The Cascade Volume 3 Issue 10 March 7?, 1996

Page 1

l'ol. 3 ~o. 10/Week 11, 1996

emocrac

,

ssl

If you had your pen in hand anticipating the elections which decide the s u ent runner up. This is a seemingly reasonable solution and the one that was most likely reps. for thew Board of Governors, you must now be well aware that they are in Paul's mind when he decided to run, assuming that he was even aware of the postponed. Some of you may also be aware that a sizeable controversy is attendant criteria. to this delay and a number of people are quite ruffled about it. If you were waiting What was on Bill Cooke's mind of the Registrar's Office was "the election (pen in hand) for the elections you are also aware that Paul Becker's name "has been process by the regulations." That he allowed Paul to registrar was most likely an act withdrawn" from candidacy to represent the eastern region (Agassiz, of faith as he informed me that he "had been assured that the ..------------------, Chilliwack, Hope). Thus the delay ... thus the controversy. candidates were aware of the criteria." What allegedly trigWhile some have suggested that administration is up to dirty gered the eventual investigation was that the issue had ben tricks and that prejudism and favours are involved one probably raised. Bill Cooke says that the delay is informing Paul was that can not know but if so it is likely not a conspiracy. There are a)Bill did not take enquiring seriously until it was raised a oddities a plenty however, and attendant issues that bear examinasecond time at an "in camera" (closed door) session b) that there tion. The main oddity is that Paul Becker has found himself in a were E-mail delays and c) that Paul was in Montreal when the position somewhat like being stuck between the US and Canadian notification finally came through ... thus the delay and the borders because he forgot his ID. His candidacy has been reindirect track of the information. "I made many mistakes" Bill scinded for the east because he does not (at this point in time) have Cooke confessed as he has apologized. sufficient courses at the east campus. Since he has enough courses Yet the issue still remains and unless some new initiative at the west campus he can run there but, assuming he wins, very is opted for, Paul will not get to run. As it stands now the Board shortly after he would take his position his course load would is under no obligation to accept Paul because item 5.0 of the transfer to the east campus and he would automatically have to UCFV Procedure for the Conduct of Elections states that "these resign his post. The second oddity is that despite this he was procedures will be reviewed after each election." It is fortunate accepted by the registrars office as a candidate and ran until just that the Student Union called a stop to this now but unless the priorto the original election date. With two days until election Paul Board chooses to table the issue now Paul is a man without a received notice that he had been withdrawn: the third oddity rested land. On the one hand the Board has expressed that the in that he was only indirectly informed, on short notise, a11dthat no procedures are outlined and on the other hand they have exone else was informed such as the Student Union. pressed that they wish to resolve this issue. The elections are All very odd or so it seems. The Student Union called ow scheduled for the 25th to the 28th and you will know what "Stop" and Paul began an appeal; thus the postponement, thus the as been done up till then by whether Paul Beckers name is on · controversy: now heres the issue. All the personal politics aside a he list. very serious policy flow has been revealed. The lag between the When the feathers started to fly on this one certain other election date and the commencement of the office makes it issues arose which also should be investigated. The issues are unlikely that any student could be certain of where they would be those of democracy and student rights. A point raised by attending once they won. The solution would seem to suggest that Student Union members was that the Student Union and Paul you should hold elections in September at the commencement of Becker should have been consulted immediately especially the school year, yet Bill Cooke of the registrars office explains that since it is a student issue. While Bill Cooke explained that it was the date was c~osen to allow new students to get familiar with the a mistake he also pointed out that informing these people, just school so that hopefully they too will be informed of elections, get like in the larger political arena, is "more of a courtesy." First a chance to know the candidates, and maybe even choose to run. Another possible of all I think it is fair to say that courtesy is generally a sizable portion of professional solution is that the current policy should hold; yet this would now explicitly demand behaviour. Secondly there is a fair claim that the student body should be informed that you predominately attend the school which you represent not just for the 2 (or of not just the issue directly regarding certain students but anything that pertains to 3) semesters of your obligation but also during the term you are campaigning which the student body as a whole. Just as pe9ple mistrust big blJsiness for the same (as well has some very obvious drawbacks, namely that a student who takes no courses at the as their lock-and-key account ledgers) so too does the UCFV "in camera" sessions campus could run to represent it. Yet whether a student never seen at the campus create an air of conspiring which can not be shaken without freedom of information. could run to represent it. Yet whether a student never seem at the campus could get Now student rights come into play as we question what real power we have for selfelected there remains to be seen, especially if the voters are from the respective guidance in decision making. campuses only; that there are at least two candidates running; and that at least a few Once again the ruffled feathersmust be smoothedout. The currentsof mistrustmayhave people vote. Yet all of these are risky since one could advertise without personal done some harm and they may have done some good; if anyone has not come clean of ulterior interaction and also since you may not get an opposition or any voters, so various motives the present atmospherewill help guarantee that now things will be investigatedmore default wins could occur. If the East-West distinction were completely removed it thoroughly.Bythesameinfluencethingswillbedoneasstringentlybythebookwhichisnotsuch also would be quite easy for a larger campus or a more political campus to dominate a good thing if the book is flawed. One can only hope that for Paul, the democraticprocessof the the elections. The final option is that a student could be held on their promise to be UCFV policy and policy makers have retained a little of the flexibi_lity that they have prided themselveson. This is not a time to draw sides to point fingersfrom: this is a time to clarify an attending the appropriate school at the appropriate time or forfeit their seat to the issue or two about our democraticprocess here at UCFV,

~ : ••

....... ill"",fii"iS. "iS"SU C·=·................ Cascade Basketball

•• •• National Tournament ••• Results in the Cascade Feature • •• pages 6 and 7 •• •••••••••••••••

~e■;; :~~-

~;i:i;~~: ·;~~; 2:;-~~d s·....■-~

Sports- Page 6 and 7 Opinion- Pages 4 and 5 Editorial- J>age8 and 9 Poetry- Page 11 Letter To Ed.- Page 9 Classified- Page 11 Student Group Messages- 5

~···········································································

•• •• • •• •• ••• •• ••


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
The Cascade Volume 3 Issue 10 March 7?, 1996 by The Cascade - Issuu