2015 OUSA Executive forums

From 15 to17 September, OUSA and Critic hosted forums for the candidates of the 2015 OUSA Executive. Candidates spoke of their main policies that they aim to implement if elected. Postgraduate candidate Claire Mitchell, Welfare candidate Payal Ramritu and Recreation candidate Jonny Martin could not attend.

Isaac Yu, candidate for Admin VP, outlined his aims to “increase the interaction OUSA [has] with students” and “increase accessibility of the [OUSA] referendum and policy.” Yu also intends to “help out with the physical and mental well-being” of students by “increasing the amount of support for Unipol as well as Clubs and Societies.”

Nina Harrap, Candidate for Finance Officer confessed she doesn’t “have a lot of experience with finance,” but is “very happy to learn.” Her objectives included “keeping the budget balanced” so that “OUSA doesn’t end up going into deficit.” Harrap intends to be “guided by the Exec in terms of where funding should be allocated.” Her third policy is simply to “keep everything running smoothly.”

Recreation Candidate Matt Ross said studying at Otago needs to be “more than just a degree” and instead an “entire experience.” To ensure this, Ross wants “a big focus on clubs and events.” He said “currently [OUSA have] got a massive burst during O-week,” but “there are a lot of quiet periods during the year when it’s not O-week.”

Eric Lim, running in the by-election for the 2014 International Officer, said he was running because of experience dealing with international clubs. He promised to continue international events while spending more time on listening to international students’ problems because “I found it quite hard to adapt to living here.”

Greer Mahoney, who is running for the position of Education Officer, reasoned that her passion for education started when she missed out on Excellence in NCEA due to the quality of her teachers. “I’ll be really passionate and dedicated,” she said.”

Alexia Cochrane, the other candidate for Education Officer, said that she wanted to address that students are not being judged by their knowledge, but by their ability to reference. She reasoned that extra-curricular events such as Business Case Club and debating need to be supported by the University, and concluded that there needs to be a big focus on class rep systems and question/answer sessions prior to exams.

Joel Mcmanus, running for Colleges Officer, pleaded for students to “vote not for yourself, but for the freshers of next year.” He believes that your experience in a hall resonates throughout your time at university, and promised to “work as hard as I can,” implementing a “year-long sports and arts cup, and the creation of several new events along with existing ones.”

Taotao Li, also running for Colleges Officer, started with a story about how sad a young man was that all the data on his phone had been used up because the University proxy blocked porn. She believed in strong advocacy and thinks all the rules are too much - freedom should be given to students. She also campaigned on interhall events, such as interhall swimming and quiddich, “to actively create more opportunities to get involved with the university.”

Jess Mclean, the current Colleges Officer, is running for re-election. She pledged to organise more intercollege events. She also indicated that people aren’t aware of what OUSA offers. She believes that while there’s support in halls, students still need to know what’s offered once they are out of one. “We do a lot more than Hyde and O-week. I have a good relationship with the masters of the other halls and I’d love to continue with my work.”

Anton Hovius, yet another Colleges candidate, started with the claim “I don’t even need a microphone.” He promised to implement an Internet policy and to “continue Jess’s work” on sexual harrassment issues. He also paid attention to alcohol policies and felt that the University and DCC “like sweeping things under the carpet … kicking everyone out of halls doesn’t work.”

The final Colleges candidate, Alex Gregory wanted to “start with the thing dearest to my heart – alcohol.” He felt that a hall “should allow me to have a beer at 7.30pm after I’ve handed in a ghastly POLS essay.” He was also going to encourage clubs and societies to recruit as many first year members as possible.

Henry Napier, running for the position of Campaigns Officer, would “increase awareness and support for things like student support.” Under his scheme, each week would offer a majorly subsidised course or service “such as free WOFs.”

Alice Sowry, also running for the position of Campaigns Officer, promised she was really well organised with the University community. “I’m a kiwi host,” she reasoned. She wanted OUSA to better inform students of what it offers. “I’d get a lot of clubs involved in the events OUSA run.”

Taylor-Jane Cox, running for Welfare Officer, said that she already works at the OUSA Recreation Centre and had worked for Youthline as a mentor, councillor and governance member. Having been a speaker at World Suicide Day, she indicated that “too many people in the student community are struggling and need our support.”

Presidential forum

Henri Faulkner said his first goal for 2015 would be to “get OUSA involved in more forms of media” to increase their connection with the student body. Faulkner also aims to have a “big focus on recreation;” this included tutorials at Unipol so that “people know what they’re doing.” Sporting clubs will also be a point of focus.

Paul Hunt said he will “protect and enhance Otago’s student culture” - a key aspect of this will involve Dunedin’s nightlife. His second priority was to increase funding for campus groups as they “create political discourse … volunteer in the community, and they link in with students sometimes closer than OUSA does.” Hunt’s third policy was “better academic support for students,” especially in their first year at Otago.

When asked what fruit they would be, Paul would be an apple. “It keeps the Doctor away,” he reasoned. Henri would be a banana because “you can do lots of fun activities with them and they provide a lot of carbohydrates.”

When asked what drink they would be, Henri said he would be a Strawberry Daquiri served with whiskey because “it’s more manly.” Paul would be a Speight's, “just served in a glass.”
This article first appeared in Issue 24, 2014.
Posted 3:00pm Sunday 21st September 2014 by Laura Munro.