http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waeO99_Y52I

Glee meets Imagine More...


Enjoy!


Mary
www.imaginemoremary.c om

You are all invited to Imagine More Music, a coffeehouse!

In an effort to engage students in the political process, my campaign team and I have been brainstorming different mediums to reach out to students. One of our projects was the Glee meets Imagine More campaign video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waeO99_Y52I) and another is Imagine More Music!

WHEN: 8 pm, immediately following the All-Candidates debate

WHERE: MUSC Atrium

WHAT: We have a number of acts lined up so far, including...
Andrew Prine
Martin Capdevila
the Stairwell Acoustics Acapella group (featured in the campaign video!)
Teal Booth
Francis Jun
Erik Hertzberg
... and more!

WHY: Because we need to find unique ways of engaging students. Because we love music. Because we love student politics.

WHO: The students of McMaster, all are welcome!

I will be there, along with my campaign team, to speak briefly about my platform, to answer any questions and to meet the students I hope to represent! Come by anytime after 8 pm.


Come for the politics. Stay for the music.


Hope to see you there!

Mary Koziol
www.imaginemoremary.c om

Great video!!

I want to start this off by expressing my need to stray away from student politics for a minute and just talk about Mary on a personal level because this is what I know. This year marks the fourth year that Mary and I have been close friends and the third year that we have been housemates. So I have truly had the opportunity to see up close and personal how amazing Mary is. While she is still human just like the rest of us (yes, I am saying that Mary is not perfect) she is one of the best humans I know (I prefer dogs, haha). Here are just five truths about Mary:

• Mary is open and non-judgemental. Although Mary and I have a lot of similarities, in general we are very different people. Yet, I have never once felt judged by her and instead she embraces our differences and uses this as an opportunity to try to see through my perspective.
• Mary is sincerely invested in seeing others succeed. She once condensed and then taught me an entire course worth of material before an exam I was not prepared for and was stressing about. Enough said.
• Mary was born to motivate others. She is a very passionate person which is followed by a lot of drive and determination. I can always count on her to encourage me to never give up no matter how impossible the end goal may seem (even if it is just pushing me to run one more mile).
• Mary's strength rubs off on others. Her ability to cope and work through any problem that comes her way no matter how trying it may be is truly admirable. Being around her makes you feel like you can take on anything that comes your way. I hope to one day be as strong as she is right now.
• Mary has the ability to see the good in everyone. One of the things I love most about Mary is her modesty, I look at her everyday in complete astonishment at what she has been able to accomplish yet she will look back at me in that same way (and trust me, I am no Mary). She has always been able to identify the positive qualities in others that make them unique and great even if they don't see it within themselves. Some of the most meaningful and sincere compliments I have ever received have come from Mary.

To say that Mary will be a great leader just simply is not enough because she already IS a great leader . So whether she is chosen to be the new MSU President or not, it is qualities like these that will always define her as the extraordinary Mary Koziol.


This incredible woman inspires me everyday, let her inspire you too.

I was wondering how Mary responds to criticism that her campaign is based on very superficial and cosmetic/aesthetic type concerns as opposed to being all business and getting us back on track?

I have been following the campaigns and when I heard these comments from people I became curious. Any comments?

.
.
.

After the song and dance that was done in my ECON class while campaigning, I was wary of giving my support. It seemed very "high school", as if the MSU presidency wasn't to be taken seriously. That being said, it would be foolish of me to think someone wouldn't be a good president just because they chose a poor advertising strategy. So, sell me on Mary.

Hi Rossclot!

Thank you so much for your question. It is really helpful when people ask questions like this because it allows candidates the chance to clarify and explain.

I'm glad that you brought up the concern that my campaign is "based on very superficial and cosmetic/aesthetic type concerns as opposed to being all business and getting us back on track"; it is sometimes difficult to know what is being said behind your back (or maybe I haven't spent enough time on MacInsiders?), so thank you for allowing me the chance to defend myself.

What I think sets my campaign apart is that I have found very distinct problems across campus and proposed feasible solutions. Most of my initiatives that are additional features (farmer's market, community kitchen, text updates) are relatively simple additions that will not require much investment in terms of resources or time, but will provide substantial return in terms of student satisfaction.

