If there are no genuine policy disputes, then this should be made clear by the electoral committee (whoever it is - the school?). Candidates cannot make such an assertion, obviously. Then the competition will be thoroughly based on administrative capability, which is what Council positions require anyway.
Otherwise there'll be a default assumption that the things which matter to most students will be discussed, and students will treat it as such.
There's additional questions of authority and so on, but this is perhaps the most fundamental issue.
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You can afford to flit between social groups if you have the social capital (aka popularity) to do so. Most people don't, and if they mix with ostracised groups too often, they simply lose their own social position.
Well... authority in Hwa Chong is complicated. There's the Board, the school, and then the student councils.
Anything the councils can propose boils down to "we're going to ask the school to grant us $RESOURCES to do $PLAN". Giving the councils or committees any power to contest the decision of the school also gives them responsibility, which introduces a legally tricky mess, doesn't it? So the councils can't and don't oppose school policy.
And since they don't, can't, and hence haven't, people don't expect them to. I daresay the situation might be different now if the Student Union had managed to force a name change to "Hwa Chong College" back then. Or - even more unlikely - contest school fee increases.
Of course, questions of authority are not relevant when there is no actual opposition over policy...
There aren't any policy disputes, it's usually the same matters, eg. the State of the Canteen Food, which is usually put down to a battle between the students' will and an administrative won't. And then again if elected they have no power to do anything, since the job scope encompasses the planning of events, for which if planned year after year, with after-action reviews, should become easier as the years go on, with the occasional innovation.
The worst thing that came out of this election was, as with elections, the rhetoric and great leaps of logic. Four candidates' campaigns could be summed thus: One "I love the school, I'm running to lose weight and losing weight shows my love for the school", Two "I love the school and I have won many medals for the school", Three "[don't understand what he says]", and with candidates like these, who needs elections?
Will you be coming to school? We have blocks at the end of June =( but do drop by!
"The State of the Canteen Food" does constitute a policy dispute, albeit one over which the Council has no responsibility and hence no power =p.
It's interesting that there is nothing the Council can do that students can't. The only means by which the Council can get something done is to survey students, publicly present proof of common opinion, and propose some change acceptable to the school... which can be carried out, just as easily, by most interested students. Just call yourself "Committee to implement $PLAN" and ask the appropriate teachers for EMB-posting/announcement permissions.
So anybody motivated enough to initiate anything won't be running for council. Call it a constitutional flaw rather than a fault of the councillors or candidates.
Rhetoric: not so different from real politics, then. That's three, not four, anyway =p.
To be sympathetic, dedication is important to what is otherwise a boring middle-management role.
Otherwise there'll be a default assumption that the things which matter to most students will be discussed, and students will treat it as such.
There's additional questions of authority and so on, but this is perhaps the most fundamental issue.
...
You can afford to flit between social groups if you have the social capital (aka popularity) to do so. Most people don't, and if they mix with ostracised groups too often, they simply lose their own social position.
...
God damnit, my flight is at the end of June =(
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Anything the councils can propose boils down to "we're going to ask the school to grant us $RESOURCES to do $PLAN". Giving the councils or committees any power to contest the decision of the school also gives them responsibility, which introduces a legally tricky mess, doesn't it? So the councils can't and don't oppose school policy.
And since they don't, can't, and hence haven't, people don't expect them to. I daresay the situation might be different now if the Student Union had managed to force a name change to "Hwa Chong College" back then. Or - even more unlikely - contest school fee increases.
Of course, questions of authority are not relevant when there is no actual opposition over policy...
edit: grammar
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The worst thing that came out of this election was, as with elections, the rhetoric and great leaps of logic. Four candidates' campaigns could be summed thus: One "I love the school, I'm running to lose weight and losing weight shows my love for the school", Two "I love the school and I have won many medals for the school", Three "[don't understand what he says]", and with candidates like these, who needs elections?
Will you be coming to school? We have blocks at the end of June =( but do drop by!
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It's interesting that there is nothing the Council can do that students can't. The only means by which the Council can get something done is to survey students, publicly present proof of common opinion, and propose some change acceptable to the school... which can be carried out, just as easily, by most interested students. Just call yourself "Committee to implement $PLAN" and ask the appropriate teachers for EMB-posting/announcement permissions.
So anybody motivated enough to initiate anything won't be running for council. Call it a constitutional flaw rather than a fault of the councillors or candidates.
Rhetoric: not so different from real politics, then. That's three, not four, anyway =p.
To be sympathetic, dedication is important to what is otherwise a boring middle-management role.
... hm. Yeah, I'll turn up. =D
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Mixing with ostracised grps does make u lose some social standing, true. I just wish people wouldn't be so obviously superficial about it.
Like "omgomg so-and-so is damm unchio let's dao her" or "omgomg this person is weird lets dao him too".
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Argh why so late. Come back sooner plz. And crash more lessons hee =D
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