Election Coverage – Husting Live Blog Day 1

17:00  – Welcome to the Boar Comment’s live blog on the SU hustings. For a 5 PM start, not much content so far. We await with baited breath. First position up for questions is Welfare Officer.

17:03  – A bell continually keeps ringing. Does this mean something, or is there a fault with a bell shaped object? Time will tell.

17:05  – A mild round of applause for the start of the hustings. All four candidates ready to speak, post – introduction

17:07 – A long introduction. Lots of information, lots of which is probably important, but unfortunately their seems to be a lot of trolley moving in here.

17:09 – Brief description of the role. Sophie first to speak, with a lot of experience and plans, with what seems to be a particular strength in sexual violence awareness policies.

17:11  – Candidates lined up and ready;

17:12 – Aiste – ‘Everyone should have the right to be heard and campaign’. Simple, four step plan – possibly the most concise and clear candidate.

17:14 – Tessa – Very confident, and preparation clearly coming through. Emphasis on personal experience – a key emphasis for a Welfare Officer

17:17 – Wynnie – Clear on achievements list. Very impressive. And Winnie the Pooh is adorable.

17:18 – Question on I <3 consent workshops.

All candidates strong on sexual violence and harassment. Sophie wants to introduce a different campaign, Aiste wants to reintroduce I <3 consent and a ‘good lad’ campaign. Tessa wants to combat low self esteem to promote healthy sexual relationships, whilst Wynnie wants to demand the university release statistics on sexual violence on campaign, as well as making I <3 consent workshops compulsory.

17:22 Question on mental health at Warwick.

Tessa strongest with this question, demanding a standardised mental health pathway. Very important for Warwick students

17:24: ‘How would you work with the current women’s officer?’

A lot about I <3 consent, which is undoubtedly important. Seems like a reaffirmation of previous answers and issues.

17:25 – ‘Luke Pilot always has an open office – will you?’

The answer is going to be yes from everyone here, seems like a bit of a pointless question? Aiste reaffirms her ‘conversation’ policy. Tessa says she’ll give dedicated office hours for socs welfare issues. But the question does seem redundant – perhaps a bit of presidential campaigning?

17:28 – Sounds issues becoming a real problem. Can barely hear any of the candidates or questions – however, bell loud and clear. Some audience questions now.

17:29 – Microphone issues – how very Warwick….

17:30 – Question about postgrad welfare issue

Aiste reinforces the idea of pushing a survey to promote inclusion. Tessa agrees with inclusion, but perhaps promises more, such as one day events. Chloe notes that housing is an issue, and postgrad loneliness. Thinks that postgrad supervision would help the most. Sophie wants more PG counselling spots, to help with PG mental health issues.

17:32 – What’s the biggest challenge?

Tessa believes that awareness and charity laws. Chloe believes misrepresentation, so believes that a ‘society network’ would help with that. Sophie thinks that talking about mental health issues would encourage other conversations, and Aiste reaffirms her ‘conversation’ manifesto point.

17:33 – Question for Tessa – specific welfaring for society execs?

Tessa believes that society execs are very stressful (which is true), so dedicated office hours would work for that

17:35 – Housing issues

Chloe reaffirms her manifesto points, Sophie talks about the importance of enjoying the people you live with. Aiste wants to improve housing group management. Tessa admits lack of knowledge – a brave move. However, she does note the work done by previous Execs.

17:37 – ‘what role do you think societies play in supporting mental health’

Sophie thinks that mental health training and execs are important for all societies – uses example of WASS. Aiste notes the importance of societies at Warwick, and talks about importance of making societies more open. Tessa says that execs can be incredibly stressful – society support seems to be a strong part of her manifesto. Chloe believes that cheaper and more available sport would help. I should probably agree, but personally the most exercise I do is walking two flights of stairs a day. Which is too much. Welfare questioning closed.

17:43 – Nat Panda up next for Postgrad. Looking lonely up on stage. A bit like actual pandas – perhaps postgrad officers are a rare breed.

17:45 – Opening statement clear, if regurgitated from his manifesto. Lots of numbers and statistics. Seems well prepared despite lack of notes – though obviously experienced at elections.

17:47 – ‘What’s new on your manifesto’ – rather than asking this, perhaps read his manifesto?

17:48 – Will we see a continuation of the Postgrad quiz? Says he’ll be introducing and continuing Postgrad events he’s sorted.

17:49 – What needs to be improved for postgrads? – Accommodation and health services. Wants to make life easier for postgrads. Fair.

17:50 – What do undergrads take for granted? Postgrad is more intense, and harder. Seems like a redundant question. It’s not likely to be easier as a postgrad, is it?

#LONEPANDA

17:51 – What new ideas can you bring to the position? Very similar to earlier questions. Nat talks about international students, with an emphasis on academic English learning.

17:52 – What is the main thing you can bring to the SU? – Passion for Postgrad.

17:53 – What is a postgrad issue that needs to be addressed? Just repeated questions over and over again. Please make this blog more interesting, question asked. Help me to help you.

17:56 – Question about 24 hour library – Nat believes that it’s now an inevitability, but not worthwhile in his manifesto. Seems unusual for a Postgrad officer manifesto, considering necessity for resources

17:57 – Education up now – Free Education Vs the Tories. perhaps this event will get more interesting now…

17:59 Our media desk having fun. Sometimes this is interesting stuff. Look at us enjoying ourselves (with Lewis, bae of Lily – he’s a Tory…).

