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SiMON

FRASER UNIVERSITY

.

S.

MEMORANDUM

To ..... . .............

..............

DR

... K.T........

STRAND

From..

H. M. E VAN

.

S

PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF SENATE

REGISTRAR AND SECRETARY OF SENATE

Subject

....................... ECJ 10N

S

2 -

TUDENT SENATORS

Date..

MARCH2,

-7'

If the request related to the forthcoming elections for

student Senators, submitted by Mr. Norman Wickstrom, President

of the Student Society, for each student candidate to enclose

a synopsis not to exceed 250 words on the candidate's views is

to be brought before Senate, the following Motion would appear

to be appropriate:

"That in the election of student representatives to

Senate that each candidate be permitted to include

along with or in lieu of a curriculum vita a statement

not to exceed 250 words on the candidate's views on

academic and related matters rightfully falling under

the jurisdiction of Senate as laid down by the

Universities Act (1963)."

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Note: Legal opinion has been sought on this matter, and according

to this opinion Senate has authority to approve such a

motion under Section 27 of the Universities Act (1963).

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I

1,

d

SO MON FRASER STUD ' ET SOCIETY

.,'

simon fraser university/ burnaby

(

2 b.i

'

/teIephone 291-3181

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NW:kp

March

Dr. K. Strand

President

Simon Fraser University

Burnaby 2, B.C.

Dear Dr. Strand:

Re: Student Senator Elections

On the rules for election of students to Senate contained

with the nomination forms is a clause which forbids

'campaign promises.'

This rule presents some difficulty

to both candidates seeking office and to their electorate..

A student senator is elected from a constituency of

approximately 7000 people, of which some 2/3000 are off

campus.

In the past it has been traditional for candidates for

student senator to submit their respective points of

view to the

p

eak and have it published therein. This

has the effect of communicating these points of view to

the students on campus; however, it does little for those

eligible to vote off campus.

when the Student Society conducts elections for Student

Council, it is traditional to place upon the voting table

a candidate's synopsis of 250 words. This allows the

voter, who does not know the candidate or has not heard

the election speeches, to know what a given candidate

stands for and what he wishes to accomplish.

S

cont/d ........

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:rt has been our experience that this is perhaps the

most valuable piece of information that goes out during

election, certainly the most well read.

Under the electoral procedures of Senate, a candidate

is permitted to submit a curriculum vitae which includes

such things as degrees attained, universities attended,

publications, offices held, profession, and things which

generally do not apply to students, particularly under-

graduate students. You can well imagine how blank the

sheet of an undergraduate candidate would necessarily

appear.

It is my feeling that this structure does not help the

undergraduate student as opposed to the graduate student,

in that the graduate student very often has at least

one degree and perhaps a number of publications. In

terms of the voter, the curriculum vitae tells absolutely

nothing about what a given candidate should do once he

•

is elected and what his point of view is on academic

matters. Consequently, it does not give a true indication

of how the voter would be represented if he were voting

for a given candidate.

I have already discussed this subject with Dr. Kelsey

and Mr. Evans. The opinion I received from Mr. Evans

following a legal enquiry, was that Senate had the power

to make a decision on this matter, but that the Electoral

Officer did not. I would request that Senate allow the

procedure of the Student Society to be followed in

electing student senators, i.e. candidates for student

senator be permitted to submit a synopsis of not more

than 250 words, to be included in the ballot envelope,

along with, or in lieu of, the curriculum vitae.

I would point out that if one uses the Federal or

Provincial ièihod of conducting elections, it is not the

practise to have 'campaign material' within a certain

distance of the polling station. On a mail ballot,

however, when an elector chooses his representative

he may do so on any surrounding he chooses.

G

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I very definitely feel that it is in the interests of

fair play to allow all candidates to submit a policy

statement in the ballot envelope.

Yours sincerely,

Norm. Wickstrom

President - Student Society

copy/ Dr. I. Kelsey

Secretarial Services

Mr. H.E. Evans

Registrar