This year, we wanted to improve transparency and informed voting by involving our members in the elections process. We invited all members to submit anonymous questions for the candidates nominating for an Executive position on the 2021-22 UTS LSS Council. The submitted questions for each position are listed below. Please note that similar or inappropriate questions were removed from the list by the Electoral Officer.
Executive candidates are highly encouraged to incorporate their answers to the following questions into their campaigns, although there is no obligation to do so.
If you have any questions, please email the Electoral Officer, Vicky Kuo, at elections@utslss.com.
Treasurer
- Do you plan to be more transparent as to how LSS funds are used? How?
- How will you determine budget priorities across portfolio events?
- You both have not been on Council before. What makes you suited to an Executive role without first experiencing a Director role, and how will you execute the responsibilities of a Treasurer (which requires a strong understanding of the LSS’ initiatives and how they are funded) without prior LSS experience?
- What understanding do you have of current LSS financial procedures and how will you improve upon these?
Vice-President (Sponsorship)
- How will you diversify the LSS sponsors while maintaining the professional reputation of the LSS? For example, will you partner with energy drink companies when the LSS is such an advocate for mental and physical wellbeing?
- Do you have any potential new sponsors in mind?
- How do you intend to increase the sponsorship of Social Justice events to increase their perception within the LSS and across the law student community?
- What do you understand the role to be and how will you ensure that the LSS’ reputation with existing sponsors (particularly the key legal sponsors) remains strong?
Vice-President (Activities)
- How will you ensure social inclusivity for students who don’t like to drink alcohol or party?
- How will you make Activities events different this year?
- What is your stance on vaccination status at LSS social events?
Vice-President (Mooting)
- How will you improve the discrepancies across student judging and facilitate greater consistency and transparency across competitions?
- Will you revise the rulebooks to ensure that conflict of interest in judging competitions is minimised? How will you do this?
- How will you promote inclusivity in the Competitor Selection policy?
Vice-President (Skills Competitions)
- How will you improve the discrepancies across student judging and facilitate greater consistency and transparency across competitions?
- How will you promote inclusivity in the Competitor Selection policy?
- How will you build an inclusive and collaborative culture within your portfolio when each Director is responsible for their own, separate competitions?
- Would you consider a Gauntlet for Senior students that have experience over a wide range of competitions?
Vice-President (Education)
- What is your plan for The Bar?
- How will you assist students with the transition back to in-person classes, particularly for 2021 first and second years students?
- Education is a portfolio with significant room to grow, for each and every role. What is your vision to expand the Education portfolio to better serve the student body? Do you have plans to expand the offerings of the Education Portfolio beyond what is currently available?
- Do you plan to revive any previous initiatives such as the Law Elective Handbook, Exchange Guide, Peer Mentoring in-person, etc.?
Vice-President (Marketing)
- Do you want to bring out merch more regularly seeing as there is huge demand for merch and it is quite profitable for the LSS?
- How will you ensure the productivity, accuracy and efficiency of such a large portfolio, especially with four Directors of the same title? Do you have plans on how you will split the roles and how you will lead the team?
- Do you have any plans to change or improve the way internal marketing processes are handled?
Vice-President (Social Justice)
- Will you be bringing on more environmental awareness actions since there is a great drive for zero emissions and the need of creating a sustainable city?
- Do you view the LSS as an advocacy platform? What considerations have you thought about in regards to this? (E.g. ALSA’s positions, sponsorship obligations, charity obligations not to be political, etc.)