Written by Jude Lince and translated by Cai Phillips
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Voting is currently open in the Aberystwyth Students’ Union elections. This means that all students get the chance to have their say in who represents them at SU level in the coming academic year. Voting will be open until Friday the 17th of March at 3pm.
At the Mouth of the Ystwyth, we believe in the importance of voting in these elections, for reasons you can read about in some of the other articles on our site. We also believe that it is important for all students to know about the people running to represent them; as such, we have reached out to all candidates standing in the elections to gain insight into who they are and why they are running. In this article, we’ll be going through the conversations we’ve had with everyone running to be Opportunities Officer.
According to the SU’s website, the Opportunities Officer is responsible for:
-“co-ordinating activity and campaigns, informing University and SU policy and representing the student body on matters relating to sports, societies, volunteering and employability”
-“chairing the Sports and Societies Zones, working with the Chief Executive Officer and AberSU’s senior management team to achieve and shape strategic aims and outcomes”
-“attending regular meetings with relevant University departments to further the development of clubs, societies, volunteering and employability”
The candidates running for the role are Josh Rutty, Tiffany McWilliams and Mia Broholm. The Mouth of the Ystwyth asked them its usual three questions. You can read their responses below.
Josh Rutty
How would you describe yourself in three words?
Reliable, confident, consistent.
What would make you a good leader?
I have very good listening skills and can work well with people to solve disputes. I have strong social skills which mean I can help societies grow.
Why should people vote for you?
Because I am the only candidate who has stood on a platform of greater investment for our clubs and societies.
Tiffany McWilliams
How would you describe yourself in three words?
Enthusiastic, dependable, passionate.
What would make you a good leader?
Firstly, I often find myself in [leadership positions]. I tend to gravitate to a leadership role or I am voted into them by others, so I have a lot of experience leading lots of very different groups of people. I consider myself to be great at working in a team and try my hardest to include and listen to everyone. I like to communicate everything to everyone and always like everybody to be in the know in situations, which I think is a positive mindset, that helps everyone feel included and valued.
Why should people vote for you?
I have a lot of experience being on committees in societies and clubs, big and small. I have also taken part in the events the Opportunities Officer helps to plan, so I believe I can confidently advocate for everyone. Also, my campaign is based on rebuilding a support system, specifically by improving communication between the SU and clubs/socs, as well as the wider student population. Secondly, I plan to show up to every RAG event, every match, every show, every game - all of it. I want everyone to know who their Opportunities Officer is. And thirdly, I want everyone to be involved in the solving of problems - keeping people updated and involved in every step of the process. So have the epiphany, and vote for Tiffany.
Mia Broholm
How would you describe yourself in three words?
Tenacious, considerate and excited.
What would make you a good leader?
I always stand up for what I believe in, and at the same time listen to everyone's opinion. I've been a leader for my club this year being a captain which has made me learn a lot. I also show a lot of compassion to everyone as well as keeping them responsible for the promises they make.
Why should people vote for you?
Because I am someone who will listen to everyone's opinion and take them into consideration when I make any decision. I also get the difference between equality versus equity which helps me work on how to divide the advantages between every opportunity students have in their time at Aberystwyth University.
So there you have it. It’s worth ranking your votes in order of preference, so that even if your first choice candidate doesn’t win, you can still have a say in who represents you as Opportunities Officer.
Remember to vote for your preferred candidates by Friday, the 17th of March at 3pm. Every vote counts.
Cymraeg
Mae pleidleisio ar agor ar hyn o bryd yn etholiadau Undeb Myfyrwyr Aberystwyth. Mae hyn yn golygu bod pob myfyriwr yn cael y cyfle i ddweud eu dweud ynghylch pwy sy'n eu cynrychioli ar lefel UM yn y flwyddyn academaidd i ddod. Bydd y pleidleisio ar agor tan ddydd Gwener y 17eg o Fawrth am 3yp.
Yn Mouth of the Ystwyth, credwn ym mhwysigrwydd pleidleisio yn yr etholiadau hyn, am resymau y gallwch ddarllen amdanynt yn rhai o'r erthyglau eraill ar ein gwefan. Credwn hefyd ei bod yn bwysig i bob myfyriwr wybod am y bobl sy'n sefyll i'w cynrychioli; fel y cyfryw, rydym wedi estyn allan at yr holl ymgeiswyr sy'n sefyll yn yr etholiadau i gael mewnwelediad i bwy ydynt a pham eu bod yn rhedeg. Yn yr erthygl hon, byddwn yn mynd trwy'r sgyrsiau rydyn ni wedi'u cael gyda phawb sy'n rhedeg i fod yn Swyddog Cyfleoedd.