I have stated that the 5-year plan is my number one priority; by proposing a platform that is entirely realistic, I have afforded myself the chance to pursue ideas that will enrich the student experience while still addressing the core issues that frustrate students year after year. Capitalizing on the momentum from the internal review will be essential in this regard; we need to move from research and discussion to implementation. I have focused on the themes of collaboration and continuity in order to best address problems; personally I do not think it is in my best interest to speculate on the best action plan I will take in order to get the MSU back on track because I am still awaiting the release of the internal review. I think I have demonstrated how I use research and careful thought in making my decisions, and will use the same pragmatic approach to structuring the 5-year plan (alongside those who will participate in its development).

After reviewing the platforms of the other candidates, in my opinion, there is little said about how exactly they plan to solve the systemic issues within the MSU. Kieran has proposed the strategic plan for the MSU, which I see as very similar to my 5-year plan.

Please feel free to ask me more questions - in fact, I would really appreciate it. Your question was rather general, so I am attempting to address it in a succinct manner. However, if I have spoken to generally or have not addressed some of your concerns, please ask away!

Finally... ahh.... the econ class performance. Given that I do not have a guitar to play or a decent voice, we were experimenting with different ways to draw attention to the campaign. In the hopes that we would peak attention in order to direct people to the website, where they could use my ideas/platform points to make an informed choice. The feedback I've gotten from that one particular attempt makes me realize it was worthy of the FAIL blog. However, we have been continuing to experiment with different ways to engage students such as our campaign video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waeO99_Y52I) and the Imagine More Music coffeehouse (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?ei... 21251&ref=ts)



Hopefully that helps convince me that there is a lot more to this campaign than others might argue, and I would be happy to spend more time convincing you. I also love sitting down with students to discuss issues.


Thanks!

Mary
www.imaginemoremary.c om

Originally Posted by mkozi

MacInsiders?)

What I think sets my campaign apart is that I have found very distinct problems across campus and proposed feasible solutions. Most of my initiatives that are additional features (farmer's market, community kitchen, text updates) are relatively simple additions that will not require much investment in terms of resources or time, but will provide substantial return in terms of student satisfaction.

I have stated that the 5-year plan is my number one priority; by proposing a platform that is entirely realistic, I have afforded myself the chance to pursue ideas that will enrich the student experience while still addressing the core issues that frustrate students year after year. Capitalizing on the momentum from the internal review will be essential in this regard; we need to move from research and discussion to implementation. I have focused on the themes of collaboration and continuity in order to best address problems; personally I do not think it is in my best interest to speculate on the best action plan I will take in order to get the MSU back on track because I am still awaiting the release of the internal review. I think I have demonstrated how I use research and careful thought in making my decisions, and will use the same pragmatic approach to structuring the 5-year plan (alongside those who will participate in its development).

Kieran has proposed the strategic plan for the MSU, which I see as very similar to my 5-year plan.

Correction, your community kitchen and Farmers market plan are claimed to be "unfeasible and not entirely well researched" as you claim according to posts I've read by other people on your forums. Other people have pointed out issues with them that you have failed to answer properly! Choose your words wisely, you claim of "contacting people within the MSU and administration" but you have never named your sources, please name them or stop claiming that! Not accusing you of lying but if you just say you have done your research using anonymous sources its sketchy! Just sayin.....

Your 5 year plan is just a random cliche term, rests entirely on the report by Vishal. Have you seen it yet? Are you confident it will be all you require to make a plan?

You call that your main point but its just nonsense that you don't have details for...not impressed....

I've looked at Kieran's plan too.....It is much more structured then your idea Imo.....
Your plan depends on the current prezs "review"? Wth?

I haven't seen Mary personally and she hasn't speak out in any of my lectures. The only time that I have heard from Mary's campaign is two girls giving out a speech. Where is Mary? Will she have this kind of disconnection fromstudents when she becomes president?