18:03: Education beings; Terrence, Cindy, Hope and James with their opening statements. It’s become clear to me that opening statements are just manifestos, but shorter and less interesting. I want colours with my words.

18:06 – Mental Health important for every candidate of every position so far. Excellent that this is the case.

18:07 – The bell is deadly for these candidates. Lots of cut offs.

18:07 – Hope up – Warwick for free education ideas very, very clear. Should political views be so clear on a campus so politically diverse? Terrence was clear, Cindy passionate, but James appears to have the biggest grasp of the issues. Experience as education exec clearly coming through.

18:11 – ‘How do you plan on building on the previous educations officers legacy?

Terrence – unfortunately muffled. Atrium is loud. Cindy clear on exec role, Hope wants to fight against a green paper, James fighting for recorded lectures and study spaces.

18:13 – Have to got the relevance experience? Cindy confident on experience with dealing with mental health – and important subject. Hope always puts students first, James clear on knowledge again, but bell cuts him off. Terrence talks about his time in higher education, ‘5 or 6 years’ – surprisingly compelling.

18:15 – Why do you want to be the Education officer

Hope – wants to fight for free education. James wants to fight pre-existing issues, Terrence wants to fight for the students, Cindy wants to make a change and demonstrate her care. Talks about potential impact.

18:16 – Career services. Atrium getting louder and louder. I can tell you whose doing well at pool, but not what the candidates are saying. Perhaps a better location would is necessitous for this event?

18:21 – Getting individual feedback. Cindy has already talked about and campaigned for this issue – writing an article in the Boar. Hope wants more consistency, but asks for staff to be paid for high quality feedback to be given. Is this fair to the students getting that feedback? James says that standardisation is good

18:23 – Question for James – Why is there no mention of Prevent in your manifesto? James believes personally that it’s bad, but other societies are better for campaigning about it.

18:25 – Are you going to fight against the green paper? Hope – obviously, yes. James – answers separate question. It’s possibly that I’ve misheard the question – the Pool is going well though.

18:26 – What are you going to do to promote balance with work? James will campaign for more time spare, and reaffirms the usefulness of services like nightline. Terrence unclear, Cindy asking to get all personal tutors welfare trained. Hope agrees with Cindy

18:28 – Charlie Hindbaugh criticises the bureaucracy of the university, then asks what the one thing people want achieved during their tenure? Terrence unclear again, Cindy keen to get pastoral training for personal tutors. Hope wants to liberate curricula, Warwick for free education in the audience applauses. James wants clearer looking at NSS results – interesting view.

18:35 – Sports beginning. Only two candidates now; their was an interesting dichotomy between the two’s manifestos, so it will be interesting to see how this translates ‘live’. CC is loud and clear when reciting her manifesto. ‘put the CC in success’ is probably my favorite election slogan. The simple ones are the best. Ted is also loud and clear – most clear the event has been all night. Ted elucidates on his minimalist manifesto – with it being clearer, his points are excellent. Not being very good at anything physical other than eating, I would say that these candidates are fairly equal.

18:40 – Main priorities? For CC it’s equality and awareness. Ted agrees with CC – wants to fight apathy.

18:41 – Inclusion for students – Ted wants a more inclusive gym and better small sport representation. CC has already discussed with Jenny Wheeler, disabilities officer – powerful and compelling.

18:42 – How would you deal with sport welfare? CC talks about LGBT representation and her work this year. Ted points out that LGBT people often don’t want to be pointed out – controversial point?

18:43 – How would you improve varsity? Ted wants it to be in people’s faces, more advertisement. CC recites several words – things like ‘massive’ and ‘focus’.

18:44 – How would you promote inclusion? CC wants her recruitment execs to allow a wider range of people to join. Teaching freshers is apparently important. Ted wants trial weeks for different sports.

18:45 – Postgrad participation – Ted leaves this out of his manifesto online, but apparently on his Facebook. Use of social media important. CC talks about her experience as a Postgrad and a sporter (a term I will use often now).

18:47 – Will we ever have a lecture free wednesday? Ted believes it’s necessitous, but no points as to how campaign for it. CC talks about pushing for recorded lectures, rather than lecture free Wednesdays. Important point.

18:49 – What past experience do you have in sport societies? – coming from CC’s campaign team. Ted has been involved in only one Sports society, but lots of academic society experience. CC ‘very much not a one woman club’ – has apparently ridden since she was four. Very involved in sports

18:50 – How will you work with the societies officer? CC talks about her relationship with George, and how she’s happy making links – but not for the future? Ted talks about timetabling – very important for inter- society relationships.

18:53 – How would you improve exec interactions with the SU? – CC says this is in her manifesto, and her experiences with exec would help – but doesn’t seem to answer question? Ted talks about frustration with SU sometimes, but discusses creating an exec handover pack for all sport societies,

18:55 – Isaac Leigh with a question – what relationships do you think are most important? Ted thinks that for sponsorship, increasing relationship with senior management is most important. CC avoids question – she wants all her relationships to be equally as important.

18:56 – Kit question – CC thinks that centralising communication between all parties is most important for preparation. Ted thinks that delivery needs to be separate, and that communication is very important (mentions someone called Tony, who doesn’t answer his emails).

18:58 – That concludes todays live blog – join us tomorrow for some more sick ass hustings coverage (and tomorrow is the Presidential one…)