The
      ae
      atin
      April
      2,
      eb
      Ti
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Of
      Politics...
      Democracy
      101
     
    
   
   
    
     
      by
      Marnie
      Wolf
     
    

    
     
      As
      the
      end
      of
      the
      year
      approaches,
     
     
      it
      is
      time
      once
      again
      to
      look
      back
      and
     
     
      evaluate
      1995/96.
      In
      particular,
      let
      us
     
     
      take
      a
      look
      at
      our
      Student
      Council.
      Each
     
     
      year
      we
      pay
      student
      fees
      into
      the
      Student
     
    

    
     
      Union,
      but
      do
      you
      know
      where
      your
     
    

    
     
      money
      goes?
      The
      obvious
      answer
      would
     
    

    
     
      be
      found
      by
      looking
      around
      at
      the
     
     
      numerous
      services
      that
      the
      Student
     
    

    
     
      Union
      provides
      for
      us
      fellow
      students.
     
    

    
     
      '’
      First;
      of
      course,
      we
      have
      the
      Panther
     
     
      Prints.
      Our
      student
      fees
      allow
      for
     
     
      production
      of
      this
      fine
      publication.
      Let
     
     
      us
      not
      forget
      to
      remember
      the
      wonderful
     
     
      staff
      at
      the
      Panther
      Prints
      who
      allow
     
     
      students
      to
      express
      their
      views
      on
      things
     
     
      like
      politics,
      smoking
      and
      sex.
      Next,
     
     
      let
      us
      take
      a
      look
      at
      the
      Yearbook.
      The
     
     
      Student
      Union
      fees
      allow
      for
      production
     
     
      of
      a
      yearbook
      for
      UPEI
      students,
      how-
     
     
      ever,
      if
      you're
      not
      a
      senior,
      you
      still
      have
     
     
      to
      pay
      for
      one,
      so.
      .
      .
      remind
      me
      again
     
     
      why
      we
      have
      to
      pay
      for
      these
      books?
     
     
      Aren't
      the
      fees
      enough?
     
    

    
     
      Now
      let
      us
      move
      on
      to
      CIMN.
     
     
      CIMN
      has
      been
      in
      operation
      for
      years,
     
     
      and
      currently
      boasts
      the
      largest
      volun-
     
     
      teer
      base
      of
      all
      three
      Student
      Union
     
     
      "sub-organizations".
      In
      addition,
      CIMN
     
     
      was
      supposed
      to
      be
      going
      FM
      this
      year,
     
     
      enabling
      them
      to
      service
      a
      greater
     
     
      number
      of
      students
      on
      the
      airwaves.
     
     
      Finally,
      we
      have
      the
      Student
      Council.
     
     
      What
      does
      the
      Student
      Council
      do
      for
     
     
      us?
      Well,
      they
      represent
      us,
      and
      our
     
     
      views,
      and...well,
      what
      else
      do
      they
      do?
     
     
      I
      guess
      they
      do
      political
      stuff
      for
      us...or
     
     
      something.
     
    

    
     
      Let
      us
      now
      take
      a
      look
      back
      upon
     
     
      the
      year
      and
      try
      to
      remember
      all
      that
      our
     
     
      Student
      Council
      has
      done
      for
      us.
     
     
      Hmmmm.
      Well,
      the
      first
      thing
      that
     
     
      comes
      to
      mind
      is
      that
      whole
      CFS
      thing.
     
