USU Board Candidates 2019: Tom Manousaridis

Labor right/Unity

Arts/Law III

“Tom on Top”.

Quiz Score: 84%

Interviewed by Joe Verity and Alan Zheng. 

Candidate profile

Tom Manousaridis has a CV that is undoubtedly befitting of an aspiring Board Director, replete with myriad executive positions in a variety of clubs and societies and employment with the USU as the Campus Activities Coordinator last year. Manousaridis performed the best out of all of this years’ nine candidates in our quiz, flexing an intimate knowledge of the USU’s inner machinations.

Similarly, during his interview, he displayed a considered approach to directorship, spruiking policies on C&S funding reform and affordable food outlets. For these reasons, experience and knowledge will almost certainly be promoted by campaigners as the main selling points of the Tom on Top campaign this week. If Unity’s last Board campaign is anything to go by, there’s a good chance that the high quiz score attached to this profile will be routinely brandished in walk and talks along Eastern Avenue. Though it’s easy to see the value in competency — and there is no doubt much to value — voters would do well to look beyond this metric.

Carrying an objectively stacked CV, it’s fair to assume that Manousaridis has had his sights set on Directorship since he stepped foot on campus and is intent on attaining it, having refused to rule out a preference deal with Cady Brown, the only candidate in the race belonging to the same party that has, for some time, been intent on dismantling student unionism altogether.

For those who see value in Manousaridis’ policies, there’s plenty of reason to put him on top. Those who don’t should refrain from being persuaded by knowledge and experience alone.