By now, you've seen last night's election results and you know that none of the three tickets were able to get more than 50 percent of the votes. As such, the two tickets that received the most votes (in this case, KaLeigh and Alicia and Tom and Blake) will compete in a runoff election beginning at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, March 5 and ending at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6. Like last night, the runoff election results will be announced Wednesday night by election commissioner Corey Cooling at the bottom of the Grand Staircase in Maucker Union.
There will also be a runoff for one of the senate seats, as senatorial candidates Michelle Czarnecki and Ellie Hail tied with 7 votes for the third and last seat in the Graduate College. That runoff will be held during the same period as the presidential/vice presidential election, but only students in the Graduate College will be eligible to vote in it.
Now, for those of you who are less familiar with NISG elections, the prospect of a runoff might be a new concept, but for those of us who have been around a while, this is business as usual. Runoffs have become something of a regularity in these elections, especially when you have three tickets in the running and it becomes increasingly more difficult for one of the tickets to obtain a majority of the votes.
Last year, current student body president Jordan Bancroft-Smithe and vice president KaLeigh White received the most votes in the first election but were unable to obtain that coveted 50 percent, so the election commission held a runoff election between them and candidates Kyle Burns and Brendan Thompson. But the final result was the same and Jordan and KaLeigh were declared the winners.
There was going to be a runoff election two years ago between Spencer Walrath and Ian Goldsmith and Rhonda Greenway and Adam Beaves, but Trevor Boeckmann (who was one of two writers for this blog at the time) discovered an error in the way the off-campus votes were counted in the first election and, before the runoff could be held, the election commission announced that Spencer and Ian had indeed already won.
So, it was no surprise to this blogger that there was a runoff and now we all have another week of campaigning to look forward to! I'll be posting later today or early tomorrow about what the candidates will be doing in the days leading up to the runoff, so be sure to check back for more election coverage!
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Final Election Results
Presidential and Vice Presidential Election
KaLeigh White and Alicia Jessip, 832 votes (47.7%)*
Tom Madsen and Blake Findley, 591 votes (33.9%)*
David Pope and Katie Grassi, 310 votes (17.8%)
*Because none of the tickets received over 50 percent of the votes, the two tickets with the most votes will compete in a runoff election beginning at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, March 5 and ending at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6.
College of Business Administration (3 seats)
Tyler Moran, 186 votes Elected
Parash Upreti, 183 votes Elected
Tanner Westberg, 180 votes Elected
College of Education (4 seats)
Joshua Schoon, 30 votes Elected
Alyssa Turcsak, 29 votes Elected
Jenna Gerard, 8 votes Elected
Hannah Colpitts, 5 votes Elected
College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences (6 seats)
Jacob Ferguson, 416 votes Elected
Paige Leytem, 413 votes Elected
Stef McGraw, 395 votes Elected
Michael Kelly, 395 votes Elected
Jordan Wilmes, 388 votes Elected
Carl Reitz, 41 votes Elected
Aaron Friel, 36 votes
College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 seats)
Eric Boisen, 206 votes Elected
Kathryn Evans, 204 votes Elected
Dylan Keller, 16 votes Elected
Nathan Davis, 8 votes
Graduate College (3 seats)
Lauren Dietz, 14 votes Elected
Nate Schultz, 12 votes Elected
Michelle Czarnecki, 7 votes*
Ellie Hail, 7 votes*
*With a tie, the two candidates with the same amount of votes will compete in a runoff election beginning at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, March 5 and ending at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6.
KaLeigh White and Alicia Jessip, 832 votes (47.7%)*
Tom Madsen and Blake Findley, 591 votes (33.9%)*
David Pope and Katie Grassi, 310 votes (17.8%)
*Because none of the tickets received over 50 percent of the votes, the two tickets with the most votes will compete in a runoff election beginning at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, March 5 and ending at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6.
College of Business Administration (3 seats)
Tyler Moran, 186 votes Elected
Parash Upreti, 183 votes Elected
Tanner Westberg, 180 votes Elected
College of Education (4 seats)
Joshua Schoon, 30 votes Elected
Alyssa Turcsak, 29 votes Elected
Jenna Gerard, 8 votes Elected
Hannah Colpitts, 5 votes Elected
College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences (6 seats)
Jacob Ferguson, 416 votes Elected
Paige Leytem, 413 votes Elected
Stef McGraw, 395 votes Elected
Michael Kelly, 395 votes Elected
Jordan Wilmes, 388 votes Elected
Carl Reitz, 41 votes Elected
Aaron Friel, 36 votes
College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 seats)
Eric Boisen, 206 votes Elected
Kathryn Evans, 204 votes Elected
Dylan Keller, 16 votes Elected
Nathan Davis, 8 votes
Graduate College (3 seats)
Lauren Dietz, 14 votes Elected
Nate Schultz, 12 votes Elected
Michelle Czarnecki, 7 votes*
Ellie Hail, 7 votes*
*With a tie, the two candidates with the same amount of votes will compete in a runoff election beginning at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, March 5 and ending at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6.
BREAKING NEWS: Election Results Are In!
Election commissioner Corey Cooling has announced the election results -- and there will be a runoff election! None of the three tickets were able to get over 50 percent of the votes, so the two tickets with the most votes (in this case, KaLeigh and Alicia and Tom and Blake) will compete in a runoff election. Voting will begin at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, March 5 and will end at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6.
So we have another week of campaigning to look forward to! I will publish a post soon with more details on the runoff election, the official vote counts and also the winners of the senate elections. Thank you to everyone who voted!
So we have another week of campaigning to look forward to! I will publish a post soon with more details on the runoff election, the official vote counts and also the winners of the senate elections. Thank you to everyone who voted!
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
VOTE!
Today's the day! Voting began in MyUNIverse this morning at 8 a.m. and will close tomorrow at 5 p.m. Not sure how to vote? Let me help you out!
1. Go to www.uni.edu, click on MyUniverse in the upper right hand corner and log in.
2. Click on the "Life @ UNI" tab.
3. On the right side of the page, there should be a box called "Voting and Surveys." At the bottom of that box should be a survey with the name of your college followed by "2013 Northern Iowa Student Government Elections." Click "Start."
4. Vote for president/vice president and then however many seats your college has, whether you select the listed candidates or write-in one or more of your friends. You can also vote on the removal of redundant material found in the consitution.
5. Once you are finished, click "Submit."
6. Congratulations! You've voted!
It takes all of 30 seconds, so please do it. Every vote matters!
1. Go to www.uni.edu, click on MyUniverse in the upper right hand corner and log in.
2. Click on the "Life @ UNI" tab.
3. On the right side of the page, there should be a box called "Voting and Surveys." At the bottom of that box should be a survey with the name of your college followed by "2013 Northern Iowa Student Government Elections." Click "Start."
4. Vote for president/vice president and then however many seats your college has, whether you select the listed candidates or write-in one or more of your friends. You can also vote on the removal of redundant material found in the consitution.
5. Once you are finished, click "Submit."
6. Congratulations! You've voted!
It takes all of 30 seconds, so please do it. Every vote matters!
Monday, February 25, 2013
The Final Push
This is it. Zero hour is almost upon us. Tomorrow, beginning at 8 a.m., voting in MyUNIverse will open up and students will have until 5 p.m. on Wednesday to cast their vote in the presidential, vice presidential and senatorial elections. Two weeks of campaigning, meeting with student organizations, putting up flyers around campus, handing out buttons and t-shirts and it all comes down to this.
With less than 24 hours before voting begins, let's take a final look at the candidates!
Tom Madsen and Blake Findley
Website: http://www.tomandblake.com/
Platform Analysis: Click here
Facebook: Tom and Blake for UNI Students (226 Likes)
The Ticket: Experience, but with some new ideas for improvements. Tom and Blake both boast quite a bit of experience with NISG and they're both involved in a number of different student organizations and activities on campus. Their platform has a lot of new ideas on how to make NISG more visible and accessible to students, increase recycling initiatives across campus to make UNI more green and work to ensure that UNI and NISG are both welcoming and inclusive communities. Tom and Blake acknowledge that there is some work to be done in terms of improving NISG and, with their experience, they believe they know how to get it done. But are their ideas the best ideas? What, in terms of their experience, sets them apart?
David Pope and Katie Grassi
Website: http://davidandkatiearedifferent.com
Platform Analysis: Click here
Facebook: David + Katie (400 Likes)
The Ticket: NISG is broken, and they're here to fix it. David and Katie have been the candidates most critical of NISG and view the current student government as a more of a megaphone for the administration than a voice for students. David and Katie would like to see that change and want to be a voice for the students who have been marginalized by student government in the past. They're different, in more ways than one, and they're not afraid to stand up and be at the forefront of a protest when it comes to advocating for students, especially in situations where programs are being cut without student input. But how do they expect to focus on the minorities without neglecting the majority? Are their platform ideas too limited in scope?
KaLeigh White and Alicia Jessip
Website: http://kaleighandalicia.com
Platform Analysis: Click here
Facebook: KaLeigh and Alicia for UNI Students (315 Likes)
The Ticket: You've seen what Jordan and KaLeigh have done in one year. Now find out what KaLeigh and Alicia can do with a second. They're as close to an incumbent as we're going to get, with KaLeigh currently serving as student body vice president and Alicia holding the executive position of Director of Diversity and Student Life. Their campaign is centered about the idea of continuity, since KaLeigh has a year under her belt as vice president and has already-established connections and relationships that would allow her and Alicia to hit the ground running next year. Their platform is full of continuations of the feasible and achievable goals that Jordan and KaLeigh have been working towards over the past year. But are you satisfied with the current NISG administration? Are KaLeigh and Alicia playing it safe with a platform short on new ideas?
It's been a fun and interesting past couple weeks, and now the choice is yours to make. I'll be posting tomorrow with more specifics on where and how to vote, but until then I urge you to check out the candidates' website and read through the blog posts. Just be sure that, when you cast your vote tomorrow, you're making an informed decision.
Keep checkin' back! I will keep you updated as we inch closer and closer to electing next year's student body president and vice president.
With less than 24 hours before voting begins, let's take a final look at the candidates!
Tom Madsen and Blake Findley
Website: http://www.tomandblake.com/
Platform Analysis: Click here
Facebook: Tom and Blake for UNI Students (226 Likes)
The Ticket: Experience, but with some new ideas for improvements. Tom and Blake both boast quite a bit of experience with NISG and they're both involved in a number of different student organizations and activities on campus. Their platform has a lot of new ideas on how to make NISG more visible and accessible to students, increase recycling initiatives across campus to make UNI more green and work to ensure that UNI and NISG are both welcoming and inclusive communities. Tom and Blake acknowledge that there is some work to be done in terms of improving NISG and, with their experience, they believe they know how to get it done. But are their ideas the best ideas? What, in terms of their experience, sets them apart?
David Pope and Katie Grassi
Website: http://davidandkatiearedifferent.com
Platform Analysis: Click here
Facebook: David + Katie (400 Likes)
The Ticket: NISG is broken, and they're here to fix it. David and Katie have been the candidates most critical of NISG and view the current student government as a more of a megaphone for the administration than a voice for students. David and Katie would like to see that change and want to be a voice for the students who have been marginalized by student government in the past. They're different, in more ways than one, and they're not afraid to stand up and be at the forefront of a protest when it comes to advocating for students, especially in situations where programs are being cut without student input. But how do they expect to focus on the minorities without neglecting the majority? Are their platform ideas too limited in scope?
KaLeigh White and Alicia Jessip
Website: http://kaleighandalicia.com
Platform Analysis: Click here
Facebook: KaLeigh and Alicia for UNI Students (315 Likes)
The Ticket: You've seen what Jordan and KaLeigh have done in one year. Now find out what KaLeigh and Alicia can do with a second. They're as close to an incumbent as we're going to get, with KaLeigh currently serving as student body vice president and Alicia holding the executive position of Director of Diversity and Student Life. Their campaign is centered about the idea of continuity, since KaLeigh has a year under her belt as vice president and has already-established connections and relationships that would allow her and Alicia to hit the ground running next year. Their platform is full of continuations of the feasible and achievable goals that Jordan and KaLeigh have been working towards over the past year. But are you satisfied with the current NISG administration? Are KaLeigh and Alicia playing it safe with a platform short on new ideas?
It's been a fun and interesting past couple weeks, and now the choice is yours to make. I'll be posting tomorrow with more specifics on where and how to vote, but until then I urge you to check out the candidates' website and read through the blog posts. Just be sure that, when you cast your vote tomorrow, you're making an informed decision.
Keep checkin' back! I will keep you updated as we inch closer and closer to electing next year's student body president and vice president.
Candidate Interviews - David and Katie (Part 2 of 2)
You'll recall that, about a week ago, I was able to interview David as part of series of sit-down interviews with the presidential and vice presidential. Unfortunately, Katie was unavailable for the interview due to unforeseen events, so we were forced to postpone. Fortunately, I was able to email her a few questions once she returned to campus and Katie was kind enough to send me back her answers. Without further ado:
Q: Why run for vice president? What makes you the most qualified candidate for the position?
Katie: I decided to run for vice president because of my deep love for the university and desire to make it even better than it already is. I have talked with some of my friends from other institutions and they describe how successful and efficiently functional their student governments are and then I think of ours and want to change it. I want to make a difference at UNI. I feel as though I am the most qualified candidate because of the unique experiences I bring to the table and the out-of-the-box perspectives. I carry with me years of experience from being an RA that no other candidate has. I also have years of experience in executive positions and see being vice president as a way to make things happen. I have great relations with the faculty here and the administration, not to mention the student body itself.
Q: You have no NISG experience. Do you see that as a positive? How do you intend to compensate for that lack of experience?
Katie: Yes, this is a huge positive to me. I have something none of the other candidates do. I have unique skills and experience to bring into the position and utilize to make a change in NISG. I am really excited to bring everything that I have learned as being an RA into the position and all of the other executive positions I have worked in. I don't believe I will need to compensate for any lack of experience as I just carry a different kind of experience with me into NISG.
Q: How will your experience as a resident assistant inform your goals as vice president?
Katie: David and I have strategic goals to create transparency with NISG and get the students more engaged to the process and procedures. We are really wanting more student input and that will be achieved through the student voice app and Petition the President initiative. I am really excited about taking on this problem with the current status of NISG because that is what I do in my job and have been doing for the past two years. My job, as an RA, is to listen to the concerns of students and meet their needs in whatever way possible! That is exactly what part of the position as vice president entails and what David and I wish to do in office.
