Shame on us.
The following is from Nitay-Yair Levi (former President of the LSA). www.gordprisco.blogspot.com always has time for anything the former president has to say. I will always remember walking in the law school during my first few semesters and Nitay taking the time to talk to me, invite me to school events, or ask how my classes were going. Nitay got what it was all about - and still does. Anyway, he told me he wrote this quickly, so pardon any mistakes by the author or any that have happened in cutting and pasting. Here it is:Some facts:
Student Council elections.
Approximately 3,000 students.
12 elected positions.
7 contested positions.
5 uncontested positions.
Shame.
And now let look at those facts from a different angle, and it will all become clearer.
Let’s face it - Bond is a very special place. It is a hybrid of working hard, and playing even harder. We have all experienced
And proud we should be. We are ranked among the best universities in
However, my fellow Bondies - it is time for us to wake up.
I am sorry if I am to sound like the prophet at the gates, but the Bondie tradition, the Bondie spirit, what make us, us - is disappearing.
What make the spirit is us.
It is our involvement in Student bodies.
It is the fierce election process.
It is the passion that each student running for a position on Student body brings along.
It is the real passion to keep the Bondie spirit true and alive.
Simply, because we care.
But it seems as if spirit of change is looming upon us. 5 uncontested positions. And not for the “creative dancing in ‘Kazakhstanian’ rain forest club”, but for our main representative body. Student Council. The most respected organisation on campus. The main organisation that take care and act for YOU.
Shame.
And no. The shame is not to be attributed to Student council, Law Students Association, Business Student Association, Humanities Student Association, or even the Medical Students Association. The shame is to be attributed to us. Those on the mentioned organisations are already acting for your best interests. Yes, we may disagree at times, but the bottom line is that they care, and god bless them for that.
It is us. Those who enjoy the spirit, but do not run for a position. Who do not act to keep the Bondie spirit going - because some of us just… don’t care.
I am not putting on the line those who are running for uncontested positions, nor do I imply that they will not do a good job. Vice versa, they are running, they have put their name on the line, and they deserve our support - Because no-one else will do it.
But it is not too late. There are other elections coming up, Business Students’ Association, BUSA, and so on.
I say this. Get involved.
I do not want to see the Bondies history failing.
It is all very simple,
History is created by strong tradition.
Tradition is created by people.
And people, my friends, are you.
Nitay-Yair Levi.
posted by The Vitamin's Blog @ 1:18 a.m.
17 Comments:
so gordon, do you agree or disagree with what he has to say. If you do and it's a social comment regarding participation by Bond students and by publishing you are endorsing it then it's a bit rich given you've never run for anything.
I agree...and I agree. But I am needed in other ways (says me). I have found my calling. It's to sit in front of my computer and write useless things for people like you to read.
Someone's gotta hold the elected students at Bond to account. Someone's gotta make sure the grass doesn't grow under their feet.
Participation doesn't have to mean running in an election, I am involved in the process...and care about it.
I'm not here to get my degree and run. I'm here to be involved, to make a positive stamp, to make things better for the next guy. It's how we roll at www.gordprisco.blogspot.com.
And we are also here to have a drink at Club 20 tomorrow night followed by Don's Tavern. See you there.
I think it's a cop out. Reality is you haven't run, it's easier to try and hold everybody else accountable and think your doing your job doing this. although you contribution is thoughtful bond has had great political campaigns before you, and your running commentary is nothing more than that. Pity guess know one will know whether you were capable of dealing with the public scrutiny all office bearers now feel they must deal with because of you.
HERE HERE!!!
B
It is a shame that people aren’t running for student council. But why is that Gord? Have you had a look around campus and asked a few people why they aren't running?
What happened when the new LSA got elected? How long did you give us before you started slagging everything that we did? A week? 2?
I think a huge part of the problem is YOU Gord. You really don't care about this university; you care about your own notoriety. This is evident by you acting as 'campaign advisers' to people yet refusing to actually do any work yourself. You are quick to kick when one of us falls but slow on the uptake to defend.
You goaded others into having a go as well, if only to watch your hit counter go up.
Well I hope it was worth it...
How many candidates saw the shit that we went through and thought twice about having a go because of it? If it was 1 then that is 1 too many.
This next year is going to be the most challenging for any student FSA or Council. The last thing they need is you having a go every step of the way.
Don't give me some rubbish about holding yourself out to public ridicule when you run. We aren't paid for work on student bodies; we do it only out of a desire to help others. I don't think that this makes you a candidate of the sort of bullying that you carry on with.
So in short, stop being part of the problem and be part of the solution. Run for something or at least bring your blog back to actually discussing issues. You mention them to me in the halls, but you never make anything of them.
Why not talk about:
1. Why isn’t the university fixing our wireless problem before moving everything on-line?
2. Why have so many people reported problems with their marks being entered into the system?
3. The election subcommittee?
4. The Changes to the voting regulations.
I mean dam Gord there was a change to the very fabric of the university voting system made last Friday and you were too hung over to come! You didn’t even mention that it happened!
