Election Coverage – Hustings Live Blog Day 2

19:18: Okay, Comment section over and out after another day of election coverage. Make sure you vote.

19:16: Update. I’ve spelt Remington wrong this ENTIRE TIME.

19:15: Ross, did you deal with that tricky question well? R: “it was just a small point.”

19:15: exclusive quote from Remington: “I’ve been serious from the start. I want to spice things up again”

19:11: As someone who felt quite disengaged with all this election stuff, the candidates’ answers actually have me wanting to vote.

19:10: Being a short gal at a high table, my shoulders are v sore after lifting my arms so high to type for you all. You’re welcome. I hope you enjoyed and sorry for any typoes (I’ll go check for them now)

19:08: and that’s a wrap people. I’m so impressed with the President candidates – well spoken, engaged, and with great policy ideas, and I COULD HEAR THEM. Probably because most people had left  – shame on you if you did.

19:06: would any of the candidates want to commit to improve the toilet paper – double or triple ply?

George: its an important issue.

Luke: Wants quadruple ply

Remington: shows how unserious the process is. If you have a sore bum it’s bad for welfare/societies/you won’t campaign against capitalism if you have a sore bum (amen Reamington)

19:04: As president you have a chance to steer the course of SU/uni – where do you want the SU to be in 5 years time?

Remington: he can achieve it in one year – to be great again. Wants to be best SU in country and even whole world. Confident he can achieve that.

George: He would love a more engaging SU through new building – a place to chill out/engage in different ways. Better quality/depth in what SU already does not just more.

Luke: what it does now, and on bigger scale – faster for us to make change, representing students, supporting students.

19:02: What is more important to you – prices or wages?

Luke: overtime workers are integral to changing students lives. Wants to make savings not cut wages or raise prices.

Remington: there will be a living wage enforced by law. Instead of reducing prices, wants policy of posterity in SU.

George: his opinion not important – need to ask students and staff. It’s not up to him what students want – a cheaper lunch or good wages for SU staff?

19:00: how will you achieve all you want and do/engage with students when you’re in meetings all day/answering emails?

George: wants to be accessible – in terrace bar in the evening/have open hours

Luke: make sure what his goals are and work with the right students to work with them to achieve goals.

Remington: he knows “great people” who will make SU “great again”. Wants to see higher threshold of policies

FROM FLOOR^:

18:58:What improvements would you like to see in the su?

Remington: we need to know who SABB team is

George: Nights out are integral part of first few weeks – copper rooms not representative of what students do. Wants student involvement in what the SU does

Luke: wants to remind students what priorities of students are: education is main priority – dedicate more staff time and make sure SU there for our needs.

18:57: how will you encourage students to engage with the SU?

Luke: remind students the history of SU and what it is here for – it is here for every aspect of student life. door always open.

Remington: People are bored of SU – “better people in positions of power”

George: the SU does so much, and hear people in different ways. Need to make sure the SU is there for what they want to engage with.

18:55: How can you be a good representative?

George: wants ipads for street team to collect views.

Luke: wants more than data – wants more students on committees. Uni is for our students not their paychecks.

Reamington: doesn’t want a white man as president. He would be “ethnic minority president”. Wants a bigger mandate for officers

18:54: How can you make your policies affordable/achievable?

Remington: wants to make money off the Koan

George: Focus on what matters/prioritising. Empowering people to work thorugh others/delegate/empower people and SABBS – use talent of uni through delegation.

Luke: thinking through every stage – collaboration at every stage.

18:53: As president do you think it is more important to be a good diplomat or a campaigner?

Luke: don’t need that dichotomy

Remington: need to do both and do it maturely.

George: need both, you have to work with team/manage relations with students and SABB team. But can’t be afraid to stand up to university to say “this is what students care about”

Mental health is becoming a more prominent conversation on campus, what will you do to alleviate stress and help mental wellbeing of students?

George: making sure people know what is available to them.

Luke: wants new uni strategy to deal with increased issues. Need a framework for peer support issues. intercept issues before they become an issue. reframe support system.