     
      What
      was
      that
      all
      about
      anyway?
      From
     
     
      what
      I
      understand,
      or
      at
      least
      what.our
     
     
      Student
      Council
      representatives
      told
      us,
     
     
      CFS
      was
      an
      evil,
      bad,
      money-sucking
     
     
      organization.
      We
      students
      were
      being
     
     
      ripped
      off
      by
      CFS,
      and
      were
      only
     
     
      getting
      a
      measly
      Student
      Saver
      card
      in
     
     
      return
      (incidentally,
      the
      card
      really
      .
     
     
      sucks).
      So,
      what
      else
      has
      the
      Student
     
     
      Union
      done
      for
      us?
      Well
      I
      haven't
      heard
     
     
      anything
      about
      tuition
      rates
      going
      down,
     
     
      so
      I'm
      going
      out
      on
      a
      limb
      here
      to
     
     
      suggest
      that
      perhaps
      the
      Student
      Union
     
     
      hasn't
      gotten
      our
      decrease
      in
      tuition.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      and
      almost
      every
      other
      media
      source
      in
     
     
      town,
      our
      Student
      Union
      has
      cut
      funding
     
     
      to
      CIMN,
      our
      only
      radio
      station
      on
     
     
      campus.
      I
      wonder
      why?
      Have
      they
      done
     
     
      something
      evil
      that
      we
      are,
      as
      of
      yet,
     
     
      unaware
      of?
      Did
      someone
      say
      something
     
     
      naughty
      on
      air?
      According
      to
      our
     
     
      "President
      Elect",
      Chris
      Burns,
      those
     
     
      kids
      at
      CIMN
      need
      a
      lesson
      in
      Democ-
     
     
      racy
      101,
      and
      according
      to
      a
      report
      I've
     
     
      heard
      on
      CBC
      Radio,
      they
      also
      need
      a
     
     
      kick
      in
      the
      butt.
      Maybe
      that's
      why
      the
     
     
      Student
      Union
      pulled
      the
      plug,
      so
      to
     
     
      speak.
     
    

    
     
      Now
      correct
      me
      if
      I'm
      wrong
     
    
   
   
    
     
      folks,
      but
      I
      thought
      that
      because
      we
      elect
      .
     
    
   
   
    
     
      the
      Student
      Council
      that
      they
      have
      to
      be
     
     
      accountable
      to
      us,
      the
      students.
      It
     
     
      certainly
      doesn't
      seem-to
      me
      that
      this
     
     
      was
      the
      case
      in
      the
      CIMN
      issue.
      I
      wasn't
     
     
      informed
      that
      CIMN
      was
      going
      to
      have
     
     
      its
      funding
      cut.
      Some
      friends
      of
      mine
     
     
      said
      they
      heard
      that
      CIMN
      was
      costing
     
     
      the
      Student
      Union
      too
      much
      money.
     
     
      Really?
      I
      didn't
      know
      that...maybe
      if
      the
     
     
      Student
      Union
      had
      informed
      me,
      I
      would
     
     
      have
      known.
      After
      reading
      the
      Panther
     
     
      Prints
      |
      must
      say
      that
      I
      certainly
      don't
     
     
      have
      a
      very
      positive
      view
      of
      the
      Student
     
     
      Council.
      Our
      VP
      External,
      Fidel
     
     
      Murphy,
      says
      (about
      voting
      on
      the
      issue
     
     
      of
      CIMN)
      "It's
      not
      about
      representing
     
     
      constituents,
      it's
      about
      making
      the
     
     
      decision."
      Excuse
      me??!
      Asa
      constitu-
     
     
      ent
      who
      votes,
      I
      say
      that
      you
      do
      repre-
     
     
      sent
      me,
      so
      what's
      the
      big
      idea,
      buddy?
     
     
      Our
      President,
      Amber
      Allin,
      says
      that
     
     
      CIMN’s
      proposal
      for
      going
      FM
      “just
     
     
      didn’t
      do
      it
      for
      me.”
      Okay.
      Whatever.
     
     
      Well,
      I’m
      afraid
      that
      the
      decision
      to
      cut
     
     
      CIMN’s
      funding
      just
      doesn’t
      do
      it
      for
     
     
      me,
      folks.
      As
      far
      as
      I'm
      concerned,
      this
     
     
      was
      a
      major
      decision.
      A
      decision
      that
     
     
      had
      to
      do
      with
      our
      student
      fees.
      We
      had
     
     
      a
      referendum
      because
      of
      CFS,
      so
      why
     
     
      didn't
      we
      have
      one
      to
      deal
      with
      CIMN?
     
