Originally Posted by fullsmash26

On what grounds are links to Facebook groups prohibited?

What is disrespectful about this link?

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4042938 4401
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=3941104 4918

Thank You,


Joey Coleman

I never said links to facebook groups are disrespectful or wrong. I don't know where you're getting this idea Joey.

What I mean by 'disrespectful' is making rude comments about aspects of the MSU that a person does not like. Everyone has a right to express their discontent but it should be done in a polite and professional manner. This is what I mean by disrespectful.

Originally Posted by McIntyre

Hi Danny,

Thank you for respecting the censorship rules. The Elections Committee is there to ensure an unbiased election,
Cheers,
John McIntyre
Elections Committee Member

That's funny because Ian Finlay is the creator of a Facebook group telling us to vote no. Yeah, good job on not trying to bias us SRA! Don't put your bias on other students maybe you should try trusting us and know that odds are we'll make the right decision.

Facebook group created by the VP Finance of the MSU: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=3158289 3457

Originally Posted by ferreinm

That's funny because Ian Finlay is the creator of a Facebook group telling us to vote no. Yeah, good job on not trying to bias us SRA! Don't put your bias on other students maybe you should try trusting us and know that odds are we'll make the right decision.

Facebook group created by the VP Finance of the MSU: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=3158289 3457

The Elections Committee just this afternoon has allowed online campaigning on Facebook and MacInsiders.

Originally Posted by casey.park

The Elections Committee just this afternoon has allowed online campaigning on Facebook and MacInsiders.

Sorta like opening the back of the barn after the horses have already run out the front.

The elections committee didn't do anything, students told you to leave your censorship in China.

Originally Posted by kokosas

I never said links to facebook groups are disrespectful or wrong. I don't know where you're getting this idea Joey.

What I mean by 'disrespectful' is making rude comments about aspects of the MSU that a person does not like. Everyone has a right to express their discontent but it should be done in a polite and professional manner. This is what I mean by disrespectful.

I noticed that links disappeared in posts by Mr. Vacar that's all.

I never said I was going to vote yes. However, I think you should give students both sides of the argument rather than simply enforcing your opinion on them. Just because the Elections Committee has allowed this does not make it right. I feel that while the individuals on the SRA are obviously allowed to have their own opinion, they should not as a whole tell us what to vote for. The MSU possesses a lot of power and influence. If the referendum does not pass I will wonder if it was based on bias or what the students actually want.

Originally Posted by ferreinm

I never said I was going to vote yes. However, I think you should give students both sides of the argument rather than simply enforcing your opinion on them. Just because the Elections Committee has allowed this does not make it right. I feel that while the individuals on the SRA are obviously allowed to have their own opinion, they should not as a whole tell us what to vote for. The MSU possesses a lot of power and influence. If the referendum does not pass I will wonder if it was based on bias or what the students actually want.

I have a feeling you were replying to someone's post. Too bad it seems to have been deleted.

I'm glad people are finally starting to see that even though the referendum at hand is about DVDs, the bigger problem is the MSU's need to control where and how discussions take place.

Hey Everyone,

The elections committee has reviewed their rules and decided to allow and encourage facebook participation in this referendum by both general students and campaign sides. Initially we hoped to limit facebook to an elections committee group presenting the facts to prevent random facebook groups from biasing student votes through inaccurate information. However, unfortunately we did not predict the fact that students not involved on campaign teams would be passionately involved in this referendum. As such, we have now opened up facebook in this referendum. Below is the group that the elections committee has posted and will be maintaining - please note that this and the elections committee website are the only areas where information is guaranteed to be factual whereas we cannot guarantee that on other groups. I hope this adequately addresses your concerns.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=872245702 45

Cheers,
John McIntyre
Elections Committee Member

Hey Nicole!

I see where you are coming from about the SRA taking a side, but I think it's important to note that first, they represent us, and second, they know a little bit more about the proposal and issue. I think when you take both of these into consideration, the reason they are taking a side in the first place is because knowing a little bit more about the issue, they can see what's wrong with it.

Let's face it, the plan sounds great on paper. $24 for unlimited DVDs is sweet.

Clearly, there must be a good reason that our student representatives are trying to tell people it's a bad idea. The SRA is appointed to have an opinion on issues that affect students.

While they don't have to be unbiased, the Elections Committee does. But when they DID try to be fair, (stop online campaigning on one side, while the other refrained from online campaigning), they were heavily criticized. If everyone was so worried about free speech, they should have shut down the Facebook group that was in violation of the Referendum rules and started one petitioning the Elections Committee to allow online campaigning. As I'm sure people have noticed, the original Facebook group has turned into a personal and political attack forum, rather than a page to discuss the merits of this referendum.

For everyone who is up in arms about censorship and free speech, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ONLY SOURCE OF COMMUNICATION.

