Online voting proves a winner in SRC Elections
- Barry Magee
On 30th and 31st October QUB students elected a new Student Representative Council (SRC) for 2007/08. With 188 seats on the SRC up for grabs, interest in this year’s election appeared high, particularly within 1st year Humanities.
Overall electoral turnout was reasonable and in total 781 students voted in the election.
When the electoral count was complete 160 councillors had been elected, by their fellow students, to each serve one-year terms.
As all the seats on the SRC were not allocated it is important to note that the shortfall was due to some electoral constituencies not attracting enough interest.Constituencies that were contested included Humanities years 1, 2 & 3 and Medicine year 3 & 4.
Again, no vote took place for those candidates in the Postgraduate constituency and it seems that postgraduate students do not view candidacy for the SRC as a priority. This may be down to work commitments however and not any perceived apathy.
Overall there was a much improved turnout for council elections in comparison to previous years. This has certainly been helped by the new system of online voting which has made voting in student elections much more accessible. Councillor Colm Courtney suggests that ‘online voting has definitely improved the legitimacy of the SRC electoral process’.
This year’s election attracted increased attention, mainly due to the arrival onto the QUB political scene of the Greens and Fianna Fail. Both parties had a reasonable degree of success in their first political outing at Queen’s.
Election results can be found at http://www.qubsu.org/cmsfiles/election_results.doc
On 30th and 31st October QUB students elected a new Student Representative Council (SRC) for 2007/08. With 188 seats on the SRC up for grabs, interest in this year’s election appeared high, particularly within 1st year Humanities.
Overall electoral turnout was reasonable and in total 781 students voted in the election.
When the electoral count was complete 160 councillors had been elected, by their fellow students, to each serve one-year terms.
As all the seats on the SRC were not allocated it is important to note that the shortfall was due to some electoral constituencies not attracting enough interest.Constituencies that were contested included Humanities years 1, 2 & 3 and Medicine year 3 & 4.
Again, no vote took place for those candidates in the Postgraduate constituency and it seems that postgraduate students do not view candidacy for the SRC as a priority. This may be down to work commitments however and not any perceived apathy.
Overall there was a much improved turnout for council elections in comparison to previous years. This has certainly been helped by the new system of online voting which has made voting in student elections much more accessible. Councillor Colm Courtney suggests that ‘online voting has definitely improved the legitimacy of the SRC electoral process’.
This year’s election attracted increased attention, mainly due to the arrival onto the QUB political scene of the Greens and Fianna Fail. Both parties had a reasonable degree of success in their first political outing at Queen’s.
Election results can be found at http://www.qubsu.org/cmsfiles/election_results.doc
posted by Gown Team at
10:16 pm
68 Comments:
The Queens University Greens Society is in a celebratory mood with fantastic results in the Student Council election, a new blog site and a recent visit by Green Party leader John Gormley putting a smile on their faces.
Four out of five Green Society candidates have taken seats on the Student Council. Adam McGibbon, Mark McCormick, Petrina Doyle and Conor Clerkin are the first Greens on the Council in the history of Queens University.
Adam McGibbon said: “We will be working for a fair and ethical Student’s Union and increase environmental awareness throughout the University campus.”
Mark McCormick said: “We will be available to ALL students and have already written to the University authorities calling for increased recycling facilities all over the campus.”
The Queens Greens have also launched a blog www.qubgreens.blogspot.com so that students can keep in touch with events as they happen.
The Society signed 134 members during Fresher’s Week which is a clear indicator of the popularity of Green politics among the student population of Northern Ireland
Thanks for the essay.
134 members and only 4 Councillors?
Clearly very very committed members.
Or were they just after the freebies? lol
Time to take a chill pill guys!
Good to see that another edition of the Students' Union magazine a.k.a. Sarah McCaffrey self-gratification a.k.a. Students' Union Executive Pravda has been published.
Those executive officers are amazing people! WOW!
Oh my goss!
Just read the McCaffrey Mag - I am just so overwhelmed by those sabb officers!
If this wern't a students' union magazine it would be a great base from which to launch a re-election campaign.
Wait - maybe it can act as both? Eh Sarah?
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Queen's Greens - what a joke.
I think students will be interested in more than one issue guys.
Oh my goodness. The above comments are soooo awful and sooo unfair.
Sarah McCaffrey is such a nice girl and such a lovely person. How dare anyone criticise her.
We need to all get along - it's wrong for anyone to challenge the executive members. They are so cool and they can get you lots of nice little perks if you back them up.
All the sabb officers will all get my support this year no matter what. We need to work together so let's not attack each other. Awk this is gonna be so much fun, Yey
Big huge guys - come on!
