Editorial: Democracy dawns today at City
The Students’ Union’s annual meeting (AGM) takes place at 6pm today, and everyone should be there.
We study at a university where the Students’ Union lacks the openness and transparency that we as students deserve. The AGM is the only chance that we will get during the year to hold them to account.
The Square have put forward six motions which you can vote on this evening.
Changing the bar name – City has a long-established tradition of being different – whether it’s by not offering traditional degree subjects, adopting a carrot as our mascot, or naming the previous bar Saddlers.
By naming the new bar CityBar, we are breaking this tradition. Additionally, when students were given the chance to vote on the new name, keeping Saddlers was not an option. This is undemocratic and unfair.
Advertising the AGM – The Students’ Union only began heavily advertising the AGM after the deadline for submitting motions had passed.
Despite multiple student attempts to find out more information about how the event will work, the Students’ Union has revealed very little. This system discourages democracy and stop students from adequately holding their union and its elected representatives to account.
Official student media – The Students’ Union has repeatedly broken its own rules when it comes to official student media.
From appointing editors who haven’t been here for long enough to the ridiculous censorship that plagued City OnAir at the start of the year, if the Union can’t follow its own rules, how can we expect it to represent us well enough.
Independent student media – Throughout history, some of the greatest writers, performers and thinkers of our time have begun plying their trade in independent university societies.
From the Cambridge Footlights to the Oxford Debating Society, these groups form the lifeblood of university life. Since The Square launched as an independent student media outlet, the Students’ Union has done all in its power to prevent us from doing our job.
This is indicative of the attitude they have towards freedom among the students. If they want City students to thrive in life, they must agree to support for independent student media and other independent societies.
Stance on boycotts and strikes – The debacle that took place earlier in the semester – when the Students’ Union President incorrectly informed everyone that the marking boycott was over – summed up the whole handling of the situation.
The Union refused to take a stance on an issue that had a negative impact on students. Do they need to be reminded that the S in SU stands for students, not staff?
The Revolution – After years of AGMs and policy-making, the union has itself so wrapped up in contradictory rules that it has no idea what to do. It would be easier for everyone if all of the current regulations were scrapped and replaced with new, student-led policies.
To vote on all of these issues and many more that will affect you, come along to the Oliver Thompson Lecture Theatre at 6pm and have your say.
