P'AGEVZV L: 4

‘ .

'NTERV'EW: PH LEM... Rs:

hWV-fi'n'n'u'h'u'u'n 'n'n'u'u‘n'n'u'u'nmn'u'n'.

Interview by

3' Jim Hornby and Dennis MacKay a.

Fn'u'u'M'u

CADRE: What do you think were some of the shortcomings of last year’s council?

Phalen: I feel council could have made a great- er effort to involve students. This council did at- tempt to involve students to some extent, but I would like to see the council meetings as a forum for discussions, so students would determine what happens, instead of it being decided by. council.

Ross: I thought almost the opposite. I suppose one of the big shortcoming was the lack of com- munication between students and council. After late l(ingober it broke down and council lost the student

y.

Students were just so fed up with the way things were being done in the organization. Coun- cil left the door open but there was a severe lack of communication —— the direction at times was not What the students wanted.

CADRE: What direction do you think next year’s union should take?

Ross: From my observations I really think that the most vital thing is that council turn its direction internally. Unless we clean up our own backyard, we will not be able to operate externally as well as we should. We must strengthen our union from the inside and then we can move outside. This includes representation on board, senate, etc.

Phalen: In- a direction which will involve many more students in making decisions. In a direction that would help students decide course content of courses, etc. All of this requires organization; only through organization can I see meaningful change taking place.

CADRE: Specifically, how do you hope to in- crease student involvement in the union?

Phalen: Council will have to work more as a focus or catalyst for involvement. To do this it will require many more programs like teach-ins, sem- inars, and outside speakers. I feel that council should play a greater role in helping students set up course unions. Here students, working within their ‘ epartments, will find on which they can re- late to. This I hope willincrease the involvement of students. Also, involvement does not necessarily mean being directly involved within the union. In- volvement in the community is also very very im- portant. ‘

We must also have plenty of literature dealing with student and community problems, thus allow- ing students to be informed about What is going on at other places and show methods of solving problems.

Ross: I suppose, like anything, if you want to start anything you must start with things directly related to the people concerned.

I think the first thing would be to increase the participation in the different societies, business, engineering, psychology, etc. because I feel that this is where the people will become interested, because this is something that is directly related to them. This I see as the first step because now we have students interested in their major areas and from here I hope that interest will increase in all other facets of the university.

I think in the past too much emphasis was put on things of little or no interest to the students, and consequently a lot of the educational programs were dropped. The teach—in was a very good example of one that didn’t attract students.

Things like that can be very informative if we can get people interested in them. I think we have to promote a program across the board of m-

terest to all students. I’ don’t think I’m being naive

that if we give them something they want that is

going to improve their social condition here at uni- versity,they’ll want to continue it.

CADRE: Do you think the union should be chiefly political or chiefly a service organization?

Ross: I think that the union should play a part in both —— somewhat political and somewhat ser— vice. A union which is totally service or totally political would cease to function on this campus.

Such services as health services are a basic re- quirement for any campus, and I think services have to be provided for the union. However, the politi- cal aspects of a union, — i.e. involvement in the community, politicizing students —— which in itself are important parts of education, are also required, and I if elected will strive to find the complemen- tary element which will satisfy both these needs.

Phalen: I don’t think that the union can help but be politically oriented if the council and stud- ents are interested in the quality of education and how it effects them. This means they are going to have to become involVed in order to make change and decide what direction the change should take. The question of residences early last fall was de- finately a political act. Students took certain action in order that they would be able to determine the rules of the residences in which they lived. How- ever I feel that services also are important, but what services will be provided comes as a result of a political process by which students decide what services they wish to have. «’

CADRE: What experience and background do you have, and do you feel that your personality can take the awkward hours, personal attacks, interac- tion with other people, and the job of being spokes- man for the union?

Ross: Since I came to University, I have been involved in student government, and affairs to a rather extreme amount in all aspects, i.e. commit- tees, student government, etc.

