A Front Facing Bench

MAWSA presidential candidates are focusing on ‘front facing’ policies in the 2021 election debates.

On Wednesday Liam Davies, Tessa Guest and Dean Manson fronted the debating bench in a bid for the 2021 MAWSA presidential role, all with a front facing focus.

For one wanting to watch junior politics ignite with fire, you might be disappointed. With tension and clashing points being a thing of the past, the difference in focus was what set the panel of agreement apart.

‍Policies were varied in detail and implementation, but Massey’s sexual harassment protocol, campus engagement, issue resolution and campus safety were unanimous.

Liam Davies drew on his own dissatisfaction in the campus culture for his campaign. Having held the engagement executive role during 2020, the presidential seat gives him the chance to further his quest for change.

“I think the biggest issue we have on this campus is that each section is detached from each other.”

“Having more events on campus would create lots of bridges rather than barriers in collaborating as students.”

“We need to be engaging with events, but we also need to be engaging with our communities as well. We need to be engaging with the clubs, engaging with halls.”

For Tessa Guest, it’s our wellbeing. A natural focus from having held the welfare executive role during 2020.

“I think the biggest issue facing students is stress. People are at the centre of my campaign. I think university is about people and community more than anything else.”

“It’s not just about enjoying your university experience, it’s also about building up support systems that get students through the uni stress.”

“We have really good intentions, but we need to strengthen that. I’ve had conversations with students that don’t feel safe on this campus and it’s not on.”

Being the new kid on the block, Dean Manson believes that although he’s fresh to Massey, his ability to identify student issues makes him stand out from the crowd.

“I think what will make me a really good candidate is that I go and talk to people and in a short space and time I’m getting a good idea of what people’s issues are.”

“For me, what I really want to do is get an idea of people’s different views, different degree structures, what do you see as the issues, and then try and deliver that.”

“I’m perfectly willing and capable to walk into any space, say, the higher ups of this University and have them understand what our issues are.”

All three were reluctant in stating who would get their tick in the vote, but one they all agreed needed a firmer stroke was that of Massey’s rainbow community.

Liam Davies said, “Talking about tokenism, calling ourselves a rainbow university and then not ensuring that at all.”

The 2021 Executive in which candidates have campaigned for, will be under a structure.

The restructure has seen the removal of the Engagement, Rainbow, Māori and Communications Executives, with the Welfare and Academic executives moving into officer positions.

Current MAWSA President Jacob Patterson said executive restructure is a long time coming.

“Basically, we've changed a bunch of the positions from 'representative positions' to 'portfolio positions', which means Execs will have clear responsibilities and we'll have a more effective Exec team.”‍

“We also have ex-officio positions for the President of Kōkiri Ngatahi and the Massey Association of Pasifika students, which aren't elected through the MAWSA elections, but through those Association's own processes, which is really exciting to build in systemic links between the Māori, Pasifika and General students' associations.”

Voting for MAWSA executives are now open and will close on September 22, 5pm.