1
ELECTIONS MAY/JUNE 2014 CANDIDATES HANDBOOK:
• PRESIDENT
• VICE PRESIDENT (POSTGRADUATE
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT) • GSA TRUSTEES
2
CONTENTS
AM I ELIGIBLE? – 3
THE POSITIONS – 4
WHICH ROLE WOULD SUIT ME? – 4
GSA PRESIDENT ROLE DESCRIPTION – 5
GSA VICE PRESIDENT (POSTGRADUATE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT) ROLE DESCRIPTION -7
GSA TRUSTEE ROLE DESCRIPTION – 9
THE ELECTION PROCESS – 10
THE ELECTION TIMETABLE – 10
CAMPAIGNING – 13
HUSTINGS - 14
CAMPAIGN MATERIALS - 15
THE VOTING SYSTEM – 17
CANDIDATES CHECKLIST – 20
3
AM I ELIGIBLE? The positions that will be contested in the May/June elections are:
• GSA President (one year term, full time) • GSA Vice-‐President (one year term, part time) • GSA Trustee (one year term, occasional)
4
THE POSITIONS
Which role would suit me?
All postgraduates are eligible to stand for election. The GSA President is now a full – time position that begins at the start of the 2014/15 academic year (September 2014). With this in mind, current master’s students and final year PhD students are actively encouraged to stand for this position in particular.
5
GSA President Salary: £17500 per annum. Hours of work: 37.5 hours per week. Duration: 1 year. September 2014 – September 2015. Accountable to: GSA Council Responsible for: 3 Vice -Presidents What we need:
• A Speaker – we need someone that can increase postgraduate knowledge of the GSA, its activities and its successes.
• A Leader – we need someone who will represent York’s postgraduate students to the University, external stakeholders and the wider community, ensuring the needs and views of Postgraduates are considered in relevant decisions.
• A Listener -‐ we need someone that is sensitive to the needs of a diverse postgraduate population and can work with the wider GSA network for the long term benefit of postgraduates in York.
• A Learner – we need someone that is proactive and has the capacity to acquire new skills and can develop new policies.
• An Organizer - we need someone who is confident enough to organize, attend and lead committees as well as writing reports on issues that matter to the postgraduate community.
What can you gain?
• A chance to shape the direction the GSA and University are going in. • Experience of making important, lasting decisions that have a direct impact on postgraduate’s
lives. • The opportunity to develop personal and professional networks • Transferable skills such as sitting on decision-‐ making committees and report writing • Experience in leading democratic institutions
Specific Duties:
1. To represent the views, needs and interests of postgraduate students at Senior University and GSA committees.
2. To be the recognised leader and spokesperson for the organisation and the membership. 3. To research, formulate, write and propose policy or strategy, where required. 4. To work closely with members of the University Senior Management Team as well as other
stakeholders to ensure that all new policy and decisions are taken with an understanding of the Postgraduates view and ensuring coherence on policy where possible.
5. To coordinate the work of the GSA Vice Presidents 6. To be an active member of the GSA Council and other relevant GSA structures.
6
7. Coordinate and support Relevant PG Networks 8. Provide feedback from postgraduate students for key players in the university, the local and
national community. 9. To chair the PG Student Wellbeing committee and GSA Academic committee as well as being a
member of other GSA committees, where required. 10. Assisting the University with departmental reviews, ensuring postgraduates are receiving quality
teaching, careers advice, supervision and support, where required. 11. To act as a signatory on the GSA bank account and manage relative budgets in agreement with the
General Manager and GSA PG Student President 12. To act as a responsible trustee and director to the organisation
General Duties:
1. To provide high levels of representation to all postgraduate students 2. To provide a high level of constituent care, including being non-‐judgmental and open-‐minded
approach to representation and support and being considerate of the views of others at all times 3. To provide timely updates and feedback to all stakeholders, including members, fellow Officers,
the GSA Staff and University staff as required 4. To signpost stakeholders to relevant services and provisions 5. To act at all times as an ambassador for the postgraduate student body and for the GSA 6. To actively uphold the principals of the GSA’s Officers’ Code of Conduct 7. To take an active role in the GSA’s campaigns, activities and research 8. To actively engage in the compiling of GSA led reports 9. To attend to the effective management of petty cash and other administrative cash matters 10. To act as the secretary to the organisational committees as needed. 11. To work in partnership with GSA Staff.