Brendan
Here are your points followed by my comments. I appreciate your effort and time in writing.
1. slagging everything that we did?
I thought people were giving me shit for being in your back pocket? I think I've given you guys lots of credit...maybe more than is deserved - but I give you the benefit of the doubt cause you do it for free.
2. You really don't care about this university; you care about your own notoriety
This semester I signed up for the mentoring program. No mention on the blog. NO mention to anyone. The reason I signed up for it was that I felt I could give something back to a new student. I believe in giving back. I don't need notoriety.
The reason I suggested that there be an alternative debate this thursday was not for my own notoriety. I'm not interested. I have nothing to gain from it? I don't even reside in this country?
3. acting as 'campaign advisers
I am official campaign advisor to nobody. When people ask me questions, I tell them. I like to be involved. The reason I help is because I believe that more people should be talking to students. I have been told over one-hundred times during elections here that "I won't vote for that guy cause they didn't take the time to meet me or ask for my vote." That is what I advocate most for with any candidate.
4. Quick to kick when one of us falls but slow on the uptake to defend.
PLease look at my archives to see how many times I praised you. See specifically the LSA report cards. On this point you are just wrong Brendan.
5. How many candidates saw the shit that we went through and thought twice about having a go because of it? If it was 1 then that is 1 too many
I doubt that the number is even 1. If you can bring one person to me that didn't run in the election because of this blog, I'll eat my shoe. You give me way too much credit Brendan.
6. Don't give me some rubbish about holding yourself out to public ridicule when you run. We aren't paid for work on student bodies; we do it only out of a desire to help others
Guess what. We voted for you. and those others you mention includes me and every other law student. If I don't think you're doing a good job, then you're damn right you're gonna hear it. Get used to it. It's life and I've laid off you guys for a long time cause I think you're doing a great job. But the minute you slip, I'll be the first one to put you back on track.
7. be part of the solution.
Debate is good. Nobody talked about this kinda stuff last year at this time. It's good. Believe me. Debate is good.
8. Why not talk about:
1. Why isn’t the university fixing our wireless problem before moving everything on-line?
2. Why have so many people reported problems with their marks being entered into the system?
3. The election subcommittee?
4. The Changes to the voting regulations.
You can talk about that. I can't do everything. You have more clout than I do. Stand up for our views? IF you think that's a big deal, then we elected you to fight for those issues...look in the mirror.
But to be honest, i appreciate your comments (cause I like OWNING YOU!!) hahahah
kidding.
Gordo once you've dug a hole. A very big one, it is very hard to get out of it. You haven't redeemed yourself. Dug a bit deeper perhaps. Iisten to what Brendan is saying to you
Gord, I think you should SPIKE THE PRES!!!!!!
MASM
donaghue, suck it up. half the reason the lsa is doing a good job is because the students know more about it now. and i'm not giving full credit to gordo, but he's part of the reason. council's at this school do a terrible job communicating to students. but with stupid blogs like thsi, it helps us know what's happening.
Gord,
I'm concerned about what you are turning our Thursday night into - people should be able to drink in peace without having to deal with candidates/politics on campus (afterall they are everywhere at the moment).. while your forum is a good idea- it isn't the correct venue at club 20 for this; you may ruin the tradition of standing around and talking about nothing;
I hereby start a new movement called Club 20 Just for fun not for politics! anyone who wishes to join please post comment below.
Brendan, the reason LSA is well is because the previous LSA did a good job! You received a healthy LSA. Gord is contributing by exposure. He is inovlved and doing more than other students GO GORD !!!!!
Student council is for wankers and losers. They do nothing but flip burgers. they dont respond to critical issues like Plugs and wireless.
PResident of the Plugs and Wireless Association
good idea. do something like that a people might stop past for just a chat. take it down to $5 and even more people might come. be welcoming and stop being such an arrogant blogs club and even more people might come.
as much as i hate to do this, i gotta give gord the credit here...he is one of a few that does anything. I can't admit to who this is, i don't want to give him credit publicly. lol
i think nitay should be the president of student council, why isnt he running?
As one of the candidates for the elections I have to say that Nitay's and Bronte's comments are one of my greatest concerns.
I believe that apathy on campus is one of the greatest challenges to the student body building their university and achieving more in the next coming year, and years after, than 'only the sum' of what has happened over the last council term or even struggling to hold onto that status quo.
At the risk of repeating Nitay and Bronte, it is both the quality of our life here and our legacy that is at stake if we do not resist indifference being the architect of this campus' future.
We are not large enough to allow politics and campus development to be a club of the concerned, the assertive and the administration. Rather, everyone has passions and interests that can and should be harnessed to ensure that in the future Bond will still reflect a vibrant independant history.
Nitay is graduating at the end of this year, probably an indication as to why he isnt running
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