9.35pm: In terms of promoting the college magazine, Rattigan recognises that budgetary restraints cause problems.
Often the most critical are the most vocal- could Rattigan handle the criticism?
She feels that she could “step up to the game”, but she also admits that she would have to learn it as she carried on in the role.
9.32pm: In working with the social secretaries, how much input would Rattigan want and what help could she offer?
Having been on the fencing exec as social sec she feels she can input but then again it’s a balance, and she would learn to handle that.
Faced with no magazine editors this term, what would happen? Rattigan knows how to produce it and what work is involved, but it can be done with all the JCR working together, and she says it is possible.
9.30pm: In terms of cross-campus initiatives how importantly does Rattigan feel that duty is?
Rattigan says that attending as many LUSU meetings as possible is the best way to promote her feelings towards that duty.
9.28pm: Questions begin for Rattigan. Who should have the power concerning the bar- the unelected SCR or the JCR elected by the students?
Rattigan feels that the JCR should have the power though she recognises that the Principal, Joe Thornberry, is the point of contact through which it has to be directed.
9.26pm: The candidate for President, Anastacia Rattigan, begins her hust. As one of the magazine editors on the current JCR exec she has plenty of experience with the JCR and wants to continue the good work. One thing Rattigan focussed on was the bar, not only working closely with the renovation and staff such as college principal Joe Thornberry but also getting an alternative Extrav location.
Rattigan wants to promote the image of the college too, as many people know nothing about the Carter Sheild, the Bowland Lady and other features. She wants to set up a President’s office hour in the bar to promote people talking to the JCR.
9.23pm: How much of a priority is it to compromise over events with the SCR?
Susoy says he will ensure that the JCR and SCR work together very closely.
9.21pm: What’s more important- freshers’ week or academic representation of Bowland?
Academic representation is important for the college but freshers’ week is the source of money for the college which leads on to revenue throughout the year, and so is key, but both are important.
Can he handle the responsibility?
He admits he has never had much, but feels he can handle it.
9.20pm: Attending meetings as a VP, how would Susoy ensure academic issues were fedback properly?
Susoy answered but was asked to do so again as his first answer didn’t address the question. He then said he would message around the college and ask for feedback to be sent to him.
9.18pm: Questions begin with how Susoy would ensure his large workload was equally paid attention to across all areas and what would he prioritise if he had to?
Susoy said he would keep organised, checking each area regularly, and would prioritise areas that were more pressing time wise.
What would he change about freshers’ week compared to this year and why?
He suggested a more relaxed event on the second weekend, with film viewings rather than a dress up social.
9.15pm: The candidate for Vice President, Oliver Susoy, begins husting as the chair calls for order. Susoy lists the main role as being organised, saying he fits that criteria, and also says that he sees working with the rest of the JCR and LUSU, which he’d do his best to do. Focussing on recent tuition fees protests he says he will make it his job to publicise protests as it is sometimes difficult to know what is happening with LUSU campaigns. He says he will do his best to make sure it is “a very good time for all the freshers”. Focussing on the bar, he says he wants to make sure the renovation is kept on schedule.
9.12pm: VP (FEDS) Matt Windsor asks whether the candidate attended recent protests. Though he knew about it Sparks said he didn’t attend. A further question from Windsor was shut down.
9.10pm: Asked what specific problems he could foresee students coming to him with, Sparks replies with a range, family problems, department problems etc.
VP (Academic) Robin Hughes asked how Sparks would ensure Ed and Welfare doesn’t become just Welfare.
Sparks replied that he can only work with problems people bring to him, but he would try to make sure people know he dealt with both areas.
9.08pm: Male Education and Welfare candidate Jacob Sparks says that his main reason for running is “helping people”. He says that he wants to be “somebody that the guys in Bowland can come and talk to”, ending his brief hust with “that’s about all I have to say, really.”
9.06pm: Asked about specific experience on the JCR, she answers that she’d learnt that things aren’t always clear cut and it’s often hardwork. Slaven is also asked about the change between roles, and her motives for it. She says she wants to be able to help more people.
Slaven is asked about the sensitivity of her role, and she says she would reinforce that she is there to listen, but she can’t physically make people speak to her. However, she will always be confidential.
9.04pm:The speeches restart with the candidate for Female Education and Welfare, Emma Slaven. As current Bowland Equal Opportunities officer she says she’s got plenty of experience and wishes to represent women, saying she has plenty of experience and “knows what it’s like” as “I’m a girl.” She feels that fee paying students need to have the best support they can get, and so will do her best to offer that to anyone who wants it.
8.50pm: Neither candidate was asked individual questions. A ten minute break is called.
8.48pm: Should the social secretaries run a potentially offensive event towards a group, what would they do?
Morris wouldn’t “make a big deal out of it, a big drama” but she’d ask why it had happened and sort it out.
Harper “wouldn’t want to offend the social secs” but would never want to see anything that was offensive to a single group.