Originally Posted by kassie

I want to start this off by expressing my need to stray away from student politics for a minute and just talk about Mary on a personal level because this is what I know. This year marks the fourth year that Mary and I have been close friends and the third year that we have been housemates. So I have truly had the opportunity to see up close and personal how amazing Mary is. While she is still human just like the rest of us (yes, I am saying that Mary is not perfect) she is one of the best humans I know (I prefer dogs, haha). Here are just five truths about Mary:

• Mary is open and non-judgemental. Although Mary and I have a lot of similarities, in general we are very different people. Yet, I have never once felt judged by her and instead she embraces our differences and uses this as an opportunity to try to see through my perspective.
• Mary is sincerely invested in seeing others succeed. She once condensed and then taught me an entire course worth of material before an exam I was not prepared for and was stressing about. Enough said.
• Mary was born to motivate others. She is a very passionate person which is followed by a lot of drive and determination. I can always count on her to encourage me to never give up no matter how impossible the end goal may seem (even if it is just pushing me to run one more mile).
• Mary's strength rubs off on others. Her ability to cope and work through any problem that comes her way no matter how trying it may be is truly admirable. Being around her makes you feel like you can take on anything that comes your way. I hope to one day be as strong as she is right now.
• Mary has the ability to see the good in everyone. One of the things I love most about Mary is her modesty, I look at her everyday in complete astonishment at what she has been able to accomplish yet she will look back at me in that same way (and trust me, I am no Mary). She has always been able to identify the positive qualities in others that make them unique and great even if they don't see it within themselves. Some of the most meaningful and sincere compliments I have ever received have come from Mary.

To say that Mary will be a great leader just simply is not enough because she already IS a great leader . So whether she is chosen to be the new MSU President or not, it is qualities like these that will always define her as the extraordinary Mary Koziol.


This incredible woman inspires me everyday, let her inspire you too.

While these are great qualities to have and I'm sure Mary is a very nice person, I don't see how this relates to the MSU Presidency..?

While these are great qualities to have and I'm sure Mary is a very nice person, I don't see how this relates to the MSU Presidency..?

A candidate's platform is one of the first criteria you want to judge candidates by, but I think the second is a candidate's personality and personal attributes. Let's face it, one of the President's main roles is to be the face of the organization, someone who will be dealing with all levels of administration across an expanse of experiences. I think certain candidates have been pushing hard for voters to focus on their experience and platform points, and while I don't discount the importance of these, again, a candidate's abilities to reach people at a more personal level is also important.

I think various candidates have shown their prowess (or lack thereof) in this regard fairly well in this race. While one's personality isn't the most important criterion, in the face of what the MSU President does, I think it's an immensely important factor.

As an alumnus, I don't get a vote, and my input is probably completely unwarranted. As such, I don't have a vested interest in the outcome of the race, but in the interests of transparency, I will say that I have known Mary for a while, before she became involved in the MSU and if I had an alumnus vote, it would be hers. In addition, I have worked for the MSU for a little over a couple years and dealt/worked with the Board on a daily basis, and I have seen how big a role personality plays in how well a President does his or her job. This is not to say that there aren't other great candidates in this year's race (there certainly are), but I thought I should mention my 'affiliations'

Summer is right, a candidate is there to represent us, and that is the number 1 most important quality. There are multiple individuals that run each division (finance, etc.) and it is the presidents job to work with these people, while bringing in their main priorities.

However, a candidate that reches people on a more personal level isn't what i got in my soc. class, Mary seems so cute and nice, and i understand it was late, but i have only seen her one time, and that one time, she wasn't loud enough she wasn't very enthusiastic ad i just kind of ignored the presentation altogether.

Mary, I just took the time today to look at your website, it's very well done! your past experiences are what really grabbed me, the experience of the other candidates concerns me the most, but i feel like you know what you're doing and have the support of others.

Sorry i know I am rambelling, I am not voting for Mary (sorry) but i do hope she does well, and as long as the candidate that plays the guitar 24/7 does not win, i am happy. And if you win, i think you'll be able to do an ok job.

I just hope that people actually learn about the candidates before going out and voting, this is not a popoularity contest, this person is paid to work for us, so go out and vote but do it for the right reasons!! Goodluck everyone!!

Hey everyone I just wanted to show you a letter written by the MacGreen director about the Farmers Market and Bike racks issue at McMaster, both of which are part of Mary's platform. I hope those of you who take the time to read this understand that this is not personal, instead it is a critique of a platform. For those of you who instead get angry and think I'm a fool I am sorry if I offended you but Mary did not research either the Farmers market nor the bike racks issues well enough and if she had she would have realized that these points are irrelevant.

Click this for the letter!

- Matt Dillon-Leitch (and yes I am a member of Kieran's team)

"..while the University would only settle if Paradise Catering ran the stand. The University administration also desired to fiscally capitalize on the farm stand."


wow thanks for everything mcmaster admin!

