Looks like the recounts are finished. The final election results and referendum results are in.
Johnny already offered some witty commentary on the results. Hopefully I'll find time to add my own comments soon, especially since Johnny and I are apparently on opposite sides of the Development Fund referendum question.
Showing posts with label CFS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CFS. Show all posts
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
The Aftermath
While it seems a recount is still underway, Joe Paling has presumably won the title of SFSS president. In other news, the CFS defederation campaign was successful, claiming 66% support.
If I may offer some advice to the CFS: next time you're campaigning to keep a school in your clutches, perhaps you could allegedly sexually harass the "No" Campaign? Comment on the brightness of the "No" Campaign's pants? Make disgusting claims about "No" Campaign's back hair? Just saying -- it seems to be a winning strategy.
I'm happy to see the "No" side won out (although we have to see what the CFS's next move will be), so now I'm hoping the Development Fund referendum fails.
Let me explain.
It seems every candidate runs on promise of working to reduce tuition fees. A noble goal, perhaps, but one no SFSS candidate really has any control over. So long as they make the appearance of doing something that's enough to check the promise off on their list.
But student fees are something the SFSS has control over. And it seems only fair that if we are asking the government and the university to tighten its belt to make education more affordable for us that we do the same.
Now that the SFSS has a mandate from its members to defederate it certainly might require extra fees to fill in the gaps where the CFS used to be. However, a horrendously vague "Society Development Fund" is never going to get my vote. Show me the need you wish to fund and let me vote on it next year.
The "No" side and the SFSS campaigned on the idea that the CFS membership fees were not a good use of our student fees, after all. If that's true, then let's see some proof: show us we can get the same value for less and reduce our overall student fees.
If I may offer some advice to the CFS: next time you're campaigning to keep a school in your clutches, perhaps you could allegedly sexually harass the "No" Campaign? Comment on the brightness of the "No" Campaign's pants? Make disgusting claims about "No" Campaign's back hair? Just saying -- it seems to be a winning strategy.
I'm happy to see the "No" side won out (although we have to see what the CFS's next move will be), so now I'm hoping the Development Fund referendum fails.
Let me explain.
It seems every candidate runs on promise of working to reduce tuition fees. A noble goal, perhaps, but one no SFSS candidate really has any control over. So long as they make the appearance of doing something that's enough to check the promise off on their list.
But student fees are something the SFSS has control over. And it seems only fair that if we are asking the government and the university to tighten its belt to make education more affordable for us that we do the same.
Now that the SFSS has a mandate from its members to defederate it certainly might require extra fees to fill in the gaps where the CFS used to be. However, a horrendously vague "Society Development Fund" is never going to get my vote. Show me the need you wish to fund and let me vote on it next year.
The "No" side and the SFSS campaigned on the idea that the CFS membership fees were not a good use of our student fees, after all. If that's true, then let's see some proof: show us we can get the same value for less and reduce our overall student fees.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Preliminary CFS Membership Referendum Results by Day and Polling Station
Here are the unofficial day-by-day, poll-by-poll results published by Earl Tapia, President of the Philosophy Student Union and one of the candidates for Member Services Officer. These results (other than the overall NO 66% and YES 32%) have not yet been confirmed by the Independent Electoral Commission.
-------
Things to note:
- These numbers are only for the first referendum question, which was continuing membership in the CFS.
- I don't have the numbers for spoiled/blank ballots or the mail-in ballots (15 mail-in ballots I think was the total?) because I was in and out during the counting, but from what I remember hearing they were small and insignificant and/or they haven't come in yet.
- These are the unofficial results, and may change by a couple of numbers. The IEC will most likely release the official numbers sometime when all the referendum question results are released.
- I just did the math, and the numbers I'm getting now are off by about 10 - 20 for each side compared to some very early numbers that were released. Not enough to make any real difference, but should still be noted. This can most likely be attributed to my shoddy note taking and, in general, my frazzled state of mind.
- If you're not concerned about the individual polling stations, the totals are at the bottom.
- Forward to anyone and everyone.
MARCH 18
Surrey:
Y 52
N 149
Vancouver:
Y 53
N 50
Burnaby:
West Mall
Y 78
N 135
AQ
Y 226
N 406
Library
Y 138
N 295
MARCH 19
Surrey:
Y 24
N 61
Vancouver:
Y 18
N 43
Burnaby:
West Mall
Y 60
N 112
AQ
Y 216
N 470
Library
Y 115
N 276
MARCH 20
Surrey:
Y 36
N 78
Vancouver:
Y 30
N 46
Burnaby:
West Mall
Y 61
N 106
AQ
Y 220
N 450
Library
Y 135
N 251
TOTALS:
Surrey:
Y 112
N 288
Vancouver:
Y 101
N 139
Burnaby:
Y 1249
N 2501
ALL CAMPUSES
Y 1462
N 2928
I don't want to give the exact percentage, because I don't have the numbers for the spoiled/blank and mail-in ballots, but it's around 66%.