8.46pm: Some international groups only produce posters in their native language. Do you think that’s right?
Harper says that English should be on there too, so anyone who is interested can go along and find out more about them.
Morris also agrees that it can only make them more excluded.
8.45pm: What would they do to get international groups in residences to interact with the domestic students?
Morris has seen this happen and suggests getting both parties along to international nights to build bridges. Harper suggests perhaps having international reps, calling on people to promote events by just dropping by and bringing international students along.
8.43pm: What do the candidates think they could do to help international students with the day to day of college life?
Harper- “I’m not entirely sure.” She suggests translated emails and helpful tips sent round regularly.
Morris feels the best way would be to do everything through the office hour, publicising it more.
8.40pm: How would they deal with LGBTQ students who treat it personally but may have a problem that outside help would be needed for?
Harper says that she understands being there is big thing, sometimes people just want to be listened to. Morris says she would have discretion but wouldn’t get out of her depth.
8.34pm: Group questions begin with what the candidates have done at home by way of experience. Harper has organised Love Music Hate Racism concerts, and Morris says she has several experiences.
They are asked about judgement on campaigns. Morris says it isn’t just up to her, though morally she is quite well guided. Harper says if she was concerned she might put it to a vote on the JCR exec or to the college.
How would they involve people who don’t speak English as their first language?
Harper would perhaps poster in several key languages to get people down. She also suggested finding volunteers who speak other languages to tell different groups by word of mouth at international society nights about the college.
Morris says perhaps emailing direct to the issue, suggesting that the opportunity is there if anyone wants to talk about it.
What did they think to the last international event?
Morris went to the Thanksgiving event, and thought it was very involving and communal. Harper is “afraid I don’t know about it.”
8.32pm: Amy Morris says she wants to be a visible and social officer, with good use of office hours and working with as many people as possible including “LGBT”, and talking to as many people as possible. She wants to give people the same experience she has had in Bowland.
8.28pm: Gracie Harper begins with unanswered rhetoric and is obviously flustered. She says she plans a multi-cultural evening with international food and music, and a Love Music Hate Racism concert which she previously organised at school, as well as a Gay Pride night in the bar. She has spent a month in Africa doing charity work, and says what matters most is that she is “caring and sympathetic.”
8.27pm: The International and Diversity officers are due to hust, but only two of them are present. Chris Roberts has failed to show.
8.26pm: Individual questions. None were asked to Huisman. Christi is asked what he’ll put first given a large amount of hours required for his studies. He says that he will prioritise it accordingly.
Mihejevs is asked about pushing through the bar, which has been constantly worked on since 1996. How would he do this? He says he feels that it shows “no one has made a stand yet”, and despite just being him, he will persist to get it done.
8.24pm: Where dose the money come from?
Mihejevs says its from various areas, using profit from Christmas ball tickets as an example. Both Christi and Huisman say they aren’t aware of all the ins and outs, but some comes from LUSU and some from event revenue.
They are asked about deadlines for minutes of meetings, and experiences. Christi is vague with no examples, while Huisman says “obviously we’re all students”, saying that for Law he has worked through the night before and is prepared to do so for the JCR. Though his studies “should come first, they also shouldn’t.”
Mihejevs has worked as a chef for three years, showing deadlines “are something I excel at.”
8.18pm: Candidate questions begin with a disallowed question about social budgets which is outside the general secretary remit. The next questions is hypothetical- should a new budget be voted down in JCR meetings, would the general secretary push it through as a minority because they can overrule?
Huisman says that he would put it to the rest of the college, with a longwinded allegory about current political movements and not asking what the public want.
Mihejevs says that everyone interested should decide on the budget in an abrupt answer. Christi says that it is about a careful approach, looking at all the options and all the opinions.
8.16pm: Abraham Christi says that he wants to make the spending of the college a bit more transparent as he had no idea the amount of money the college actually sees pass through to all events and publications. He has experience in “a few dodgy dealings” but promises not to gamble the JCR’s money, and hope that people will approach him with opinions on what to spend the budget on.
8.14pm: Zans Mihejevs begins an energetic hust which covers key points such as the bar and the role of the general secretary and ends with a rendition of “We’re Bowland till we die”.
8.12pm: The three candidates for the position of general secretary begin their husts. The chair struggles to get order. Daniel-Sean Huisman focusses on the fact that “we are in a financial crisis”, saying he’d work with the treasurer to solve budget problems. He says he doesn’t feel his £30 college membership fee is well spent, and that he wants to make sure people feel theirs is. He lists experiences as being financial director for a charity in London, and holding the same position for a Young Enterprise team.
8.07pm: The candidate for Communications Officer, Tom Wells, begins husting in amongst a hubbub. He proposes using the college website more, which he doesn’t feel many people know about. He also recognises that Facebook is quite a big thing, with a central group for the college and suggests a weekly bulletin message rather than spamming for every single event.
