To my readers:
For election related reasons, I will not be covering the UVic Student Society on this blog until March 11. This is because I am in conflict of interest as a candidate, and also because UVSS Electoral Policy requires that all "campaign material" be approved by the Chief Electoral Officer before it is posted. Anything I write at this point related to the UVSS could be potentially considered "campaign material."
Last year, independent Director-at-Large candidate Andrew Allen did write a blog during the election, but he could easily have been disqualified for it, since he broke both the rule that all campaign material must be approved by the CEO and the rule that candidates cannot refer to each other in their materials. Apparently no-one complained against Allen, but given the many restrictions in election policy it's extremely unwise for candidates to write blogs or even online comments during the campaign.
This year there will hopefully be several blogs covering the UVSS election, including Allen at UVSS Uncovered and Richard Merinsky at What Does It Mean for Me.
I've enjoyed writing Eye on the UVSS but it's also taken up a great deal of my time and energy and I'm looking forward to a break. For now, I may be covering student politics at the national level or on other campuses, but not at UVic. Check back after the election for more coverage of the UVSS.
Yours,
David J. A. Foster
It is amazing the rules that the UVSS has with respect to elections. I can understand limiting spending and a limit on posters on walls, but all the other limitations make no sense.
ReplyDeleteWith free online media it would seem to make sense to encourage more debate by allowing it. Restrictions on the free flow of information means the fundamental democratic nature of the elections are called into question.
Also, the idea that the CEO has to approve the content is bizarre. This is unheard of in elections.
It is as if the goal is to ensure that the general student population is excluded from the UVSS and thereby the fees they paid are just gravy for the board.
Exactly, the UVSS elections are very undemocratic.
ReplyDeleteYessssss, more retarded UVSS elections. They will never stop being a hilarious joke.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't say the joke is hilarious.
ReplyDeleteActually good point, they're rather a sad pathetic joke :(
ReplyDeleteWe here at Ryerson just had our very fair and totally democratic elections as well. Our CRO was even so kind as to deny a student who was running, a student with a disability, accommodations to allow her to run fairly. As usual , we had a plethora of CFS interference. Yes, another fair election is in the books.
ReplyDeleteYou may have lost one blogger, but you can find election coverage at another blog here:
ReplyDeletehttp://whatdoesntitmeanforme.blogspot.com/