Msupundit,
I will meet with you this week and discuss whatever you want.
Just let me know when you are free and where you would like to meet.

Originally Posted by finklej

Here is an idea!
If you have a problem with the MSU/SRA or any comments/questions contact one of your reps, all of their emails are on the MSU website.

And just to iterate a point that I've made many times over and over:

We're all more than willing to talk with anyone - you don't even need to be a constituent - about anything. All you need to do is contact us.

Take what you read in the Sil with a grain of salt. All they do is try to slander the MSU and the SRA. There have been multiple instances where MSU/SRA updates and articles have been submitted for publication, and none of them have been published.

I can be contacted here, on my SRA email ([email protected] ca), in the SRA office during my office hours (Tuesdays + Wednesdays @ 1:30) and I always check in at the McMaster Science Society office (BSB B108) multiple times per week. Don't hesitate to even stop me in the hall or out on campus.

There's too many people around here who complain and spout off about things they know nothing about, and yet refuse to do anything about their problems, even if it requires little effort like sending an email.

Just because I (or any of us) haven't stopped you (not referring to anyone in particular here) and spoken to you about your concerns doesn't mean we aren't doing our jobs. I have over 5000 students in my faculty alone... the chances of me stopping and talking to any particular person are relatively low. It's far easier for you to come to us if you have concerns that you want us to deal with.

Whoa.

I don't get this.

Some random dude writes a blog post and you all get hardons but you all refuse to listen to Huzaifa, myself and Matt Dillon-Leitch trying to make a point about how mismanaged the MSU's finances are.

Secondly, what the hell is with your guys reliance on personal conversations. The fact of the matter is that most things needed to be said about the MSU and the SRA need to be said as a matter of posterity.

Yesterday when Sid asked the question of how the new SRA members feel the transition has been, the guy who answered (Kin SRA, sorry I don't know your name) and thanked Richard Cioci for being such a good help.

RICHARD CIOCI CAME INTO THE SRA AT THE SAME BYELECTION AS HIM.

I don't understand how you guys calmly accepted that. I found it HILARIOUS because it shows how little the SRA has done. More than that, I know for a fact that the new members don't feel properly initiated into the SRA.

I hate this bullshit. You guys get so insulated. The person who wrote that blog struck it right on the head. You need to accept criticism and make amends for it, and not because Presidentials are around the corner and you are trying to come off as a strong figure.

**** the MSU. This isn't just from me, but it's from many people like me who were once very happy to be involved with it. Now we are all turning our heads away from it because our best friends are doing shitty jobs and we feel insulted because we supported them a lot.

This applies to every single one of you. If you are as good as you think, then you will hold your peers to the same level, and yet nobody does that. Instead we have members talking about how it's waste of time for me to ask questions about a budget that was screwed up by the previous VP Finance, and 7 months into a 12 month fiscal year hasn't been fixed.

The best part of this thread is that Andrew Tubb is the person who most gets it.

Originally Posted by A.Marlowe

The SRA blog has never been very informative because of the infrequent updates (and the lack of content contained in those updates).

However just glancing at the recent posts, it might be improving. The post describing the proposed constitutional changes was very informative, and there were three posts this month (as opposed to the 0-1 we usually see). I really hope it does get better, because it could be such a valuable resource for seeing what is going on with the SRA.

Hey Andrew,

Just FYI I did bring it up last week during Question Period with the House Leader. If you remember the sh*it show about Quarters/Speakers Resignation that happened in the summer, I was always ranting about how there needs to be more substantiative and quality information coming officially from within the MSU so there are no MacInsiders heated debates where people try and fill in blanks regarding what is going on or random SRA members tell constituents to "email us".

While I appreciate the "Email us" inititatives, it clearly doesn't work. Emailing someone is one of the most awkward thing ever(atleast for me) especially if you as a constituent are coming from a position of lesser knowledge regarding MSU issues then the SRA member.

What I was promised unofficially was a Blog post before and after a meeting that detailed what is being discussed and then later what the implications of what was discussed at the meeting is.

So far I haven't seen anything major of that sorts, mostly compulsory announcements.

It falls under the jurisdiction of the House Leader as well as Caucus leaders(who can from my understanding contact the house leader to get access to the blog).

The House Leader has said he will be more vigilant and also ask caucus leaders to post. Hopefully we will see a change soon!

p.s: I am unfortunately only allowed bylaw 3 questions every meeting(which I used up) so hence I will next time be asking what exactly is the newly hired PR assistant doing for the 15 hours a week she gets paid. I was given a different impression/promise by the MSU office of her potential role in the summer.

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As for the blog, I don't mind it at all. I was recently researching the United Nations Lawsuit at UBC AMS and they have over 4-5 blogs dedicated to the union. Inculding one called "Gossip Guy" *Facepalm*

My hope to the author though is that you are creating this blog genuinely out of a wish to pose legitimate and honest questions and are affilliated in no form whatsoever to any Presidential team or have any "personal" bias against anyone in the BOD or SRA. If you wish to just see everything from a negative light OR if this is an attempt to further belittle the current BOD so that whoseover you are supporting looks more appealing come January, then this wont really serve any constructive utilitarian purpose! Just keep that in mind!

Goodluck on the blog. Promotion is prohibited, but it seems you're looking more for feedback on the idea/concept/initiative.

With regards to what MacInsiders offers, we started the SRA Connection forum which allows SRA members (those with upgraded accounts) to post updates and news which get promoted directly to MI users on our homepage. It has definitely being utilized by a select number of SRA members (Joe Finkle, Ben Taunton, Casey Park, to name a few). So good on them for using MI to spread the word and open up discussion. Note: you can respond to any of their posts just like a regular forum thread, so feel free to respond to them

http://www.macinsiders.com/forumdisplay.php?f=10 8

Hi Chad,

Thanks a lot for the encouragement. I do apologise if I did break the rules. However I did want to point out that I have just posted an interview with the SRA's Science Caucus leader Ben Taunton if anyone wanted to check that out.

Originally Posted by Taunton

People can write about whatever they want, regardless of how uninformed it is (ie. the Sil)

Good luck with your blog.

Originally Posted by msupundit

Hi Chad,

Thanks a lot for the encouragement. I do apologise if I did break the rules. However I did want to point out that I have just posted an interview with the SRA's Science Caucus leader Ben Taunton if anyone wanted to check that out.

Taunton and msupundit the same person?



"Note: this interview was conducted over email. Mr. Taunton was extremely accommodative and answered questions without any apprehension and I thank him."

"What is your personal opinion on this, and what would you do to combat this mindset were you the MSU President?"

i dont think so.

LOL wow, people go crazy around here when Presidentials come around.

I assure you, I am not running for President, nor am I a member of any presidential campaign team. If you read the interview, you will see that I in fact am running to sit on the Elections Committee for presidentials.

Originally Posted by Gandhi89

i dont think so.

lol tell us who it is!

Booo. Tame. You shoulda unleashed the beast Ben and ripped up everyone. Especially that douchebag caucus leader of yours.

Also Andrew I'm running for President. Will you be on my campaign team?

Originally Posted by deadpool

I'm running for President.

Best news I've heard all day!

just wanna say good job on the email interview. no attacks on either side, just solid suggestions on how to improve.

hopefully the blog stays positive like this, if it does I will make sure to continue to read

Originally Posted by A.Marlowe

Best news I've heard all day!

I'm pretty sure he won't commit a major pre-campaigning violation now would he?