Remington: agrees, also wants more mental health awareness for international students – more stigma in home country – wants to support that.

18:49: what policy do you have that demonstrate your ability to lead a team?

Remington: has a great team on this campaign – he can work with team

George: he has worked with dozens of presidents – interesting to see others lead teams. Seeing that and working with socs execs help him.

Luke: SABB team are a structure, we all represent each other.

18:48: How will we deal with issues of conflict of interest eg between students/uni?

Luke: its easy to overlook people’s feelings/make snap choice.

Reamington: Uni needs to respect us and the union. Needs to stop making us look “stupid” – needs to make sensible decision.

George: SABB team needs to work as team – united front even if on different committees – the whole team’s views not just one person’s.

18:47: Why are you good for role?

George: he has been a treasurer of an exec/socs officer – he is well placed in Warwick experience.

Luke: he is a good listener – if he is going to be a representative, he needs to be able to listen. He has experience in lots of socs.

Remington: Did a placement lobbying international company – has skills to make change in uni.

18:45: what would be your main Priority?

Remington: make SU great again (really? I didn’t know). Wants to see East Asian students involved.

George: more things that students care about – will improve engagement. more tangible things.

Luke: wellbeing – fees/grants/accessibility on campus/books – wants to reduce barriers to our education.

18:44: Why do you want to be president?

Luke: He has worked for students in multiple roles. Wants to be there and take campaigns like mental health to next level.

Remington: wants to make su great again. He is great/confident/people love him – he is a good negotiator.

George: SU changed his life. It was an outlet when course was tough, and it improved his experience at Warwick. Wants to do that for others.

3 min opening address:

Creasy: Current socs officer. Disengaged in first year, but got involved and now loves the SU – it changed his life. Works closely with the socs this year – he talked to students when making manifesto  eg – more water fountains, and cash machines near

1: nights out for you. wants event exec – different genres/nights out. 2: Engage on phone – tickets/voting etc. 3: “make management work for you”. Wants to work with Croft. 4: more space on campus: not enough soc storage space – space not used for students.

Remington: SU not fit for its purpose. He doesn’t think it is serious – standing in front of busses to change policy/bring down capitalism. we should give people value for money. He wants to be serious when president – he is a ‘joke’ candidate but he is engaging students more – shows problem: people don’t take is seriously. Wants SABBS elected by higher %. 0.0004 of students from campus in this room right now. Wants to dispel myth that the SU doesn’t know what its doing – it has created a system where a few hundred people engage and they can control it. His serious policy: 1 higher threshold for engagement. 2: means of engaging students – e.g humour. He is serious and will make the SU great again.

Luke: current welfare/campaigns officer. Experience counts for this position. What has he done: SABB team is all white men – wants to recognise that and the pressure students exist in, take into account when we talk about things. Loves Warwick and doesn’t want to leave. The point of education is questioned – value of money questioned. Uni can be more – need to foster students, give them funding/space/opportunity to do what they want. We should come together and grow/flourish together. Mental health top of the agenda, tackle sexual assault/violence, cap on international tuition fees, more funding for clubs/socs – uni doesn’t recognise their importance, more study space. Gov policy is a barrier – combat things like prevent.

18:33: PRESIDENT TIME

It’s the outward face of the SU/works with the vice chancellor. We have 3 candidates: Luke, George, and Reamington Spa

18:29: Some people (including candidates) have left. They’ve all talked about student engagement/participation, but they won’t support their fellow candidates?

18:28: up next its President. Exciting.

FROM THE FLOOR:

How would you help liberation groups? How will you affect political change across the country?

Matthew: SU has a history of great work/has been central. work with socs/campaign officer and make sure funds are there for what we care about as students.

Becky: Let it come from someone from the liberation group themselves – let them speak for themselves/take lead from what they want from the SU.

Matt: work with different liberation groups/socs, and work with other unions and external groups to help build up movements that Warwick students care bout.

Ross: Su should not be political organisation. Political activism is damaging to our reputation as a uni. Gov doesn’t take us seriously because of political campaigns of the past.