Trustee Duties:
1. To ensure the GSA complies with and fulfils its legal obligations. 2. To contribute to the development and implementation of the GSA’s strategic vision. 3. To engage in collective decision making regarding resources and finances of the GSA, ensuring
financial stability. 4. To ensure that staff of the GSA are well supported and supervised so that they may do their job
efficiently and effectively. 5. To ensure that all decisions taken are in the interest of postgraduate students and will not harm the
image or reputation of the GSA. These lists are not exhaustive.
7
Vice President (Postgraduate Student Engagement) Salary: £3500 per annum. Hours of work: 8 hours per week. Duration: 1 year. September 2014 – September 2015. What we need:
• A Networker – we need someone who can develop relationships with a wide range of groups within the postgraduate community and solve their problems with a non-‐judgemental approach.
• A Motivator – we need someone who can proactively encourage postgraduate involvement in GSA elections, activities and other relevant GSA structures
• A Speaker – we need someone that can increase postgraduate knowledge of the GSA, its activities and its successes.
• A Team Player – we need someone who will work with the President and other Vice-‐Presidents for the long term benefit of the postgraduate community.
What can you gain?
• A chance to shape the direction the GSA and University are going in. • Experience of making important, lasting decisions that have a direct impact on postgraduate’s
lives. • The opportunity to develop personal and professional networks • Transferable skills such as sitting on decision-‐ making committees and report writing
Specific Duties:
1. To represent the views, needs and interests of postgraduate students at university and GSA committees.
2. To develop frameworks for the constructive engagement of the GSA’s membership and to ensure that the individual groups are represented within the GSA structures:
• Part time students • Students with dependants • PGWT Students • LGBT Students • Gender Equality • Racial Equality • Students with disabilities • Distance Learning students • International students • EU Students • UK Students
8
• College Tutors • Recognised PG representatives in Colleges • Postgraduate Taught Students • Postgraduate Research Students • Postgraduates resident on campus • Non-‐resident postgraduates • Course Representatives • Professional students • Postgraduate level visiting students • Any other identified, and agreed, member groups
3. To be an active member, and lead on the management, recruitment, function and effectiveness of the GSA Council and other relevant GSA structures
4. Developing methods to manage, measure (including effectiveness) and enhance engagement with the membership, including measures to ‘close the feedback loop’
5. Collate and provide feedback from postgraduate students for key players in the university, the local and national community.
6. To Chair the PG Engagement committee, and be a member of other GSA committees, where required.
7. Coordinate and support Relevant PG Networks 8. To support the GSA PG Student President in coming to decisions and representing the membership,
including acting on behalf of the President upon request. 9. Assisting the university with departmental reviews, ensuring postgraduates are receiving quality
teaching, careers advice, supervision and support, where required. 10. To act as a signatory on the GSA bank account and manage relative budgets in agreement with the
General Manager and GSA PG Student President 11. To act as a responsible trustee and director to the organisation
General Duties:
1. To provide high levels of representation to all postgraduate students 2. To provide a high level of constituent care, including being non-‐judgmental and open-‐minded
approach to representation and support and being considerate of the views of others at all times 3. To provide timely updates and feedback to all stakeholders, including fellow Officers, the GSA and
university staff as required 4. To signpost stakeholders to relevant services and provisions 5. To act at all times as an ambassador for the postgraduate student body and for the GSA 6. To actively uphold the principals of the GSA’s Officers’ Code of Conduct 7. To take an active role in the GSA’s campaigns, activities and research 8. To actively engage in the compiling of GSA led reports 9. To attend to the effective management of petty cash and other administrative cash matters 10. To act as the secretary to the organisational committees as needed. 11. To work in partnership with GSA Staff.
