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!
I seriously think it's good that you sort of flit around like a butterfly, and sort of cool tensions between francis and I or whatever, but I seriously appreciate your effort =)
I think we're disillusioned with our candidates. We've come to stop expecting our candidates to show sensitivity towards student issues seriously (most of our students don't even know what "student issues" are, I'd bet); so we settle for comedic stupidity.
From my experience, it isn't good to self-analyze too much on social interactions! Because then you think too much about talking to other people that you never actually get around to the talking. Personally I just go with the flow in social interactions, but I try to let my friends know that I'm willing to take the time to listen to them, even if they're ostracised when in crowds.
Management does affect students, but it's not an exciting (read: vote-winning) topic to talk about. That's how executive wings of governments get corroded, over time, into making essentially legislative decisions.
I think you're kind of right about not self-analyzing too much...but sometimes it's kinda overwhelming i suppose...
it's a matter of expectations then...it's reasonable to expect comedic stupidity and laugh at it (>.< i sometimes do that, admittedly), but somewhat hypocritical to laugh and demand stuff at the same time lol
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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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Cancel week 3 as I am not free :P
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From my experience, it isn't good to self-analyze too much on social interactions! Because then you think too much about talking to other people that you never actually get around to the talking. Personally I just go with the flow in social interactions, but I try to let my friends know that I'm willing to take the time to listen to them, even if they're ostracised when in crowds.
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What are some student issues, anyway?
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it's a matter of expectations then...it's reasonable to expect comedic stupidity and laugh at it (>.< i sometimes do that, admittedly), but somewhat hypocritical to laugh and demand stuff at the same time lol
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