What are you ACTUALLY going to do to increase voter turnout?

Ross: people don’t campaign for policy. Need more active students when campaigning for policy.

Matthew: We don’t know what SU has done for us/we don’t know how it affects us – our votes count and we need to realise that.

Becky: Week 0 fresh week – should learn about what the SU does/how it is there for you. Open book policy on who we can change SU for us.

Matt: Democracy info/history of SU in freshers handbook

Doesn’t know that DDO role/SU has a lot of input into decisions. About accommodation – what measures ill you take to ensure affordable accommodation (and then the question went on and I missed it)

Matt: Survey really fantastic in getting student feedback – we want cheap accommodation. Rent should be covered by student loan.

Ross: Fresher handbook – let them know about cheaper available in cov/leam – they don’t have to live on campus (really? That would be hard as a fresh!)

Matthew: Make uni realise we don’t have that much money (amen) – we’ve just lost maintenance grant. Work with uni to let them know we need affordable options so we can all live on campus.

Becky: Need to raise more awareness – only 3 on campus accommodations that covered by loan. We are a uni – we should campaign. Not extra coverage for disabled-accessibility rooms.

Specifically to Ross: why are you not making your manifesto more accessible?

Ross: he had no answer. “not enough people vote”

How will you make things thrive/improve democracy?

Becky: policy reformation. Doesn’t use socs enough – people get involved in grass roots organisations more than SU – a way to get student involvement.

Matt: use online – main contact with SU.

Ross: More ASMs. Make sure people campaign for and against policy more. More votes to enact policy.

Matthew: Make it easier to get people involved. Need to boost 20% voting rate. Agrees with raising votes needed to enact policy.

What would you make more accessbile?

Matthew: plain text manifestoes should be compulsory.

Becky: SU democracy discourages people with physical/mental disabilities. Widening participation across the board.

Matt: elections week is inaccessible – physical campaigning not accessible to all.

Ross: wants SU democracy to be accessible as possible (don’t we all?). Engage students more (how?). Wants a more inclusive SU for better democracy. Things shoulnd’t be compulsory.

Olly Rice: anything you would change/Didn’t like in his policies?

Ross: Banned free speech

Matthew: Student Assembly not successful, failed to meet both terms – needs to get student engagement

Becky: Wants to scrap student assembly – in theory it works. Doesn’t want that in our democracy if doesn’t work in practise. wants more efficient ways to involve (like what?)

Matt: execs introduced worked well. Likes Olly’s work on study spaces – but what didn’t you like?

What experience do you have that will make you good for this role?

Matt: missed that – too fast/mumbled.

Ross: He is on two execs and Warwick Represent – linked to SABB role. Been involved in SU politics stince the start.

Matthew: he works with SU with elections (not this one), on SU democracy exec, outside uni he is charity trustee and administrator (make sure charity follows rules). Knows how UNI works

Becky: experience in campaigning, and repping women. On Exec – can organise big events.

how do you think that your role fits into the SABB team?

Becky: Broadest SABB role. Wants to collab most with welfare/campaigns. wants to include all in democracy. Socs – more of a place in policy formation.

Matt: Welfare – SABBS are there to rep students, so work closely with them. Working with liberation socs to help promote and make their campaigns heard/supported.

Ross: SABB is a team. Work with team so students are represented.

Matthew: It is broadest, want other officers to guide on their issues, but will offer support in student meetings/campaigns.

18:03: what is your number one priority?

Matthew: wants to get people engaged and show them what the SU does for them.

Becky: Engagement is key, but not just encourage SU engagement as it is. Wants SU to get involved in issues of liberation because its what students care about.

Matt: Students don’t know how to get their voices heard.

Ross: Wants to raise participation on political motions.

17:55: Democracy and Development

Matthew: Wants to introduce SU loyalty card for all outlets, expanding funding exec – students have input in SU running, Westmidlands oyster card thing, inclusive to all students, affordable accommodation – keep costs down, keep uni in freedom of info act and hold uni to account, wants to make more people vote – simplify system.