     
      Or,
      at
      the
      very
      least,
      why
      didn't
      our
     
     
      councilors
      spread
      the
      news
      and
      get
      some
     
     
      feedback
      on
      the
      issue?
     
    

    
     
      Allin
      all,
      I
      find
      myself
      questioning
     
     
      the
      worth
      of
      a
      Student
      Union.
      I've
      tried
     
     
      to
      recall
      what
      the
      Student
      Union
      has
     
     
      done
      in
      the
      past
      year
      and
      I
      only
      came
      up
     
     
      with
      two
      things
      the
      CFS
      Referendum,
     
     
      anid
      cutting
      funding
      to
      CIMN
      (Do
      they
     
     
      have
      something
      against
      organizations
     
     
      whose
      names
      begin
      with
      the
      letter
      "C"?).
     
     
      Before
      we
      all
      start
      exams,
      I
      would
      like
     
    
   
   
    
     
      to
      leave
      you
      all
      with
      this
      pop
      quiz:
      (1)
     
     
      Can
      you
      name
      all
      of
      your
      student
      union
     
     
      executive
      members?
      (2)
      Can
      you
      name
     
     
      your
      council
      representative?
      (3)
      How
     
     
      many
      times
      has
      your
      representative
     
     
      given
      you
      a
      report
      on
      what
      he
      or
      she
      is
     
     
      doing?
      (4)
      Could
      you
      answer
      any
      of
     
     
      these
      questions
      with
      anything
      other
      than
     
     
      ano"
      or
      a
      zero?
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Last
      Issue!
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Please
      don't
     
     
      submit
      anything,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      as
      we
      have
     
     
      nowhere
      to
      print
      it!
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Last
      Issue!
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Student
      Advocacy
      101
     
    
   
   
    
     
      by
      Colleen
      Easter
     
    

    
     
      An
      ombudsman
      is
      a
      person
      who
     
     
      facilitates
      discussion
      between
      parties
     
     
      where
      there
      has
      been
      a
      conflict.
      At
      UPEI
     
     
      the
      ombudsman
      is
      a
      position
      set
      up
      to
     
     
      help
      students.
      When
      studentshave
     
     
      problems
      on
      campus
      it
      is
      often
      difficult
     
     
      to
      know
      what
      to
      do.
      These
      problems
      can
     
     
      come
      inmany
      forms:
      a
      difference
      of
     
     
      opinion
      on
      your
      grades
      with
      a
      professor,
     
     
      anewspaper
      article
      which
      misrepresents
     
     
      you,
      a
      professor
      who
      is
      making
      racist
     
     
      jokes
      inclass,
      discrimination
      against
      you
     
     
      by
      the
      Student
      Union
      hiring
      board,
      or
     
     
      harassment
      or
      threats
      by
      another
      member
     
     
      of
      the
      university
      community.
     
    

    
     
      The
      university
      structure
      is
      filled
     
     
      with
      many
      layers
      of
      bureaucracy
      com-
     
     
      pounded
      by
      the
      involvement
      of
      the
     
     
      Student
      Union.
      For
      every
      complaint
      and
     
     
      problem
      a
      student
      has,
      there
      is,
      no
      doubt,
     
     
      acommittee
      or
      official
      waiting
      to
      hear
      it.
     
     
      The
      problem
      is
      finding
      that
      person
      within
     
     
      the
      confusing
      structure
      of
      the
      university
     
     
      or
      student
      union.
      This
      is
      where
      the
     
     
      ombudsman
      takes
      arole.
     
    

    
     
      When
      a
      student
      takes
      a
      problem
      to
     
     
      the
      ombudsman,
      the
      ombudsman
      be-
     
     
      comes
      an
      advocate
      for
      the
      student.
      He
      or
     
     
      she
      becomes
      directly
      involved
      with
      the
     
     
      student.
      The
      ombudsman
      helps
      him
      or
     
     
      her
      present
      complaints
      to
      the
      powers
      that
     
     
      be.
      The
      ombudsman
      intercedes
      on
      behalf
     
     
      of
      the
      student,
      making
      sure
      they
      are
     
     
      treated
      properly
      and
      help
      arbitrate
      a
     
     
      resolution
      between
      the
      parties.
      The
     
     
      ombudsman
      represents
      the
      student's
     
     
      interests.
     
