Well, the way I see it is this: I pay $8 per semester to the CFS. This does aboslutely nothing for me.
If we leave the CFS, the worst case scenario is that we still pay the $8 per semester, but use the money for the SFSS; something that has a much higher probability of benefiting me than the CFS. The best case would be just getting to keep the $8.
Call me selfish, but this is really how I make decisions about petty student politics. "What's best for me personally right now".
Even if we opt out of CFS, we STILL MUST pay that student fee. It goes to SFSS, but within SFSS, there is a lot of internal controversy, and this year, they have done nothing to help out the clubs. Even booking a room takes 3 months in advance notice. SFSS doesn't do jack, I can tell you that. As a person who works closely with SFSS because of club related activities (which all go through SFSS), I do not trust them to use the students money wisely.
If we de-federate, we will lose Travel Cuts, Student Savers, Travelling discounts, etc. And nice agendas lol. If SFSS wins, we won't get any of that back no matter what. Look at our shitty agendas this year!
No way will we get to keep the $16 we spend. (I'm pretty sure it's $16... not $8... or maybe that's just "per year" assuming we take 2 sems per year *shrugs*)
If we de-federate, we will lose Travel Cuts, Student Savers, Travelling discounts, etc. And nice agendas lol. If SFSS wins, we won't get any of that back no matter what. Look at our shitty agendas this year!
This argument may hold more weight with other people but I'm not really bothered by losing any of that. I don't use Travel Cuts, Student Savers, or any of their other discounts. Furthermore, those discounts are not "lost". Students who want them can fork over the $8 or $16 for their student card thing even if they aren't members of the CFS. This way, the students who want them can get them and the majority of students (I think) who don't need them won't be paying for them automatically. Also, I don't carry a paper agenda. Most of my organization goes through email.
SFSS doesn't do jack, I can tell you that ... I do not trust them to use the students money wisely.
I still trust them to do something, anything, with the money that will be of some small benefit to me. Rather than send the money away to some big student organization to "lobby the government" or whatever it is they do, at least it could get spent on our campus.
As I said before, I'd rather not be paying extra student fees to any organization.
The guy that came to our lecture said they've been fighting for lower tuition, he could have made mention of so many other things they may or may not have done, but I have not seen the lower tuition thing ever happen
Solely on that claim I decided I'd go vote no, at the same time several of the people involved in SFU politics are just douchey douches and I dont really want that money going to them
So I don't know what to say, I guess either way the money is just going to be used on stuff we don't really want or like.
Personally all the CFS has ever done for me was I got to use a code to file my tax return for free, but I could have gotten that a few other places too.
By the way, there are two questions on the referendum:
First is should we stay with the CFS and the second one is should we give the money we are spending on the CFS to the SFSS instead. It's not that we still have to spend that money. (Do your research, vonnie. http://www.sfss.ca/elections/referendum.htm)
Also on the issue of travel cuts - they are still staying in the MBC, the SFSS has talked to them about this issue and they are still keen of staying, and I'm pretty sure that they will have the same rates. Hell, they even have a travel cuts in the states, it's not solely owned by the CFS (granted, a good portion is.) Also, the student discount cards will be subsidized by the SFSS (I'm not sure if this is if we give them the money we give to the CFS or not, but the SFSS has said that they are willing to spend the $20000 to do it.)
I personally am all for the SFSS. I'm not sure how I will vote on the second question however, about giving the $7.64 per semester to the SFSS, but their promises sound good, and I think we need to give them a chance.
SFSS is a bunch of idiots, but CFS isn't much better. TravelCuts rates aren't actually cheaper than other airlines. It's just a marketing technique they use so that student's do their travelling through them, meaning CFS also makes a cut out of their profits for helping them market TO students like us. Yes, I'd rather see that travelcuts office in MBC used for something like a student lounge. Think of the CFS like the federal government. Most of their executives and supporters are all out east. Even those guys handing out flyers in the AQ were flown in from Ottawa and the sorrounding area (I talked to a few of em), flights paid for by us obviously. Honestly, $16 a year isn't much money but it's more about who better represents our interests. It doesn't seem like the CFS really does anything, but SFSS still has a lot of room for improvement. So it's all just fun politics for those involved..meh, keeps em busy right ;)
i'm absolutely tired of all the poster and leaflet spam coming out of the CFS, and to a lesser degree the SFSS, but most of it is from the CFS...oh and the SFSS elections too, lots of poster spam there (can't say i'm innocent myself, but hey i could still complain, right?).