Q: Can you talk about your training with the Campus Coalition Builders?
Katie: I am training to be part of the CCB, Campus Coalition Builders, here on campus which is UNI's smaller part of NCBI, National Coalition Building Institute. I am working with diversity folks like Karen Mitchell, Danielle McGeough, Ellie Hail and Victoria DeFrancisco. We are trained to facilitate discussion about diversity and to create personal change. We also facilitate workshops fro groups to create a more cohesive community and environment. Let me know if this explains enough or if you have more questions.
And there you have it, folks! The last of the candidate interviews. If you'd like to read the other interviews, you can check out Part 1 and Part 2 of KaLeigh and Alicia's, Part 1 and Part 2 of Tom and Blake's, and Part 1 of David and Katie's.
Q: Why run for vice president? What makes you the most qualified candidate for the position?
Katie: I decided to run for vice president because of my deep love for the university and desire to make it even better than it already is. I have talked with some of my friends from other institutions and they describe how successful and efficiently functional their student governments are and then I think of ours and want to change it. I want to make a difference at UNI. I feel as though I am the most qualified candidate because of the unique experiences I bring to the table and the out-of-the-box perspectives. I carry with me years of experience from being an RA that no other candidate has. I also have years of experience in executive positions and see being vice president as a way to make things happen. I have great relations with the faculty here and the administration, not to mention the student body itself.
Q: You have no NISG experience. Do you see that as a positive? How do you intend to compensate for that lack of experience?
Katie: Yes, this is a huge positive to me. I have something none of the other candidates do. I have unique skills and experience to bring into the position and utilize to make a change in NISG. I am really excited to bring everything that I have learned as being an RA into the position and all of the other executive positions I have worked in. I don't believe I will need to compensate for any lack of experience as I just carry a different kind of experience with me into NISG.
Q: How will your experience as a resident assistant inform your goals as vice president?
Katie: David and I have strategic goals to create transparency with NISG and get the students more engaged to the process and procedures. We are really wanting more student input and that will be achieved through the student voice app and Petition the President initiative. I am really excited about taking on this problem with the current status of NISG because that is what I do in my job and have been doing for the past two years. My job, as an RA, is to listen to the concerns of students and meet their needs in whatever way possible! That is exactly what part of the position as vice president entails and what David and I wish to do in office.
Q: Can you talk about your training with the Campus Coalition Builders?
Katie: I am training to be part of the CCB, Campus Coalition Builders, here on campus which is UNI's smaller part of NCBI, National Coalition Building Institute. I am working with diversity folks like Karen Mitchell, Danielle McGeough, Ellie Hail and Victoria DeFrancisco. We are trained to facilitate discussion about diversity and to create personal change. We also facilitate workshops fro groups to create a more cohesive community and environment. Let me know if this explains enough or if you have more questions.
And there you have it, folks! The last of the candidate interviews. If you'd like to read the other interviews, you can check out Part 1 and Part 2 of KaLeigh and Alicia's, Part 1 and Part 2 of Tom and Blake's, and Part 1 of David and Katie's.
NISG Senatorial Candidates
For the past two weeks, this blog has been focused on the presidential and vice presidential election, but the senatorial election is no less important. When you vote in MyUniverse on Tuesday or Wednesday, you'll also be voting on the senatorial candidates below, depending on which college you belong to.
If you belong to the one of the colleges below who have fewer candidates than available seats or even one of the colleges that has the same amount of candidates as seats, I urge to consider a write-in campaign. If you want to get involved in NISG, this is how to do it. Otherwise, take a look at all the candidates for your college and be informed on who you're voting for!
College of Business Administration (3 seats)
Tyler Moran
Standing: Junior
Major(s): Accounting
Essay Highlights
- Believes that, through collaboration, the three elected senators of the CBA can reward funding to the student organizations within the college that need and deserve it most
- Served in senate for the past two semesters as an off-campus senator
- Will work to keep students of the CBA updated on the issues of NISG and use his vote and voice to maximize the representation of this college
Parash Upreti
Standing: Sophomore
Major(s): Economics
Essay Highlights
- Representing the CBA as a senator will give him the opportunity to represents the students that he is closest to within UNI
- Coming from a different culture, language background and race will allow him to represent a broader range of students
- His previous experiences include executive positions in International Student Promoters, International Club of Business Students, Economics Club and CBA President's Council
Tanner Westberg
Standing: Freshman
Major(s): Finance
Essay Highlights
-Wants to have an impact on this campus and is concerned with the issues that face this university
- Appointed to the Organization and Finance committee this semester and that experience has familiarized him with the budgetary guidelines
- Communication of what senate is and what it does for its constituents is a big issue and his goal would be to strengthen the connection between the two
College of Education (4 seats)
No candidates on the ballot. Seats will have to be filled via write-in candidates. Candidates must receive at least 5 votes in order to win a seat.
College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences (6 seats)
Jacob Ferguson
Standing: Sophomore
Major(s): English
Essay Highlights
- Very involved on campus and feels strongly about keeping all students engaged and involved in everything that is going on around campus
- Will be a good representative of all students because of his different involvements, which include musical ensembles, campus activities and organizations and professional and developments groups dealing with residence life
- Believes that every student has a right to heard and knows that he will be the right voice to communicate on the behalf of students in the CHAS and UNI as a whole
Michael Kelly
Standing: Sophomore
Major(s): Philosophy
Essay Highlights
- Believes that he embodies the qualities of a senator for CHAS because, as a philosophy major, he sees the importance of fair and open discussion, can think critically and abstractly and holds himself to a high ethical standard
- Involved in performance music for 9 years, and jazz has taught him how to improvise, not fear creativity and given him an attention to detail.
- Wants to improve campus life and help out student organizations as a whole
Paige Leytem
Standing: Senior
Major(s): Biology
Essay Highlights
- Has had numerous opportunities to work with diverse groups of students and has learned a lot of campus politics as a result
- Both a resident assistant in Hagemann Hall and a UNI President Scholar, and a member of the Beta Beta Beta Biology Honors Fraternity, UNI Singers and the Honors Student Advisory Board
- Never been a member of NISG, but looks forward to bringing new ideas and a passion for helping her fellow students
Stef McGraw
Standing: Junior
Major(s): Philosophy and Spanish
Essay Highlights
- Currently in her second term as a senator and has taken the opportunity to step outside her comfort zone and speak up even when she disagrees
- Serves as External Relations chair, a committee that promotes student political awareness and activism through events such as Voterpalooza and UNI Day
- Cares more about voting for what is right than being in the majority and puts a lot of thought into her decisions, but also not afraid to ask for more information
Jordan Wilmes
Standing: Sophomore
Major(s): Biology
Essay Highlights
- Currently serves as a senator and, though he is proud to have been a part of it, there is still work to be he done
- Wants to continue serving on the Organization and Finance Committee, where he can help constituents understand the budget and funding process
- Represented the voice of students regarding the tuition freeze and student teacher fee resolutions, and is pleased with the progress on a permanent LGBT Center
No other candidates on the ballot. The final seat will have to be filled via a write-in candidate. Candidates must receive at least 5 votes in order to win a seat.
College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 seats)
Eric Boisen
Standing: Sophomore
Major(s): Political Science
Essay Highlights
- Students of the CSBS have a lot of great ideas and he wants to be the person these students can talk to about these ideas and how to improve NISG
- Involved in UNI Men's Varsity Glee Club, serves as the current president of Rider Hall and working on an internship with Southwestern Advantage
- Believes that his time as president of Rider Hall is proof of his leadership skills, and his ability to communicate with others and create a welcoming environment for new ideas
No more candidates on the ballot. The third seats will have to be filled via a write-in candidate. Candidates must receive at least 5 votes in order to win a seat.
Graduate College (3 seats)
No candidates on the ballot. Seats will have to be filled via write-in candidates. Candidates must receive at least 5 votes in order to win a seat.
Undecided/General Studies/Other (1 seat)
No candidates on the ballot. The seat will have to be filled via a write-in candidate. Candidates must receive at least 5 votes in order to win the seat.
If you belong to the one of the colleges below who have fewer candidates than available seats or even one of the colleges that has the same amount of candidates as seats, I urge to consider a write-in campaign. If you want to get involved in NISG, this is how to do it. Otherwise, take a look at all the candidates for your college and be informed on who you're voting for!
College of Business Administration (3 seats)
Tyler Moran
Standing: Junior
Major(s): Accounting
Essay Highlights
- Believes that, through collaboration, the three elected senators of the CBA can reward funding to the student organizations within the college that need and deserve it most
- Served in senate for the past two semesters as an off-campus senator
- Will work to keep students of the CBA updated on the issues of NISG and use his vote and voice to maximize the representation of this college
Parash Upreti
Standing: Sophomore
Major(s): Economics
Essay Highlights
- Representing the CBA as a senator will give him the opportunity to represents the students that he is closest to within UNI
- Coming from a different culture, language background and race will allow him to represent a broader range of students
- His previous experiences include executive positions in International Student Promoters, International Club of Business Students, Economics Club and CBA President's Council
Tanner Westberg
Standing: Freshman
Major(s): Finance
Essay Highlights
-Wants to have an impact on this campus and is concerned with the issues that face this university
- Appointed to the Organization and Finance committee this semester and that experience has familiarized him with the budgetary guidelines
- Communication of what senate is and what it does for its constituents is a big issue and his goal would be to strengthen the connection between the two
College of Education (4 seats)
No candidates on the ballot. Seats will have to be filled via write-in candidates. Candidates must receive at least 5 votes in order to win a seat.
College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences (6 seats)
Jacob Ferguson
Standing: Sophomore
Major(s): English
Essay Highlights
- Very involved on campus and feels strongly about keeping all students engaged and involved in everything that is going on around campus
- Will be a good representative of all students because of his different involvements, which include musical ensembles, campus activities and organizations and professional and developments groups dealing with residence life
- Believes that every student has a right to heard and knows that he will be the right voice to communicate on the behalf of students in the CHAS and UNI as a whole
Michael Kelly
Standing: Sophomore
Major(s): Philosophy
Essay Highlights
- Believes that he embodies the qualities of a senator for CHAS because, as a philosophy major, he sees the importance of fair and open discussion, can think critically and abstractly and holds himself to a high ethical standard
- Involved in performance music for 9 years, and jazz has taught him how to improvise, not fear creativity and given him an attention to detail.
- Wants to improve campus life and help out student organizations as a whole
Paige Leytem
Standing: Senior
Major(s): Biology
Essay Highlights
- Has had numerous opportunities to work with diverse groups of students and has learned a lot of campus politics as a result
- Both a resident assistant in Hagemann Hall and a UNI President Scholar, and a member of the Beta Beta Beta Biology Honors Fraternity, UNI Singers and the Honors Student Advisory Board
- Never been a member of NISG, but looks forward to bringing new ideas and a passion for helping her fellow students
Stef McGraw
Standing: Junior
Major(s): Philosophy and Spanish
Essay Highlights
- Currently in her second term as a senator and has taken the opportunity to step outside her comfort zone and speak up even when she disagrees
- Serves as External Relations chair, a committee that promotes student political awareness and activism through events such as Voterpalooza and UNI Day
- Cares more about voting for what is right than being in the majority and puts a lot of thought into her decisions, but also not afraid to ask for more information
Jordan Wilmes
Standing: Sophomore
Major(s): Biology
Essay Highlights
- Currently serves as a senator and, though he is proud to have been a part of it, there is still work to be he done
- Wants to continue serving on the Organization and Finance Committee, where he can help constituents understand the budget and funding process
- Represented the voice of students regarding the tuition freeze and student teacher fee resolutions, and is pleased with the progress on a permanent LGBT Center
No other candidates on the ballot. The final seat will have to be filled via a write-in candidate. Candidates must receive at least 5 votes in order to win a seat.
College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (3 seats)
Eric Boisen
Standing: Sophomore
Major(s): Political Science
Essay Highlights
- Students of the CSBS have a lot of great ideas and he wants to be the person these students can talk to about these ideas and how to improve NISG
- Involved in UNI Men's Varsity Glee Club, serves as the current president of Rider Hall and working on an internship with Southwestern Advantage
- Believes that his time as president of Rider Hall is proof of his leadership skills, and his ability to communicate with others and create a welcoming environment for new ideas
Kathryn Evans
Standing: Freshman
Major(s): Political Science
Essay Highlights
- Volunteered with local campaigns and has participated in Model United Nations, Political Science Society and Debate Team
- Has watched friends make a difference through student government and would like the opportunity to also help better UNI and the CSBS
- Wants to ensure student organizations get fair funding, keep students aware of academic resources on campus and fight for the issues that students care about
No more candidates on the ballot. The third seats will have to be filled via a write-in candidate. Candidates must receive at least 5 votes in order to win a seat.
Graduate College (3 seats)
No candidates on the ballot. Seats will have to be filled via write-in candidates. Candidates must receive at least 5 votes in order to win a seat.
Undecided/General Studies/Other (1 seat)
No candidates on the ballot. The seat will have to be filled via a write-in candidate. Candidates must receive at least 5 votes in order to win the seat.
Friday, February 22, 2013
NISG Election Debate Recap
First things first, if you have the opportunity, please thank election commissioner Corey Cooling and moderator Linh Ta for putting on an excellent debate last night! All three tickets represented themselves well and I was very pleased to see a large crowd of students in attendance. Thank you to anyone who submitted a question for the candidates, whether it was via Facebook, Twitter or in-person at the debate.
Each ticket was asked a specific question prepared beforehand, with the other two tickets being allotted time to answer the question as well, before opening up for the floor to student questions. So how'd it go?
1st Question: "Your campaigning style has caught the eye of many people on campus, with the handing out of condoms and your most recent drag video. Some people however may argue that it's a "get-up" and that it's unprofessional. How can you prove to us that both are not just attention seeking, and that you will be able to represent the student body in a professional manner?"
David and Katie
- The condoms were something practical and useful, and highlighted an important area of their platform.
- The video was a light-hearted and honest attempt to express their passions and ideas, especially in terms of gender identity, but they can understand if people did not like it.
- But they do feel that a clear double standard does exist and that no one would be asking these kinds of questions if they were wearing gender norm clothing.