This year I have been involved in a number of so—called academic committees such as the admis- sions and scholarship committees, and being a re- presentative on the senate.

I feel that the experience that I have received over the last four years, in all aspects of the uni- versity community, as well as the severe criticisms and personal attacks, have given me the necessary foundation to head the students of UPEI as presi- dent of the student union. ‘

I am well aware of what I am getting into—I think any candidate must be aware of what he is committing himself to before he would ever submit his name for such an important position.

I feel that if I am elected and have the support of the students that I can handle the job in an ade- quate manner; but, like any representative, things become extremely difficult if the students do not show support for their representatives. \

Phalen: I feel I have the experience necessary for this job. I have been involved in university af- fairs since I began university. I have served on the executive of council before, as Intern-a1 VP at PWC',

and on the executive of UPEISU during the, fallaof I

1969. '

I feel also that my involvement fer the last three or four months has given me the experience.

In this situation I would: accomplish nothing by myself but everything would involve the efforts of what a greater number of students decide. In this I hope to get away from an elitist position, i.e. de- ciding for students what their needs are instead of the students being able to be involved and decid- ing for themselves— issues that affect them.

CADRE: What sort of political orientation do

Z33 have and how would it effect your job if elect-

\

Phalenp My political orientation is socialist and I"-w111 be‘striving for us-as students to deter- mine the direction of the university at all levels.

Ross: Well to be quite honest about the whole thing, I feel that I am a follower of no one in politi-' cal philosophy, etc., and I think it is this factor alone that should help me to lead the students of this university. To some extent I feel that the per- son who becomes overly committed to a political philosophy, jeopardizes the fate of the student un- ion.

In terms of degrees I suppose I wouldbe term- ed a moderate in relation to some of the other ele- ments on this campus.

I don’t think that it is going to effect the job in any negative way. If it is going to effect it at all, it would effect it in a positive way. By this I refer to the fact that I will have them with me not against me.

CADRE: Reg, how would you go about mov- ing from an elitist position? ' _

Phalen: As top priority I Would See as presi- dent working with the students, not spending most of my time with administration and other officials.

CADRE: How would you, work with students, and, to what end? .

Phalen: Working with students so that we will be able to discuss and debate, and come up withrour solution to what we see as the problems. This will involve mass student body meetings where every- body participates and has an equal say in what is decided.

It will involve organizing at the departmental level where things hit students at a more direct level — the courses they participate in every day.

In acting in a collective way such as this to solve our problems I believe true leadership will develop. ,_

l

CADRE: Jim, what reason do you have for feeling that “I will have the students with me, not against me.” ‘

Ross: Students are looking for leadership, and I think this is a factor that most seriously should be considered. I don’t agree that the leadership is one of an elitist position. I think that this is a fac- tor which has been seriously over emphasized.

When I Said- that I would have the students with me, I said this in reference to the fact that we are

i all interested in the quality. of education we are re-

ceiving, and together through student representa— tives on board, senate, departmental committees, your student union can cohordinate our quest for a

, better educatiOn.

CADRE: You’re not explaining why when you say that you would be united with the union inim- proving the quality of education. Presumably any- one who ran for President would at least be inter- ested in improving the quality of education. ‘But why are students especially behind you?

Ross: I feel that the type of person that the students are now seeking is someone who will ex- press student’s opinions in all aspects of education, i.e. expresSing our opinions on senate, etc., and also that that person be able to deal with situations on a realistic basis ,— I_ think peoplegmusrt be able to sit down and discuss things rationally and with some deal of respect for the people you are dealing with.

This type of thing would be the fact‘that seY— eral things have been attained for students thlS year by rational negotiation, and I think this fac— tor has been seriously overlooked by a lot of stud- ents in the last year. I feel -I have the ability 1‘50 accomplish the above, and I- sincerely feel that th15 is the type of leadership that students of UPEI desire. “ ,