Personally, I'd rather just keep my 8 or 16$ either way. But, knowing this won't happen, I don't really care what happens in terms of the referendum. I hardly care enough about that campus to give two shits about agendas that I don't use or some card I have no intention of using. Rather focus on making it through the semester alive than silly campus politics.
Personally, I'd rather just keep my 8 or 16$ either way. But, knowing this won't happen, I don't really care what happens in terms of the referendum. I hardly care enough about that campus to give two shits about agendas that I don't use or some card I have no intention of using. Rather focus on making it through the semester alive than silly campus politics.
Comments
I pay $8 per semester to the CFS. This does aboslutely nothing for me.
If we leave the CFS, the worst case scenario is that we still pay the $8 per semester, but use the money for the SFSS; something that has a much higher probability of benefiting me than the CFS. The best case would be just getting to keep the $8.
Call me selfish, but this is really how I make decisions about petty student politics. "What's best for me personally right now".
So yeah, I voted "No CFS".
It goes to SFSS, but within SFSS, there is a lot of internal controversy, and this year, they have done nothing to help out the clubs. Even booking a room takes 3 months in advance notice.
SFSS doesn't do jack, I can tell you that. As a person who works closely with SFSS because of club related activities (which all go through SFSS), I do not trust them to use the students money wisely.
If we de-federate, we will lose Travel Cuts, Student Savers, Travelling discounts, etc. And nice agendas lol. If SFSS wins, we won't get any of that back no matter what. Look at our shitty agendas this year!
No way will we get to keep the $16 we spend. (I'm pretty sure it's $16... not $8... or maybe that's just "per year" assuming we take 2 sems per year *shrugs*)
I don't use Travel Cuts, Student Savers, or any of their other discounts. Furthermore, those discounts are not "lost". Students who want them can fork over the $8 or $16 for their student card thing even if they aren't members of the CFS. This way, the students who want them can get them and the majority of students (I think) who don't need them won't be paying for them automatically. Also, I don't carry a paper agenda. Most of my organization goes through email. I still trust them to do something, anything, with the money that will be of some small benefit to me. Rather than send the money away to some big student organization to "lobby the government" or whatever it is they do, at least it could get spent on our campus.
As I said before, I'd rather not be paying extra student fees to any organization.
especially the one girl that said that she'd raise minimum wages.
its just an independent travel agency right? /shrug
Solely on that claim I decided I'd go vote no, at the same time several of the people involved in SFU politics are just douchey douches and I dont really want that money going to them
So I don't know what to say, I guess either way the money is just going to be used on stuff we don't really want or like.
Personally all the CFS has ever done for me was I got to use a code to file my tax return for free, but I could have gotten that a few other places too.
First is should we stay with the CFS and the second one is should we give the money we are spending on the CFS to the SFSS instead. It's not that we still have to spend that money. (Do your research, vonnie. http://www.sfss.ca/elections/referendum.htm)
Also on the issue of travel cuts - they are still staying in the MBC, the SFSS has talked to them about this issue and they are still keen of staying, and I'm pretty sure that they will have the same rates. Hell, they even have a travel cuts in the states, it's not solely owned by the CFS (granted, a good portion is.) Also, the student discount cards will be subsidized by the SFSS (I'm not sure if this is if we give them the money we give to the CFS or not, but the SFSS has said that they are willing to spend the $20000 to do it.)
I personally am all for the SFSS. I'm not sure how I will vote on the second question however, about giving the $7.64 per semester to the SFSS, but their promises sound good, and I think we need to give them a chance.
damnit, I can't say no to sweet