"This year’s election attracted increased attention, mainly due to the arrival onto the QUB political scene of the Greens and Fianna Fail."
Greens? 4 Councillors? LMAO
I think the increase in candidates was probably due to sabbatical officers trying to subvert the SRC by getting all their friends to run.
Further to the comments from C. McShane and Rachel I must agree with the valid points they have made. (all beit with some hilarity)
There needs to be a clear distinction between the role of the SU magazine in informing students' of the rule of the executive and acting as some sort of propoganda machine.
It is clear to see that most of the sabbatical officer havn't been up to very much. Is it therefore right that this magazine, funded out of our fees, should be allowed to cover up for their inactivity and grossly exaggerate the little work which they are actually doing? I think not.
Sarah Mc Caffrey will soon realise that not everyone is going to conform to her narrow view of the Students' Union.
It is obvious that this magazine is little more than a personal ego trip for sarah and other executive officers.
"Arn't we so f*cking fantastic?!"
No you're not...
Someone needs to hold the Executive Officers to account before the run rough shod over the entire student population.
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Sarah McCaffrey would need to wind her neck in.
She can't go about the Students' Union sticking the knife into every political group who seek to organise on SRC.
After all dear - they do a better job recruiting candidates for the SRC election than you. The only difference is you get paid.
For what, nobody seems to know.
Sarah McCaffrey = waste of space
God help us at the next SRc meeting - let's hope Ciarnan "mouth" Helferty doesn't get up to speak or we might never get out.
At the start it was funny and a bit of a joke, but Ciarnan, you are really pissing people off now.
So calm the f*ck down...
What the flip is wrong with you people? On the one hand you chastise the exec for inaction and the at the bottom you you tell one to calm down?
So you want an exec member to 'calm down'? why? surely the do more work when the agitated and worked up.
You people need to get a life, if you don't have substantive critiques which you can back up then please shut up.
i think a certain political party is feeling threatened.... a more independent student lead council obviously scares them
The exec are a complete and utter joke esp the Sab officers!! Mehole (quoting other comments) is an "inarticulate semi - evolved ape" and on top of that is as thick as two short planks. Sarah just lives for that flipping mag anyone would think she was the editor of The Times!! Steffan aka the "mute" - if he didn't have the gaa his life would be even more pointless than it is already. John is ok - best of a bad bunch - despite his love of group hugs. As for Ciarnan - he must have quare sore hands after all his texting to his left wing liberals at council - I feel so sorry for him, he really thinks council and the world come to think of it revolves around him anyone would think he was He-man "I have the power"!!!!!
Did nobody spell check the SU mag? It's a f*cking joke.
Shame on John Roger.
He has sold out the Students' Union to the University. What ever happened to the fighting Union that all our sabb officers promised?
Bloody joke.
Some strange posts.
People want Exec held better to account, but don't want certain members of that Exec to speak at Council.
They complain that the Sabbaticals do no work, then complain when one of them releases the second edition of a magazine that falls under their remit. This magazine then highlights to the student body some of the work that the Sabbatical team have got involved with thus far, and then we have the same people complaining again.
Then we have complaints of the Deputy President's election techniques - yes, someone who has actually got elected to a Sabbatical position. For someone who wasn't able to generate support for SRC elections, the candidates she nominated at the last Council meeting did surprisingly better than those from groups who had more nomination forms in for SRC.
Sounds a lot more like sour grapes and less like making Exec accountable for the good of the student body.
Online voting was a success and its great to see a room of representatives who seem to want to work on things other than SF support of policing and a load of other nonsense that SRC really shouldnt waste time on...
I wonder whether some sections of the room (usually identified by wearing their dads black coats) will realize this or continue with divisive tactics.??
Have some people here seemed to have forgotten what the difference of the SU Mag/Newspaper and the Gown is?
Are you really that ignorant that you expect both to be equal? The Mag's job is to put forward the work of the Union, which is the work of the Sabbs and non-Sabbs, and has always been like this. If you're looking for a paper that critiques the Union it's hardly going to be found in a publication that is edited by the deputy president.
Because most students don't actually give a crap about the content of the Mag (except maybe the free vouchers in the first issue) I'd say that most of you are in the cess pit that is SRC so you're the ones to change it - make it so that the editor of the magazine/paper is elected by council or shut your trap.
I just think it is great that this year we actually have two quality student publications being printed!! Plus, an exec which is actually trying to communicate with the students.
Seriously, getting personal against members of the executive is simpley pathetic. At least have the guts to put your full name to your 'slaggings'. I think "yer man" summed it up best with his sour grapes discription.