    

    
     
      It
      is
      very
      important
      that
      the
     
     
      ombudsman
      is
      an
      impartial,
      non-biased
     
     
      position.
      In
      order
      for
      it
      to
      be
      effective,
     
     
      all
      students
      must
      believe
      that
      they
      can
      go
     
     
      to
      the
      ombudsman
      with
      any
      complaint.
      If
     
     
      the
      ombudsman
      is
      associated
      with
      any
     
     
      power
      of
      the
      university,
      such
      as
      the
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Student
      Union,
      it
      becomes
      impossible
      for
     
     
      the
      student
      body
      to
      believe
      that
      the
     
     
      ombudsman
      would
      fairly
      represent
      them
     
     
      in
      any
      situation.
      Evena
      perception
      of
     
     
      bias
      detracts
      from
      the
      position.
     
    

    
     
      It
      is
      this
      necessity
      for
      impartiality
     
     
      which
      causes
      the
      UPEI
      Student
      Union
     
     
      constitution
      to
      state
      the
      ombudsman
      may
     
     
      assume
      no
      other
      position
      on
      campus
     
     
      while
      ombudsman.
     
    

    
     
      The
      ombudsman
      this
      year
      has
     
     
      failed
      these
      requirements
      dreadfully.
      At
     
     
      the
      Student
      Union
      council
      meeting
      of
     
     
      March
      24,
      Chris
      Burns
      forsook
      his
      role
     
     
      of
      ombudsman,
      and
      donned
      the
      role
      of
     
     
      President
      Elect.
      While
      no
      one
      denies
      him
     
     
      the
      right
      to
      run
      for
      President,
      it
      is
      dishon-
     
     
      ourable
      for
      him
      to
      assume
      this
      position
     
     
      while
      he
      still
      had
      a
      duty
      to
      the
      students
      of
     
     
      UPEI
      as
      ombudsman.
      Burns
      did
      not
      just
     
     
      take
      the
      role
      of
      President
      Elect
      for
     
     
      egocentric
      reasons,
      but
      so
      he
      could
      speak
     
     
      emphatically
      ona
      subject
      before
      council.
     
    

    
     
      Atthis
      meeting,
      Burns
      appeared
      to
     
     
      be
      in
      the
      back
      pocket
      of
      some
      members
     
     
      of
      the
      executive.
      He
      spoke
      at
      great
     
     
      length
      supporting
      the
      position
      of
      two
     
     
      members
      of
      executive.
      Any
      one
      who
      saw
     
     
      this
      transformation
      from
      mild
      mannered
     
     
      ombudsman
      to
      Student
      Union
      mouth-
     
     
      piece
      would
      have
      to
      question
      his
      lack
      of
     
     
      bias.
     
    

    
     
      Chris
      Burns
      was
      in
      aconflict
      of
     
     
      interest
      situation.
      Students
      with
      com-
     
     
      plaints
      against
      the
      Student
      Union
      would
     
     
      no
      longer
      be
      able
      to
      rely
      on
      him
      as
      an
     
     
      unbiased
      student
      advocate.
      He
      took
     
     
      sides.
      To
      me
      that
      is
      a
      bias.
      Just
      the
     
     
      appearance
      of
      him
      being
      Student
      Union's
     
     
      lapdog
      kills
      the
      effectiveness
      of
      the
     
     
      ombudsman
      position,
      and
      he
      should
      have
     
     
      resigned
      the
      position
      before
      he
      became
     
     
      the
      political
      entity
      of
      Mr.
      President
      Elect.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      According
      to
      last
      week's
      Panther
      Prints,
      |