New student union lays out priorities 
By Athena Kong 

Sherry Lam attributes the low turnout rate in the SU election to students' indifference to school activities.

Sherry Lam, president of the new Student Union (SU), promised to enhance the sense of belonging of students to the university, though the turnout rate for the SU election held in May remained low. 

The new union team assumed office in July. Despite the fact that students expected more from the new group, not all of them participated in the election in May. The turnout rate of the SU election has remained low for several years. This year's figure was slightly more than 30 per cent, which means more than 2,000 students abandoned their voting rights.

Laura Lam, a third-year student, attributed the low participation rate to the similar policies of SU cabinets competing in the election. "Every year the policy platform is the same," she said.

Sherry Lam believed it was largely due to the students' indifference towards school activities, but she pointed out that her group was really active during the SU election in May. "Everyday we reminded the students that there would be a voting soon by giving out our pamphlets and we weren't just standing in a fixed place, we went out to approach students..." According to her, this year's turnout rate was higher than that of last year. 

Responding to the complaint that SU policy platforms are similar every year, Lam said that improvement takes time. "...Improvement comes gradually," she added. "If the next (SU) still sees that there is room for improvement (for the same problems), they will surely enclose it in their policy platforms...but the priority is usually for the welfare of the students."

In the policy platform of Lam's cabinet, one promised move for the "great welfare" of students is to urge the school authorities to build an elevator to link the campus and the library. How soon will it be realized? "It's still a primitive idea," Lam said. "We haven't discussed it with the school yet, but we will suggest it to the school during the Academic Council meeting." She added that the date for the meeting had not yet been settled. 

Another SU's concern this year is to increase the students' sense of belonging to the school. Lam supported the idea recently raised by the Rector of the university that all future first year students should move into student hostels for one year. "This way, students can get to know the school more quickly," she explained.