Elections at UoM

Ever since I have joined UoM, the students' union elections have always been a major event through out the academic calendar. Well, as fresher in my first year, it was obviously an exciting event since you get to know a lot of seniors and enjoy an unusual high degree of attention from them. Obviously, we were not that much knowledgeable of the tactics adopted by election parties within the campus to gain votes. Moreover, I did not care too much why there was so much fuss about elections or why we were being targeted. I only thought that as long there were outings, parties or any kind of events, life at university was worth living then.

As expected, the first elections turned out to be a very memorable event, if not to say one of the biggest highlight of my first year at university. And the party we "worked" so hard towards won.. As it happened,  when I went to my second year of university, I was approached to stand as Faculty Representative for  the Faculty of Engineering. Well, it was not an idea that entertained me a lot to be honest. I was quite concerned by the amount of time to be devoted to the campaigns as well as the costs. Well, elections at UoM do cost hell a lot. Nevertheless, I let myself being convinced by certain people I trust and decided to stand as candidate. Was i gambling my future? Certainly not! I had precise and honest ideas to materialize for my faculty. It was a huge challenge for me to convince the students of the biggest faculty on the campus to vote for me, and to top it all, I had 2 weeks to do that. Despite my efforts,which was quite moderate to other candidates, I lost.. But i gained huge knowledge out of all this circus, which then started to make me drift out of this selfish circle.

It is only when you formed part of this inner circle that you started to realize then that were was no difference between national and university politics.. All of them do it for their own motive. There was not real motivation to work for the students, apart mainly trying to "loot" the funds generated for the Students' Union. Using students of first year was a common tactics since generations as students in second, third or fourth year have already been acquainted to the running of the Student's Union Office.. I wonder why I never tried to understand the source of budget of an election party during a campaign period. 

Were the "investors" doing it for the benefit of the student, or for their own motive? And how would they recover their investment? Would it be through those various committees that they would be sitting on as representative of students? Or do they invest in these elections just to obtain one of these posts? A parallel can be drawn hence to the general elections in the country. Close people to the ruling party obtain high commissioner post or chairman of the various state institutions though out the country.. Well, as it seems, the leaders in the country are already inspiring the young "leaders" at the university. I always wondered why not a proper selection of the most suitable candidates for those various committees were never carried out.. Arrete protez pti copains! :S

Another fact that made me disgust elections at UoM was the presence of "election gods", or simply previously elected students on the students' union. As it seemed, they always had a huge hand in the selection of the candidates for "their" party. They would still do ground campaigning for the beloved candidates. The best out of all, develop sick tactics in order to defeat opposing parties. Well well well, i guess university students are no more babies to babysit them. Let them face the challenges and consequences on their own. Then they will be able to manage the office of the student union on their own. your time at the campus is gone buddy, just learn to let it go.

Hopefully, the next management team of the Students' Union would be able to clean up the office somewhat, not make it a den for their own, a place without any rules. Maybe they should adopt one of the most hilarious points I have ever heard of during my time at university, replacing the office door by a transparent one. It might not be such a bad idea after all. Then the students would realize what those people are really upto in the office, working or just making it a casino or a dating place..

The only advice I could give to freshers, is to prove that they are grown-up,mature people that could differentiate between the right and the wrong. Its simply putting the right people at the right place..! :)