- They want everyone to know that they take themselves, their gender identities and the voices of all students seriously.
- "I spent half my life in the closet, I'm not going back in." - David
Tom and Blake
- They both take this job and this opportunity very seriously.
- They've been involved and work with a number of different student organizations and believe that their experience outside of NISG will help them represent all of the students on this campus.
- Both of them have worked hard on their platform and will continue to keep students informed on their goals and ideas for the future of the university.
KaLeigh and Alicia
- They commended David and Katie for their video and complimented it as a unique approach to their campaign.
2nd Question: "Inclusivity is one of three important areas of your platform. How, specifically, do you intend to help make UNI and NISG a more inclusive community?"
Tom and Blake
- Diversity has become such an overused word that it leaves a lot of different student groups out, and they want everyone to feel included.
- They are passionate about helping the LGBT community, veterans and students with disabilities.
- They talked about NISG sponsoring Unity Week and holding workshops where our differences are celebrated, rather than focusing on the prejudices.
- They would like to see immediate funding available to student organizations hosting events where accommodations for students with disabilities are needed.
David and Katie
- Katie talked about her experiences as a Resident Assistant in Campbell Hall and how her job is basically to build a sense of community.
- What sets them apart is their passion for this campus. Katie mentioned increasing pride through athletics, explaining that part of the reason she came to UNI was because it was the smallest of the three state schools but still had a prominent athletics program.
- David talked about automatic funding for events in need of disabilities accommodations, similar to Tom and Blake.
KaLeigh and Alicia
- Alicia talked about how her experience as Director of Diversity and Student Life and her previous role in the lower cabinet has informed her belief that diversity is a wide range of differences.
- Alicia posed a rebuttal question for Tom and Blake: Inclusion refers to proactive behaviors that make students feel welcome. Are you not distancing yourself from the problem by focusing on inclusivity and distancing yourself from diversity?
Tom and Blake's Response: Diversity has a negative stigma, and it only makes students think of a few groups. They want to steer away from that and get students thinking about inclusivity, rather than the same old diversity. That is not to say diversity isn't important. We are all different, but we all have something in common too. That is where inclusivity comes in.
3rd Question: "Much of your platform appears to be a continuation of the current administration's goals. What specific new ideas are you bringing to the table next year?"
KaLeigh and Alicia
- They do have new ideas, but will concede that most of their ideas are focused on expanding and improving what they've seen from previous administrations
- Part of why KaLeigh is running again is because she has seen too many ideas and initiatives lost in the shuffle of a transition between administrations. They believe their NISG Strategic Plan will help alleviate the complications of transitioning from one administration to another.
- They want to see their goals and initiatives to reach their fullest potential.
- Their platform is not extensive, but they know what they want to do and how to do it
David and Katie
- They are both transparent, both about themselves and their identities, and that is something they'd like to carry into office, because student voices are most important to them.
- They cited the Student Voice App and the Presidential Petition as examples of how they intend to accomplish their goal of providing a voice for students.
Tom and Blake
- Their platform has a lot of new ideas that they'd like to try and they're not interested in doing the same old stuff, because there is always room for improvement.
- Both cited their experience in NISG and their relationships with different student organizations and faculty members across campus as reasons why they can succeed as a one-term administration.
There were several student questions, but I won't go through them all here for the sake of time and length (I believe there is an audio recording of the debate and I'm hoping to be able to upload it soon, so those who could not attend or watch the debate via live streaming can hear the entirety of the debate for themselves. I'll keep you posted!). Overall, I thought it was a fantastic debate, with no clear winner. I thought each of the tickets represented themselves very well and the debate helped better define each of the tickets in terms of how they're presenting themselves to the students. KaLeigh and Alicia are selling continuity and experience, Tom and Blake are all about experience and new ideas and David and Katie are a new direction for NISG that will place an emphasis on voicing the opinions of students.
There were some interesting moments in the debate, like when one student question asked the candidates which part of their platform was most unrealistic and why they chose to include it. Tom and Blake answered with the automatic light switches in each building, David and Katie responded with open housing and bathrooms across campus and KaLeigh and Alicia admitted it would be the additional late night run of the Panther Shuttle. Quite a few of the questions simply called upon the candidates to reiterate sections of their platform, but I think even those questions allowed us to see how familiar the candidates were with their platforms and whether or not they really even knew what they were talking about.
Some recurring themes from the debate were the stigma surrounding NISG as intimidating and unwelcoming to those who are not involved, supporting students and ensuring that their voice is heard in the university matters that affect them and the overall goal of making UNI and NISG more diverse and, in turn, inclusive communities. It is clear that all of the candidates are aware that NISG, in the wake of last year's program cuts and the enusing controversy, is in a position now where it is becoming increasingly insulated from the rest of the campus and this needs to change, sooner rather than later.
Closing Remarks
David and Katie
- Change is good, and they have a vision for the future of UNI.
- They are passionate about students and want student government to be open to all students, especially the minorities whose voices have been marginalized.
- They've been working towards these goals since they stepped on this campus.
- You can choose the same or you can choose something different.
Tom and Blake
- They love UNI and they want all students, both present and future, to have the same amazing experience that they've had at this university.
- They want to serve students and work with the faculty and administration.
- They want to reach out to students and get their opinions because students are what make this campus great. Students are what make this campus home.
KaLeigh and Alicia
- They want to be a voice for students, but we can only extend our hand and it is up to you to take it. Everyone needs to work together.
- Their platform is feasible and achievable, with an emphasis on quality over quantity.
- Their passion for the university has grown through their work with NISG and they want every student to feel involved and informed.
And there you have it. Who won? I can't quite decide, to be honest, and part of me feels compelled to refrain from tabbing any of the candidates as a loser in this debate. Each ticket took the stage and laid out what their campaign is all about, and I'm not sure what more could've been asked of them. I'm sure you could find nitpicks in how some of the candidates handled themselves (i.e. Tom and Blake standing up for each question), but overall I was satisfied with how the tickets presented their arguments.
What about you? For those of you who saw the debate, what do you think? Who impressed you the most? Let's hear it in the comments!
Each ticket was asked a specific question prepared beforehand, with the other two tickets being allotted time to answer the question as well, before opening up for the floor to student questions. So how'd it go?
1st Question: "Your campaigning style has caught the eye of many people on campus, with the handing out of condoms and your most recent drag video. Some people however may argue that it's a "get-up" and that it's unprofessional. How can you prove to us that both are not just attention seeking, and that you will be able to represent the student body in a professional manner?"
David and Katie
- The condoms were something practical and useful, and highlighted an important area of their platform.
- The video was a light-hearted and honest attempt to express their passions and ideas, especially in terms of gender identity, but they can understand if people did not like it.
- But they do feel that a clear double standard does exist and that no one would be asking these kinds of questions if they were wearing gender norm clothing.
- They want everyone to know that they take themselves, their gender identities and the voices of all students seriously.
- "I spent half my life in the closet, I'm not going back in." - David
Tom and Blake
- They both take this job and this opportunity very seriously.
- They've been involved and work with a number of different student organizations and believe that their experience outside of NISG will help them represent all of the students on this campus.
- Both of them have worked hard on their platform and will continue to keep students informed on their goals and ideas for the future of the university.
KaLeigh and Alicia
- They commended David and Katie for their video and complimented it as a unique approach to their campaign.
2nd Question: "Inclusivity is one of three important areas of your platform. How, specifically, do you intend to help make UNI and NISG a more inclusive community?"
Tom and Blake
- Diversity has become such an overused word that it leaves a lot of different student groups out, and they want everyone to feel included.
- They are passionate about helping the LGBT community, veterans and students with disabilities.
- They talked about NISG sponsoring Unity Week and holding workshops where our differences are celebrated, rather than focusing on the prejudices.
- They would like to see immediate funding available to student organizations hosting events where accommodations for students with disabilities are needed.
David and Katie
- Katie talked about her experiences as a Resident Assistant in Campbell Hall and how her job is basically to build a sense of community.
- What sets them apart is their passion for this campus. Katie mentioned increasing pride through athletics, explaining that part of the reason she came to UNI was because it was the smallest of the three state schools but still had a prominent athletics program.
- David talked about automatic funding for events in need of disabilities accommodations, similar to Tom and Blake.
KaLeigh and Alicia
- Alicia talked about how her experience as Director of Diversity and Student Life and her previous role in the lower cabinet has informed her belief that diversity is a wide range of differences.
- Alicia posed a rebuttal question for Tom and Blake: Inclusion refers to proactive behaviors that make students feel welcome. Are you not distancing yourself from the problem by focusing on inclusivity and distancing yourself from diversity?
Tom and Blake's Response: Diversity has a negative stigma, and it only makes students think of a few groups. They want to steer away from that and get students thinking about inclusivity, rather than the same old diversity. That is not to say diversity isn't important. We are all different, but we all have something in common too. That is where inclusivity comes in.
3rd Question: "Much of your platform appears to be a continuation of the current administration's goals. What specific new ideas are you bringing to the table next year?"
KaLeigh and Alicia
- They do have new ideas, but will concede that most of their ideas are focused on expanding and improving what they've seen from previous administrations
- Part of why KaLeigh is running again is because she has seen too many ideas and initiatives lost in the shuffle of a transition between administrations. They believe their NISG Strategic Plan will help alleviate the complications of transitioning from one administration to another.
- They want to see their goals and initiatives to reach their fullest potential.
- Their platform is not extensive, but they know what they want to do and how to do it
David and Katie
- They are both transparent, both about themselves and their identities, and that is something they'd like to carry into office, because student voices are most important to them.
- They cited the Student Voice App and the Presidential Petition as examples of how they intend to accomplish their goal of providing a voice for students.
Tom and Blake
- Their platform has a lot of new ideas that they'd like to try and they're not interested in doing the same old stuff, because there is always room for improvement.
- Both cited their experience in NISG and their relationships with different student organizations and faculty members across campus as reasons why they can succeed as a one-term administration.
There were several student questions, but I won't go through them all here for the sake of time and length (I believe there is an audio recording of the debate and I'm hoping to be able to upload it soon, so those who could not attend or watch the debate via live streaming can hear the entirety of the debate for themselves. I'll keep you posted!). Overall, I thought it was a fantastic debate, with no clear winner. I thought each of the tickets represented themselves very well and the debate helped better define each of the tickets in terms of how they're presenting themselves to the students. KaLeigh and Alicia are selling continuity and experience, Tom and Blake are all about experience and new ideas and David and Katie are a new direction for NISG that will place an emphasis on voicing the opinions of students.
There were some interesting moments in the debate, like when one student question asked the candidates which part of their platform was most unrealistic and why they chose to include it. Tom and Blake answered with the automatic light switches in each building, David and Katie responded with open housing and bathrooms across campus and KaLeigh and Alicia admitted it would be the additional late night run of the Panther Shuttle. Quite a few of the questions simply called upon the candidates to reiterate sections of their platform, but I think even those questions allowed us to see how familiar the candidates were with their platforms and whether or not they really even knew what they were talking about.
Some recurring themes from the debate were the stigma surrounding NISG as intimidating and unwelcoming to those who are not involved, supporting students and ensuring that their voice is heard in the university matters that affect them and the overall goal of making UNI and NISG more diverse and, in turn, inclusive communities. It is clear that all of the candidates are aware that NISG, in the wake of last year's program cuts and the enusing controversy, is in a position now where it is becoming increasingly insulated from the rest of the campus and this needs to change, sooner rather than later.
Closing Remarks
David and Katie
- Change is good, and they have a vision for the future of UNI.
- They are passionate about students and want student government to be open to all students, especially the minorities whose voices have been marginalized.
- They've been working towards these goals since they stepped on this campus.
- You can choose the same or you can choose something different.
Tom and Blake
- They love UNI and they want all students, both present and future, to have the same amazing experience that they've had at this university.
- They want to serve students and work with the faculty and administration.
- They want to reach out to students and get their opinions because students are what make this campus great. Students are what make this campus home.
KaLeigh and Alicia
- They want to be a voice for students, but we can only extend our hand and it is up to you to take it. Everyone needs to work together.
- Their platform is feasible and achievable, with an emphasis on quality over quantity.
- Their passion for the university has grown through their work with NISG and they want every student to feel involved and informed.
And there you have it. Who won? I can't quite decide, to be honest, and part of me feels compelled to refrain from tabbing any of the candidates as a loser in this debate. Each ticket took the stage and laid out what their campaign is all about, and I'm not sure what more could've been asked of them. I'm sure you could find nitpicks in how some of the candidates handled themselves (i.e. Tom and Blake standing up for each question), but overall I was satisfied with how the tickets presented their arguments.
What about you? For those of you who saw the debate, what do you think? Who impressed you the most? Let's hear it in the comments!
Tom and Blake Respond to Platform Analysis
Tom and Blake have posted a video on YouTube addressing the concerns and criticisms that I raised when I analyzed their platform. You could criticize them for spending so much time on the opinion of one person, but I must admit, I'm impressed. As candidates for president and vice president, you have to be able to take feedback and criticism and respond, and they've done just that. I encourage you to watch the video (which you can see below), especially if you took the time to read my platform analysis, and hear what Tom and Blake have to say. If anything, my platform analyses are intended to help the candidates identify weak points in their platform or points that might need clarification. I challenged them to be more specific in some of their planks and they've answered the call.
A Response
There has been quite a bit of backlash on Facebook, Twitter and the comments section of this blog stemming from the opinion stated in a recent blog post, "Why So Not Serious?" In this post, I criticized the recent campaign music video from David and Katie for being unprofessional, in my opinion. Several people disagreed with this opinion, and a few of them expressed their own personal views on the topic, which were contrary to my own, in a polite and respectful manner. Unfortunately, not everyone chose that route, and I have found myself the target of a number of different accusations from people who would rather attack my character than simply disagree with my argument.
Last night, in response to these accusations, I posted the following status to Facebook. I am sharing it here now for those of you who are not my friend on Facebook:
I will not be commenting on the recent release of KaLeigh and Alicia's new campaign video, because doing so would, unfortunately, continue a conversation I'm frankly no longer comfortable having. I would've loved to have had a civil, intelligent debate about the professionalism of campaign videos, but very few people seem interested in doing that. Instead, people have resorted to condemning me, attacking my character and throwing out deplorable accusations that are simply not true. You are free to express your views and opinions about KaLeigh and Alicia's campaign video in the comments below, but I will be excusing myself from the conversation.