Yn ôl gwefan UM, mae’r Swyddog Cyfleoedd yn gyfrifol am:
- “cydlynu gweithgareddau ac ymgyrchoedd, hysbysu polisi’r Brifysgol a’r UM a chynrychioli’r corff myfyrwyr ar faterion yn ymwneud â chwaraeon, cymdeithasau, gwirfoddoli a chyflogadwyedd”
- “cadeirio’r Parthau Chwaraeon a Chymdeithasau, gweithio gyda’r Prif Swyddog Gweithredol ac uwch dîm rheoli UMAber i gyflawni a llunio nodau a chanlyniadau strategol”
-“mynychu cyfarfodydd rheolaidd ag adrannau perthnasol y Brifysgol i hybu datblygiad clybiau, cymdeithasau, gwirfoddoli a chyflogadwyedd”
Yr ymgeiswyr sy'n rhedeg am y rôl yw Josh Rutty, Tiffany McWilliams a Mia Broholm. Gofynnodd Mouth of the Ystwyth y tri chwestiwn i gyd iddynt. Gallwch ddarllen eu hymatebion isod.
Josh Rutty
Beth yw tri gair i disgrifio chi?
Dibynadwy, hyderus, cyson.
Sut fyddech chi’n arweinydd da?
Mae gen i sgiliau gwrando da iawn a gallaf weithio’n dda gyda phobl i ddatrys anghydfodau. Mae gen i sgiliau cymdeithasol cryf sy’n golygu y gallaf helpu cymdeithasau i dyfu.
Pam dylid pobl pleidleisio amdanoch chi?
Oherwydd fi yw’r unig ymgeisydd sydd wedi sefyll ar lwyfan o fwy o fuddsoddiad i’n clybiau a’n cymdeithasau.
Tiffany McWilliams
Beth yw tri gair i disgrifio chi?
Brwdfrydig, dibynadwy, angerddol.
Sut fyddech chi’n arweinydd da?
Yn gyntaf, rwy'n aml yn cael fy hun mewn i [swyddi arweinyddiaeth]. Rwy’n dueddol o fynd am rôl arwain neu rwy’n cael fy mhleidleisio i mewn iddynt gan eraill, felly mae gen i lawer o brofiad yn arwain llawer o grwpiau gwahanol iawn o bobl. Rwy'n ystyried fy hun yn wych am weithio mewn tîm ac yn gwneud fy ngorau glas i gynnwys a gwrando ar bawb. Rwy’n hoffi cyfathrebu popeth i bawb a bob amser yn hoffi i bawb i wybod beth sy’n digwydd mewn sefyllfaoedd, sy’n feddylfryd cadarnhaol yn fy marn i, sy’n helpu pawb i deimlo eu bod yn cael eu cynnwys a’u gwerthfawrogi.
Pam dylid pobl pleidleisio amdanoch chi?
Mae gen i lawer o brofiad o fod ar bwyllgorau mewn cymdeithasau a chlybiau, mawr a bach. Rwyf hefyd wedi cymryd rhan yn y digwyddiadau y mae'r Swyddog Cyfleoedd yn helpu i'w cynllunio, felly credaf y gallaf eirioli'n hyderus dros bawb. Hefyd, mae fy ymgyrch yn seiliedig ar ailadeiladu system gymorth, yn benodol drwy wella cyfathrebu rhwng yr UM a chlybiau/cymdeithasau, yn ogystal â’r boblogaeth ehangach o fyfyrwyr. Yn ail, dwi'n bwriadu dangos fy wyneb yn bob digwyddiad RAG, pob gêm, pob sioe - y cyfan. Rwyf am i bawb wybod pwy yw eu Swyddog Cyfleoedd. Ac yn drydydd, rwyf am i bawb fod yn rhan o'r broses o ddatrys problemau - gan roi'r wybodaeth ddiweddaraf i bobl a'u cynnwys ym mhob cam o'r broses. Felly cewch epiffani, a phleidleisiwch dros Tiffany.
Mia Broholm
Beth yw tri gair i disgrifio chi?
Dyfal, ystyriol a chyffrous.
Sut fyddech chi’n arweinydd da?
Rwyf bob amser yn sefyll dros yr hyn yr wyf yn credu ynddo, ac ar yr un pryd yn gwrando ar farn pawb. Rydw i wedi bod yn arweinydd i fy nghlwb eleni gan fod yn gapten sydd wedi gwneud i mi ddysgu llawer. Rwyf hefyd yn dangos llawer o dosturi at bawb yn ogystal â’u cadw’n gyfrifol am yr addewidion y maent yn eu gwneud.
Pam dylid pobl pleidleisio amdanoch chi?
Oherwydd fy mod yn rhywun a fydd yn gwrando ar farn pawb ac yn eu cymryd i ystyriaeth pan fyddaf yn gwneud unrhyw benderfyniad. Rwyf hefyd yn deall y gwahaniaeth rhwng cydraddoldeb yn erbyn tegwch sy’n fy helpu i weithio ar sut i rannu’r manteision rhwng pob cyfle a gaiff myfyrwyr yn eu hamser ym Mhrifysgol Aberystwyth.
Felly dyna chi. Mae’n werth rhoi’ch pleidleisiau yn nhrefn blaenoriaeth, fel hyd yn oed os na fydd eich ymgeisydd dewis cyntaf yn ennill, gallwch barhau i gael dweud eich dweud ynghylch pwy sy’n eich cynrychioli fel Swyddog Cyfleoedd.
Cofiwch bleidleisio dros eich ymgeiswyr dewisol erbyn dydd Gwener, y 17eg o Fawrth am 3yp. Mae pob pleidlais yn cyfrif.