-------
Things to note:
- These numbers are only for the first referendum question, which was continuing membership in the CFS.
- I don't have the numbers for spoiled/blank ballots or the mail-in ballots (15 mail-in ballots I think was the total?) because I was in and out during the counting, but from what I remember hearing they were small and insignificant and/or they haven't come in yet.
- These are the unofficial results, and may change by a couple of numbers. The IEC will most likely release the official numbers sometime when all the referendum question results are released.
- I just did the math, and the numbers I'm getting now are off by about 10 - 20 for each side compared to some very early numbers that were released. Not enough to make any real difference, but should still be noted. This can most likely be attributed to my shoddy note taking and, in general, my frazzled state of mind.
- If you're not concerned about the individual polling stations, the totals are at the bottom.
- Forward to anyone and everyone.
MARCH 18
Surrey:
Y 52
N 149
Vancouver:
Y 53
N 50
Burnaby:
West Mall
Y 78
N 135
AQ
Y 226
N 406
Library
Y 138
N 295
MARCH 19
Surrey:
Y 24
N 61
Vancouver:
Y 18
N 43
Burnaby:
West Mall
Y 60
N 112
AQ
Y 216
N 470
Library
Y 115
N 276
MARCH 20
Surrey:
Y 36
N 78
Vancouver:
Y 30
N 46
Burnaby:
West Mall
Y 61
N 106
AQ
Y 220
N 450
Library
Y 135
N 251
TOTALS:
Surrey:
Y 112
N 288
Vancouver:
Y 101
N 139
Burnaby:
Y 1249
N 2501
ALL CAMPUSES
Y 1462
N 2928
I don't want to give the exact percentage, because I don't have the numbers for the spoiled/blank and mail-in ballots, but it's around 66%.
SFU Says NO to CFS (Again)
Early this morning, Amy Fox, External Relations Officer for the SFSS, announced that for a second year in a row SFU students have voted to leave the Canadian Federation of Students.
Referendum Question:
Are you in favour of maintaining membership in the Canadian Federation of Students?
Results (as unofficially posted on Facebook):
NO 2948 (67%)
YES 1452 (33%)
[edit 3:35 am: at this hour, the Independent Electoral Commission is reporting NO (66%) and YES (32%) on their website.]
Voter Turnout: approx. 19%
Referendum Question:
Are you in favour of maintaining membership in the Canadian Federation of Students?
Results (as unofficially posted on Facebook):
NO 2948 (67%)
YES 1452 (33%)
[edit 3:35 am: at this hour, the Independent Electoral Commission is reporting NO (66%) and YES (32%) on their website.]
Voter Turnout: approx. 19%
UVIC Grad Students Vote NO to CFS
The Martlet, UVIC's student newspaper is reporting that UVIC's grad students have voted to leave the Canadian Federation of Students. Fifty-eight percent of voters voted against maintaining CFS membership.
[update 11:45 am: here's the breakdown...
No: 260
Yes: 192
Spoiled: 5
[update 11:45 am: here's the breakdown...
No: 260
Yes: 192
Spoiled: 5
(Quorum was 125 votes)]
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Record Turnout
I've heard that yesterday's voter turnout was a record for a non-upass referendum. You can still vote in both the referenda and elections today and tomorrow from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm.
Voting stations will be set up in the AQ, WMX, and Library as well as the lobbies of the Harbour Centre and Surrey campuses.
Both undergraduate and graduate students can vote. Remember to bring your student card.
Voting stations will be set up in the AQ, WMX, and Library as well as the lobbies of the Harbour Centre and Surrey campuses.
Both undergraduate and graduate students can vote. Remember to bring your student card.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Patrick's Picks
Unfortunately, I'm ineligible to vote because I'm not taking any courses at SFU this semester. However...here's how I'd vote if I could vote:
President: Xenia Menzies
Treasurer: Anna Belkine
Member Services Officer: Michael VandenAkker
External Relations Officer: Meagan Thomas
Internal Relations Officer: Haida Arsenault-Antolick
University Relations Officer: Ryan Daw
Members at Large: Jonathan Brockman, John Morrison III
Referendum Questions:
1. Are you in favour of maintaining membership in the Canadian Federation of Students? NO.
2. If the Simon Fraser Student Society ceases to be a member of the Canadian Federation of Students, do you agree that the former CFS membership fees of $7.64 per semester for full time students and $3.82 for part-time students should be redirected into a Society Development Fund which will result in no overall fee increase for students?” YES.
