22.08

OT: And that’s it. Candidate Question Time 2012 is over. Not boring like last year, well done to YUSU for that.

Thanks for following our coverage, and return for our coverage of URY’s Candidate Interview Night tomorrow.

22.07

OT: Last question: What would you do to support part-time officers more?

Carney: Full-time officers should take on more responsibility, it’s a paid job so they should work so that part-time officers are under less pressure.

Warner-Medley: We should review Part-Time Officers roles so that we  can provide appropriate training.

Kallum Taylor: Part-time Officers need more support through training, just like College Chairs have received.

Thomas Taylor: Would champion a YUSU Orange Wednesday’s night for all full and part-time officers.

Latif: Suggests giving them a handbook so the officers know where to go, have tutorials for using media outlets, before being cut off for running over time.

Hernando: Give part-timers a greater profile to help them out, which will also give the Sabbs more time.

Ahmmed: Gives a relatively serious answer, shock horror!

22.06

SD: Thomas wants events on a wed night for all officers. He’s thinking Pizza Express. Good choice.

22.03

SD: Questions: How to become an oxbridge alternative rather than an oxbridge reject uni?

Amir: Boost York’s recognition via the moonbase

Nacho: Alumni office needs to step up their game and enhance graduation programmes.

Zahir: Believes the great thing about York is that we are not like Oxbridge. Raptuous applause

Thomas: Look carefully at a two-tier league system, and make York top of division two.

Kallum: Improve the college system. Events and sports.

Peter: Uni needs to improve its data and improve the alumni house.

James: Doesn’t think the uni should sacrifice being a strong uni for its strong collegiate system. And vice versa

22.02

HK: Peter Warner-Medley speaks really well.

21.59

BP: Getting kicked out for Dubstep soc? Not cool.

21.59

SD: Disappointment from the crowd that no more questions are being answered prompts the chair to change his mind.

21.58

OT: College-YUSU relationships being discussed.

Thomas Taylor will reassess this when running for his second term as YUSU President.

Latif will increase the college relevance to 2nd and 3rd year students.

Hernando wants colleges to remain independent. Wants YUSU to chip in but leave colleges to their thing.

Ahmmed wants complete centralisation so that we can go to the moon.

Carney feels colleges should come first, as they seperate us from the “lesser instituitons”.

Warner-Medley wants to bring JCRC’s under the support of YUSU as a way forward.

Kallum Taylor says if YUSU is doing its job properly then the JCRCs and YUSU come together to sort problems out.

21.58

HK: Peter warner-Medley “I want to come back in five years time and see that Langwuith means more than just a building.” Whoop!

21.54

HK: Taylor back up. “I can associate with the ordinary people. As I learnt from my time as under 13 cricket captain, I can motivate people to do great things.”

21.52

OT: More space puns from Ahmmed, before he gives up in fits of laughter. It’s not cool to laugh at your own jokes, not cool.

21.51

HK: I wasn’t actually listening, but people just booed James carney.

21.51

HK: LOL. Peter Warner-Medley (aka Austin Powers….)

21.50

BP: Nice little dance from Peter approaching the podium…

21.49

Thomas Taylor:

21.49

SD: Kallum is up again… still in THOSE trousers.

21.48

OT: Thomas Taylor drawing a lot of laughs from the audience, perhaps even more than Abir Ahmmed.

21.48

BP: I think Thomas Taylor might be my new favourite?

21.48

SD: Pledges to “finish the library…and its always finished” Huge laugh.

21.48

HK: He’s really funny.

21.47

SD: Seems the main thrust of his speech is devoted to dissing himself. Quick bible reference…

21.47

HK: Thomas Lunatic Taylor. “I can hear you say, in your thoughts… jerk”

21.46

Zahra Latif:

21.46

HK: “better links with the community around us” another HUGE applause.

21.45

SD: Wants to open up YUSU with, for one point, open air assemblied. Might be a bit cold Zahra…

21.44

Nacho Hernando:

21.44

SD: The only female candidate for Presidency, Zahra Latif, is up. She wants students to be enthused by student politics.

21.43

OT: Nacho Hernando calming things down a little bit with a more sensible but confident approach.

21.43

21.43

BP: Thirded.

21.42

HK: I second that.

21.42

Abir Ahmmed:

21.42

SD: I want Nacho….dipped in salsa and covered in guacamole

21.42

HK: Promise of a moon base… he’s just spitting now. Loudest round of applause so far and standing ovation! Wow! Good on the hairy mad man.

