doing in expanding our horizons and work with more academics, and other departments. Encourages students to vote, including Vote Fail.

Amanda Marochko is running unopposed. No one should vote “NO”.

She mentions that she didn’t have much prepared for tonight. She uses her opening statement to talk about what she currently has been doing as our current VP-Social.

Mentions Social Science Roundtables.

QP

Samuel: Question about pricing accessibility. Compares our ball to Social Science ball to ARTS ball.
Amanda responds with a financially based answer regarding the lack of money with some of the other Fed Bodies in Social Science and how we wanted it to be accessible to them as well. We couldn’t keep our prices really low and their higher for the same ball.

Closing Statement is another talk about getting people to remain involved.