A-Soc 8S Stream Amendments: Engineering Society Update

1. 8S Stream Amendments Inspired by The Motion: “Engsoc Loves The 8s Stream Students” From The Desks, Pens and Keyboards of the 8s Amendment Committee

2. What We Did Picked a committee consisting of these fine individuals: A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

3. What We Did • Two full committee meetings were held. • First was brainstorming ideas, arguing pro’s and cons, and picking the most applicable result. • Second was finalizing details and creating the press releases. • 2 subcommittees were set up for the constitution changes, and justifications. A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

4. What We Did • Exact wording for the constitutional change was set out and deliberated over • Policy manual changes were considered • Justification and reasoning for said course of action was laid out A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

5. What We Did • Took a really long time to weigh in on each course of action, and come up with valid reasons for Y and Yo • We then made a really long slideshow (400 slides!), which we will make you all sit through from now until graduation. • So, without further stalling (drumroll please) A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

6. Here’s The Plan • Keep executive positions a full 16 months with the option to hold the position as a pair if necessary due to academic streaming. • Provided that: • 1 of the pair must be unable to be on-stream for the whole time due to being 8s or 4s. • And 1 of the pair is on stream for the time the first is not. A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

7. What Does That Mean? • At least one of the people must be in 4s stream or 8s stream to run as a pair. • The other person can be on any stream so long as they are on stream to hold the position when their term comes around. • Any students in 4s or 8s stream programs can hold any executive position so long as their partner covers the position when they are off-stream A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

8. What Does That Mean? • People who are graduating cannot use this option • People involved in extracurricular or voluntary academic programs (e.g. exchange) cannot use this option A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

9. Why Do We Want This? • We think that this solution provides a fair means of allowing all engineering students to run for every executive position without being drastically altering the current system. A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

10. Why Do We Want This? • It prevents by-elections every 8 months, which could lower voter turnout and increase apathy towards the Engineering Society. • Plus, elections are annoying to run Increase Voter Turnout? => A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

11. Why Do We Want This? • It provides a short-term solution for the next election, with scalability for long-term applications depending on its success. A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

12. Why Do We Want This? • Solves the problem at hand • After communicating with the Nanotech program chair, we don't know how far down the road the rest of the switches are. • We can readdress this in the future when more programs become 8S and 4S and we have more information. A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

13. Why Do We Want This? • Doesn't require a complete re-working of the constitution • If 8s and 4s become the norm, EngSoc as it exists will not survive.  A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

14. Bring On The Motion! • If This Meeting Be A-Rockin… SeanOH’sSweet Ride (He Has Candy!) • …A Civil Best Get On That Instability A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

15. Counter Arguments You NEED a Partner • No restrictions are placed on partners (i.e. one partner can have a regular 4/8-stream coop schedule) • Since 8s students spend a lot of time on both societies, they can often choose which society to campaign for based on available partners • Any student could make an announcement looking for partners at the first EngSoc meeting of a term A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

16. Counter Arguments Transition & Continuity • Partners should demonstrate they can work and communicate with each other during their campaign • Other exec & Mary will also be available to help with transition – extra attention may be paid to transitioning pairs A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

17. Counter Arguments Transition & Continuity • Choosing both students at the start of the term increases the amount of time available to transition the second student (i.e. 8 months of transition rather than a couple weeks) • Partners are responsible for ensuring both halves are aware of any projects and issues that come up during the other term A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

18. Counter Arguments Too many exec? (10 Exec!) • Pray, for the apocalypse is upon us. • Zombie Exec can be killed with headshots • Each half of an exec pair has a specified start and end of their term This can be implemented more rigidly if there are too many heads around the table A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

19. Counter Arguments Too many exec? • Very low chance of having all/most students on exec from the same department since only ECE and Nano are affected by abnormal coop scheduling (Note: This system is likely sustainable for 1-2 more programs, but will need to be re-evaluated if all programs change over) A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

20. Counter Arguments Terms of Office • Policy manual amendment to state that pairs must specify their intended terms of office at the time of their nomination • It is the responsibility of the partners to make their terms of office clear to the student body during the campaign process • Authority switching will take place at the start of lectures for a given term A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

21. Counter Arguments What if I don’t like one of the partners? • Vote for someone else! • Partners must make good choices when running together A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

22. Counter Arguments How can Pres and VP-Ed build faculty relations in only 8 months? • Both partners can attend meetings (where allowed) • Partners pass information to each other. • Make faculty aware of partner relationships “ “ A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