He says he would work with the social secretaries to publicise events as he is in charge of postering for events, saying he would like to change the attitude of many colleges towards Bowland. He says that as he is studying marketting it would be a relevant skill set to him. No questions were asked to him.
7.50pm: A ten minute break is called. The Chair calls the current exec together for a discussion.
7.50pm: Individual questions begin for Alex O’Hare. Previous attempts at old school sports days haven’t worked- how would she organise hers? She suggested making it fancy dress, with dodgy gym kits and plimsoles, saying it would need to built upon; “the first one might not be brilliant”.
No questions were asked to Cutter, Khan, or Rooney but shouts of encouragement were made.
Franks is asked how his hust has improved since last year. He says that he feels he has learned a bit more what socials work and what don’t, and he feels he has to be more realistic while still reaching out to those in town, showing town venues to more students.
7.45pm: How would the candidates improve attendance at events?
Khan says that it is a choice whether people come or not, and publicising is only half the battle. He says he needs to find out what people want more of and cater to them, and maintain the publicity of the current JCR.
O’Hare says that freshers’ week is the key point, where you need to get people out. Encouragement from the start and better briefed freshers’ reps to maintain crowds throughout the year is also key.
Franks mentioned leafleting the bar and leafleting off campus residences, saying “your pretty much guaranteed more people”.
Rooney touches upon the idea of international students and getting non-alcoholic events set up, with options of what to go to each week.
Cutter mentions not having a rep this year and word of mouth being key, with posters too heavily relied on, with not enough of them.
7.42pm: The candidates are asked how they would improve the current quiz on Sundays. Cutter suggests more diverse rounds to get a bigger crowd. Khan suggests people don’t neccesarily attend because it’s a Sunday, so he’d look into a different day. O’Hare agrees that the attendance has dropped off, but says it needs to incorporate more people, so in between rounds perhaps run a horse racing DVD to break it up and have a gamble on, or bingo to bring in “a lot of revenue”.
Franks says that he like the idea of bingo but he doesn’t feel the quiz is outdated. He feels that currently it has appeared rushed to him, and he would like to see it a bit more difficult to stop people being bored and complacent, and to tailor it to those who attend. Rooney agrees with the idea of bingo, and suggests that placing quizzes into the kitchens for cash prizes could draw people down.
7.37pm: The bar will close in third term. Where would the candidates hold socials then? Rooney suggests outside venues like the field. Cutter suggests co-operating with local colleges like County to help. Khan suggests using the quad, setting up temporary bars. O’Hare suggests reopening Ash Bar in Ash House, admitting it would have to be looked at in terms of licensing price. Franks suggests places outside in town such as Williamson park, and other venues in town. He says that he wouldn’t neccesarily try to keep bar socials going, but try to be a bit more diverse.
7.30pm: Questions for all candidates begin. Current Social Sec Aaron Brown asks them what campus wide events they could suggest. Franks answers first, saying last time he ran he was told inter-college events are difficult to do, but that he’d like to see all socials running through multiple colleges.
Rooney said he’s very open to anything that encompasses all colleges, perhaps with a big event like his End of the World scavenger hunt night. Cutter suggested a scavenger hunt too. Khan suggests plenty of activities at each night to keep people in the bar, as they need the revenue. O’Hare mentions a possible inter-college sports day, with three legged races and typical “old school” activites, encorporating both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
7.25pm: Lucy Cutter outlined inter-college socials and murder mystery nights among her social ideas. Alex O’Hare opened her hust with a deadpan joke and lists among her ideas a Bond themed night and a comedy night.
7.20pm: John Rooney, a fresher who feels that this year’s freshers’ week was a stellar success, husts next. He feels that the socials Bowland runs show it as the best college, and suggested Bowland on Tour and End of the World Scavenger Hunt socials to boost college spirit and as great socials. He reads the last of his hust straight from the page.
7.16pm: The five candidates for the position of Social Secretary are up next. Oliver Franks husts first. Having run last year, he says he was pipped at the post but is running again because he feels that the current JCR have done an excellent job. He says he would like to extend publicity, with leaflets going to students in town to get a better attendance to the bar. Among what he lists his experience relevant to the role as organising a sixth form yearbook and organising events in his workplace.
7.14pm: An awkward silence as the chair asks for questions. Finally Micklethwait is asked how he would ensure continued record attendance. He replies that he will continue as he has done, which seems to have worked.
7.12pm: The candidate for Sports Representative, Sam Micklethwait, begins his hust. Having been co-opted into the position last term, he says he is keen to see his term through. He has the experience, saying that the key to the role is “the need to know the position.”
7.10pm: The running order has been announced and there will be breaks in between positions.
7.08pm: The current JCR exec have gathered at the front of the common room area. A strong audience are already here, and the college turnout keeps growing.
7.00pm: The audience is pretty rowdy. A five minute warning has been called by current JCR President Kath Embling for candidates.