I agreed to do this blog because I think NISG is important and I feel like this blog is a great forum for students to be informed about student government and engage in thoughtful discussion about the issues that matter to them most.
I stand by what I said in my previous post and you are free to disagree with me, but I'm not going to add more fuel to the fire when clearly people are not willing to listen to reason. It's just not worth it. Nothing in my post was meant to be ignorant or hateful and I truly am sorry that some people got that impression. But I also find it disappointing that, in an election where "Every Student Voice Matters" has become a rallying cry, that one student voicing his opinion has resulted in what ultimately feels like a witch hunt.
You have a voice. I implore you to use it. Not to bash or insult the character of other people, but to voice your beliefs and opinions. You can start by voting in the election on Tuesday. I can talk all I want on this blog about what I think, but what really matters is what you think and who you want as your student leaders.
I will continue to provide coverage of the election over the next few days to the best of my abilities. A recap of last night's debate will be posted later this afternoon. I hope we can all set aside our differences and remember that this election is not about the opinion of a single student. It is about finding the two candidates most qualified to lead and represent the students of this campus. Thank you for reading.
Last night, in response to these accusations, I posted the following status to Facebook. I am sharing it here now for those of you who are not my friend on Facebook:
I am not a homophobe. I have no problem with people who identify as homosexual. None whatsoever. It breaks my heart to even have to defend myself on this issue, but I feel like something has to be said because the personal attacks on my character are getting ridiculous. In a recent blog post, titled "Why So Not Serious?", I did not attack the candidates. I criticized a campaign tactic. And because of it, I've been called small-minded, a suppressor of self-expression, a homophobe, a gay basher and a number of other things I don't care to include here. Most of the people making these accusations don't even know me. They're basing they're opinion of me off a single blog post.I feel I need to remind everyone that this is a blog. And on this blog, I provide coverage of the election and express my opinions on the candidates and their campaigns and platforms. My opinion is not gospel, and I've never pretended that it is. You are free to disagree with me, but I please ask that you do so in a respectful manner. I respect your opinion and I believe everyone is entitled to theirs. All I'm asking for is the same treatment.
If you are among the people who believe these accusations to be true, I invite you to message or call or e-mail or even Tweet at me. We'll go get lunch. Maybe a cup of coffee. And we'll chat. We'll have a civilized discussion. You think I'm a bigot? Find out for yourself. Get to know me. But I'm done sitting here and listening to people attack my character because they simply disagreed with my opinion.
I will not be commenting on the recent release of KaLeigh and Alicia's new campaign video, because doing so would, unfortunately, continue a conversation I'm frankly no longer comfortable having. I would've loved to have had a civil, intelligent debate about the professionalism of campaign videos, but very few people seem interested in doing that. Instead, people have resorted to condemning me, attacking my character and throwing out deplorable accusations that are simply not true. You are free to express your views and opinions about KaLeigh and Alicia's campaign video in the comments below, but I will be excusing myself from the conversation.
I agreed to do this blog because I think NISG is important and I feel like this blog is a great forum for students to be informed about student government and engage in thoughtful discussion about the issues that matter to them most.
I stand by what I said in my previous post and you are free to disagree with me, but I'm not going to add more fuel to the fire when clearly people are not willing to listen to reason. It's just not worth it. Nothing in my post was meant to be ignorant or hateful and I truly am sorry that some people got that impression. But I also find it disappointing that, in an election where "Every Student Voice Matters" has become a rallying cry, that one student voicing his opinion has resulted in what ultimately feels like a witch hunt.
You have a voice. I implore you to use it. Not to bash or insult the character of other people, but to voice your beliefs and opinions. You can start by voting in the election on Tuesday. I can talk all I want on this blog about what I think, but what really matters is what you think and who you want as your student leaders.
I will continue to provide coverage of the election over the next few days to the best of my abilities. A recap of last night's debate will be posted later this afternoon. I hope we can all set aside our differences and remember that this election is not about the opinion of a single student. It is about finding the two candidates most qualified to lead and represent the students of this campus. Thank you for reading.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Blake or Blake?
There are appears to be some confusion about which Blake is writing for this blog and which Blake is running for student body vice president.
If you were under the belief that vice presidential candidate Blake Findley was the Blake writing this blog, I'm afraid you are sadly mistaken. Because Blake Findley is an academic writer for the Northern Iowan, several people have been under the impression that he is the Blake in charge of this blog, when in fact it is Blake Ruane (an opinion columnist for the NI) who writes for this blog.
To clarify:
Blake FINDLEY is running for student body vice president.
Blake RUANE is writing for this blog.
Hopefully this clears up any confusion. Apologies to Blake Findley! It is the unfortunate price of having a common name, I suppose.
A debate recap will be up tomorrow afternoon! Don't forget to vote in the poll!
If you were under the belief that vice presidential candidate Blake Findley was the Blake writing this blog, I'm afraid you are sadly mistaken. Because Blake Findley is an academic writer for the Northern Iowan, several people have been under the impression that he is the Blake in charge of this blog, when in fact it is Blake Ruane (an opinion columnist for the NI) who writes for this blog.
To clarify:
Blake FINDLEY is running for student body vice president.
Blake RUANE is writing for this blog.
Hopefully this clears up any confusion. Apologies to Blake Findley! It is the unfortunate price of having a common name, I suppose.
A debate recap will be up tomorrow afternoon! Don't forget to vote in the poll!
NISG Election Debate Live Stream!
Can't make it to Maucker Union? Look no further! We are live streaming the debate! Don't forget to Tweet your candidate questions to either @BromissionerUNI or @NIonNISG.
Live streaming by Ustream Video feed and equipment courtesy of UNI Freethinkers and Inquirers!
Live streaming by Ustream Video feed and equipment courtesy of UNI Freethinkers and Inquirers!
Trolls And Pundits
If you've followed NISG elections in the past, then you're probably familiar with the @Panther_Pundit and the @NISGtroll, two anonymous Twitter accounts that become have staples during election season whether you like them or not. Opinion columnist Nate Konrardy of the Northern Iowan has written a column about the Panther Pundit and the NISG Troll, and you can read an excerpt below.
I posted this article because of its relevance to the election and because I think it brings up a good point about speaking your opinion and putting your name on it. Just because I'm running this blog does not mean that I am the authority on all things NISG or the election. You might not share my opinions on the candidates and their platforms, and that is perfectly ok. If anything, I encourage you to voice your opinion and be heard, because your issues and concerns do matter. And I would encourage you to do so without the guise of anonymity.
You can start by coming to the NISG Election Debate tonight at 5:30 p.m. in the Maucker Union Coffeehouse. Be there and come prepared with questions for the candidates! This is a great opportunity to have your voice be heard.
This year's Panther Pundit, though sporting the same username and picture as last year's, started their account from scratch. Either the Pundit's game has withered significantly over the last 11 months, or (most likely) this is a completely new Pundit riding the coattails of someone else's idea.
The NISG Troll came into existence last year shortly after the Panther Pundit started getting attention. The Troll adopted the persona similar to that of an angsty teen who just discovered his "e-balls" on 4chan.
For those unfamiliar with the term, "e-balls" refers to an individual who is willing to share their brash and hurtful comments as long as they are behind a keyboard and concealed by the veil of anonymity the Internet provides.You can read the rest of the article by clicking here. Konrardy goes on to discuss the appeal of commentary from anonymous Twitter accounts and whether or not we should be rewarding people with our attention for saying whatever they want without having to attach their face or name to it.
I posted this article because of its relevance to the election and because I think it brings up a good point about speaking your opinion and putting your name on it. Just because I'm running this blog does not mean that I am the authority on all things NISG or the election. You might not share my opinions on the candidates and their platforms, and that is perfectly ok. If anything, I encourage you to voice your opinion and be heard, because your issues and concerns do matter. And I would encourage you to do so without the guise of anonymity.
You can start by coming to the NISG Election Debate tonight at 5:30 p.m. in the Maucker Union Coffeehouse. Be there and come prepared with questions for the candidates! This is a great opportunity to have your voice be heard.
A note about the role of the NISG elections blog
Hello all,
Recently, it seems there is some confusion about this blog and its relationship to the Northern Iowan. Just to clarify a few points:
1. All opinions expressed on this blog belong to their authors alone. They do not reflect the official position of the Northern Iowan or its staff members.
2. This is a blog. Blog posts are not newspaper articles. This means that authors can express their opinions. Writers' opinions do not belong in news articles; that is called editorializing.
For example, if the NI were to run a newspaper article (outside the Opinion section) about David + Katie's recent video, the writer of that article would describe the video in an objective way, then interview several individuals with a variety of opinions about the video, giving none weight over the others. The writer's opinion would not appear in the article.
Because this is a blog, Blake is allowed to express his opinion, with the understanding that he is not speaking for the NI.
I edit most of the posts in the blog for grammar and spelling and the like, but I do not edit or change Blake's arguments and observations. Essentially, I edit them the same way the copy editor and I edit letters to the editor.
I feel I should have made these points more clear at the outset of this election cycle, since it has been a year since the last time we used the blog and two years since the concept of the NISG elections blog was introduced. I apologize for any confusion on that end.
I encourage you to engage (respectfully and constructively) with the blog and with Blake. Please feel free to contact me at braumank@uni.edu if you have any questions.
Kari Braumann
Executive editor
Recently, it seems there is some confusion about this blog and its relationship to the Northern Iowan. Just to clarify a few points:
1. All opinions expressed on this blog belong to their authors alone. They do not reflect the official position of the Northern Iowan or its staff members.
2. This is a blog. Blog posts are not newspaper articles. This means that authors can express their opinions. Writers' opinions do not belong in news articles; that is called editorializing.
For example, if the NI were to run a newspaper article (outside the Opinion section) about David + Katie's recent video, the writer of that article would describe the video in an objective way, then interview several individuals with a variety of opinions about the video, giving none weight over the others. The writer's opinion would not appear in the article.
Because this is a blog, Blake is allowed to express his opinion, with the understanding that he is not speaking for the NI.
I edit most of the posts in the blog for grammar and spelling and the like, but I do not edit or change Blake's arguments and observations. Essentially, I edit them the same way the copy editor and I edit letters to the editor.
I feel I should have made these points more clear at the outset of this election cycle, since it has been a year since the last time we used the blog and two years since the concept of the NISG elections blog was introduced. I apologize for any confusion on that end.
I encourage you to engage (respectfully and constructively) with the blog and with Blake. Please feel free to contact me at braumank@uni.edu if you have any questions.
Kari Braumann
Executive editor
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Website Analysis: White-Jessip
This is the third in a series of three posts analyzing campaign websites.
Address: http://kaleighandalicia.com/
The White-Jessip website is is packed full of professionalism and Panther pride, much like the website constructed for Jordan and KaLeigh during last year's NISG election. KaLeigh and Alicia are touting that they want to carry on what they've been doing this last year with a few new twists, and their website embodies this, as well. Just like the other two websites, I was able to view their site on my iPad and Android phone without any issues. (Props to all three campaigns having mobile sites! I think this is a first!)
What They Are Doing Uniquely
What They Are Doing Well
What They Could Do Better
Overall Thoughts
This is undoubtedly the best website of this campaign season. It is attractive, professional, and easy to navigate. KaLeigh made a smart choice by using the same web team that helped her and Jordan achieve victory last year.
Address: http://kaleighandalicia.com/
The White-Jessip website is is packed full of professionalism and Panther pride, much like the website constructed for Jordan and KaLeigh during last year's NISG election. KaLeigh and Alicia are touting that they want to carry on what they've been doing this last year with a few new twists, and their website embodies this, as well. Just like the other two websites, I was able to view their site on my iPad and Android phone without any issues. (Props to all three campaigns having mobile sites! I think this is a first!)
What They Are Doing Uniquely
- Campaign News - Throughout their campaign, KaLeigh and Alicia's website has had a variety of important links with big, bold pictures and buttons on their homepage. These links go to links relevant to UNI and the White-Jessip campaign. While I'm not sure I would have called this section Campaign News (because not all of the links have related 100% directly to the campaign), I really like that this website is giving students current and pertinent information right from the home page.
- Displaying Sponsors - While it is possible that the other campaigns didn't acquire sponsors for their campaign, I am glad that KaLeigh and Alicia are not only displaying their sponsors on one page, but all of their pages. This may have been part of the agreement between the White-Jessip campaign and these sponsors, but I also view this as another step toward transparency.
What They Are Doing Well
- Consistent Branding - The White-Jessip campaign has clearly established and consistent logo that is on absolutely all of their campaign materials (with the exception of the images on which they just use the secondary logo of Inform. Involve. Inspire.). The logo is well designed, professional, and easily read. The logo is even plastered across the top of their platform PDF. If a student has been paying any attention to the NISG elections this year, there is no doubt that they have seen this logo more than once.
- Black and White Poster - While all of the White-Jessip downloads are great (they even have an image for the new Twitter profile banner!), having a downloadable black and white poster is by far their best thing available. All students have access to free black and white printing on campus, so it is smart to have a downloadable poster that is optimized in grayscale so students can print off their own posters to put on places like residence hall doors.
What They Could Do Better
- Utilizing Space - The home page is laid out so well with big (but not too big) graphics and easy-to-navigate links. However, all of the other pages on the website are kind of a letdown for me from a design perspective because the right column is so poorly utilized. On some pages there is a link to tweet with the hashtag #NISGElections and a button to like their page on Facebook (which are great features to have), but I would have much preferred to see what is in the sea of purple at the bottom of the page in that column. This may be seen by some people as a design preference, but I feel like the Twitter feed is relevant enough to be placed higher on the page, so why not put it where there is space?
Overall Thoughts
This is undoubtedly the best website of this campaign season. It is attractive, professional, and easy to navigate. KaLeigh made a smart choice by using the same web team that helped her and Jordan achieve victory last year.
NISG Election Debate
The debate is almost upon us! Tomorrow night, at 5:30 p.m. in the Maucker Union Coffeehouse, all three tickets will be in attendance for the NISG Election Debate. I will be co-moderating with Linh Ta, the news editor of the Northern Iowan, and Corey Cooling will preside over the debate as election commissioner.
How will it work? The candidates will answer questions from the moderators for a portion of the debate before we open up the floor and take some questions from the audience. So, if you're planning on attending, be sure to come prepared with a few general questions for the candidates! You can also tweet questions to Corey Cooling, whose Twitter handle, for the purposes of this election, is @BromissionerUNI.
