Okay, first: The reason I am posting this is because I feel that this letter could easily fit at most campuses in Canada and refer to almost any student union leadership. I can tell you that I have never seen this year’s MSU Executive take the bus. Frankly, it is very rare for me to see a member of the SRA use the bus. Probably explains why they consistently opposed any improvements to the buses this year. Of course, now that Drew Mitchell wants votes, he suddenly cares about transit with a pie in the sky promise that he will never actually implement.
Student to Exec: You suck
Dear Ashlee and the USSU Executive,
After reading the Sheaf, it has come to my attention that riding the bus is good for the environment and something all students should do.
Apparently, I should vote in favour of a hundred (or so) dollar fee so that everyone will be more likely to ride the bus, thus saving the polar bears.
I have a simple offer: I will if you will. How many USSU Exec members ride the bus? My last count was zero. In fact, zero for the past two years and most likely longer. Rather than being leaders in environmentally friendly transit, the USSU Exec are given guaranteed parking spots in the best lot on campus.
I will vote in favour of the UPass if (and only if) each and every member of the USSU Executive surrenders his or her parking pass to take advantage of the amazing service offered by Saskatoon Transit. Until the Exec is willing to put its actions where its mouth is, I’ll vote no. Stop telling me what’s good for me. Start showing me.
Sincerely,
Anna Cole,
4th Year Civil Engineering Student
Speaking of promises and Drew Mitchell…….. I remember something about his appointment at the SRA to VP Finance where he said he was going to give monthly reports including financial figures to the SRA. I guess he continues the MSU tradition of getting appointed Vice-President (the VPs are not elected by the student body), moving into the MSU office, removing oneself completely from the student body, promptly forgetting about your promises and then doing nothing or next to nothing expect pre-campaigning for President.
Hey, that’s not fair to Mr Mitchell or student unions in general. One can adopt those same platforms and practices and achieve promotion after promotion in the student press as well. ;P
Joey,
I know for a fact that I take the bus all the time (heck I’ve taken the bus for 5 years now) and although this may come as a surprize to you the bus even passes me when it’s full. (I know I should probably complain more when it passes me an SRA member of all people …… that was a joke) When I don’t take the bus I usually walk and in the evening I usually walk cause bus service isn’t the best, which i’m sure you’re aware of. The only time I drive is when I’m running late but (this may come as a surprize once agian) I park in zone 6 and 7 just like everyone else and take the shuttle bus just like everyone else.
Do you ride the bus 24/7 ?? Do you know how many busses go through campus a day? Just because you’ve never seen exec members or SRA members take the bus dosen’t mean they don’t. It’s probably more likely your simply not on the bus that they happen to be on.
- Paul
I live on campus, and so am not often seen on the bus. I can vouch for other SRA members who take it regularly, however.
joey,
First, I know myself and many other sra members take the bus on a regular basis.. I am not sure what information you depend on to make your statements but i assure you it is wrong. Many members (Kasia Molenda for example) take the bus every single day to and from school and rely on it to get there. Many others use it to get home after a night out.
In regards to the executive taking the bus. The MSU has the president live in residence on campus, thus Mr. Popham obviously has less use for the bus (consistant with most residence students), Mr Mitchell has taken the bus many times with myself after nights out, and I can say for certain that he spent an entire year commuting by bus from the hamilton mountain. I can’t speak for Kyra but I am sure she has experienced the bus at one time or another. And Mr Moran usually walks or even RUNS to most places he needs to go, however has taken the bus on occasion with myself when i can convince him to be lazy. Just thought I would provide you with some more information.. please do let me know your thoughts!
Regards, Kyle Park
What’s going on here? Todd Fearnley is suing a bunch of students – including the Ryerson Student Union?
http://www.nipissingyou.ca/
Joey, you’re out to lunch on this one. Student unionists at Mac in my experience were just as reliant on public transportation as the general student population. And I can sat without hesitation that the MSU did a better job working with Hamilton transit than that of my present university (which is apparently considered a great success by American standards).
Are you suggesting in this posting that the MSU should abandon the bus plan? I also recall your recent critical postings regarding the dental plan. Should I conclude that you have a problem with the student union aiding students of low income who rely on such services?