If you don't like what the executive is doing then bring it up at council, that's if you were bothered to stand for it.
And of course the STUDENT UNION Mag is going to outline what the officers are doing for the students as they are the STUDENT UNION officers. It's a nice change from the past when the officers wouldn't even outline what they were doing to the SRC.
A lot of very defensive comments within a short space of time.
I wonder could any of them have been posted by or "hard-working" sabbatical officers?
What are they actually doing??
I don't wish to be associated with either sides in this argument. I will use my real name - unlike the majority on this thread.
YES- the magazine is very pro-executive, but it has alway been like this.
But atleast we have some form of a publication. Last years QUBed was a disgrace and the executive officers never bothered informing SRC of what they did.
Another blog destroyed by SU hacks and party political anoraks.
Shame on both sides. Can we please stop this stupid bickering??
I've been at Queen's for four years, and on the SRC for the last two.
Firstly, this year is the first that I have seen a Deputy President even attempt to produce a consistent Union publication. This year we have seen more content produced that the previous few years combined. The SU now has a student made publication that it can be proud of.
Perhaps certain members of the council object to the greater student population finding out exactly how they operate?
Is there any point in this discussion???
There are far more pressing issues that could be discussed on this website. For example why is oxfam allowed to have a shop in the students' union?? They make us all look like scroungers. ffs
Non-political src member:
As a member of the src you have been elected to political office.
Hmm ???
Thomas Hogg = Free Presbyterian Nutcase
Okay kids, ACTIVITY TIME, YAY!
What would you like the Sabb officers to be doing that they haven't done already/arn't currently doing?
Seriously, its all very well bitching and whining, but be a little more constructive.
I hear an independent is gonna run for speaker. is it true that the unionist block r backing the yank Philip Landeree for speaker?
Can I ask, what part of the SU Mag are people refering too when they get annoyed at Sarah McCaffery and the SRC? I haven't read it yet, merely just clicked on here and am wondering what the debate is about. It is quite funny.
Isn't it nice that even on an independent website some critics don't even appear genuine enough to put their real name. It may also reveal, if asked, that most of them too would be members of the Student Council, and furthermore, it may shock the world to find they fall under the same party grouping.
It would furthermore not surprise me at all if it wasn't the same person posting under a variety of different names.
I find it hard to believe that 10 separate 'people' (plural) not only checked this site on the 19th Nov, but all had very similar personal abuse to levy at the sabbatical officers.
If you have a bone to pick raise it at council. That's if a)you bothered standing seeing you know so much...b)you don't feel threatened that it will be dominated by independents and not sectarian political lines...and c)if you can form proper sentences during your speech to council to critique a magazine which I have been fairly impressed by and send my best wishes to.
If I could go ON-topic, yes- online voting is a very healthy way to go for the SRC elections. I say this as a first year humanities that knows nothing different to online, but I do envisage it as irreversibly healthy.
Christopher,
Are you not party political?
*coff* hypocrite *coff* hypocrite*
Furthermore: This is the third seperate post in which the word critique is incorrectly used. Couldn't be a coincidence could it?
Can the bloggers on this site who want to criticize and berate the sabbatical officers so much please let me know what they are not doing?
Otherwise, please be quiet because it is sounding a little like sour grapes.
Its a bit sad that it has become so personal - that really is a shame.
Bring back Peter Quinn!
Esmerelda,
Yeah right, bring back Quinn - he could show these new sabbatical officers how not to do work properly!
The Question remains:
Why the f*ck are Oxfam allowed to have a shop in the Students Union??
They make us look like a bunch of scroungers. Shame on them and those who allow this outrage to continue.
It looks like these last two statements where posted by the same person - more than likely a present sabbatical officer.
'Esmerelda' and 'SRC member' aka Sarah McCaffrey trying desperately to get some good comments for a change.
PATHETIC!!!
what is the story with McCaffrey?
is it just me or is she on the serious ego-trip??
the su magazine might look glossy but it seems all the work was done by the unsung hero andrew gordon. at least the gown have got their act together and started printing stories, miss mccaffrey could learn a lesson and start doing the same!!
what.... do people not love sarah mccaffery?
she is sweetness and light..wahts not to like?
I'm not Sarah McCaffrey. I'm not a supporter. I just thought Peter did a better job.
Sarach McCaffrey is the person to get the Woman's Coalition back up and running. God bless that woman.
They should rename it the Sarah McCaffrey Party though, it would definately succeed then.
How many su newspapers did he get out then?