Becky: systemic issue with democracy on campus. Wants SU app, more engagement with students, debate role of SU, don’t want to attack students on issues of liberation, let them have debates, and make them accessible to wider range of students. Permanent Warwick food bank and food coop.  SU to rep all members. (She got lots of claps)

Matt: he is ethics officer – knows SU running. Worked with SABBS. Lots of soc/exec socities. Thinks the SU is here for us. Wants to be able to share experiences with landlords, more places to study on campus – later. wants to campaign for maintenance grants. SU loyalty card. Full manifesto has all his ideas. He thinks his experience makes him good for the job.

Ross: SU has lost sight of proper student representation. Wants better services/focus on real student issues. Insane ideas passed with few votes  – why don’t people get involved? People not connected with SU. Wants to work with real students and tackle real issues. Wants to vote on ‘real’ things, not issues like The Sun scandal (what does that mean? What is real Ross?)

17:53: Audience turn out remaining strong.

17:49: Well done to the candidates. Some good answers, some fluff, but hey it’s intimidating standing up in front of a room full of people. I take my hat off to you. Make sure you read their manifestoes or pick up a copy of the Boar’s election special with a run down of all the candidates points!

17:48: loud people have left. Might actually be able to hear now.

17:47: taking a short break. People next to us chatting, can you not? We are trying to engage with student politics. Not exactly a great forum for the event cause the sound is so bad.

17:32: QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR:

What is your one priority for the year?

Matt: sponsorship fair – more support, bring in local and big companies, work with people face to face.

Marissa: Communication. Swifter replies/face to face time with socs officer/solutions tailored to their needs. little things help socs flourish.

Farrah: Digital freshers fair – need things to be accessible/digital. Unrealistic everyone will get there, not enough time to reflect on info overload. Wants sustained engagement.

How do we deal with drinking in socs/encourage non-drinking?

Farrah: make sure every soc during fresh week has at least one non alcoholic social.

Marissa: She doesn’t drink so she’s on board. Wants SU to encourage socs when they do well/celebrate societies.

Matt: more soc engagement during dry January.

Not enough people know about events how do we change this?

Marissa: Get academic socs working with departments.

Farrah: need to recognise what societies do. Activity points scheme and get it on official degree record when you graduate. academic/soc activity is logged.

Matt: More support to socs, get some peer reports?

How do we help societies with fundraising?

Matt: Lobby the uni

Farrah: lobby the ui for funding, work with ethical organisations.

Marissa: missed it.

How would you increase Postgrad involvement?

Farrah: wants to freeze £10 fee, and make freshers fair more accessible. Online fresh fair is better for post grads with less time.

Matt: There aren’t ways for people to get involved. Societies needs more support.

Marissa: wants to talk to postgrad officer to help. Wants socs to have postgrad rep on exec.

How would you get more disabled students involved?

Marissa: better advertising

Farrah: On socs menu she wants a separate tab for what they offer for accessibility needs, then showcase in youtube videos – accessible for execs.

Matt: wants to talk to disabled students officer. Not enough awareness for invisible disabilities. Wants to make people aware with sit down discussions (hmmmm…. people may not want to talk about their disability Matt)

How would you support Black History Month/students of colour?

Matt: make sure they know how to represent themselves (what does that mean?),

Marissa: Wants to work with Anti-Racism Soc to increase involvement – review what is going on with surveys

Farrah: Lobbying Uni for more funding for liberation groups – in the interest of uni/union to support people. Stall for Black history month in fresh fair.

17:30: how do you make freshers fair better?

Farrah: Wants more hype, online freshers fair. Wants photobooth “I’ve been to the fair”. Digital afterwards – people can access info.

Matt: Increase awareness on social media – post on all Hall groups. Second and third year/postgrads get involved.

Marissa: Introduce QR codes for fresh fair – easy to get involved in socs instantaneously. Space distributed more fairly – equal representation.

17:29: will there be a lecture free freshers week?

Marissa: Soz missed that one.

Farrah: Yes – socs/sport important to wellbeing/support of students. Extra curricular is important.