I have problems with the dental plan making over a million dollars in one year above what was paid out. I am deeply troubled by the fact that a private company is making a lot of money managing the plan. I continue to believe that the process of getting the dental was tainted by the taking of corporate gifts by the MSU Executive. The fact that the MSU opposed having a dentist on campus which would have made it a lot easier for students to use the plan. This is why I am opposed to the current dental plan.
The HSR bus pass is something I strongly support. I do believe that we, the students, need to figure out a way of getting it improved. The problem we face is that the MSU opposes improvements to service. They voted down even having a committee to look at improvements at their June 11th / 06 meeting.
The fact remains that the MSU has done nothing this year to deal with the issues facing students with transit.
There are many student unions where this same disconnect exists.
Further, do not throw the “I do not like low-income students” line out. It is bullshit! I am a low-income student. I was in foster care and have zero family support.
You can read my bio from the Hamilton Spectator here: http://www.joeycoleman.ca/archives/2005/04/10/newspaper_article.html
Unlike the majority of student union leaders, I do not come from the middle to upper classes.
I love how much the student leadership screams about lower income students and how poor all students are, then go back to their homes in the suburbs on the weekends.
Kyle,
Thank you for your post. You are correct that some members take the bus on a regular basis and that I am not always on the bus. (Mind you next Monday it will look like that)
regarding the health and dental plan…all insurance plans can be measured to some extent by their claims to premiums ratio. for example, if students claim about 85% of the fees they pay into the dental plan, that is a pretty good ratio. the other 15% would go to overhead costs of the student union and the insurance company, as well as profits for the broker and insurance company.
a good ratio should be 80% to 90%. the only exception is for very small plans that only cover a few hundred members, where the overhead cost per member can be quite high. for the MSU, there must be tens of thousands covered. they should have a ratio of at least 80%. find out what the profits were in relation to the premiums paid. then you will know if you are getting screwed.
Hey Joey,
I work at the Hamilton General, which requires me to take a bus…I take two buses there and two buses back..And I actually love the Hamilton Bus service, I can get anywhere in the city using transit. Not to say I don’t drive places, but I take the bus as often as possible.
Thanks,
Arati
Alice Collins (VP External for the USSU) takes the bus all the time…
Oh Joey, this is one of the rare, if not the only single time i will ever comment on your blog… and only because i have not spent the past five years having full buses pass me by to have you say that i don’t know what it is like to take the bus. I am from Hamilton and live close to the core, believe me, i know how poor the bus service can be, especially since it is actually often more inconvenient for me to take the bus than it is for me to just ride a bike, walk, run, or skateboard to school.
And as i recall it, at the june 11th meeting, the SRA did not oppose setting up committees to look into transit reform, (as i recall the motions that were created but obviously not moved by you) they opposed committee “task forces” that had you declaring yourself the chair. And being that you (and i, believe it or not)are typically such a staunch proponent of accountability and transparency, i was actually surprised and disappointed in you because of that motion, honestly Joey, where is the accountability, or democracy itself in declaring yourself chair of a committee being set up underneath a democratic students organization.
And, if i may return to the issue of the outrageously fallacious bus accusations (which aren’t entirely surprising), a massive issue facing everyone (and yet consistently seems to lack the proper action or even attention, even from you) are concerns regarding environmental sustainability, both globally AND locally. And yes, even though public transportation is a step in the right direction away from single passenger car traffic, it is pollution nonetheless. And the question i pose to you is how exactly does increasing the already well-over 300 buses that travel through the centre of campus daily, make it any easier for anyone on campus to work towards an environmentally sustainable campus? Moreover, if you are such an expert on who takes the bus and who doesn’t, that must imply that you must daily take A LOT of buses. After all, with over 18 000 students, and say about 40 students per bus, thats about 450 buses, well over the amount already travelling through campus. So, considering that you then must ride about 450 buses daily to be the expert you are, exactly what are you doing help make mac more environmentally friendly? It seems to me that your sleuthful investigation of msu bus patrons is actually costing us our health, for shame Joey, Al Gore and Mother Nature are both DEEPLY disappointed in you.
Joey, your “truthiness” continually astounds me, for such a large fan of Colbert (that you seem to be), you truly are the O’Reilly of student politics.