Pirate declares serious ambitions as candidates debate policies
Tom Scott has declared himself a serious candidate (Photo: Michael Brunsden)
Presidential frontrunners Laura Payne and Nadeem Kunwar were forced to defend their election promises as pirate candidate Tom Scott re-launched his campaign with a more serious and focused performance, confirming that if he was elected he would take on the job.
“I be running for entertainment value. But if I get in, I be doing the best damn job I can,” he said. “I wish that I could go back and change some of the things I put on my nomination form. If I am to win, I would throw myself into the role,” he added.
Scott, who had previously described his chances of winning as “unlikely”, and trails Kunwar and Payne in a recent Nouse poll, used the debate to re-focus much of the content from his hustings speech, promising “a much more open YUSU” and pledged to “crack the YUSU clique.”
At Thursday’s debate, hosted by the York Club of PEP, the candidates were forced to debate their campaign pledges for the first time in the campaign.
Payne, who currently holds a narrow poll lead over Kunwar, used the opening speeches to highlight some of her specific policies. “Key facilites are being neglected, and YUSU aren’t putting services at the top of their agenda. This needs to change,” she said.
Also using his opening speech to reiterate his hustings promises, Kunwar called for “more accountability and choice,” and labelled his proposals as “achievable, realistic and simple promises.”
Focusing on three topics, academic and welfare, facilities and societies, the debate was designed for open debate on the merits of specific policies, forcing candidates to defend their election promises.
The academic and welfare section of the debate focused mainly on two of Kunwar’s policies; his proposal to create an online module feedback system, and his controversial idea to split the Academic and Welfare officer into two positions.
Kunwar found himself under attack from both Scott and Payne over the latter proposal, with Payne highlighting the job being done by Judith Courts, who is currently assessing YUSU Officer workloads.
However, he defended his position by making reference to the state of library facilities, and in particular, the ATHENS service for students. Describing the removal of certain ATHENS services and resources as “absolutely ridiculous”, Kunwar stressed that a dedicated Academic Officer could lobby the university to reverse the decision. He also stated that the position could focus on halting the University’s slide down national league tables.
Answering specific questions on the topic of societies, the candidates mainly agreed with each other’s positions, pledging to change the way YUSU deals with society funding and restrictions placed on certain organisations. Referencing his position of Director of news website The Yorker, Kunwar described it as “ridiculous” that YUSU charges non-affiliate societies to use space at the annual Fresher’s Fair.
Kunwar also proposed forming a committee to change the media charter, claiming that the media was not free on campus. “There are a lot of things that have been censured for welfare and political reasons. That is how we can hold our officers to account.” While his view was partially backed up by the other candidates, Payne maintained that there were adequate reasons for YUSU censorship of the campus press.
The question of YUSU’s acquisition of Langwith Bar continued to split the candidates, with Payne and Scott backing the ambitious plan. “We know our market,” said Payne, referencing the support of JCRC chair’s support of the idea. Kunwar, however, raised concerns over the potential impact on other campus bars. “It’s not point having one facility in Langwith if it means the others will close. We mustn’t undercut other campus bars,” he stated.
The current problems over campus bridges also split the candidates. While Payne remained positive over the ability to use student pressure to force the university to deal with the problem, Kunwar distanced himself from making promises. “I don’t want to promise anything that I can’t deliver,” he said.
The candidates were also forced to outline their campaigning experience. Payne highlighted her role as YUSU Women’s Officer, and her recent campaign victory over a motion to allow men to attend Women’s Committee meetings, however Kunwar admitted his lack of experience, instead stating that his strength lay with “getting things done.”
Voting for all YUSU Officer positions opens on Monday Week 9.
Mad Cap'n Tom
Now, hold on a minute, me hearties! None o’ the quotes in that third paragraph be comin’ out o’ my mouth! Ye can paraphrase, fine, but I not be talkin’ like that!
That said - the debate be a pleasure t’take part in, an’ thank ye fer coverin’ it!
Stevie G
If the best Payne can come up with for experience is a year as Womens Officer and Kunwar reckons hes inexperienced then god help us. Compared to other presidents and even other officer candidates they are extremely inexperienced! Lets hope they have some enthusiasm!
Anonymous
I would agree with Stevie G, neither candidate appears to have the relevant qualifications that the challenging role of YUSU President requires.
However having said that, the candidate’s abilities to fulfil the Presidential role successfully may not be entirely dependent on previous experiences.
Anonymous
** COMMENT REMOVED FOR WELFARE REASONS **
James
Why is it is “ridiculous” to charge non-affiliate societies for space at freshers fair? Otherwise what is to stop Pizza Hut, Toffs etc advertising for free by forming unaffiliated societies using student employees?? This is just Nadeem acting in his own self interest as a director of ‘The Yorker’.
What is wrong with censoring the campus press for welfare reasons?? If someone is sexually assaulted is it fair that the campus press should be able to print that persons name? Censorship is required sometimes.
Ignoring the work of an external auditor of the YUSU ’sabb’ positions is stupid. Nadeem should wait for the auditors conclusions before making decisions.
It also seems contradictory that YUSU should elect a president who doesn’t believe in social welfare payments. Students from poorer backgrounds rely upon government grants to be able to afford to go to university and those that support minimal state intervention should not be representing the student body. Kunwar cannot represent us.
He has no campaigning experience, no REAL policies and should not be our president.
Parliamentary Noises Generator
Here here!
I love Uni!
“It also seems contradictory that YUSU should elect a president who doesn’t believe in social welfare payments. Students from poorer backgrounds rely upon government grants to be able to afford to go to university and those that support minimal state intervention should not be representing the student body”.
What is this about? I don’t see a reference in the article, so guess it was not reported. Sounds important though!
*Sigh*
Nadz has again shown that he doesn’t know what he’s on about when he talks about the removal of the ATHENS system.
ATHENS is a password system. It just provides one password for lots of different journals. Losing the ATHENS system does not lose access to the journals, it just means accessing them in a different way. Instead of using ATHENS passwords, students will have access to all of the resources automatically through the universities network, which is accessible off-campus through the VPN (Virtual Private Network), which is actually very easy to set up and has many advantages over the ATHENS System.
In fact, we’re not the only university to be replacing ATHENS with network-authentication. Oxford University is among others that are doing exactly the same thing. It isn’t cutting services, it isn’t reducing access to journals, it is simply replacing one password system with another.
Now would Nadz please shut up about things which are outside the presidential remit and about which he clearly doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
Pirate PollsTM
Whose poll be this? A quick show of hands round the good ship nouse? I be thinkin’ the mad cap’n be the candidate with most grassroots support. His facebook be twice as big as other candidates, and he polls strongly in the rapscallion demographic. Mad Cap’n for 08/09!
Ralco
Okay, why is there so little about Mad Cap’n Tom in the article? He criticised several policies of both candidates very succesfully and was very knowledgable on all the issues raised (yes, it surprised me too).
I think he came across as the most pragmatic and realistic of the candidates, as well as the most informed.