9
Trustee Duties:
1. To ensure the GSA complies with and fulfils its legal obligations. 2. To contribute to the development and implementation of the GSA’s strategic vision. 3. To engage in collective decision making regarding resources and finances of the GSA, ensuring
financial stability. 4. To ensure that staff of the GSA are well supported and supervised so that they may do their job
efficiently and effectively. 5. To ensure that all decisions taken are in the interest of postgraduate students and will not harm the
image or reputation of the GSA. These lists are not exhaustive
GSA Trustee Salary: Voluntary Hours of work: Minimum of one meeting per academic term Duration: September 2014 – September 2015 What we need:
• Someone that can see the bigger picture – trustees are not involved in day to day affairs, but take an overview of how the Union is performing, both financially and in delivering services to postgraduates.
Trustee Duties:
1. To ensure the GSA complies with and fulfils its legal obligations. 2. To contribute to the development and implementation of the GSA’s strategic vision. 3. To engage in collective decision making regarding resources and finances of the GSA, ensuring
financial stability. 4. To ensure that staff of the GSA are well supported and supervised so that they may do their job
efficiently and effectively. 5. To ensure that all decisions taken are in the interest of postgraduate students and will not harm the
image or reputation of the GSA. This list is not exhaustive
10
THE ELECTION PROCESS It is the responsibility of candidates to ensure that they read and fully comply with the Election Regulations. These are strictly enforced and failure to comply may result in candidates being banned from campaigning or disqualification from the whole election. You should attend the Candidates Briefing, Friday 23rd May, 3pm in D/L/116 for more information about campaign rules. The Elections Committee is available to answer any questions, receive complaints and requests for official ruling and other appropriate queries during the course of the elections. These must be sent to [email protected]
THE ELECTION TIMETABLE
Please note that some dates and times relating to the election are subject to change and you should check your email regularly to be sure about what’s happening. Please send all queries to [email protected] Nominations Open – Friday 16th May 12 Noon (Week 4) Nomination forms will be available on the GSA website: www.yorkgsa.org/site/representation. Election Information Sessions – Thursday 15th May (Week 4) 11am, D/L/036 (Hes. West) Friday 16th May (Week 4) 11am, RCH/017 (Hes. East) Everything you need to know the GSA elections – current student issues, how to nominate yourself, the nomination form, the roles, how to get elected and more….! Nominations Close – Friday 23rd May 12 Noon (Week 5) Please note that any late forms will not be accepted, any difficulties or questions should be sent to [email protected], or come to the GSA Office in Wentworth W/201. Candidates Briefing – Friday 23rd May (week 5) 3pm, D/L/116
This is a chance for candidates to find out what being a GSA Officer entails. In this session, you will be made familiar with how the GSA voting system works, be informed of some practical aspects of campaigning and given some helpful tips on how to run an effective campaign. This is the opportunity to ask any questions you may have about campaigning, the elections and the GSA roles.
11
The GSA will use this session to make candidates aware of the Electoral Regulations so it is vital that candidates attend this session. Start of Campaigning Period – Monday 26th May 9am You are not allowed to campaign before this time, so please do not put up any posters, create social media groups etc. as you will be penalised for a breach of the electoral regulations. Campaigning will then continue right up until voting ends. It is important to remember that it is the candidates’ responsibility to encourage postgraduate students to vote. Hustings will be held on Friday 30th May 7pm (week 6) – Wentworth Edge. This is a chance to tell people about yourself, your plans and why they should vote for you. Any publicity (posters, social media groups etc.) must be approved by the GSA prior to any reproduction or circulation. All posters must be submitted to the GSA from Monday 26th May 9AM. The GSA expects that posters submitted within good time will be available to collect 24 – 48 hours after submission. More information can be found further in the handbook. Voting Period – Monday 2nd June 12 Noon – Friday 6th June 12 Noon (week 7) The ballot will be held online so that all postgraduates have the opportunity to access and vote in the elections. Full information about the electoral system is shown in the electoral regulations and will be explained at the candidates briefing. Voting will close Friday 6th June at 12 noon. Votes will be counted electronically. Candidates are allowed to vote and should remember to vote – one vote can make all the difference! Election Results– Friday 6th June 7pm (week 7) – Wentworth Edge The GSA will be holding a results party in Wentworth Edge and results will be announced throughout the evening. More information will be available closer to the time. Once the results are announced they will be posted on the GSA website, Twitter and Facebook pages. In the highly unlikely event that there is a serious issue announced before the announcement of results (such as a breach of regulations), results may be delayed and candidates will be advised accordingly until a solution is reached.
