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During election time, words such as ‘representation’, ‘accountability’, and ‘transparency’ get branded about quite liberally. Long after the elections are over (now at the end of the academic year), however, the big questions remain; how representative of students is Kent Union and do students really have a say in what the Union does? According to the Kent Union Satisfaction Survey in March, 44.1% of students do think that the Union puts forward their interests and concerns effectively. However, 49.1% disagreed that they could easily have a say in what the union does. Additionally, general comments from the survey include the ‘union needs to be seen acting more in the interests of the students’ and the union is seen to be ‘run by cliques’ and a ‘lack of consultation of over major issues of representation.’ Where does this general perception come from, and what are the problems that perpetuate it?

The problems arise, according to Shaun Nichols, the Mature Student officer, as there is a ‘democratic deficit’ within the union. The students union is one ‘run by students’ and when there is a lack of ‘democratic legitimacy’ this ceases to be the case. The Union has spent a lot of money on commercial services and outlets and has been particular successful in this regard. Students are ‘content with the commercial side’ and ‘so are not motivated to fight for issues’ which is an important aspect of democracy.

This, in turn, has contributed to student apathy. Part of the problem is that students need to participate in debate more, and at the moment students don’t think they can ‘access the political part of the Union.’ Students think that the union is a ‘closed shop’ as Sabbaticals rerunning for positions and seen to be taking the sides of their friends during election time not only harms democracy but alienated people and makes the elections seem nothing more than a ‘popularity contest.’

Shaun Nichols suggests that Union structures like the Union Council needs to be promoted more. This is reinforced, more generally, by Humanities Faculty Representative Emma Glass who states that there is not enough ‘mass publicising and advertising of the union’ and sabbaticals need to ‘go out and talking to people more.’ This also links in with why people don’t think they have a say; Tom Bates, part of the Societies Federation Committee, thinks there is a problem with information flow, from the union to the students and vice versa. Firstly, from the union to the students as decisions are made by the Union before ordinary students can get a chance to discuss the issues. And when change is made, ‘students need to see change in practice’ and in their everyday lives. When students feel they are not being represented in this manner, they are less compelled to become representatives themselves, and so information is not fed back from students to the Union.

These information and promotion problems are what creates, Parkwood president Ben Tipple says is a ‘them and us culture’ and is the ‘biggest problem that the union has’. Students seem to assume that the Union belongs to other people and they’re not part of it. This, to some extent, explains why people misinterpret or have the perception of the union as ‘a clique’.

It is possible to start to come to some positive solutions to people’s misperception of the union. One idea, that Tom Bates proposes, is a Student Union mailing list whereby students interested in knowing what decisions are being made at Union Council will get regular updates on the issues being discussed before the after the meetings. This would help people to be more informed and would encourage them to participate more, by promoting Union activities and information. It would help the Union, as Emma Glass has it, to ‘publicise both the positive and negative aspects of the union’ and would help in the creation of ‘a body of the union that’s job is to publicise the union.’

Societies also have a huge part in promoting Union activities, as most students get involved in the union in their own way; one that they enjoy. Ben Tipple gives the examples of ‘volunteering, CSR, inQuire.’ Societies provide a vital link between the Union and the Students, and members of a society need to be made more aware they are part of the union, as their equipment and services rely heavily on the union. Societies are a union resource, and may people don’t realise this as their relationship with the union is merely just through paying membership on-line. However, societies have a huge role to play in fostering the perception of a more inclusive union.

Lastly, the online-voting system for this year’s elections helped increase participation and so people should make more informed decisions on the basis of manifestos and less on popularity (although this has been a contentious issue). This should ensure elected candidates have more legitimacy to represent. The online system could also be used for referenda, which would again increase student’s participation in the Union. This certainly go some way in getting rid of the perception of the union as a clique, a perception that’s bound to arise when union officials become close friends.

Shaun Nichols stresses the point that ‘the Union can’t repeat mistakes happening in Westminster- where less and less people are engaged in dialogue with elected representatives’. If people don’t and are not encouraged to speak up for themselves now at university political apathy will continue to resonate in public life as well.

Long after the elections took place, last term, questions about the union are as pertinent as ever; next year will we see the rise of a new dawn for people’s perception of the Union or will people see the same old cliques running the show?