21.41

BP: “Ask not what the moon base can do for you, but what you can do for your moon base!”

21.41

SD: The “moon is made of cheese,” Wallace and Gromit thought the same thing.

21.40

BP: Wants to use central hall for it’s true purpose. “To ascend to the heavens!”

21.40

OT: Abir Ahmmed can’t even take himself seriously. Good space puns though and lots of shouting.

21.39

HK: “The customer is always right” (that’s us) James Carney thinks our democracy isn’t strong enough. He’s arguing for on line voting. “I beleive this is a student union… we will be the doctors and lawyers of the future. We deserve a voice.”

21.39

James Carney:

21.39

SD: Used the word “student” five times in about two seconds.

21.39

BP: James’ speech is a lot dryer than his manifesto. Quite technical.

21.38

OT: Carney describes students as “customers”. Generally seen as a no-no but perhaps what some would consider to be a refreshing attitude.

21.37

SD: Up next is James Carney, the one with the unique manifesto, wants YUSU to be run “from the bottom up” through College, though he thinks the College committee’s need to be worked on.

21.37

Kallum Taylor:

Peter Warner-Medley

21.36

HK: Oh god! Five year plan! Remind you of anyone…??

21.36

BP: Peter making a lot of having a plan for a whole years work, kind of expected…

21.36

HK: The amazing jumper is up.

21.35

HK: Kallum, “I’m not ridiculous” LOL!

21.34

OT: Taylor has been criticised by some for the wording of his manifesto. Any doubts are now being waivered by a passionate speech. Rattling out a huge number of points, he’s “got big plans” and wants to make students proud of their university. Fantastic speech.

21.33

HK: oooop – Kallum using those hands to max effect.

21.33

SD: Kallum steps out from behind the podium in tight trousers. I’m all of a flutter.

21.32

HK: President! Peter Warner-Medley wins the jumper competition. Oh god, Kallum knocks the podium.

21.32

OT: All 7 of our presidential candidates are here. Kallum up first….

21.31

OT: That’s it from the York Sport candidates to huge cheers. Next up, and last of all, is of course YUSU President.

21.31

SD: Question on underfunded sports.

Winter: “Share relations between clubs”.

Dong-Oh: Knows the President of the Nottingham Motorsports team. He’s got connections. “Flexibility” and communication again

21.30

HK: Charlotte: “go carting must find it a real struggle. This is why we need to share ideas. We are one team.” Good line.

21.30

BP: Returning officer mixes up purple and blue sweatshirts when picking out members of the audience. Dimbleby he ain’t.

21.28

SD Question: How to generate more supporters?
Dong-Oh wants to raise awareness and sees part of the problem as a lack of awareness. Wants to use social networking. How modern.

Charlotte: Wants to enhance Wednesdays and make it a “massive day for sport”. Sees greater communication between club presidents as part of the solution.

21.26

HK: “Vision have recently started covering more college sport!” Yes Dong-Oh Shin! Yes Sally and Jack sports editors extraordinaire.

21.25

SD: Charlotte name-checked Vision for covering lots of college sport. It’s our pleasure.

21.24

Dong-Oh and Charlotte speak, whilst Sam Asfahani looks on, pondering an impossible third year…

21.24

SD: Nouse apologise for bringing the tone down..
Wants Quidditch to become an actual sport, Charlotte doesn’t really seem to agree with Dong-Oh’s answer that it could become one.

21.23

HK: “I have a lot of love for quidditch”. ha! Amazing.

21.23

BP: Dong-oh Shin. “I’ve got a lot of love for quidditch”

21.22

HK: Loads of support for Charlotte!

21.22

SD: Winter highlights her own experience in not seeing a great deal of supporters in Uni sport. Also goes over her rather impressive CV

Three buzz words: performance, particpation and communication. Blimey, is she passionate.

21.21

OT: Charlotte Winter – looks nervous whilst listening to Dong-oh’s speech, then steps up and speaks confidently and eloquently. Impressive.

21.21

HK: York Sports. Dong-Oh Shin – “2012, the year of the Olympics…” almost as mad as Boris Johnson, better hair, just as sporty.

21.20

SD: Raucuous support for Dong-og

21.20

SD: Dong-Oh talks about the importance of 2012, and that Sam has big feet…. Three key issues: efficiency, awareness and the future of York Sport.

Transport is a big part of Dong-Oh’s policies as is enhancing productive York Sport committee meetings.

