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Election Myths

Thinking about standing in the Student Elections but feeling a bit unsure? Worried about running a campaign? Download our TOP TEN myths about running in the elections to see that it's really not so scary! We also have some case studies (below) based on former successful officers who won despite conventional wisdom (seemingly) being against them. Read more about standing as a Full Time Officer

At GCU we have a pretty unique election system. Whereas most Students Union/Associations have several positions like VP Education or VP Welfare, we only have one position - Full Time Officer - with the top four candidates in the election (as determined by voters) being offered the position. This means that it is not a sole winner-takes-all scenario. This type of election means that many of the election myths around Students' Association elections are not relevant or felt to a much lesser degree in the sole winner-per-role elections. 


I won’t win because I’m standing against a current officer... Zoe did!

It is normal to think that when an officer is standing for re-election that they have a big advantage. However,  the election system that we use here - where the top four candidates are elected - means that there is more space for new blood. Plus, being a Full Time Officer doesn't necessarily mean that you will win the next election. Since the introduction of this type of election system in 2017, every Full Time Officer team has had a mix of returning and new officers!

In 2020, Zoe Nicholson was successfully elected as a Full Time Officer joining a team of both returning and new Officers. 


I won't win because I have a smaller campaign team... Moses did!

You might think from a big campaign team and colourful handmade posters up on every other window that a lot of time was required to campaign in elections. Many candidates who were successful in the Full Time Officer elections had smaller teams and some of them even did it all by themselves. Technology has had a role to play in making what once seemed like a monumental task being much more easily manageable by a small team or solo candidate. 

 
Moses ran his campaign by himself. He teamed up with other candidates during the election and was successfully elected to Full Time Officer. 


I won't win because I won't be on campus...Laiba did!

You might think that you must be physically present on the Glasgow campus during the election week to run in the elections. However, social media campaigning has changed the game!

In 2021-22, Laiba was successfully elected as a Full Time Officer. At the time of the elections, the covid pandemic had shut down in-person campaigning. This didn't deter Laiba and she successfully used a variety of social media platforms to get her message to students. 
 


I can't stand because I am an international student... Yetunde did!

You might think that as an international student you might not be able to stand as a candidate in our Full Time Officer elections due to VISA issues. A Tier 4 visas allow students to work full-time as a paid Full Time Officer (as known as a Sabbatical Officer), plus up to 20 hours per week additional employment during term time. Students can work as a Full Time Officer as a break during their course or at the end of it. Students cannot, however, study part-time whilst working as a Full Time Officer. The University remains the Tier 4 visa sponsor even though the employment as a Full Time Officer is with the Students’ Association.

Yetunde was the first international student to be a Full Time Officer. She was elected as Vice President SHLS during the academic years 2016/17 and 2017/18. Yetunde is from Nigeria and was studying MSc Clinical Microbiology, that involved compulsory lab work during the summer. Working closely with the University we were able to obtain a Tier 4 Visa for her and Yetunde successfully completed her studies with no hindrance. Yetunde found it to be a great opportunity to get involved and encourages others to do the same.


I won't win because I am a mature student... Susan did!

You might assume that Full Time Officers are typically younger, often becoming a Full Time Officer after completing their undergraduate degree. This doesn't need to be the case, as it was for Susan.

The University has students from some of the most diverse backgrounds in Scotland, with students studying and coming back into education at different stages of their life. With 37% of students over 25 years old and another 27% being older that 21, this demonstrates the mix of ages of GCU students.

Being a mature student did not hold Susan back from being successfully elected as a Full Time Officer. She is now working in the Higher Education sector having served as a Vice President and Student President. 

I won't win because I'm not from the Business School... Rachel, Kevin, Tabitha, 

Although many of our Full Time Officers have studied within the Glasgow School for Business and Society, coming from this School doesn’t actually give candidates an advantage. The fact is that students from the School of Health & Life Science and the School of Engineering & Built Environment are just as likely to win - if they stand!

Yes, the reason that we have fewer officers from these Schools is that in the past they have been less likely to stand. But when they have stood we've seen them win too. 

Rachel and Tabitha both came from the School of Health and Life Sciences

 

Sometimes courses with professional body accreditation make it more difficult to take a year out of studies but its not necessarily impossible. Kevin successfully balanced his professional registration with being a FTO.

All students at Glasgow Caledonian University are automatically members of GCU Students' Association.
This membership is free for current GCU students.

 

     


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