HC LEADERSHIP: RESPONSIBILITY OVER POPULARITY

Cristine Struweg

@c_r_i_s_1_0

“Real leadership is leaders recognising that they serve the people that they lead” – Pete Hoekstra

Should voting be limited to the individuals who attended circuses?

The nerve-racking days of who will be responsible for student life for the next year are here and every vote counts. The Student Campus Council (SCC) circuses have concluded and the campus now awaits the announcements of its new leaders.

This also marks the end of the 2024/2025 House Committee (HC) term, and the residents are looking for competent leaders to guide their residence to success in the 2025/2026 term. The HC is the heart of the residence, and they must possess the qualities of a leader who leads with immense pride, and whose ‘why’ is in line with the values of the residence.

The challenge with HC elections is that votes are often cast based on attractive appearances and promising manifestos. In many cases, people vote for friends without ever attending the HC circuses, assuming they already know who deserves their vote.

This raises the question: should attendance at circuses be compulsory to all residents who wish to vote? Other universities have implemented this initiative to ensure that people vote based on ability rather than perception. This also allows the residents to hold the chosen HC members accountable for the promises they make.

Standing for HC, and voting for HC, is something that should be considered thoroughly and should not be taken up lightly. These leaders will need to pick up the pieces when everything falls apart, to lift the spirit of the residents in tough times on long nights and to guide the residents to a better future – not only on an individual level but also for the residence.

All the relevant information needed for standing HC can be found in the ‘Institutional rules on student governance’ on the NWU website.

A voting ballot inside of an envelope (Source: Cristine Struweg)

Edited by Kyle Bauermeister