Matt: WSAF moved to term 1: why its so important. Needs to be enough time for people to properly engage.

17:27: More socs doing summits/forums. Are you the best candidate to bring it in/support these?

Matt: He has experience in organising.

Marissa: She organised an event with Law, she knows what is going into that process – knows how the help the uni help us put them on.

Farrah: wants to utilise YouTube to make Digital handbook.

17:25: some socs have to circle in Rootes, and its more expensive – hwat will you do?

Farrah: Bring more people into union (didn’t really answer the question)

Matt: Change prices even for specific evening/event. Everyone needs space to enjoy the experience

Marissa: Rootes is uni run – the conversation needs to happen with the Uni. Imbalance between price of alcoholic/nonalcoholic drinks needs to be addressed.

17:24: How do we encourage people to use the SU?

Marissa: Engagement is the problem – suggests her app

Farrah: Collaboration is key. Not sustainable – £6000 a night for copper rooms – not available for studetns

Matt: Bring new food markets into Fresh fair.

17:22: socs have had big issues on charity fundraising – how will you improve this?

Matt: Socs don’t know the best way to do it. Where are you allowed to campaign/do bake sales – wants info readily available.

Marissa: Trustee of SU knows the issue – need to inform socs more. No simple solution. (That was just a statement of fact I feel)

Farrah: Fundraising culture not represented on website – wants a fundraising tab online, and exec positions for fundraising.

17:20: What will you do for stronger inter-soc collaboration

Farrah: wants to promote inter-soc collaboration. We should network together

Matt: wants an online forum for all socs to interact – won’t that be a lot

Marissa: online forum – societies can show what they have to offer each other.

17:19: “there is a significant lack of rehearsal space, what will you do to change this”?

Marissa: Exec of CMD knows the issues. Wants to make more rooms available for performance socs.

Farrah: she’s also done a lot of performance stuff. Expensive to rent AC facilities. Wants to lobby AC for cheap discounts.

Matt: Socs don’t know where best to go. wants centralised place for info. Wants to use space in Music Centre.

17:17: Matt: pres of Pole Soc. Loves how welcoming they are – wants everyone to have this experience. Wants to take the model of pole soc (supportive/welcoming) to get more engagement. Manifesto points: 1 – set up Warwick’s first (ever) sponsorship fair – companies to talk to societies about potential sponsorship. 2: make more use of space on campus – not enough room for meetings/rehearsals/debates. Wants to change the efficiency of the use of rooms.

17:14: Farrah: she’s RAG social sec then pres this. She’s rhyming. Not sure how I feel about hte rhetoric. 1: Socs fair online. 2: online sponsor fair. 3: … I missed that one in her rhymes… That was a cute slam-poetry vibe, but I missed the info Farrah! She is #seriousaboutsocieties. Wants to show people they can achieve beyond their academia. Some nice ideas, but not loving the delivery. It was distracting.

17:12: Marissa: she has lots of insight into workings of the SU. 1: wants to achieve: Warwrick SU app for better involvement/engagement – Socs ad directly to people’s phones eg socials. 2: Increased collaboration between societies – we have a lot to offer each other. 3: increase engagement with societies. Personally I think the cost of socs federation etc needs to be addressed.

17:12: Socs officer first: Marissa, Farrah, Matthew.

17:11: Still can’t hear much. People outside curio shhhhh.

17:10: And we are getting going. Mic is a bit quiet.

17:07: Nice to see Raw and WarwickTV here – loving that society involvement.

17:05: Late start, but turn out is solid. But, really there are too few considering how important these elections are.

17:00: Is there a subliminal message in “you should go and love yourself?”

16:59: JUSTIN BIEBER JUST CAME ON. YES YES YES.

16:58: While we wait for the games to begin, we try to convince Matt, Dep Comment Editor, to get a personal Twitter account #getmattontwitter

16:54: Rhianna’s ‘Work work work’ just came on. Feeling hyped.

16:53: The Comment team is in place, looking fly and ready to bring all the info to you lovely readers.