Sorry I shouldn't have presummed that Sarah was psoting as someone else - that was wrong of me. Sorry apologies to Esmerelda and apolgies to Sarah - you're not pathetic.
I don't think DUA were backing Phillip Londeree, the new yank Speaker. 22 votes for RON after all. If they weren't tiffed over the Andrew Charles debacle they surely hate him like poison now.
Did I hear right that he dared Eddie to bring a Confidence vote???
Don't know his politics - if he has any? - but this should be interesting. I think I approve, I'm interested to see if and how he gets on with the Exec.
lets hear about th making an ass of himself!
Why did QUB Greens not attend Monday's council meeting???
Shame on them for failing to represent their voters!
"too socialist champion..."
Well said Shilliday!
So Londeree for President + you for Deputy?
Don't think you can hide your dispicable sectarian views. The UUP+DUP are little more than neanderthals.
I believe that the turn of phrase 'hate him like poison' is amusing enough that I will endeavor to use it at least once a day this week.
Further - I am not a yank. Yankees are from New England, speak through their noses, and like the Red Sox.
I am a southerner.
I was there on the night and I don't think there was any calls for a vote of no confidence, yet I do recall big Edd challenging the speaker in regards to making a mess on a motion which was passed when it was clear a majority of the room was not in favour.
And I haven't commented on this thread.
To Socialist Worker's Student Society:
Glad to see that you're keeping such a close eye on our us.. I had to go to work, and sent my apologies. Another councillor, a PHD student, was too inundated with work to go, as were the other two - all sent their apologies. As for failing to represent our voters, several of your councillors didn't attend the FIRST meeting and didn't even send their apologies - it's good to practice what you preach, and even better to voice such concerns over Green councillors to their faces or to my face, or even stretch to having the courage to use your real name while making such accusations...pity you couldn't do any of that...
Adam
Qub Greens
additionally, it should be obvious that whoever is posting under "QUB Greens" isn't one of us... the immaturity on these comments pages is pathetic :\
To the disgraceful, uninformed losers who criticise the SU Magazine and try and disparage hardworking and dedicated Sabbatical officers such as Sarah McCaffrey; you really need to take your heads out of your Gowned arses and see the light; the forwardness and modernity of the magazine will constantly make your newspaper look like a pseudo-independent publication constantly hoping for some Guardian-esque status amongst Queen's students!!
To Adam "Green Fingers(his girlfriend) Mc Gibbon
You QUB Greens would need to catch a grip of yourselves.
Who do u think you are? You have been organised at Queen's for 1 year and you're behaving like a mid-orgasm, hormonal school girl!!!
You focus on one issue only! Nobody is interested in such narrow politics.
The only solution = total, utter and irreversable REVOLUTION
Over 2 weeks a no new posts. Come on Gown!
Phillip Londeree said...
I believe that the turn of phrase 'hate him like poison' is amusing enough that I will endeavor to use it at least once a day this week.
Further - I am not a yank. Yankees are from New England, speak through their noses, and like the Red Sox.
I am a southerner.
WATCH WHEN U SAY THAT YOUR A SOUTHERNER IN NI!
YOU MUST BE A GOOD REPUBLICAN!
I guess it's not the Socialists posting under that name then... very childish of whoever it is..
Bower what have the exec done that they have not done before
spking from experience
u r just a mouth for mccaffery as she is a member of ur group
Adam,
Welcome to the Gown: Where the one group of people post under multiple names and the names of other students.
And the Gown do nothing about it.
Anonymous,
The Gown's powers (many though they are) do not extend to an ability to determine who the typist is behind the name they choose to post under.
It is good to see that you have used your real name in a bid to do away with this sort of behaviour.
"Adam,
Welcome to the Gown: Where the one group of people post under multiple names and the names of other students.
And the Gown do nothing about it."
Yeah, but its so funny to read. Theres more bitching, violence, sex and seedy undertowings here each week than in a years worth of Eastenders.
Psychologists could have a field day, its clear so many of the people in the exec weren't held enough as children.
<3 Gown. Keep up the good work kids.
Gown team,
I think posting as anonymous kinda proves my point.
Does the Gown delete posts that are blatantly not from the name of the poster? If you do there are certainly some that have slipped through the net. In that way the Gown has become a laughing stock, where anyone can post as someone else.
I genuinely don't know the powers of these blogs, but could you not make contributors register before they can post?
As said before, we have no way of knowing if the poster is posting under their name or someone else's. It is not our job to sit at a computer and work outwho may be behind the post. The Gown is keen to refrain from censorship as far as possible - if we are informed that a post is definitely not from whom it is attributed to on the site then we will remove it.
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