This is an excellent opportunity for you to see the candidates live and in person and see how they handle themselves in a public forum. There are sure to be some tough questions, as well, so it will be very interesting to see how the candidates respond! You will also have the opportunity to maybe ask a question, so be sure to keep yourself informed by visiting the candidates' website or reading through our platform analyses, candidate interviews and website critiques for more information.
If you are unable to attend, there will be someone live-tweeting the debate, but I will try to have more specific information about that posted here for you tomorrow. I hope to see a lot of people there! Spread the word!
How will it work? The candidates will answer questions from the moderators for a portion of the debate before we open up the floor and take some questions from the audience. So, if you're planning on attending, be sure to come prepared with a few general questions for the candidates! You can also tweet questions to Corey Cooling, whose Twitter handle, for the purposes of this election, is @BromissionerUNI.
This is an excellent opportunity for you to see the candidates live and in person and see how they handle themselves in a public forum. There are sure to be some tough questions, as well, so it will be very interesting to see how the candidates respond! You will also have the opportunity to maybe ask a question, so be sure to keep yourself informed by visiting the candidates' website or reading through our platform analyses, candidate interviews and website critiques for more information.
If you are unable to attend, there will be someone live-tweeting the debate, but I will try to have more specific information about that posted here for you tomorrow. I hope to see a lot of people there! Spread the word!
Why So Not Serious?
You'll recall that, earlier this week, this blog reported on David and Katie handing out campaign condoms to students in the Union in an attempt to grab the attention of voters, for better or for worse. Well, they're at it again, but this time they've decided to branch out in the form of a campaign video, which you can view below.
Before I talk about this video, I want first to be clear, I have no problem with men and/or women dressing up in drag and dancing to will.i.am's "Scream & Shout." I'm all for freedom of expression and if that means dressing up in drag and dancing across campus, I'm not going to stop you. You have that right.
With that said, this campaign video has no place in a student government election.
Allow me to explain. During the first week and a half of this election, David and Katie have made it clear that they're different. Different from the other candidates, previous administrations and a lot of the students at this university, but they're not ashamed of it, nor should they be. They've talked about wanting to be a voice for students, rather than a megaphone for the administration, and they are passionate about making minority groups a priority in student government. More than anything, they want to be taken seriously.
But after watching this video, I can't help but question that last part. These two individuals are in the running for student body president and vice president. Their responsibilities, if elected, will include, but not be limited to, creating a $2 million Student Services Fee budget and representing the student body to the mayor, governor and other important people. And their idea of proving to voters that they're the most capable candidates to handle those responsibilities is an amateur music video? While other candidates have used their campaign videos to introduce themselves and talk about their qualifications and specific plans and ideas for the future of UNI, David and Katie dressed up in drag and danced across campus, with text from their platform appearing at different intervals.
They can't be serious. In fact, some students, myself included, have wondered if David and Katie really believe that they can win this election, and aren't simply using it as a platform to raise awareness about their issues and get the conversation going. I'm not saying that this is the case, but it certainly looks that way to some people. Because as much as David and Katie claim to be a voice for the students, the only views they seem to be interested in expressing are their own. It is fine if drag is the outlet David and Katie use to express themselves, but when you're student body president and vice president, you're not in that position to express yourself. You are there to express the needs and concerns of everyone else. And is a drag performance really representative of the whole student body?
More than anything, I'm disappointed. This video mocks what this election is all about. Being student body president and vice president is not a joke. Yes, not everyone cares about NISG, but if you're running for a position, you need to take it seriously. And if you think a music video is the key to winning this election, then you're running for all the wrong reasons. This is not a popularity contest. This about finding and electing candidates who are qualified to represent and make important decisions on behalf of the entire student body.
I understand that David and Katie are different and want to set themselves apart from the other candidates. But there is a difference between being different and being unprofessional.
With that said, this campaign video has no place in a student government election.
Allow me to explain. During the first week and a half of this election, David and Katie have made it clear that they're different. Different from the other candidates, previous administrations and a lot of the students at this university, but they're not ashamed of it, nor should they be. They've talked about wanting to be a voice for students, rather than a megaphone for the administration, and they are passionate about making minority groups a priority in student government. More than anything, they want to be taken seriously.
But after watching this video, I can't help but question that last part. These two individuals are in the running for student body president and vice president. Their responsibilities, if elected, will include, but not be limited to, creating a $2 million Student Services Fee budget and representing the student body to the mayor, governor and other important people. And their idea of proving to voters that they're the most capable candidates to handle those responsibilities is an amateur music video? While other candidates have used their campaign videos to introduce themselves and talk about their qualifications and specific plans and ideas for the future of UNI, David and Katie dressed up in drag and danced across campus, with text from their platform appearing at different intervals.
They can't be serious. In fact, some students, myself included, have wondered if David and Katie really believe that they can win this election, and aren't simply using it as a platform to raise awareness about their issues and get the conversation going. I'm not saying that this is the case, but it certainly looks that way to some people. Because as much as David and Katie claim to be a voice for the students, the only views they seem to be interested in expressing are their own. It is fine if drag is the outlet David and Katie use to express themselves, but when you're student body president and vice president, you're not in that position to express yourself. You are there to express the needs and concerns of everyone else. And is a drag performance really representative of the whole student body?
More than anything, I'm disappointed. This video mocks what this election is all about. Being student body president and vice president is not a joke. Yes, not everyone cares about NISG, but if you're running for a position, you need to take it seriously. And if you think a music video is the key to winning this election, then you're running for all the wrong reasons. This is not a popularity contest. This about finding and electing candidates who are qualified to represent and make important decisions on behalf of the entire student body.
I understand that David and Katie are different and want to set themselves apart from the other candidates. But there is a difference between being different and being unprofessional.
Platform Analysis - David and Katie
Quick Hits
Favorite Plank: "Petition The President Initiative. In order to keep UNI close to the students and to make sure no hot-button issue goes unresolved or unaddressed, we will start an initiative wherein a petition of 250 current UNI students would receive a response from our administration within one week of the petition being turned in."
Least Favorite Plank: "Fix Financial Aid. In our time here at UNI, we don't think we've met a single student who hasn't had an issue with their financial aid, and many have had recurring problems receiving the money they need to get an education. We will work to bring student concerns to the Financial Aid Office and see if we can solve any systemic problems so that students have access to their aid money with as little frustration and interference as possible."
Unique Plank: "Create A Student Voice App. As part of our promise to be the voice of the students, not the megaphone for the administration, we will create a Student Voice app that allows students to weigh in on important issues either online or through their mobile devices. We would regularly update the app with questions about bills and resolutions on the senate floor, as well as any major university decisions to give students a chance to give their input."
Platform Theme: They're different. You know it, they know it and they're not ashamed of it. In fact, they see it as a positive, never shying away from criticizing previous NISG administrations for acting on behalf of the university administration, rather than the student body. They see NISG as being flawed and want to draw attention to the issues that NISG has seemingly neglected, in their opinion.
Specific Analysis
Favorite Plank: "Petition The President Initiative. In order to keep UNI close to the students and to make sure no hot-button issue goes unresolved or unaddressed, we will start an initiative wherein a petition of 250 current UNI students would receive a response from our administration within one week of the petition being turned in."
Least Favorite Plank: "Fix Financial Aid. In our time here at UNI, we don't think we've met a single student who hasn't had an issue with their financial aid, and many have had recurring problems receiving the money they need to get an education. We will work to bring student concerns to the Financial Aid Office and see if we can solve any systemic problems so that students have access to their aid money with as little frustration and interference as possible."
Unique Plank: "Create A Student Voice App. As part of our promise to be the voice of the students, not the megaphone for the administration, we will create a Student Voice app that allows students to weigh in on important issues either online or through their mobile devices. We would regularly update the app with questions about bills and resolutions on the senate floor, as well as any major university decisions to give students a chance to give their input."
Platform Theme: They're different. You know it, they know it and they're not ashamed of it. In fact, they see it as a positive, never shying away from criticizing previous NISG administrations for acting on behalf of the university administration, rather than the student body. They see NISG as being flawed and want to draw attention to the issues that NISG has seemingly neglected, in their opinion.
Fight for Dead Days at UNI
Not going to happen. They can keep fighting for them, but I don't see them ever being implemented. It was even presented to the faculty senate this year and turned down.
Add Tables and Benches to Green Areas of Campus
The idea seems simple and achievable, but I'd like to know which specific areas they'd like to see these benches and tables added.
Student Cancellation
This one concerns me. Who in NISG will determine if weather conditions merit a campus-wide refusal by students to go to class? Will professors honor that refusal or count it as an unexcused absence? I think it sets a dangerous precedent and risks creating tension between the university administration and NISG.
No UNI Tuition Without Taking Classes
I can see where they're coming from on this one, but I don't see it happening. If you're enrolled, you pay tuition. And I don't see the university wanting to lose that tuition.
Political Involvement on Campus
This one is a no-brainer. More people need to stay informed and exercise their right to vote.
Create a "Student Voice" App
This sounds like a very interesting idea and a move towards getting students more involved by reaching them through technology. My only question would be the logistics of creating such an app.
Petition the President Initiative
They borrowed a page from President Barack Obama's playbook on this one and I love it. I think it provides a great avenue for students to have their issues and concerns addressed.
Fix Financial Aid
I'm sorry, but this one is absurd. I would hope that the full-time staff members and student employees of the Office of Financial Aid are doing everything within their power to streamline their services, and I have a hard time believing the candidates would be qualified to fix any "systemic problems." This plank is pandering, plain and simple.
LGBT Center
Out of the three tickets, this is one that I would count on to get it done. They have a vested interest and, as executive members of UNI Proud, they've been on the frontlines fighting for this one for a long time. This is clearly a high priority for them.
Offer Open Housing and Bathroom Options
I think this could cause more problems than it solves. Can anyone live in gender neutral housing? Would members of the LGBT community get priority placement?
Student Groups and Accommodations
I can't argue with this one. Better safe than sorry, as the saying goes.
Offer Free HIV Testing at the Student Health Center
I would think that the Student Health Center would already offer this if not for financial constraints, so I assume the sticking point here would be the cost of such testing.
Safe Space Ally Orientation
Another initiative that I can't argue with. But, as these types of planks begin to add up, I feel as if David and Katie are putting all their eggs in one basket. They advertise themselves as being a voice for students, but their platform seems focused on specific groups. They can't neglect the majority and expect to win this election.
Establish a Racial/Ethnic Diversity Orientation
Another no-brainer. I'm all for keeping everyone more informed.
Veterans' Issues
This isn't so much a plank as it is David and Katie expressing their support for veterans and the creation of the forthcoming veterans' center.
Women's Empowerment
Female condoms, self-defense classes and support for the Women's and Gender Studies program are what David and Katie have to offer in this regard. But the support for the Women's and Gender Studies seems more like a personal opinion and threatens to undermine the value of other minors.
Being A Sustainable, Green Campus
This is an area that is similar to the other candidates' platforms, but David and Katie do offer a few unique ideas, such as paperless professor evaluations and the presence of a regular farmer's market on campus.
Final Thoughts: David and Katie are different, that is for sure, but I fear they might be differentiating themselves a little bit too much. You can be different, but you have to be relatable too. I understand wanting to be a voice for the minorities they feel that NISG has neglected over the years, but you still need to put some effort towards the issues and concerns of the majority of students. I do have to give a lot of credit to David and Katie for keeping their platform simple and focusing on the issues that they know the most about, but that also exposes the limited scope of their platform. In addition to that, David and Katie do address a few issues that are popular among students, but those issues are more often than not ones that we won't see solved any time soon. David and Katie are clearly passionate about a lot of things and that is great news for people who share their concerns, but the real question lies in their ability to appeal to the masses.
What do you think?
Not going to happen. They can keep fighting for them, but I don't see them ever being implemented. It was even presented to the faculty senate this year and turned down.
Add Tables and Benches to Green Areas of Campus
The idea seems simple and achievable, but I'd like to know which specific areas they'd like to see these benches and tables added.
Student Cancellation
This one concerns me. Who in NISG will determine if weather conditions merit a campus-wide refusal by students to go to class? Will professors honor that refusal or count it as an unexcused absence? I think it sets a dangerous precedent and risks creating tension between the university administration and NISG.
No UNI Tuition Without Taking Classes
I can see where they're coming from on this one, but I don't see it happening. If you're enrolled, you pay tuition. And I don't see the university wanting to lose that tuition.
Political Involvement on Campus
This one is a no-brainer. More people need to stay informed and exercise their right to vote.
Create a "Student Voice" App
This sounds like a very interesting idea and a move towards getting students more involved by reaching them through technology. My only question would be the logistics of creating such an app.
Petition the President Initiative
They borrowed a page from President Barack Obama's playbook on this one and I love it. I think it provides a great avenue for students to have their issues and concerns addressed.
Fix Financial Aid
I'm sorry, but this one is absurd. I would hope that the full-time staff members and student employees of the Office of Financial Aid are doing everything within their power to streamline their services, and I have a hard time believing the candidates would be qualified to fix any "systemic problems." This plank is pandering, plain and simple.
LGBT Center
Out of the three tickets, this is one that I would count on to get it done. They have a vested interest and, as executive members of UNI Proud, they've been on the frontlines fighting for this one for a long time. This is clearly a high priority for them.
Offer Open Housing and Bathroom Options
I think this could cause more problems than it solves. Can anyone live in gender neutral housing? Would members of the LGBT community get priority placement?
Student Groups and Accommodations
I can't argue with this one. Better safe than sorry, as the saying goes.
Offer Free HIV Testing at the Student Health Center
I would think that the Student Health Center would already offer this if not for financial constraints, so I assume the sticking point here would be the cost of such testing.
Safe Space Ally Orientation
Another initiative that I can't argue with. But, as these types of planks begin to add up, I feel as if David and Katie are putting all their eggs in one basket. They advertise themselves as being a voice for students, but their platform seems focused on specific groups. They can't neglect the majority and expect to win this election.
Establish a Racial/Ethnic Diversity Orientation
Another no-brainer. I'm all for keeping everyone more informed.
Veterans' Issues
This isn't so much a plank as it is David and Katie expressing their support for veterans and the creation of the forthcoming veterans' center.