YES, the MSU was a few steps behind in allowing online campaigning but at the time they asked the original Facebook group to shut down, they were simply trying to be fair to the other side of the referendum that bothered to follow the rules.

Nicole, I'm not attacking you or anything, please don't take this personally, I just dislike the fact that this whole situation has turned into an MSU-bashing forum when really, the Elections Committee was only doing what they were elected to do: enforce the Referendum rules.

Originally Posted by McIntyre

Hey Everyone,

The elections committee has reviewed their rules and decided to allow and encourage facebook participation in this referendum by both general students and campaign sides. Initially we hoped to limit facebook to an elections committee group presenting the facts to prevent random facebook groups from biasing student votes through inaccurate information. However, unfortunately we did not predict the fact that students not involved on campaign teams would be passionately involved in this referendum. As such, we have now opened up facebook in this referendum. Below is the group that the elections committee has posted and will be maintaining - please note that this and the elections committee website are the only areas where information is guaranteed to be factual whereas we cannot guarantee that on other groups. I hope this adequately addresses your concerns.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=872245702 45

Cheers,
John McIntyre
Elections Committee Member

If you feel the facts are incorrect, provide unbiased information to correct them. Why not have a copy of the petition online? Why not have the contract online? Why not have something on the front page of the MSU homepage?

Then let students discuss that information without heavy handed police state-wannabe tactics.

Originally Posted by summer

Hey Nicole!

...first, they represent us, and second, they know a little bit more about the proposal and issue. I think when you take both of these into consideration, the reason they are taking a side in the first place is because knowing a little bit more about the issue, they can see what's wrong with it.

Why don't they make what they know public? Why can't we know? They're not the only ones affected by this. Let us see what's "wrong with it."

Is it so hard to let the people they say they represent form an educated opinion on this subject or any other one for that matter?

Transparency is all we want.

Originally Posted by fullsmash26

I noticed that links disappeared in posts by Mr. Vacar that's all.

You may notice that when someone edits a post it says who it was edited by. If you have an issue with how they edited it or why I would please ask you to take it up with that individual. As I was not the individual who edited any of Danny's posts I am not the person to talk about regarding facebook links.

You didn't hear about it because unlike the other side of the referendum, they followed the rules and didn't start a Facebook group. However, now that online campaigning has been allowed, there is a Facebook group for the 'No' side... check it out.

You seem to be implying that there's some sort of conspiracy within the SRA to keep 'what they know' a secret. But think about this for a second... if both sides of the referendum had followed the rules, you would most likely have heard about the referendum in a less biased manner. But the fact of the matter is that online campaigning makes it easier for students to receive information (whether its completely true or not). Pre-online-campaigning, the 'No' side was going to have to be more creative in getting the word out there. The only reason it seems to you like they are 'hiding something' is because you came across the 'Yes' side first, WHILE they were not following the referendum rules. The SRA is not keeping information from you, you just hadn't heard it before.

I think it's unfortunate that the very good reason the SRA is taking a 'No' stance in this referendum is going to get lost in people thinking the SRA is hiding something from students. If people vote 'Yes' to the referendum simply to antagonise the SRA because they are the governing body of the MSU, please remember that you are not helping the elections process, you are hindering it. If you read the 'No' side, and STILL think that the DVD fee is a good idea, then vote 'Yes' in the referendum.

Originally Posted by ferreinm

That's funny because Ian Finlay is the creator of a Facebook group telling us to vote no. Yeah, good job on not trying to bias us SRA! Don't put your bias on other students maybe you should try trusting us and know that odds are we'll make the right decision.

Facebook group created by the VP Finance of the MSU: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=3158289 3457

Wow.
McIntyre part of the SRA and MSU posted that they didn't want incorrect information about the referendum online that is why they were censoring in the first place.
From the Facebook group you posted by Ian Finlay, VP of Finance:

Fact: $24 a month per student is over $500,000!

lolwat. It's $24 a year.

Fact: Students pay way too much to attend university!

DURRR HURRR

Fact: The MSU has no grounds to lobby the government or university for increased tuition if we keep allowing people to abuse our system to steal money from students!

So tuition is increasing (as opposed to supplementary fees)?
lolwat
And as far as I know, fees have either remained constant or increased from year to year. Increasing fees isn't anything new.

Fact: McMaster ALREADY HAS a Video library with thousands if not millions of DVD's. It would be free to rent them there!

Doubt whatever video library this guy is talking about has "Millions of DVD's".

I'm for the NO side, but when considering biased and incorrect information the SRA and the VP of Finance takes the cake.

Originally Posted by DannyV

Is it so hard to let the people they say they represent form an educated opinion on this subject or any other one for that matter?

Do you really consider an opinion where you don't know the other side of the issue an 'educated opinion'? I realise that its been harder to find out why the SRA took a 'No' position when they chose to follow the rules at the time and not open a Facebook group, but the point is they are trying to help you make an educated decision by telling you, based on what they know, to vote 'No'.