Uncontested races make for slow campaigns

The election speeches for the student council of 2008 — 09 held in Forwell Hall this Tuesday got off to a slow start with the candidates for VP of Athletics, VP of Finance, and VP of Entertainment running uncontested.

Lauren Walton, the only candidate for the VP of Athletics, stressed her desire to get the student body more involved in sports at Fanshawe.

On a similar note, Aysha Dawood - running for VP of Finance — wants to get Fanshawe students more involved by making them aware of where their money is going. Bursaries and scholarships were also mentioned.

The candidate for VP of Entertainment, Jeff Burling, definitely brought some “balls to the walls action” to the table. After thanking the student body for their support, Burling gave reassurance of his competency for the job with his professionalism and creativity.

Getting more competitive, the two candidates for VP of Internal Affairs stepped to the mic.

The first candidate, Katie Dandeno, had a lot to share about herself, informing voters of her involvement in relay for life, and other fundraising initiatives. Raising awareness and funds were Dandeno's main objectives, stating, “Fanshawe is seen as the party school, and we are not just that!”

Opposing Dandeno for the position was Rob McGarry. McGarry demonstrated his openness to input from the student body saying, “I plan on putting the putting the ‘IN' in ‘internal.'”

Next up were the candidates for VP of External Affairs.

Nick Austin expressed his eagerness to interact with his peers, making sure that anyone and everyone would feel comfortable approaching him should he become the next FSU VP of External Affairs.

Much like Austin, Rachel Oakes, also running for VP of External, encouraged the student body to share ideas and opinions with her. Oakes passionately demonstrated her deep caring and concern for all Fanshawe students.

Picking up the pace, the four candidates for FSU President of '08-'09 gave their five minute speeches, every one different from the other.

Michael “Big Mike” Dren talked about his fondness for Fanshawe and his great experiences over the years; experiences that he wants every student at Fanshawe to have. While Judith Grieve brought forth some “big” ideas, such as the use of meal cards off campus and a partnership with the LTC.

While Jonathan Hillis combined his experience as VP of Athletics and initiatives to improve life at Fanshawe, Chris Walker combined chicken gizzards, chocolate, Fancy Feast and octopus in a blender to grab the attention of the student body.

For more information on the platforms of the Presidential candidates, see Vote for next year's FSU. Facebook groups have also been made for easy access to information on the candidates and their platforms.