Women's Empowerment
Female condoms, self-defense classes and support for the Women's and Gender Studies program are what David and Katie have to offer in this regard. But the support for the Women's and Gender Studies seems more like a personal opinion and threatens to undermine the value of other minors.
Being A Sustainable, Green Campus
This is an area that is similar to the other candidates' platforms, but David and Katie do offer a few unique ideas, such as paperless professor evaluations and the presence of a regular farmer's market on campus.
Final Thoughts: David and Katie are different, that is for sure, but I fear they might be differentiating themselves a little bit too much. You can be different, but you have to be relatable too. I understand wanting to be a voice for the minorities they feel that NISG has neglected over the years, but you still need to put some effort towards the issues and concerns of the majority of students. I do have to give a lot of credit to David and Katie for keeping their platform simple and focusing on the issues that they know the most about, but that also exposes the limited scope of their platform. In addition to that, David and Katie do address a few issues that are popular among students, but those issues are more often than not ones that we won't see solved any time soon. David and Katie are clearly passionate about a lot of things and that is great news for people who share their concerns, but the real question lies in their ability to appeal to the masses.
What do you think?
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Platform Analysis - Tom and Blake
Quick Hits
Favorite Plank: "To make NISG members more accessible to students, we hope to include a "Meet NISG" section on the website. It will include biographies and pictures of all senators, executive officers and Supreme Court Justices. This will give a face to the names the students see and will allow for greater opportunities for students to recognize, and therefore engage, student government leaders."
Least Favorite Plank: "Adopt-A-Garden. Student organizations will have the opportunity to accept responsibility of particular locations on campus with regards to plant life and visual appeal. In return, advertisement for the organizations will be displayed."
Unique Plank: "We want to restart the UNI I Am A Hero award to recognize faculty, students and staff who go above and beyond in their work. Recognizing hard work will encourage further hard work. NISG should recognize efforts by university members to better UNI's community."
Platform Theme: Quantity over quality. Tom and Blake have a lot of ideas, some of them more thought out than others, but they've grouped their platform into three specific areas of concern and brainstormed a variety of possibilities. If KaLeigh and Alicia are the face of continuity, Tom and Blake are the face of change.
Specific Analysis
Website
I've said it before and I'll say it again: the website is a mess, and I'm glad to see that at least two of the tickets have made it a priority in their platform. I love the idea of putting headshots and bios on the website for each of the directors, because the current setup isn't very appealing. The reinstatement of UNI I Am A Hero is also an interesting idea and I'm all for initiatives that will bring recognition to the hardworking people of this campus. On the other hand, I don't foresee anyone posting on Rate-My-Employer or Rate-My-Landlord and I question whether executive officers will have the time to keep weekly vlogs and blogs.
Senate Meeting Minutes/Transcripts
I like this idea a lot, mostly because I love reading the Live Tweets from the @NIonNISG Twitter account after the senate meetings.
Presidential Roundtables
Great idea, in theory, but instituting it will be a nightmare. Good luck finding a night where the leaders of student organizations are all available to meet. And then, of course, they'll have to actually show up.
Public Forums/Survey Students
I like the initiative to find new avenues to hear student voices, but setting these up and getting students to actually participate will be the challenge.
Presentations at Student Organizations by NISG
This is just not feasible, in my humble opinion. There are hundreds of student organizations on this campus and, even if the candidates acknowledge that reaching all of them is unrealistic, the question becomes which organizations do get a presentation. You can't pick and choose without leaving more than a couple of student organizations feeling neglected.
Funding for Sustainable Projects
Tom and Blake want to set aside a portion of the NISG fund for sustainability projects from student organizations. But how much do you set aside? How will that be determined?
On-Campus Composting/Recycling
I like the idea of forming a committee to begin an inquiry into composting, but I wonder about the logistics of increasing recycling availability on campus. Recycling in every classroom creates extra work for the custodial staff and move-in and move-out days are already a nightmare, and bringing in extra dumpsters might add to the chaos.
Blue Zones Community
I'm a fan. The more students that are informed about the Blue Zones Project, the better.
Automatic Light Switches/Energy Audits
Good luck. I just don't see this one getting much traction. But then again, I could see the university maybe considering this for the renovated areas of Bartlett.
Low Energy Use Competition
This is an interesting idea that I think would help raise awareness among students, but one that I'd also like to hear more from the Residence Hall Association about.
Unity Week
I've said it before and I'll say it again: the website is a mess, and I'm glad to see that at least two of the tickets have made it a priority in their platform. I love the idea of putting headshots and bios on the website for each of the directors, because the current setup isn't very appealing. The reinstatement of UNI I Am A Hero is also an interesting idea and I'm all for initiatives that will bring recognition to the hardworking people of this campus. On the other hand, I don't foresee anyone posting on Rate-My-Employer or Rate-My-Landlord and I question whether executive officers will have the time to keep weekly vlogs and blogs.
Senate Meeting Minutes/Transcripts
I like this idea a lot, mostly because I love reading the Live Tweets from the @NIonNISG Twitter account after the senate meetings.
Presidential Roundtables
Great idea, in theory, but instituting it will be a nightmare. Good luck finding a night where the leaders of student organizations are all available to meet. And then, of course, they'll have to actually show up.
Public Forums/Survey Students
I like the initiative to find new avenues to hear student voices, but setting these up and getting students to actually participate will be the challenge.
Presentations at Student Organizations by NISG
This is just not feasible, in my humble opinion. There are hundreds of student organizations on this campus and, even if the candidates acknowledge that reaching all of them is unrealistic, the question becomes which organizations do get a presentation. You can't pick and choose without leaving more than a couple of student organizations feeling neglected.
Funding for Sustainable Projects
Tom and Blake want to set aside a portion of the NISG fund for sustainability projects from student organizations. But how much do you set aside? How will that be determined?
On-Campus Composting/Recycling
I like the idea of forming a committee to begin an inquiry into composting, but I wonder about the logistics of increasing recycling availability on campus. Recycling in every classroom creates extra work for the custodial staff and move-in and move-out days are already a nightmare, and bringing in extra dumpsters might add to the chaos.
Blue Zones Community
I'm a fan. The more students that are informed about the Blue Zones Project, the better.
Automatic Light Switches/Energy Audits
Good luck. I just don't see this one getting much traction. But then again, I could see the university maybe considering this for the renovated areas of Bartlett.
Low Energy Use Competition
This is an interesting idea that I think would help raise awareness among students, but one that I'd also like to hear more from the Residence Hall Association about.
Unity Week
I love that they've included this in their platform. Unity Week was a great idea, but the execution wasn't quite there, so I'm glad that this ticket is interested in investing in it again.
Inclusivity Workshops
I talked with Blake about these in our interview from last week and, to me, it sounded like something he has a lot of great ideas for and is passionate about. I think a partnership between the Student Involvement Center and the Center For Multicultural Education would be huge in making these workshops a success.
LGBT Center
This is a popular topic among the tickets, as I've mentioned before, and here the candidates mention meeting with the Dean of Students Office, but offer very little specific information on how they intend to implement this center.
Disabilities Services
I would be more impressed with the bullet point plan the candidates have laid out for increasing accessibility and awareness for students with disabilities if it provided a little more specifics. I have to wonder if increasing access to lower levels of Maucker Union is a feasible idea and I'm also curious what a "Universal Accessibility Checklist" is. They've got a lot of ideas, but I'm left wanting to know more.
Area Beautification/Adopt-A-Garden
I admire the attempt to make our campus more visually appealing, but you're going to be hard pressed to find a student organization that is going to want to adopt a plant. And I'm also not sure if our campus really needs beautification, especially on top of the Union. I'm curious, readers: is this campus ugly? Let's hear it in the comments.
Rollover Funding
I agree that the surplus of unused funding is a concern that needs to be addressed and I'm intrigued by the idea of a committee of students being commissioned to consider how it should be distributed to help better the campus.
Panther Points
This program flamed out under a previous administration and I'd be interested to hear how these candidates intend to avoid suffering the same fate.
Merit-Based Scholarships
Tom and Blake do a terrific job of illustrating the crisis with merit scholarships, but again, offer little in specifics on how to combat it, other than contacting the UNI Foundation. This seems to be a recurring theme with Tom and Blake. Lots of lofty goals, but little in the way of a specific plan of action.
Veterans Affairs
Clearly this has become a popular issue after last semester's attendance grievance and I'm not surprised that Tom, a member of the National Guard, would like to see it addressed, but I'm disappointed by his lack of specific ideas.
Greek Life
Improving campus relations between Fraternity and Sorority Life and the rest of the campus seems to be a priority for this ticket, given that they have a Greek Coordinator on their campaign team. But I'd be concerned about NISG using the rollover fund as an incentive for increased collaboration with members of Fraternity and Sorority Life.
Final Thoughts: Like I said at the top of the post, this platform screams quantity over quality. Do not misunderstand me though, there are some good ideas in this platform, but most of them are vague and can be improved with a more specific plan of action. I liked that Tom and Blake focused their platform into three different areas, but that still did not stop them from spreading themselves out and trying to cover a lot of ground, with mixed results.
This platform tells me that Tom and Blake are interested in trying a lot of new initiatives in NISG and are open to new ideas, but the logistics of some of their ideas is a big question mark. I give them credit for thinking outside the box and presenting new ideas, but I would ask that all voting students out there continue to question these candidates about the specifics of their planks.
I think both Tom and Blake have the experience and qualifications for their respective positions, but a dubious platform makes me nervous.
This platform tells me that Tom and Blake are interested in trying a lot of new initiatives in NISG and are open to new ideas, but the logistics of some of their ideas is a big question mark. I give them credit for thinking outside the box and presenting new ideas, but I would ask that all voting students out there continue to question these candidates about the specifics of their planks.
I think both Tom and Blake have the experience and qualifications for their respective positions, but a dubious platform makes me nervous.
What do you think?
Platform Analysis - KaLeigh and Alicia
Quick Hits
Favorite Plank: "We would like to explore the creation of the Freshman Forum. The purpose of this forum would be to allow freshman with leadership potential to gain experience working with other members of student government, as well as voice their opinions on how to improve the first-year experience at UNI."
Least Favorite Plank: "Following the discussions with public safety, communication was made with the city of Cedar Falls about the safety concerns [of 23rd Street]. The city is open to additional signage (i.e. another stop sign, pedestrian lights, etc.) but funding for the signage is not expected to be placed in the budget for another few years."
Unique Plank: "Given the unlikelihood of significantly increased hours in the Union and Library due to the extra funds required for building operation and staff, we would like to increase awareness of the Towers Center as an after hours study area."
Platform Theme: Continuity. Most of the planks are focused on continuing conversations and initiatives that have already been started by KaLeigh and current student body president Jordan Bancroft-Smithe.
Specific Analysis
Executive Branch and Senate Transparency
Opening up the lines of communication between NISG and the rest of the student body seems to be a hot topic for the candidates of this election, and I think KaLeigh and Alicia set some realistic goals here. The fact is, you can only inform those who want to be informed, and I think this ticket has a firm grasp of that concept.
Better Organization and Finance Committee Communication
This one is a no-brainer. Postponing meetings rather than cancelling them altogether will help ease the stress for student organizations requesting funding.
Suggestion Box Promotion
I must admit, I'm not a fan of this one. If someone has a suggestion, why couldn't they just email or speak directly with one of the directors in the office? A suggestion box is a nice idea, in theory, but is anyone really going to use it?
President's Column in the Northern Iowan
I love the columns, but they do seem kind of tedious and repetitive after a while.
Improvement of the NISG Website
This is a must. That website is a mess. There is far too much information that is outdated and some pages have even been left blank. I do the like the idea of video tutorials for student organizations on how to request funding.
Building a Relationship With the New President
Again, this one is a no-brainer. But all of the candidates are on an even keel with this one since William Ruud won't take office for another few months.
Freshman Involvement
This is my favorite plank, as I mentioned above. If you're going to change student mentality about student government, you have to start with the freshmen. I love the idea of a Freshman Forum, because it allows them to interact early on with the members of NISG and also voice their opinions.
The NISG Strategic Plan
Improving the transition between administrations is great, but this is an internal matter and I don't see your casual voter caring about the transitioning process. I'm not trying to undermine what they're doing, but this feels like the candidates padding their resume.
Large Calendar of Events in Union
I love the idea. But will it ever be happen? And where would you put it?
Cheaper and Healthier Meal Options in the Union
Another example of KaLeigh and Alicia continuing a conversation started by Jordan and KaLeigh and taking advantage of an already established relationship. Kudos to them.
23rd Street Safety
Anywhere on campus where there are students walking and people driving is going to be dangerous. More signage isn't going to change that, especially if funding is years away.
Extended Commuter Parking
This is another continued conversation and another simple, realistic goal. Rather than aiming high, KaLeigh and Alicia are shooting low and going for the sure bets. Not a bad route to go, but you also run the risk of putting your voters to sleep.
Panther Shuttle Expansion
I like this idea. Students still attend classes after 5 p.m., so why shouldn't the Panther Shuttle still be running? But funding will be the issue here.
Incentive to Purchase Dining Dollars
I don't see this as being important to students. To me, this seems more like something that will benefit the Department of Residence more than anyone else.
Service Organizations
KaLeigh serves as a committee chair with the Service and Leadership Programs in the Student Involvement Center. This is an excellent example of using your connections to your advantage. A partnership between these two entities would be mutually beneficial.
Fraternity & Sorority Life
Most of the issues that KaLeigh and Alicia raise in terms of Fraternity & Sorority Life seem to be internal problems within Greek Life, which makes me wonder how much of a difference NISG can really make. I'd feel better about this plank if they had endorsements from leaders within Greek Life, because their cooperation is going to be essential.
Diversity
Diversity is another huge talking point in this election and, with Alicia currently serving as Director of Diversity and Student Life, this ticket is well-versed on this issue, and it shows in their platform. But some of these are no-brainers. Increased accommodations for students with disabilities, a permanent help center for veterans and a center for the LGBT community are almost requirements for a serious election platform. But their strength lies in multicultural awareness, where I'm intrigued by the idea of resurrecting the Multicultural Student Advisory Board. Diversity covers almost two pages of their platform and it is clear that they've placed an emphasis on this area of their platform.