23. Counter Arguments Steep learning curves for positions? • Pairs should demonstrate they can transition to earn their votes. • Running in pairs facilitates a good transition. • Can actively pass information along while in office. A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

24. Counter Arguments What if we can't find a partner to run with? • Then you need more friends. A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

25. Counter Arguments What if we can't find a partner to run with? • See Point #1: there are plenty of other motivated people in EngSoc who may be interested in running with you • Send out a casting call! If you ask around enough you’re bound to find another person who can be coerced into joining you A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

26. What if we can't find a partner to run with? Counter Arguments • Only really applies to the "Scott Rankin" case • In general, you would expect that someone would have enough experience in EngSoc that they could find a partner by the time this is required A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

27. Counter Arguments “Not Able" To Be On Stream?  • Involuntary switches in streaming: • 8S terms • 3rd year ECE (4s Terms) • Only Involuntary Applicable To Motion • Voluntary switches in streaming: • Exchanges • Graduations • Anything else planned in advance A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

28. Counter Arguments “Not Able" To Be On Stream?  • "OMG HARD TERM AHEAD!" Syndrome is also considered voluntary.  And it's just lame. A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

29. Counter Arguments Campaigning on Co-op?!? • We can currently campaign on a co-op term. Nothing prevents this. • Both partners must be present for the initial candidates meeting, but the other meetings and public events are optional (as they are for everyone). • Any students running in pairs now count as a single "candidate" in the elections policy. A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

30. Counter Arguments Campaigning on Co-op?!? • Be resourceful!  Get off-stream friends to help you put up posters • Engineering senators sometimes have to campaign when they're off-stream, but still do it. • If you ask really nicely, • sometimes your employer • will give you the time off. • If not, organize some late • night rallies. A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

31. The Hummus Impressions Do Not Want A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

32. Alternative Plans Offer 8 Month Terms Why it might be good: • No partner required • No restrictions on people who can run (Just Good Helping Hands) A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

33. Alternative Plans Offer 8 Month Terms Why it might be bad: • Running frequent by-elections is not fun and will detract interest in the position • President, VP-Education, and VP-External would not be difficult positions for candidates to hold • Continuity and transitioning would suffer as a result of possible frequent turnovers A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

34. Alternative Plans Option of No Partner • Similar to previous option of offering 8 month terms; this option gives those who qualify the chance to run on their own • Similarly, this will only apply to VP-Internal and VP-Finance • Since directors frequently rotate, there isn’t too much reacquainting on that front • However, remaining relationships could suffer A-Soc “Cock” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

35. Alternative Plans Option of No Partner • By-elections should be reserved for special circumstances and not part of a regular operating procedure • Increased number of by-elections can place a burden on the Society and affect voter turnout • Rewriting a new option is complex. Offering more options can induce a large amount of confusion in the student body • This could be reserved as an option for future applications if running in pairs does not work out A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

36. Alternative Plans Abolish A-Soc and B-Soc • Only a small percentage of students are currently affected by a different academic streaming • Our system has worked for decades and can almost still work for a little longer. here? A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

37. Alternative Plans Abolish A-Soc and B-Soc • Rewriting our system completely would require a large amount of time and co-operation with the Faculty and Administration to assist us with helping the executives run their positions and maintain their academic careers • If you can’t see why this is bad, why are you here? A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

38. Alternative Plans Create an 8S Rep position for Exec • Shall be known as: VP-SASS* • What will this person be in charge of? • Liaison between 8s students and EngSoc….isn’t that what class reps are for? *VP-Super Awkward Stream Solution A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

39. Alternative Plans Have Nanotech create it's own society, like ChemEngSoc (CESS) • How is this even a solution to giving equal opportunities in EngSoc? • This would be telling minorities to bugger off and make their own government (bad idea) A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

40. Alternative Plans • Holding Positions on Co-op • Work should be first priority on co-op terms • Employers upset because work being disrupted • Engsoc upset because not giving 100% to position A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

41. Alternative Plans • Holding Positions on Co-op • Meetings often occur during regular daytime working hours • Conflict between “dream job” and convenient on campus job A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

42. Alternative Plans • Running for Both Societies • Refers specifically to finding a running partner who is on the opposite 8s stream and running for positions as a team on both societies: • Nothing currently prevents this A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

43. Alternative Plans • Running for Both Societies • Makes finding a partner much more complicated • Suicidal amount of work and co-ordination… A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009

44. The Hummus Impressions 1.5 Om Nom NomNomNom A-Soc “8s Stream” Amendment Motion Presentation - July 2009