12
13
CAMPAIGNING Before you start:
YOUR MANIFESTO, POSTER DESIGN & PHOTOGRAPH MUST BE SUBMITTED TO [email protected] ON MONDAY 26th MAY
The best posters are ones that are simple, striking and can convey your message in few words. Make your name visible! A manifesto must be no more than 500 words outlining a bit about yourself, why you want to be a GSA officer and reasons why postgraduates should vote for you. We also need a good quality electronic photo to accompany your manifesto. This must be submitted as a .jpg file. Nomination forms will be available at ……………………….. from Wednesday 14th May 12 Noon, until Wednesday 21st May 12 Noon.
14
Tips for campaigning: Campaign with a SMILE: Simple – All voters want to know is who you are, what you are running for and why they should vote for you. If you keep the message simple, people are more likely to remember your message and vote for you. Memorable – Make your campaign something to remember. Use a catchphrase and get yourself known! If you are not going to grab people’s attention then it is likely they won’t remember and vote for you. Yet make sure you are remembered for the right reasons! Inspirational – People vote for someone they believe in. If you are hardworking, visible, and have great ideas, people will support your campaign. Likeable -‐ People are more likely to vote for you if they like you. The best way of doing this is getting out and talking (and listening) to voters. Most of all enjoy the campaign process – voters are more likely to like you if you are having a good time! Energetic – With over 4,000 postgraduate students, you’re going to have to talk to a lot of people you don’t know! Getting out on Campus and meeting postgraduate voters will get you more votes than just putting up snazzy posters.
15
CAMPAIGN MATERIALS Physical materials. All candidate publicity must be sent to, endorsed, and produced by the GSA. This is to ensure that every candidate has equal access to the same amount of campaign materials, making the elections as fair as possible. Due to this, each candidate will have two separate maximum allowances: Campaign Period Voting Period 20 A3 Posters 5 A3 Posters 40 A4 Posters 20 A4 Posters 40 A5 Posters 20 A5 Posters Candidates can request any amount of posters up to the maximum allowance. For example:
Candidate B makes two requests And one request during during the Campaign Period: the Voting Period 10 A3 Posters 10 A3 Posters 5 A3 Posters 20 A4 Posters 20 A4 Posters 20 A4 Posters 20 A5 Posters 20 A5 Posters 20 A5 Posters
Candidate B has also used both of their maximum allowances.
A
Candidate A makes one request And one request during during the Campaign Period: the Voting Period: 20 A3 Posters 5 A3 Posters 40 A4 Posters 20 A4 Posters 40 A5 Posters 20 A5 Posters
Candidate A has used both of their maximum allowances.
B
16
Poster and leaflet designs can be submitted to the GSA Office at [email protected] from Monday 26th May, 9am. It is expected that printing will take 24-‐48 hours and Candidates will be notified when they can pick up their materials. Once your publicity has been approved and printed, you are free to put it up around the Campuses. Please respect University rules and the guidance of any University staff in where you can place your posters. Candidates may not produce additional physical publicity. Email
• Candidates may not send emails relating to their campaigns, except to registered members of their campaign team.
• Each candidate will have an opportunity to provide information to the GSA elections mailing list. More information on this will be covered at the candidate’s briefing
Social media. If you plan on using social media to promote your campaign you must comply with the following rules:
• Campaigning on social media is acceptable if messages are openly available to all students – candidates must not in any circumstance post to ‘closed’ groups.
• Any campaign groups/pages must be ‘open’ and a link must be sent to the Returning Officer, who may request administrator access and publish it on the GSA access.