Academics
KaLeigh's experience with the faculty senate is a sticking point, because that relationship could be an important one going forward, especially with the tension between the faculty and administration. I also appreciate the mention of advertising the Towers Center for after hours studying. It might seem like a small issue, but I look at it as a nice touch.
Green Initiatives
This is another big topic among the candidates. What sets this plank apart from the others is RecycleMania, a program being instituted by Jordan and KaLeigh's Director of Environmental Affairs. All of the candidates can talk about increasing the use of recycling and composting, but KaLeigh has something to show for it.
Final Thoughts: KaLeigh and Alicia have set reasonable goals for themselves and placed an emphasis on continuing the ideas and initiatives begun by Jordan and KaLeigh. Their selling point is that their current positions in NISG would provide a smooth transition next year and allow them to finish what they started, rather than a new administration starting over with their own ideas. What I like about this platform is that KaLeigh and Alicia are realistic about what they want to accomplish and, rather than attempting to blow you away with big ideas, they're choosing quality over quantity. But with that said, I do have to criticize them for playing it safe. KaLeigh is the incumbent, so to speak, so it makes sense for them to not preach too much change, but there isn't anything on their platform that knocks my socks off, which is a little disappointing. They've got experience and a realistic approach, but will a humdrum platform win over voters? We'll have to wait and see.
What do you think?
Favorite Plank: "We would like to explore the creation of the Freshman Forum. The purpose of this forum would be to allow freshman with leadership potential to gain experience working with other members of student government, as well as voice their opinions on how to improve the first-year experience at UNI."
Least Favorite Plank: "Following the discussions with public safety, communication was made with the city of Cedar Falls about the safety concerns [of 23rd Street]. The city is open to additional signage (i.e. another stop sign, pedestrian lights, etc.) but funding for the signage is not expected to be placed in the budget for another few years."
Unique Plank: "Given the unlikelihood of significantly increased hours in the Union and Library due to the extra funds required for building operation and staff, we would like to increase awareness of the Towers Center as an after hours study area."
Platform Theme: Continuity. Most of the planks are focused on continuing conversations and initiatives that have already been started by KaLeigh and current student body president Jordan Bancroft-Smithe.
Executive Branch and Senate Transparency
Opening up the lines of communication between NISG and the rest of the student body seems to be a hot topic for the candidates of this election, and I think KaLeigh and Alicia set some realistic goals here. The fact is, you can only inform those who want to be informed, and I think this ticket has a firm grasp of that concept.
Better Organization and Finance Committee Communication
This one is a no-brainer. Postponing meetings rather than cancelling them altogether will help ease the stress for student organizations requesting funding.
Suggestion Box Promotion
I must admit, I'm not a fan of this one. If someone has a suggestion, why couldn't they just email or speak directly with one of the directors in the office? A suggestion box is a nice idea, in theory, but is anyone really going to use it?
President's Column in the Northern Iowan
I love the columns, but they do seem kind of tedious and repetitive after a while.
Improvement of the NISG Website
This is a must. That website is a mess. There is far too much information that is outdated and some pages have even been left blank. I do the like the idea of video tutorials for student organizations on how to request funding.
Building a Relationship With the New President
Again, this one is a no-brainer. But all of the candidates are on an even keel with this one since William Ruud won't take office for another few months.
Freshman Involvement
This is my favorite plank, as I mentioned above. If you're going to change student mentality about student government, you have to start with the freshmen. I love the idea of a Freshman Forum, because it allows them to interact early on with the members of NISG and also voice their opinions.
The NISG Strategic Plan
Improving the transition between administrations is great, but this is an internal matter and I don't see your casual voter caring about the transitioning process. I'm not trying to undermine what they're doing, but this feels like the candidates padding their resume.
Large Calendar of Events in Union
I love the idea. But will it ever be happen? And where would you put it?
Cheaper and Healthier Meal Options in the Union
Another example of KaLeigh and Alicia continuing a conversation started by Jordan and KaLeigh and taking advantage of an already established relationship. Kudos to them.
23rd Street Safety
Anywhere on campus where there are students walking and people driving is going to be dangerous. More signage isn't going to change that, especially if funding is years away.
Extended Commuter Parking
This is another continued conversation and another simple, realistic goal. Rather than aiming high, KaLeigh and Alicia are shooting low and going for the sure bets. Not a bad route to go, but you also run the risk of putting your voters to sleep.
Panther Shuttle Expansion
I like this idea. Students still attend classes after 5 p.m., so why shouldn't the Panther Shuttle still be running? But funding will be the issue here.
Incentive to Purchase Dining Dollars
I don't see this as being important to students. To me, this seems more like something that will benefit the Department of Residence more than anyone else.
Service Organizations
KaLeigh serves as a committee chair with the Service and Leadership Programs in the Student Involvement Center. This is an excellent example of using your connections to your advantage. A partnership between these two entities would be mutually beneficial.
Fraternity & Sorority Life
Most of the issues that KaLeigh and Alicia raise in terms of Fraternity & Sorority Life seem to be internal problems within Greek Life, which makes me wonder how much of a difference NISG can really make. I'd feel better about this plank if they had endorsements from leaders within Greek Life, because their cooperation is going to be essential.
Diversity
Diversity is another huge talking point in this election and, with Alicia currently serving as Director of Diversity and Student Life, this ticket is well-versed on this issue, and it shows in their platform. But some of these are no-brainers. Increased accommodations for students with disabilities, a permanent help center for veterans and a center for the LGBT community are almost requirements for a serious election platform. But their strength lies in multicultural awareness, where I'm intrigued by the idea of resurrecting the Multicultural Student Advisory Board. Diversity covers almost two pages of their platform and it is clear that they've placed an emphasis on this area of their platform.
Academics
KaLeigh's experience with the faculty senate is a sticking point, because that relationship could be an important one going forward, especially with the tension between the faculty and administration. I also appreciate the mention of advertising the Towers Center for after hours studying. It might seem like a small issue, but I look at it as a nice touch.
Green Initiatives
This is another big topic among the candidates. What sets this plank apart from the others is RecycleMania, a program being instituted by Jordan and KaLeigh's Director of Environmental Affairs. All of the candidates can talk about increasing the use of recycling and composting, but KaLeigh has something to show for it.
Final Thoughts: KaLeigh and Alicia have set reasonable goals for themselves and placed an emphasis on continuing the ideas and initiatives begun by Jordan and KaLeigh. Their selling point is that their current positions in NISG would provide a smooth transition next year and allow them to finish what they started, rather than a new administration starting over with their own ideas. What I like about this platform is that KaLeigh and Alicia are realistic about what they want to accomplish and, rather than attempting to blow you away with big ideas, they're choosing quality over quantity. But with that said, I do have to criticize them for playing it safe. KaLeigh is the incumbent, so to speak, so it makes sense for them to not preach too much change, but there isn't anything on their platform that knocks my socks off, which is a little disappointing. They've got experience and a realistic approach, but will a humdrum platform win over voters? We'll have to wait and see.
What do you think?
Monday, February 18, 2013
Campaign Condoms
Well, this is a first.
If you're in Maucker Union this afternoon, be sure to stop by David and Katie's table by Chats and pick up a couple condoms, courtesy of their campaign.
If you're in Maucker Union this afternoon, be sure to stop by David and Katie's table by Chats and pick up a couple condoms, courtesy of their campaign.
(Photo courtesy of Pope-Grassi Campaign)
A bold and interesting tactic, for sure, but one that I shouldn't be surprised to see from this particular campaign. Both candidates are very open about their sexuality and refuse to shy away from conversations that others might consider to be taboo, so this fits right in with their goals to push the envelope and get people talking.
Frankly, I love it. I mean, if anything, it is a nice change of pace from the flood of t-shirts and buttons that we see being handed out by campaign teams every year. KaLeigh and Alicia even handed out valentines on Valentine's Day last Thursday, so I admire the ingenuity these campaigns are showing in trying to get their name out in unique ways.
I also finally managed to spot a David and Katie poster on campus near the end of last week, which you can see below. As you probably already read in my interview with David, David and Katie failed to get a recognized student organization for their campaign, so they've had to rely on the goodwill of other already-established student organizations to help get their materials out, which explains the delay.
Later today, I'll begin posting my analysis of each campaigns' platforms and Morgan will also be finishing up her critiques of the campaigns' websites, so be sure to check back soon!
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Website Analysis: Madsen-Findley
This is the second in a series of three posts analyzing campaign websites.
Address: http://www.tomandblake.com/
The Madsen-Findley website is being hosted on Weebly, which allows for easy website construction and edits. The team chose a clean, professional theme for the site that has a nice navigation bar and is easily viewable on my iPad and as a mobile site on my Android phone. The background is the classic, deep panther purple for the background (although the purples across their campaign media don't match - this is possibly me just being a nitpicky designer).
What They Are Doing Uniquely
What They Are Doing Well
What They Could Do Better
The Madsen-Findley website is being hosted on Weebly, which allows for easy website construction and edits. The team chose a clean, professional theme for the site that has a nice navigation bar and is easily viewable on my iPad and as a mobile site on my Android phone. The background is the classic, deep panther purple for the background (although the purples across their campaign media don't match - this is possibly me just being a nitpicky designer).
What They Are Doing Uniquely
- Campaign Team - I really like seeing a campaign team listed on an NISG campaign website. It gives credit to the people who do a lot of behind-the-scenes work for a campaign, and also provides points of contact other than the presidential and vice presidential candidates. Not only does the Madsen-Findley website provide a list of team members, their positions, and their contact information, but almost every team member listed also provides a testimonial as to why they are helping with the campaign.
- Resumés and Cover Letters - Tom and Blake have kept their biographies short and to the point, and have supplemented them with downloadable versions of their resumés and cover letters. This is an interesting way to provide more information about the candidates' accomplishments. I really like that the cover letters are specifically written for the positions of student body president and vice president because it shows their capabilities as writers in addition to professionally detailing why they are qualified for the positions.
What They Are Doing Well
- Campaign Video - Since one of the planks on the Madsen-Findley platform is to have weekly video blogs from NISG executive officers, I am glad to see that they have a campaign video on their website. While I know the campaign team will be very busy during the next week, I would love to see another vlog or two from this campaign to show that they're dedicated to this platform plank.
What They Could Do Better
- Election Dates - The other two campaign websites have the election dates in large type in prominent places on their homepage, but the Madsen-Findley website doesn't have the dates listed anywhere except in images on their Support page. Having the election dates and where to vote on a campaign website serves as a great reminder to voters as they are looking at a website.
- Consistent Branding - The posters, t-shirts, and social media for the Madsen-Findley campaign have a very distinct (albeit not great) typeface that is not used anywhere on the website. This small design incorporation would help visually tie all of the campaign media together. I also wish there was a branded header on the platform PDF, especially since there is not any identifying information at the top of the PDF.
Overall Thoughts
The Madsen-Findley campaign has a clean, attractive website with all of the pertinent information a campaign needs. The site could use a few more prominent links to their social media and campaign email accounts, but as a whole the website gets the job done.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Website Analysis: Pope-Grassi
This is the first in a series of three posts analyzing campaign websites.
Address: http://davidandkatiearedifferent.com/
The Pope-Grassi campaign is using a Wordpress-based blog with a theme from CyberChimps to construct its website. The website is viewable as its desktop site on an iPad and as a modified mobile site on my Android phone.
The color scheme they are using for their media is a muted purple and gold theme, with a background texture that is reminiscent of a burlap sack. These colors and textures are consistent across all of their media (website, social media, posters, etc.). A deep purple isn't the prominent color for the website or campaign as a while, which will help separate their campaign from the others. David and Katie claim they are different, and by having graphic design that is different than other campaigns of the past and present, this team is well on its way to differentiating itself.
What They Are Doing Uniquely
All of the media for the Pope-Grassi campaign is consistently and uniquely branded, which is great for campaign recognition and differentiation. A few small edits to their website (such as the addition of social media links and a PDF of their platform) could make it an even stronger resource for student voters.
The Pope-Grassi campaign is using a Wordpress-based blog with a theme from CyberChimps to construct its website. The website is viewable as its desktop site on an iPad and as a modified mobile site on my Android phone.
The color scheme they are using for their media is a muted purple and gold theme, with a background texture that is reminiscent of a burlap sack. These colors and textures are consistent across all of their media (website, social media, posters, etc.). A deep purple isn't the prominent color for the website or campaign as a while, which will help separate their campaign from the others. David and Katie claim they are different, and by having graphic design that is different than other campaigns of the past and present, this team is well on its way to differentiating itself.
What They Are Doing Uniquely
- Pledge to Vote - Pope-Grassi took a page directly from the Barack Obama election handbook that will help them leverage their support base. If they can actually drive people to fill out this quick and easy form, the Pledge to Vote page will allow them to gather direct contact information for supporters who want to be in touch with the campaign. If the Pope-Grassi team has a creative way to gather email addresses and to follow up with these supporters, this could be a great campaign tool. However, unless they actually collect email addresses and have a way to get these individuals connected to and involved with the campaign, the Pledge to Vote page will become a lost opportunity.
- Blogging - While the posts haven't been incredibly frequent or long, the Pope-Grassi team is taking advantage of the fact that the website was built using a blogging platform. I hope they continue to use their homepage as a place to post campaign updates over the course of the next week. Updates on social media such as Facebook are definitely important, but traffic needs to be sent to the campaign websites anyhow in order for people to view information such as the platform. Because of this, blog posts give voters a reason to keep going back to the website after the first viewing. Currently neither of the other two websites are posting blogs.
- Meet Us - Since the campaign period was recently amended to be two weeks long, it is important for campaigns to get in front of as many students as they can. Visiting student organizations is an easy and effective way to reach a large number of students at once. While I can only assume that the Pope-Grassi campaign is reaching out to student organizations to meet with them, I think it is an strange approach to have a specific page on their website to contact the team and request their appearance at a meeting. Personally, I feel like student groups shouldn't have to reach out to a campaign; the team should be showing initiative by contacting the student groups themselves. While this isn't a conventional campaigning approach, this page could become a great place to list all of the times and places the team will be meeting with groups over the campaign period. Having dates and times of public appearances available to students (particularly the debate and tabling times) is a great way to notify students about when the candidates will be on campus sharing their message. This page would also be a great place to list contact information for the campaign team, and not just Pope's email address.
