‘How to make people vote’ - be different

Polly Toynbee writes in The Guardian today about ‘How to make people vote’ and it’s a question that the Union has pondered and no doubt the election candidates are pondering even more.

The main thrust of the article is that voters want a choice. Everyone’s competing for the politically correct middle ground, but actually if people had a clear choice turnout would go up. We don’t all want to vote for three Mr or Mrs X’s, we want a Y and a Z to pick from.

The lesson for candidates, pin your colours to a mast and make voters believe that you can climb to the top of it. Don’t just follow the herd.

The Guardian: Ministers back voting reforms

With the news that the government is tabling a motion to switch to the Alternative Transferable Vote (ATV) election system, we’ll be taking a look over the next week at how the UCLan Students’ Union system of Single Transferable Vote (STV) works, the drama it’s caused in the past, and assessing whether it’s the best method available for student elections.

Why only one person stood for education officer

This is the most hotly contested election at UCLan Students’ Union for a long time, but there’s one position that hasn’t attracted the same level of candidates. The Union’s education officer has one candidate, so what happened? We spoke to Peta Carter, the current education officer to find out why she thinks this is the case.

Why do you think only one person stood for education officer?

Possibly because it is not seen as the ’sexy’ position or the position with the most fun.  But I have had so much fun, especially with course rep training and with course rep social events but also working with university staff with various issues that this is a misnomer.  Then again, some people think that ‘education’ is simply gaining a qualification and don’t see the wider enjoyment of learning and passing on these skills.  Others may see it as a position that only complains about things but it is also a position which encourages the university to continue good practice and consultation with students and also keeps the staff in contact with real student issues.  Students do not always come and simply complain, they often require assistance to channel their positive suggestions, and this role provides that.
 
Did the governance review get it wrong with the education position?

The Education Officer had to remain as a separate position as it encompasses a very wide range of skills and needs.  Any SU staff to support the position would be gratefully received.
 
Do you feel you’ve set the bar too high for others to follow?

I hope that I have set the bar high and for that I do not apologise, but no bar is too high for someone else to break that record.  I would prefer to say that I have helped established the continue way forward.  Every position must be aiming to improve the standards of student representation and support year on year so that no-one rests on the laurels of their predecessor and lets standards fall.
 
Is the education officer position outdated?

Absolutely not.  After all, education is what everyone came to university for, isn’t it?  The student perspective needs to be heard at all levels within the university; not so that we always get want we want, but to ensure that our needs are understood and open debate can take place to satisfy the needs of our education.  We have a very good course rep system here but it is not perfect and still needs progressing.  But recruitment, induction, progression and retention still need continual addressing, along with academic regulations, degree classification systems (or not), academic appeals, information sharing, academic penalties; student views to validations and departmental reviews are carefully listened to.  Whilst neither the students nor the institution are perfect, frank discussions need to be maintained to raise the attainments on both sides.  The Education Officer is the moral reminder keeping the university on its toes so that it is constantly improving, and trying to put pressure on the national scene to ensure that British education standards remain amongst the best in the world.  After they have canvassed actual students for their opinions, the EO often works more with university staff for positive and more permanent change.
 
Should the education officer position have been merged with something else?

Absolutely not.  There is too much to do.  See above.
 
Is the education officer not having a high enough profile, despite historically being #2 to the President?

Perhaps not in this institution, but it is not the celebrity of the person in the role that may need improving, rather it is their ability to quietly get the job done without shouting too much about it that hasn’t raised the profile enough.  
 
What should the priorities be for an incoming education officer?

Continue building up the status of course reps within the institution; encouraging students to register AND vote in the possible general election in 2009 considering the best candidates with respect to education proposals [demonstrating rarely changes opinions positively whereas voting really can make a difference]; positively working with NUS about the ‘lifting the cap’ discussions due to take place in late 2009; working more with part-time and postgrad students [as these groups are very difficult to engage]; ensure that the university continues in providing some of the best support facilities in the country; getting more faculties to have students on their validation panels for new courses; and… continue with everything that has been going on over the last 20 months.  Oh, and get another team together for University Challenge!