With the start of the campaign period for this year’s Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) elections, those running should do their part to ensure that these elections are not a repeat of last year’s.
The multiple disqualifications of the Change slate candidates, together with the subsequent court appearance and lawsuit, dragged the election on. It is important that CUSA follows its electoral code, but any petty infighting amongst executives makes the organization look unprofessional in the eyes of the students.
Additionally, CUSA council dedicated three separate meetings to issues related to the lawsuit. This is a waste of CUSA’s resources and time, as it distracts both the executives and councillors from focusing on the real issues affecting students.
In the last two years, there has been a trend of slates not winning all the seats available on the executive board. While it’s natural to want to work with people you’ve picked on your slate, candidates should nonetheless be prepared to work with whoever else gets elected alongside them, regardless of any divides or differing opinions.
For the 2017-18 election, those running for executive positions should be less focused on who they’re working with, and more focused on who they’re working for—the students.