- Social Media Links - While the Join the Movement page provides images for people to use on their Facebook profiles, I couldn't find a place on the Pope-Grassi website that links to their Facebook fan page or their collective Twitter. They are currently leading with the largest number of Facebook likes on their page, but having links to their Facebook page on their website could help boost their numbers even more.
- Platform - I am really torn about the fact that the Pope-Grassi website has all of its platform planks under the Passions tab. On one hand, I like how the title explicitly states that the issues listed on that page are something they are passionate about. However, it may be difficult for someone to locate the platform on their website if they are looking specifically for the word "platform". I also wish they had their platform as a PDF to download. A PDF allows for easy printing, as well as offline reading.
- Our Stories - This is another area of their website that really divides my feelings. While I enjoy the fact that they give such an elaborate insight into the lives of each of the candidates, it is almost information overload. If I were a student looking for the SparkNotes editions of candidate biographies, the Pope-Grassi website would lose my attention because there is far too much to read. I see no reason to shorten what is currently on the site for those who are interested in reading the candidates' stories, but a quick and easy amendment would be to add bulletpoints with a list of facts like hometown, email address, and current leadership positions at the top of the biography pages.
All of the media for the Pope-Grassi campaign is consistently and uniquely branded, which is great for campaign recognition and differentiation. A few small edits to their website (such as the addition of social media links and a PDF of their platform) could make it an even stronger resource for student voters.
Former student body vice president Ian Goldsmith endorses Tom and Blake
Former NISG vice president Ian Goldsmith has endorsed candidates Tom and Blake in a letter to the editor of the Northern Iowan. Here is what Goldsmith wrote:
If you've not yet heard, the Northern Iowa Student Government elections are now in full swing! If you've successfully avoided the frenzy thus far, then to that I give you a slow clap (enter slow clap). However, I invite you to become informed, because the leaders elected make decisions that directly affect you and your college experience.
I had the honor of serving as 2011-2012 student body vice president. Throughout the year I learned a tremendous deal about the University of Northern Iowa, politics and life. I understand the level of work and commitment required by the job.
This year you are lucky to have three unique, qualified sets of candidates. The only wrong decision you can make is to not vote at all. With that said, I would like to share why I am endorsing Tom Madsen and Blake Findley.
Both of these young men were my residents when I was an RA. Since then, I've had the pleasure of watching them grow into incredibly hard-working, confident, passionate leaders.
Tom impressed me with his leadership as SAA president this year. I constantly forget how many other ways Tom is involved, because he balances it all without complaint. For example, last year, I witnessed him successfully complete six finals and throw a 700-person dance party during the week of his departure for summer basic training, all with a smile.
Blake is probably the hardest-working student I know. In NISG alone, he has chaired two committees and co-chaired a third. Additionally, he writes for the Northern Iowan, helps lead the Student Leadership Center and volunteers regularly, all while academically excelling in 20-plus credits every semester. Perhaps most impressively, he consistently sets aside time to maintain close relationships with friends.
A 300-word letter from an old fogey like me can't do these candidates' qualifications justice. They have the commitment, ideas, courage and heart to lead this university. Join me in voting for Tom and Blake!Even though he graduated back in December, Goldsmith is still on campus taking a class and working on his honors thesis to be completed in May. In what is shaping up to be a close race, this endorsement could be huge for Tom and Blake. As one of the original creators of the Interlude and a former student body vice president, Goldsmith is most one of the most popular students on campus and there are undoubtedly a number of students who trust his judgment and will follow his lead. I will say that I wish Goldsmith was a little more specific in his reasons for supporting Tom and Blake, other than the fact that both are good at time management and heavily involved on campus. No mention of their platform is a little disappointing, but I understand the space constraints of a letter to the editor.
Candidate Interviews - David and Katie (Part 1 of 2)
I was able to sit down with presidential candidate David Pope for an interview on Friday morning, but unfortunately I was unable to meet with his running mate Katie Grassi. Katie returned home to mourn the recent passing of her father and, while her return to campus is uncertain, she has posted a video to Facebook that you can view here. In the video, she talks about why she has not been on campus and what her plans are in terms of the campaign over the next week and a half.
Q: Why run for president? What makes you the most qualified candidate for the position?
David: Last year during all of the program cuts and the closure of Malcolm Price Lab School I was a part of the protest movements where we would sit-in at Seerley [Hall], we marched to protest the closing of Price Lab and I noticed at that time that the student government was oddly silent during a time that was really a crisis of the student body, when people's majors were being cut, people's programs were being eliminated or re-structured and students' ability to teach at Price Lab was being taken away. I just found that really disappointing and really frustrating that the student government, who is supposed to represent students, was leaving the students to their fate and unable to advocate for themselves to the administration. And so that is a continuation of a trend that I think I've been seeing where student government doesn't actually advocate for students or represent students. I know with a lot of communities at UNI, we're marginalized, like the LGBT community and veterans have felt really marginalized, like our voices just aren't being heard. Students of color and things like that, so I think Katie and I really wanted a chance to speak up about what has been going on with NISG and a chance to say, hey, I don't think NISG has really been representing students when we've needed them most, like when our majors are being cut or when we need vital resources at UNI, like an LGBT Center.
Q: You have passions, rather than a typical platform. Can you talk about that a little bit?
David: Katie and I have already been working on a lot of these issues and we felt that it was sort of impersonal to say that we crafted this platform by thinking about this and that and what we people want to hear. Instead, we just wanted to put what we're passionate about out there and what we've been working on. So, one of our passions is student voices, which ties into how NISG really hasn't been representing students, in our opinion, and just making sure that we are representing students and making sure that if something does happen, like last year where there were cuts, that we're at the forefront of a protest movement and talking to administrators and saying that they have to involve to students in these decisions, rather than staying silent. We have a passion for the Earth, so that is just green-ing up campus and continuing the trend that UNI has been on in becoming more green, which is really positive. We have a passion for women's empowerment. Obviously, Kate is a woman and I'm a feminist, so we're really passionate about trying to empower women at UNI. And then we have a passion for equality too, and so that is like implementing things like an LGBT Center, getting open housing and bathrooms, making sure that we can work with veterans to get all their needs met, implementing the Safe Zone Ally Quiz, creating a new one for racial identities. So those are our passions and those are things that we've already been working on and those are things that we're willing to work on, whether or not we get elected.
Q: Your slogan is "David and Katie are different." Obviously, you're trying to set yourselves apart from the other candidates, but do you worry that you might run the risk of being too different? Or do you not see that as being an issue?
David: Well we don't really have a choice whether or not to be different, because we are openly gay, so our thought with that was partly cheeky, just acknowledging that we know we're different, we know we don't look like the people you might sit next to in class every day, but it was also a deeper statement about our ideology and our vision for student. It was saying that we are not going to say one thing and do another, we are not going to say one thing and do nothing and we are not going to let students half to deal with things like [program] cuts and with their needs not being met without us adding our voices to theirs and speaking up about it. It works on a couple of levels, in our opinion. It just acknowledges that we're different, we're gay, we do drag, we're not what you expect, but it is also saying something really important about who we are as people, deep down, and what we believe.
Q: Establishing a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender center on campus is clearly a high priority for your campaign. Can you talk about why that is so important?
David: Well, students with unique and complex challenges at UNI often have services that will help them get access to the resources they need and the treatment that they deserve to be successful at UNI. So we have Disabilities Services, we have specific people in the Dean of Students' office whose job is to make sure that students of color on campus feel safe and welcome and have their needs met, we have Veterans Services now, but there aren't any LGBT services on campus. There just aren't any that are specifically an employee meant to help out our community and things like that. And so we have some really important issues that aren't currently being addressed. Finding a doctor at the Student Health Center who understands a transgender person's body and can understand what effects there might be if you're taking testosterone as a trans-man. Or how to go about reporting incidents of harassment or violence against you without necessarily coming out if you're not out of the closet. And then also finding counselors who will not pathologize your sexuality, but will just help you through your process. Things like that, there is no centralized place where students can go to get access to those resources and to make sure that who they're talking to is actually going to be responsive to their identity, because there are people on this campus who are homophobic and it's really intimidating to walk into Gilchrist, for example, and get help with something that relates to your sexuality or gender identity and to have to out yourself to a complete stranger and not know how they feel about your community. So getting an LGBT Center would help us with those services and it'd also just be a cultural center, like the CME operates as, that could help us educate the wider UNI community about LGBT identities, so I think it'd be a positive for everyone.
Q: You and Katie still do not have a recognized student organization for your campaign. Do you plan on having one and, if so, why the delay?
David: We do not have a student organization recognized and we will not get one because of the time frame. The other campaigns' obviously get their student orgs represented so they can table and put posters up. We've talked with student group allies of ours that believe in our vision and they've officially endorsed us and they've allowed us to put our posters up in their name and reserve tabling in their name, so we will not be an officially recognized student group.
Q: Anything else you want to say before we finish up here?
David: Katie and I really feel like this is about vision. We think all three tickets are competent, intelligent people on campus and that we'd all be great leaders, but we think this is really about what we want to achieve and the overarching vision and what we really believe and not just what we've done in the past or the bullet points on the platform.
And there you have it, in the words of David! In the coming days, I'll be doing platform analyses for each of the tickets and Morgan Johnson will be doing website analyses as well. So there are plenty of reasons to keep checking back as we reach the halfway point of campaigning!
David: Last year during all of the program cuts and the closure of Malcolm Price Lab School I was a part of the protest movements where we would sit-in at Seerley [Hall], we marched to protest the closing of Price Lab and I noticed at that time that the student government was oddly silent during a time that was really a crisis of the student body, when people's majors were being cut, people's programs were being eliminated or re-structured and students' ability to teach at Price Lab was being taken away. I just found that really disappointing and really frustrating that the student government, who is supposed to represent students, was leaving the students to their fate and unable to advocate for themselves to the administration. And so that is a continuation of a trend that I think I've been seeing where student government doesn't actually advocate for students or represent students. I know with a lot of communities at UNI, we're marginalized, like the LGBT community and veterans have felt really marginalized, like our voices just aren't being heard. Students of color and things like that, so I think Katie and I really wanted a chance to speak up about what has been going on with NISG and a chance to say, hey, I don't think NISG has really been representing students when we've needed them most, like when our majors are being cut or when we need vital resources at UNI, like an LGBT Center.
Q: You have passions, rather than a typical platform. Can you talk about that a little bit?
David: Katie and I have already been working on a lot of these issues and we felt that it was sort of impersonal to say that we crafted this platform by thinking about this and that and what we people want to hear. Instead, we just wanted to put what we're passionate about out there and what we've been working on. So, one of our passions is student voices, which ties into how NISG really hasn't been representing students, in our opinion, and just making sure that we are representing students and making sure that if something does happen, like last year where there were cuts, that we're at the forefront of a protest movement and talking to administrators and saying that they have to involve to students in these decisions, rather than staying silent. We have a passion for the Earth, so that is just green-ing up campus and continuing the trend that UNI has been on in becoming more green, which is really positive. We have a passion for women's empowerment. Obviously, Kate is a woman and I'm a feminist, so we're really passionate about trying to empower women at UNI. And then we have a passion for equality too, and so that is like implementing things like an LGBT Center, getting open housing and bathrooms, making sure that we can work with veterans to get all their needs met, implementing the Safe Zone Ally Quiz, creating a new one for racial identities. So those are our passions and those are things that we've already been working on and those are things that we're willing to work on, whether or not we get elected.
Q: Your slogan is "David and Katie are different." Obviously, you're trying to set yourselves apart from the other candidates, but do you worry that you might run the risk of being too different? Or do you not see that as being an issue?
David: Well we don't really have a choice whether or not to be different, because we are openly gay, so our thought with that was partly cheeky, just acknowledging that we know we're different, we know we don't look like the people you might sit next to in class every day, but it was also a deeper statement about our ideology and our vision for student. It was saying that we are not going to say one thing and do another, we are not going to say one thing and do nothing and we are not going to let students half to deal with things like [program] cuts and with their needs not being met without us adding our voices to theirs and speaking up about it. It works on a couple of levels, in our opinion. It just acknowledges that we're different, we're gay, we do drag, we're not what you expect, but it is also saying something really important about who we are as people, deep down, and what we believe.
Q: Establishing a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender center on campus is clearly a high priority for your campaign. Can you talk about why that is so important?
David: Well, students with unique and complex challenges at UNI often have services that will help them get access to the resources they need and the treatment that they deserve to be successful at UNI. So we have Disabilities Services, we have specific people in the Dean of Students' office whose job is to make sure that students of color on campus feel safe and welcome and have their needs met, we have Veterans Services now, but there aren't any LGBT services on campus. There just aren't any that are specifically an employee meant to help out our community and things like that. And so we have some really important issues that aren't currently being addressed. Finding a doctor at the Student Health Center who understands a transgender person's body and can understand what effects there might be if you're taking testosterone as a trans-man. Or how to go about reporting incidents of harassment or violence against you without necessarily coming out if you're not out of the closet. And then also finding counselors who will not pathologize your sexuality, but will just help you through your process. Things like that, there is no centralized place where students can go to get access to those resources and to make sure that who they're talking to is actually going to be responsive to their identity, because there are people on this campus who are homophobic and it's really intimidating to walk into Gilchrist, for example, and get help with something that relates to your sexuality or gender identity and to have to out yourself to a complete stranger and not know how they feel about your community. So getting an LGBT Center would help us with those services and it'd also just be a cultural center, like the CME operates as, that could help us educate the wider UNI community about LGBT identities, so I think it'd be a positive for everyone.
Q: You and Katie still do not have a recognized student organization for your campaign. Do you plan on having one and, if so, why the delay?
David: We do not have a student organization recognized and we will not get one because of the time frame. The other campaigns' obviously get their student orgs represented so they can table and put posters up. We've talked with student group allies of ours that believe in our vision and they've officially endorsed us and they've allowed us to put our posters up in their name and reserve tabling in their name, so we will not be an officially recognized student group.
Q: Anything else you want to say before we finish up here?
David: Katie and I really feel like this is about vision. We think all three tickets are competent, intelligent people on campus and that we'd all be great leaders, but we think this is really about what we want to achieve and the overarching vision and what we really believe and not just what we've done in the past or the bullet points on the platform.
And there you have it, in the words of David! In the coming days, I'll be doing platform analyses for each of the tickets and Morgan Johnson will be doing website analyses as well. So there are plenty of reasons to keep checking back as we reach the halfway point of campaigning!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)