Thursday 26th Feb - Mock-up fights, race starts and of course - hustings!

I think today was one of those days where I wasn't sure what to think - getting my head around the fact that my performance was being reviewed by one newspaper, and another was trying to check out my facebook (I thought it was just law firms that did that!) - that was one thing. Then the phonecall came from the editor of one of the newspapers - 'We'd like to do a photo of the Access candidates for the front page.' - Well that's not something you hear every day! I think that whomever wins this tightly contested election next Wednesday, there is actually one true winner, and that is Access itself - the fact that this election is one of the most heavily contested positions again this year shows that Access does matter and that there are lots of people within the University, who are doing some amazing work in Access and that the fact that Access is making the front page of newspapers is amazing because it is raising the profile of some of the key issues that every candidate is referring to - the effect of low aspirations, the role teachers play, the issue of positive discrimination - all important issues that need to be discussed.

So, off to the photoshoot we went - and fair enough, they wanted a different photo to the usual one where everyone stands nicely and smiles individually, but I didn't expect what happened next - standing over another candidate with a stool raised ferociously above my head, whilst he is threatening to knee the other - sounds like something out of some cheap drama, with a bar room brawl!
I'll let you see for yourself what photo they go for in the end by checking the papers in the morning.

Hustings were on my home turf tonight, and bearing in mind we're a small college, we had a decent turn-out. Questions covered areas such as: raising awareness of access issues to increase student involvement, the Cambridge Ambassadors Programme, and even what we would do if something went wrong on a scheme you were responsible for, and it was late at night, and you were tired - nothing too specific then!

Then it was off up the hill to Churchill (well up the back way but that's beside the point!) The venue was on the large side but it was not too bad - questions were posed on the issues of positive discrimination, how to ensure fees are not a psychological barrier to access and even how much we see Access as a political role - that's another great thing about this campaign - really gives the chance to consider issues relating to Access in a way that we may never have thought about before.

For those of you who are interested - I have a blog up on the varsity website if you fancy a look? http://blog.varsity.co.uk/2009/02/26/choices-choices-choices/#more-35

Anyways - am off to bed - maybe one day during this campaign I may actually get to bed before 2am! One can only hope!
Until tomorrow...