• Candidates may not issue multiple invitations to an individual to join an online group • Only English language websites may be used for campaigning.
Candidates must be made aware that any form of intimidation, bullying and harassment is completely unacceptable and against GSA Election Regulations.
Candidate C makes one request And one request during during the Campaign Period: the Voting Period 15 A3 Posters 5 A3 Posters 30 A4 Posters 20 A4 Posters 40 A5 Posters 20 A4 Posters
Candidate C has decided that after their first request, they do not need/want any more posters. Candidate is entitled to do this as the allowance is a limit.
C
17
Candidates are also forbidden from campaigning in University accommodation – this includes putting posters up in accommodation blocks, door-‐to door canvassing, and telephone based campaigning. The Elections Regulations are available on the GSA website at: http://www.yorkgsa.org/user/elections/GSA_Elections_Regs_2013.pdf Ignorance is no defence within the election process.
THE VOTING SYSTEM
The GSA uses the Single Transferable Vote (STV) to elect its Officers. The STV is a form of proportional representation which records voter’s preferences and is considered one of the fairest and most effective systems and is used by the majority of student unions and organisations. Candidates do not need a majority of votes to be elected, just a known ‘quota’ or share of votes determined by the number of voters. The vote: Voters will vote online at………… Each position will be voted for separately. Voters select their candidates in choice of preference – their first choice is put at the top of the list, second choice is put second on the list, third choice is put third on the list and so on until the voter has no more preferences or there are no more candidates to select. The count: When the votes are counted, all electronic ballot papers are sorted and allocated to first preference candidates and the total number of valid votes is counted. Votes needed to win = amount of valid votes cast +1 (Quota) Seats to fill + 1 The election proceeds according to the following steps:
1. A candidate who has reached or exceeded the quota is declared elected. 2. If a candidate has more votes than the quota, surplus votes are transferred to other candidates.
Votes that would have gone to the winner go to the next preference 3. If no one new meets the quota, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and those votes
transferred. 4. This process repeats until either a winner is found for every seat or there are as many seats
remaining as candidates
18
Re-Open Nominations (RON) – GSA elections also include the option for voters to choose ‘Re-‐Open Nominations’ instead of voting for any or some of the candidates. This means that voters who disapprove of some/all of the candidates can express their opinion positively. Moreover, it means that candidates who stand unopposed still have to face an election. RON operates in the same way as any other candidate in the election and can be made any preference by a voter on the ballot paper. If RON wins the election then none of the candidates are elected for that position and the election is re-‐held for that position. The importance of second- and third- preference votes: Few elections are won on first preferences alone and almost all candidates have to rely on transfers to get elected, so if you want to be elected you need to get people who intend to vote for other candidates to vote for you as their second or subsequent preference. So remember that any negative campaigning against other candidates may also harm your chances of election as second-‐preferences are just as important as first preferences. If someone tells you they are voting for someone else, all is not lost for you as you can always try and get them to vote for you as second preference. Example 20 sporty (but democratically minded) friends run an election to decide what sports to play. There are 5 possible sports they could play, but they can only fit 3 into their day. The 20 friends have marked their ballot papers as below (x = one vote). Note that some of the friends only have a strong first preference. The sports are: Basketball, Fencing, Football, Golf and Tennis
First, the quota is calculated. With 20 voters and 3 winners to be found, the number of votes required to be elected is 6.
19
Votes needed to win = 20 votes cast +1 = 6 votes required. (Quota) 3 Seats to fill + 1 When the ballots are counted, the election proceeds as follows:
Therefore, Basketball, Football and Golf are elected as the day’s sporting activities.
20
Elections Checklist
I have read the checklist! I have realised that I am just what the GSA needs! I have completed the online nomination form at: I have attended the Candidates’ Briefing at: I have read and understand the Election Regulations I have sent my photo, manifesto and poster/leaflet designs to [email protected] I have recorded my ‘60 second manifesto’ I have collected and put my posters up around the Campuses
I have met with postgraduate students and encouraged them to vote I will be attending the results party!