3. Do you support the amendment of By-Law 14 (17) as written?
By-Law 14 (17)
a. If only one valid nomination is received for a particular office, the Independent Electoral Commission will conduct an election in which the nominated candidate will face a “yes/no” election.
b. If a candidate fails to receive a majority of “yes” votes, then the contested position will remain vacant.
YES.
4. Do you support the creation of By-Law 22 as written and the corresponding changes to By-Law 17(3)? YES.
5. Are you in favour of the SFSS developing an extended health and dental plan for undergraduate students? YES.
President: Xenia Menzies
Treasurer: Anna Belkine
Member Services Officer: Michael VandenAkker
External Relations Officer: Meagan Thomas
Internal Relations Officer: Haida Arsenault-Antolick
University Relations Officer: Ryan Daw
Members at Large: Jonathan Brockman, John Morrison III
Referendum Questions:
1. Are you in favour of maintaining membership in the Canadian Federation of Students? NO.
2. If the Simon Fraser Student Society ceases to be a member of the Canadian Federation of Students, do you agree that the former CFS membership fees of $7.64 per semester for full time students and $3.82 for part-time students should be redirected into a Society Development Fund which will result in no overall fee increase for students?” YES.
3. Do you support the amendment of By-Law 14 (17) as written?
By-Law 14 (17)
a. If only one valid nomination is received for a particular office, the Independent Electoral Commission will conduct an election in which the nominated candidate will face a “yes/no” election.
b. If a candidate fails to receive a majority of “yes” votes, then the contested position will remain vacant.
YES.
4. Do you support the creation of By-Law 22 as written and the corresponding changes to By-Law 17(3)? YES.
5. Are you in favour of the SFSS developing an extended health and dental plan for undergraduate students? YES.
Vote!
It's time to vote!
Voting will take place on March 18, 19, and 20 from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm every day.
Voting stations will be set up in the AQ, WMX, and Library as well as the lobbies of the Harbour Centre and Surrey campuses.
Both undergraduate and graduate students can vote. Remember to bring your student card.
Voting will take place on March 18, 19, and 20 from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm every day.
Voting stations will be set up in the AQ, WMX, and Library as well as the lobbies of the Harbour Centre and Surrey campuses.
Both undergraduate and graduate students can vote. Remember to bring your student card.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Is the new GSS part of the CFS?
As you probably know, the graduate students have opted to leave the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) to form their own Graduate Student Society (GSS). The new GSS will be fully operational this May.
On a possible related note, the Spring's SFSS elections will (hopefully) determine whether or not the SFSS is granted a divorce from the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS). I'll discuss the CFS in detail some point in the near future, but for now the latest required reading on the matter may be found here.
There's one big question I have for the GSS: what legal baggage do you carry over from the SFSS? In particular, is the GSS legally a member of the CFS?
There doesn't seem to be anyone speaking about it (at least, my Google searches have not dug up anything) which is strange given the importance of the matter. I've e-mailed for the GSS and the CFS to see if I can get some comment on the matter, and will report back as soon as I get answers. Look ma, mild investigative journalism!
p.s. I'm the other guy running this blog, John LaRusic. I'm a graduate student at SFU Surrey working towards an MSc in Mathematics. My favourite thing to do is watch results during an election night, and my biggest pet peeve is people who crack their knuckles. Hi!
p.p.s. As Patrick likes to remind you, vote for us!
On a possible related note, the Spring's SFSS elections will (hopefully) determine whether or not the SFSS is granted a divorce from the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS). I'll discuss the CFS in detail some point in the near future, but for now the latest required reading on the matter may be found here.
There's one big question I have for the GSS: what legal baggage do you carry over from the SFSS? In particular, is the GSS legally a member of the CFS?
There doesn't seem to be anyone speaking about it (at least, my Google searches have not dug up anything) which is strange given the importance of the matter. I've e-mailed for the GSS and the CFS to see if I can get some comment on the matter, and will report back as soon as I get answers. Look ma, mild investigative journalism!
p.s. I'm the other guy running this blog, John LaRusic. I'm a graduate student at SFU Surrey working towards an MSc in Mathematics. My favourite thing to do is watch results during an election night, and my biggest pet peeve is people who crack their knuckles. Hi!
p.p.s. As Patrick likes to remind you, vote for us!
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