I must admit that I'm a little frustrated by the way this issue has been addressed by Kieran Alkerton and his team. The farmer's market is still very much a possibility. It is the night before the last day of campaigning, so I am going to try and keep this brief.

This letter was written by Derek Taylor, who was involved with the project, but certainly not at the helm. Zsuzsi Fodor, who was referenced by Derek in the letter, is one of the two students who spearheaded this project and witnessed its demise.

I spent 2.5 hours on the phone with Zsuzsi over the winter break, and she passed on 50+ emails to me detailing the entire process from start to fail; at one point, the market was completely set to launch, with an article set to be released in the Spectator. The message she left me was very clear: the farmer's market (the one she envisioned, one that would be run by students and benefit local students) is still very much a possibility, but it is going to require a strong will and plenty of determination.

In going through these emails, I found reference to Mr. Taylor:

Derek, the Director of Macgreen wants to help out and make some noise and do what his group can to get this rolling! I am going to chat with him later, any suggestions would be great.

---> From this excerpt alone, I ask - what leads you to believe that Mr. Taylor would be a better source to consult than the project leaders themselves? I think this clearly demonstrates that while he was involved in the project, his involvement was fairly peripheral.

The failing resulted from a lack of support at the administrative level; the Department of Sustainability was unwilling to push the decision because they did not want to go against the University. But that is what the MSU is there for - to fight back, to demand that students have their voice heard. This was not done, and the project fell by the wayside. I do not intend to let this happen again.

What Kieran's team has presented you with is ONE opinion from ONE person involved in the process. It should be treated as such, not as a verdict from a supreme authority. From my communications with someone heavily involved in the process, a review of the entire process from start to finish, as well as my additional research of markets at other schools, I see the market as a feasible project regardless of Mr. Taylor's statement.

Just because the University says no, does not mean we will take their response without a rebuttal. I know the farmer's market will not be an easy fight, but it is a fight I fully intend to win; it's about time we had a project like this, where student government ACTUALLY stood up and fought for something, rather than letting the University push us around.

So, how do I plan to take on hospitality services? Well, first I will continue with the work initially started by the students... they started to gather letters of support, but never put this into action. Here is a list of what they had at the time:

Tina Moffat
-Associate Professor Department of Anthropology
-member of the City of Hamilton's Community Food Security Stakeholders' Committee
Ashlee Taylor
-Director of McMaster Student Union's Diversity Services
Derek Taylor
-Director of MSU MACGreen
Robert Henderson
-Professor, Arts and Science Program and Kinesiology
Vishal Tiwari
-McMaster Student Union President
Chris Martin
-MSU VP Education
Andrew Richardson
-MSU VP Administration
Andrew Caterine
-MSU VP Finance
Caitlin Allan
-President McMaster Outdoor Club
Linda Benson
-McMaster Atheletics and Recreation
Maureen MacDonals
-Assistant Professor Kinesiology
Glenna Ciraolo
-Kinesiology
Doris Burns
-Kinesiology
Sarah Wakefield
-Professor at University of Toronto
-Chair of City of Hamilton Community Food Security Stakeholder's Committee
Karen Burson
-Coordinator of Environment Hamilton Eat Local
-member of City of Hamilton Community Food Security Stakeholder's Committee
Marsha Sulewski
-Envision Management Consulting
-Ainslie Wood Westdale Community Association and Westdale resident
Janet Woodward
-Ainslie Wood Westdale Community Association and Westdale resident
Jane Evans
-Ainslie Wood Westdale Community Association and Westdale resident
Jim Evans
-Ainslie Wood Westdale Community Association and Westdale resident

... Notice how the MSU was involved as "letters of support" but were not central to the project?


If you had serious concerns about the market, this is something that should have been brought up well in advance so that we could have had a debate about it - rather than releasing a letter from an unqualified source at the last minute in an attempt to undermine me. My promise is that my platform goals are FEASIBLE - not that they will necessarily be easy. From my experience during campaign, I would have a tremendous amount of student support in pushing the farmer's market forward. From a very informal conversation I had with the student representative on the Board of Governors, this is something he would be interested in pursuing as well.

Ms. Fodor is currently attending school in BC, but I will see if I can contact her to make a statement about the feasibility of this market...
given the tardiness of this, however, I doubt it would be much use.

Mary
www.imaginemoremary.c om

mcmaster admin is a ****ing joke, you have to fight just for some vegetables because of paradise catering?

please ban administration if you win Mary.