My first (and likely last) foray into student politics
Maybe I was wrong about student politics . . .
Stephen McCreary, Volunteer Staff
I have a confession: I have never voted in a student election. Like 83 per cent of U of M students last year, I just did not care enough to vote. I thought it was boring, pointless and stupid. Sure, I care about where my UMSU fees go and in the past I have taken a fleeting interest in the candidates. But as far as I was concerned, UMSU was nothing more than a bunch of people arguing for a tuition freeze.
Yet my interest was piqued this year when I discovered candidates running who may actually implement some decent ideas — namely the elimination of the tuition freeze, the reduction of funding to student groups, and the trimming of the union executive. I attended the debate held at University Centre on March 4 with an optimistic attitude. Maybe I was wrong about student politics. Maybe the university isn’t full of the loud-mouthed socialists that occupy my classrooms after all. Maybe people have woken up and realized that the tuition freeze and membership in the CFS are not good things!
How wrong I was.
The candidates fit the stereotypes to a T. On the far left of the stage (and the political spectrum) was Jonny Sopotiuk of Students United, who sounded like the hippie teacher from Beavis and Butthead and looked like he was about to cry every time he was asked a question. Appropriately located in the centre was Troy Unrau of Clean Slate, who promoted “real change” via more funding for student groups, further investigation regarding UMSU’s involvement with the CFS, and promoting the free flow of information. Wow, what a radical vision for change. Pierce Cairns of the Regressive Conservatives, the only candidate that any rational person desiring the U of M to become a better place could even consider voting for, came forth with all the good ideas but had the perceived personality of a dry sponge.
The audience wasn’t any better. Long-haired guys who looked like they hadn’t showered in weeks were well represented. Most questions were directed at the Regressive Conservatives, including such brain-busters as “What’s with the American flag?” and “I don’t understand . . . you want to save the students and the university money?” Ah yes, the tax-and-spend, money-grows-on-trees, gimmie-gimmie-gimmie mentality that plagues our government at all levels is alive and well on campus.
And what would a good student debate be without some obnoxious “whoop-whooping?” The token loud guy at the back made his approval known via this method at least a dozen times. Newsflash, moron: when you hoot and holler after every response from a certain party regardless of the quality of the answer given, the vocal support loses its effectiveness. In fact, it becomes counter-productive when the entire audience cringes after each Students United answer in anticipation of your high-pitched yelp.
In a tense moment, one woman screamed out “Booooo!” upon hearing Regressive Conservative Shawn Dingwall announcing that there would be major changes to student groups under his leadership. She later yelled out, “Student groups help education!” for which she received absolutely no support from the crowd. The idea that groups such as the Rural Students Club and U of M Cheese Club should think about raising their own money rather than dipping into UMSU’s funds is so completely foreign to people that they just had to keep asking the same questions. Even after the Regressive Conservatives clarified their position — they would be looking to restructure the student groups, not eliminate them — most questions still revolved around the issue of student groups. Finally the emcee had to announce that no more questions regarding student groups would be accepted, which was received with roaring applause. OK, it was just me clapping.
So, what did I think of my first UMSU debate experience? To be blunt, it met my expectations. And so did the outcome of the election. I would love to see many things changed regarding UMSU, but it is unlikely that the outcome of the election will facilitate any of those changes. Unfortunately, it seems the old phrase “common sense isn’t so common” rings even more true on campus.
The majority of people on campus that do not make use of student groups, do not participate in pancake breakfasts, and do not make use of their mandatory health plan is the same majority that will not be voting in the UMSU elections. Most of these people would be just as happy (some of them jubilant) to see UMSU dissolved. Until those people can either get a voice in the students union or opt-out of paying for it, it is going to continue to be a place where Arts students go to pad their resumes and feel like they’re doing something important.
Stephen McCreary is a third-year political studies student.