Bell is dinging….so he is talking quite fast….

21.18

OT: “Next up is York Sport”. The room erupts into applause. They haven’t even spoken yet.

21.17

SD: James, with one eye on the clock, highlights the importance of actually voting in the election and profusely apologises for causing “havoc”.

21.16

HK: Megan O’Kane has some rather vocal supporters. That’s lovely.

21.15

OT: Many people using Student Trustee speech as a good opportunity to hit the bar. Jason Rose still isn’t here, and neither is Harry Clementson, so only 3 out of the 5 candidates are here, with Marc Kidson reading out the others.

21.12

SD: Next up is Student Trustee, all because of James’ girlfriend’s train. What an effort.

21.10

HK: Hussein very intelligently has spoken to a lot of students. That must have been hard to do.

21.09

OT: Jason Rose, certified BNOC 4 life, hasn’t turned up. Gutted.

21.08

HK: Itai Choto – in a suit! But ignoring the bell

21.08

SD: Itai is running for his second YUSU position. Keen much?

21.07

HK: “I promise to be present at anything that happens.” This might be a LONG career for James.

21.06

SD: Up next is Senate Rep. James needs to make speeches for both positions he is running for…..because his girlfriend’s train has changed….

21.04

SD: The two candidates for Women’s Officer running as a pair have dropped out so its uncontested for Emma Hawkens. She wants to be more “inclusive”.

21.03

HK: Emma Hawkens – running for womans officer. Is a woman. So far so good.

21.03

OT: Amy Jepson had to be repeatedly ‘belled’ to stop her going on for too long. Bit too keen on the volunteering front.

21.01

OT: Who doesn’t love volunteering?

21.00

HK: Yu Gao and Guwan LI to the stage… EXCITING

20.59

SD: All four candidates running for Volunteering (two are running together) are women. Bit of a change from the current trend exhibited here tonight.

20.59

OT: Extended questions for Welfare Officer Candidates. Meanwhile, everyone else is becoming a little distracted by drunks hammering the windows of L/N/028.

20.56

SD: All the candidates agree on the need to improve training for STYCs

20.51

BP: Second question. What isn’t working in welfare? How will you fix it?

Haines: “It’s not clear where they have to go, who they should see. We need to work with supervisor and student contacts”

Hughes: Agrees with Lewis on focusing on first point of contact. “I want to train supervisors. Some just say ‘get over it’. That’s not good enough.”

Wigley: Ditto Haines and Hughes….doesn’t have much too add. It’s a hard job going last!

20.48

SD: Question is on disabled students. Wigley stumbles but Bob answers with confidence.

20.46

Your welfare candidates, Hannah Wigley, Bob Hughes and Lewis Haines.

20.45

SD: Lewis Haines believes welfare issues are ‘too important to be let down by poor campiagns’. Training for STYCs is one of his policies

20.41

OT: Welfare now, following Hannah Wigley, Bob Hughes starts with a full list of what he’s done so far as the incumbent. It’s long and impressive.

20.36

OT: Following a quick break we’re starting up again in 2 minutes.

20.24

BP: Erin and Becky want to “bee” the new RAG officers and are dressed for the part!

20.23

SD: Rebekah has a blog from which to expand her policies from and Vishnu hasn’t turned up yet…

20.22

SD: Racial Equalities is up and Asiya is up, wants to integrate YUSU more the wider York community.

Itai and Rohan are up, looking very dapper in suits. They are highlighting their ‘embedded diversity’ as the only partnership, ‘laundry should be the only thing affected by colour’ Hehe

20.18

BP: On the same point, Helen wants to reevaluate the societies funding application process.

20.16

SD: Next question is on the allocation on funding. According to West, big societies shouldn’t get the majority of funding and he will look at each ‘case by case’.

20.15

OT: Looks like we won’t be hearing the Vision/Nouse question as Steven Perring gets the last word. Barely anyone seems to know what he’s said though, despite repeating the question twice…

20.12

OT: Some of the best speeches and questions so far here for Student Activities, but when is somebody going to ask the annual, “Should we combine Vision and Nouse?” question?

20.10

Chris West

Hannah Brearley

Helen Marrison

20.05

SD: Question: “Are posters a luxury or a necessity”…and the room turns into a panto audience…

All 3 candidates give support for postering, obviously a popular policy.

