University of Victoria Elections
The University of Victoria Students' Society website still has not posted who won their 2006 general election. But it is fair to say that things are set to change in a rather substantial way.
The left-leaning Putting Students First party had an impressive record - sweeping the UVSS Board for several consecutive years. But in 2004, things changed with the election of two executives and several directors-at-large from the right-leaning Students for Change slate. Rebranded as the oxymoronic Coalition of Independent Students, this slate won seven at-large seats in 2005, while being narrowly shut out of the four executive positions. In 2006, this party settled on Students for Students, while Putting Students First attempted to re-brand itself as Students for Progressive Change. After heated debate, and a lot of campaigning, my sources tell me that Students for Students has won a majority on the UVSS Board of Directors.
However, the battle is not yet over, as the main parties' candidates for Chairperson, Penny Beames and Mike Waters, were disqualified by the Chief Electoral Officer for miscellaneous violations. Both of these disqualifications were reversed on appeal to the Elections Committee one week later. Beames appealed the disqualification of her opponent to the UVSS Board of Directors, which chose to uphold the Elections Committee's decision to keep Waters in the race. But the results have yet to be released - and the news says that Penny Beames and Mike Waters are neck-and-neck.
One reason why Students for Students may have done so well was due to the tensions between Access UVic - a group representing disabled students on campus - and the UVSS executive. In particular, Penny Beames was faulted for decisions regarding Access UVic that critics said were made without adequately consulting the group. Letters to the editor demonstrate the tensions surrounding the issue.
The apparent victory of Students for Students may have wider implications, as sources tell me that this slate is thinking of trying to pull the UVSS out of the loving arms of the Canadian Federation of Students. Considering the historic involvement of the UVSS in the CFS, only time will tell whether this intiative will get off the ground.
The University of Victoria Students' Society website still has not posted who won their 2006 general election. But it is fair to say that things are set to change in a rather substantial way.
The left-leaning Putting Students First party had an impressive record - sweeping the UVSS Board for several consecutive years. But in 2004, things changed with the election of two executives and several directors-at-large from the right-leaning Students for Change slate. Rebranded as the oxymoronic Coalition of Independent Students, this slate won seven at-large seats in 2005, while being narrowly shut out of the four executive positions. In 2006, this party settled on Students for Students, while Putting Students First attempted to re-brand itself as Students for Progressive Change. After heated debate, and a lot of campaigning, my sources tell me that Students for Students has won a majority on the UVSS Board of Directors.
However, the battle is not yet over, as the main parties' candidates for Chairperson, Penny Beames and Mike Waters, were disqualified by the Chief Electoral Officer for miscellaneous violations. Both of these disqualifications were reversed on appeal to the Elections Committee one week later. Beames appealed the disqualification of her opponent to the UVSS Board of Directors, which chose to uphold the Elections Committee's decision to keep Waters in the race. But the results have yet to be released - and the news says that Penny Beames and Mike Waters are neck-and-neck.
One reason why Students for Students may have done so well was due to the tensions between Access UVic - a group representing disabled students on campus - and the UVSS executive. In particular, Penny Beames was faulted for decisions regarding Access UVic that critics said were made without adequately consulting the group. Letters to the editor demonstrate the tensions surrounding the issue.
The apparent victory of Students for Students may have wider implications, as sources tell me that this slate is thinking of trying to pull the UVSS out of the loving arms of the Canadian Federation of Students. Considering the historic involvement of the UVSS in the CFS, only time will tell whether this intiative will get off the ground.
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