Bangor Students’ Union’s English Language Newspaper
Students Say: Sabbs Stay
ISSN 1755-7585
Issue No. 217
• Incumbent Sabbs re-elected
sabbatical election
Results explained Page 9-10
SEREN Interview Chase and Status
Should drugs be legalised?
Page 13
• Number of Sabbs cut to four
W
INSIDE:
Page 30
• Highest turnout in over a decade
ith the highest number of votes for 12 years all four sabbatical officers running for re-election have been voted in. There hasn’t been such a large volume of student votes since 1999, but after a week of hectic voting and campaigning students have decided to keep their current sabbatical team. For the officers this is a huge vote of confidence and gives them a strong mandate to carry on the good work they have been do-
Easter Issue 2011
ing this year. With a remarkable 75% of the presidential votes Jo Caulfield has been re-elected after pledging to refuse a £75,000 cut to Union funding. Danielle Buckley, the current vice president for education and welfare received the highest number of votes though with 77% and will therefore be in officer for another year. Exit polls suggested that it would be a close race for the positions of Societies and Community which proved to be accurate, as Rich Gorman
was re-elected with 52% of the vote in the third round. In the alternative vote system, if no one candidate reaches quota, the lowest is eliminated and voters’ second preference is taken into account and this carries on until a candidate reaches quota. The race for VP Sports and Healthy Living was more clear-cut, though, as Danielle Giles was re-elected with 61% of the vote. Voters have been steadily increasing since a low point of 719 in 2003 to last year’s total of 1354. This year saw a dra-
matic jump to 1504 total votes despite there only being four available Sabb positions. This year, though the voting may have been influenced by student anger at the University’s inability to provide them with suitable SU facilities. Furthermore, with the likely hike in tuition fees many have felt the need to use their student voice and excercise their democratic right to vote.
Gemma Ellis & Daniel Turner
Neuadd Willis Student Accomodation 6-18 High Street, Bangor En-suite & Studio Rooms CCTV & 24/7 Warden Duty Launderette and Vending Machines Social and Charity Events Football Team
01248 371 450 / 07841 369 249 neuadd.wllis@freshstudentliving.co.uk www.freshstudentliving.co.uk
SEREN 90’s Night in Pictures
Page20-21