Credit: Geograph / Jim Smillie
Investigations Editor
Matthew Miller, candidate for President of the GUU, released his full manifesto yesterday. Miller has chosen not to interview with The Glasgow Guardian despite the race being contested, so we are analysing his manifesto alone.
While Miller does not directly address the potential issues that may arise for the GUU from the upcoming campus development, he does suggest many “modernisation” policies that may lay the groundwork for a more successful future for the GUU, through policy ideas such as improving the wifi and the online presence. He proposes installing computers in the Elliot Library, but does not state where the funding will come from – a question he will likely face at tonight’s hustings.
Unlike his competition (Owain Campton), Miller addressed the GUU’s democracy problem, and is in favour of moving voting online, acknowledging it will likely lead to better student engagement and prevent the elections becoming popularity contests. Neither candidates have addressed the issue of the GUU not having the option to reopen nominations.
In comparison with his competition, Miller’s welfare policies appear a little sparse. He addresses the need for more training for those in welfare positions, and puts forward the positive idea of clearly signposting duty board members on site on club nights, but his policies in this area seem somewhat vague in comparison with the airtight ideas put forward by Campton. He also suggests cross-campus collaboration, another idea that he will likely be asked about at the hustings.
Miller’s experience on the board of The Cecilian Society leads him to address making the GUU a more welcome space for clubs and societies, and has a clear policy on the future room booking system that should draw more societies into the building. He also puts forward the aim of promoting sponsorship deals for clubs and societies with the GUU, hoping to rival the sponsorship deals that can be found in the West End, which would be a huge improvement on the past and current system if achieved.
Miller, like Campton, seeks to improve the union’s food services and points scheme, with an aim to move rewards away from purely alcohol.
Experience may be Miller’s biggest fault point, as Campton in comparison has sat on the Union’s finance and constitutional committees, which may lend to a better understanding of how to run the union pragmatically than Miller.
Overall Matthew Miller’s manifesto holds many good ideas, but a number of them do not read concrete, and they lead to questions about financing and in some cases, attainability. Both candidates put forward interesting and often similar proposals, so it will be interesting to see how they fare at tonight’s hustings, in the GUU Debates Chamber at 6.30.
