sorry if that came out harsher than i meant it, its just very easy to be cynical about student organisation and politics, didnt mean anything nasty by it, but in my own, admittedly limited experience, the big student organisations only ever oversee existing structures that have worked relatively well before, there are few attempts to do things differently or bring in new ideas.
The boards of the unions just happened to be the examples i thought of, the elections for board places,or at least ordinary board places, are fairly meaningless, even if there are enough candidates to make an election actually neccessary the candidates dont act any differently themselves once elected.
The boards just end up being another clique, which wouldnt be so bad except they're meant to be improving a union i use quite a lot.
Not that its that big a problem, as long as the beer prices dont skyrocket everythings good.
just like to clarify im not a bastard ive just been to QMU and GU board meeting before and been totally disillusioned