20.05

OT: Helen “would love” to be our new Activities Officer. She cites “the power of activities” and spreads the word about her five different policies, including alumni links, using rooms of Hes East and to build on RAG projects, and promises to be friendly and approachable. Bit of a rush towards the end of her speech but she just about manages to fit it all in, finishing with “Vote Marrison for Activities”.

20.03

SD: Brearley wants an equivalent of sporting colours. Always nice to be rewarded

20.01

OT: Student Activities now. Chris West is first up to speak. Assertively stating that he wants to introduce “activities for all … training for activities in media relations … sponsorship support.” He places quite  a big focus on the media up against two media-based candidates, an interesting speech.

19.58

SD: Leon Morris for LGBT isn’t here and doesn’t have a speech…..

19.57

BP: Back to environment and ethics. Isobel Edwards has run all the way from the Careers department and seems quite out of breath!

19.56

SD: Maciej Rys is running from abroad. How international

19.54

OT: We know your sources Nouse…

19.53

SD: International Officer candidates Ankita and Mike’s key policy is to improve welfare for international students

19.51

BP Hughes supporting better lighting on campus. Hear, Hear!

19.51

SD: Envioronment and Affairs Candidate Emma Hughes is talking about cigarette butts. Yawn

19.49

BP: Looks like everyone’s leaving after the Academic officers…

19.49

OT: And that’s it from the Academic candidates. Looks like the returning officer wasn’t lying, we really are rattling through the different categories. Here’s a couple of photos from your first two Sabb candidates from our excellent photographer Vivan Jayant.

19.49

SD: We are running behind schedule. Suprised? We are not.

19.48

SD: Next question is on improving graduate prospects. Eppy says, again, about ‘what students want’. I sense a soundbite

19.43

SD: Q: How to make York a top ten uni. To Eppie we need to focus on what students want and listening to them. Graeme highlights that his policies come from students directly; especially focusing on a redress of graduate choice.

19.41

OT: Graeme, the incumbent, is now speaking. He believe he can provide the “academic leadership” that he feels is needed “regardless of what you pay”. He believes that exam timetables should be released at least a term in advance and feel that some of the teachers at the university are an “embarrassment”.

He doesn’t want Heslington West to become a “ghetto”, not so sure on that one…

19.40

BP: Osborn – key policies are electronic submission of assessment, early access to exam timetable and improving teaching spaces

19.38

SD: Eppie is the first person to mention the rise in fees. Worth noting. Wants to focus on ‘what students want’

19.37

OT: Finally, we’re onto Academic Affairs. 2 minute speeches from Eppie Leishman and Graeme Osborn followed by questions.

19.36

OT: Onto Ents now, Chris Edwards and Sanchita Chawla aren’t here as they “are both very ill”. They cite their experience in event organisation and want to improve communications with students through feedback for events.

19.32

SD: Vision’s own Ben Dilks and partner Megan Cross are speaking….. policies include regular drop in sessions and campiagns training.

19.31

Josh Allen

Mark Taylor

Nick Hall

19.30

Next up is Campaigns Officer. Peter Hollingsworth isn’t here so his speech is being read for him

19.25

Mark Taylor: doesn’t want to discuss policies tonight but to highlight the role of union chair as a a facilitator, he will act to ‘ensure inclusivity’ and have ‘broad and effective communication.’ Sounds good

19.23

Josh Allen is next up, he starts with “Good evening, Union”. Vision veteran Paul Virides is struggling to hold in his laughter.

Allen goes on to say he wants to work with JCRC and help to engage students “at the lowest possible level”.

19.23

HE’S QUOTING WITTGENSTEIN AND FOUCALT!!!

19.20

According to Nick Hall the union needs to be more ‘open and democratic’… well he seems passionate. Lots of gesticulating.

19.19

First up to speak are the Union Chair candidates, Josh Allen, Nick Hall and Mark Taylor. Hall is first up…

19.18

The returning officer also tells us that we should be finished at around 9:50, as opposed to last year’s hideously drawn out evening. We shall see.

19.16

The event is now starting with a few house rules and regulations. YUSU’s first new addition to the evening appears to be a bell. Exciting…

19.07

YSTV are apparently holding up proceedings, although these events always seem to start late so it’s no surprise. Aside from that everything is ready for Candidate Question Time.

19.03

Things are almost ready to kick off here in L/N/028.It’s relatively busy and there’s definitely more people around than last year. Hopefully YUSU’s claims of making the night more interesting for attendees are true! Reporting for Vision are Oliver Todd, Sally Dolton, Beth Porter, Helena Kealey, with photos from Vivan Jayant.