An Election Is Happening Now!!
What this page covers:
- What does the KSU do?
- What is Council?
- Open Positions
- Election Timeline
- FAQs
- Campaigning Tips
- Contacts
What does the KSU do?
Every student at King’s is a member of the King’s Students’ Union. The KSU is the voice of King’s students, providing advocacy and representation through the Council of Students. Student organizing is vital to maintaining our collective power and it is our job to represent the wants and needs of our members in Council, in meetings with King’s administration, and in the daily work of the union.
We offer services such as the health and dental plan, and free menstrual and sexual health products. All King’s societies are ratified through the KSU and therefore can receive money for events and meetings. We operate and manage the Galley and Wardroom, which every student is a stakeholder in. Every year we organize one of the few student-run Orientation Weeks in Canada, and always do our best to give everyone a great first week at university.
Our office is in the Link and we are there if you need help, have questions, or just want to say hi 🙂
What is Council?
The King’s Students’ Union Council is a body that meets every two weeks, usually on a Sunday. It convenes with all members of the KSU Executive, as well as all the department representatives, the First Year Representative, the Residence Representative, the Board of Governors Representatives, and the Member-At-Large. Together, they decide the direction of the Union and its ongoing actions and campaigns, bringing up and representing the opinions of each Councillor’s constituents.
Check out the positions you can run for!
For more detailed information about each position and election procedures, read the KSU Bylaws here.
Executive Positions
The Executive Committee members are responsible to support the entire student body, and they work to keep the union functioning on a day-to-day basis. They are expected to attend and report at bi-weekly council meetings. Executive members are paid and hold (min.) 5 office hours per week.
- Responsible for the finances of the union
- Create and implement a union operating budget
- Oversee Galley and Wardroom finances
- Support union societies and manage society funding requests
- Chair the Finance Committee to approve society funding requests and budget
- Keep records and write reports
- Responsible for external affairs in relation to the union
- Engage and support students (union members) through campaigns
- Maintain contact and partnership with external coalition partners such as South House Sexual & Gender Resource Centre, World University Service Canada (WUSC) Levy Board and Nova Scotia Public Interest Research Group (NSPIRG)
- Represent the union on the Canadian Federation of Students NS (CFSNS) Executive
Council Positions
Council members are the governing body of the union, voting on and directing union decisions. Council members are unpaid positions, who attend council bi-weekly (every 2nd week) on Sundays at 10am, and hold 1 office hour a week. All council members will submit a report, no later than March 31, which records their accomplished activities and projects in that role.
- Represent the interests and concerns of all students
- With the KSU President, sit on the King’s BOG (the university’s governing body) to advocate for students
- King’s BOG meetings occur 2-4 times per year
- Represent the interests and concerns of all students
- Sit on the Finance Committee, as a non-voting member
- Hold a monthly meeting with the KSU Executive
- Represent the interest and concerns of Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music students.
- Sit on the Academic Committee
- Sit on the Dalhousie Arts and Social Sciences Society, as a King’s representative
- Hold a monthly meeting with each of the Presidents for the CSP, EMSP and HOST societies.
- Requirement: must be a Bachelor of Arts or Music student themself!
- Represent the interest and concerns of Bachelor of Science students.
- Sit on the Academic Committee
- Sit on the Dalhousie Science Society, as a King’s representative
- Requirement: must be a Bachelor of Science student themself!
- Represent the interest and concerns of Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music students.
- Sit on the Academic Committee
- Sit on the Dalhousie Arts and Social Sciences Society, as a King’s representative
- Hold a monthly meeting with each of the Presidents for the CSP, EMSP and HOST societies.
- Requirement: must be a Bachelor of Arts or Music student themself!
- Represent the interest and concerns of Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music students.
- Sit on the Academic Committee
- Sit on the Dalhousie Arts and Social Sciences Society, as a King’s representative
- Hold a monthly meeting with each of the Presidents for the CSP, EMSP and HOST societies.
- Requirement: must be a Bachelor of Arts or Music student themself!
Election Timeline
FAQs
Q: What can I run for?
A: Right now we have a bunch of vacant positions! Any King’s student (part-time or full-time) is eligible to run for an Executive role, Member-At-Large, or Board of Governor’s (BOG) Rep. To run for Arts, Science, or Journalism Rep, you must be getting a degree in the respective department. To run for Residence Rep, you live in residence. For first years – while the First Year Rep (not up for election at this time) is a job clearly meant for a first year, first years can run for just about any position. And you should!
Q: How do sign up?
A: Email our Chief Returning Officer Anna CJ for a nomination package. Once you read the material, complete the form, and get 15 signatures, send the completed package back to the CRO. Email Anna at cro@ksu.ca.
Q: I’ve handed in my nomination form, now what?
A: You can start thinking about campaigning! Post on social media, make posters, hold events, and anything else you can think of. Don’t be afraid to introduce yourself to new people! This is your opportunity to talk to people about what they want to see from the KSU or what they need to see on campus. Put yourself out there, let people get to know you and what you want to do in office. Be creative, but be wary. So long as your campaign stays within the range of what the KSU Elections Procedure and the Bylaws decree (below), it’s as good as gold. Also, up to 75 campaign posters can be photocopied in the office. Don’t forget that campaigning begins AFTER the mandatory candidates meeting! Be creative, but be wary. So long as your campaign stays within the range of what the KSU Elections Procedure and the Bylaws decree (below). It’s as good as gold. Also, up to 75 campaign posters can be photocopied in the KSU office. Don’t forget that campaigning begins AFTER the mandatory candidates meeting.
How To Run an Effective Campaign
The number one most important thing is to never step outside of the strictly defined rules laid out by the KSU Bylaws and Elections Procedure. These documents are available on this website and have been transmitted many times over in many different ways, so there’s no excuse for any transgression. Our CRO will be on the lookout for anything that is deemed insulting, unnecessarily vitriolic, offensive, smearing, or otherwise preventative of another campaign’s ability to function.
Also, be sure to know that you may only spend a maximum of $25 on your campaign (but printing out posters is free). When you are putting up your posters around campus, be sure to number them and write down each poster’s location, so you can take them down by midnight the day before the elections. Submit that list to the Chief Returning Officer so when they check for them the night before the elections, you’re not liable for posters that may have fallen off/thrown out, and so you know where they are yourself.
Otherwise, be as creative as you can! A good poster in good places works wonders (the Wardroom, doors outside Prince Hall and the A&A are great places) and a funny theme or campaign slogan is effective at tying in your name with something positive. But always try to do more. Run an event that’s endorsed by you. Really get involved, because that shows you give half a damn, and that’s something people genuinely care about.
Just don’t forget to end all campaigning by 11:59 pm the day before the elections, or all that effort might be for naught!
How To Write a Platform
Crucial to any election campaign, a platform is important especially for a school that is rarely in the same place at the same time (with the occasional exception of Happy Hour in the Wardy). It helps if you come up with a list of what your policies and goals as you try to undertake your particular position. Then you can build your speech and 300-word statement. You have a five minute limit during candidate speeches, so you explain these in length. The statement is shorter and is available to voters at the election booth. Make it clear and concise but also charming and substantive. If people are going to be going to the ballots without really following the election at all, then those short sentences could make or break a vote in your favour.
These statements are due almost immediately after the speeches, but the earlier you make these available to the Chief Returning Officer, the sooner one can post them around the school. Not having one completed is a blow to a campaign, so don’t forget this crucial last step.