Leaked: SU Council votes down having directly elected members, amid calls '7 straight, white, cis males could be elected'
Student Council is the primary body at the Warwick Student's Union for implementation and
oversight of Union Policy, Regulations and Principles.
Council meets roughly twice a term, passing 'routine, and uncontroversial' resolutions and votes on whether motions deciding the Union's official policy should be voted on by student referendums.
At present, Council comprises of the 7 Sabbatical Officers, 8 Chairs of the Execs, and the Chair & Deputy Chair of Council. The Sabbatical Officers have an automatic seat on Council, and the Chairs of the Execs are indirectly elected to their Council position.
A motion was put forward to increase the franchise of Council by adding 7 directly elected members for the Academic Year 2017-18, to be elected by proportional representation.
On the 16th May Council Meeting, Chair of the Democracy Exec, Marie Dams asked Council to vote against the motion for adding 7 directly elected members. One of the arguments against, was that someone with 'extreme' views like NUS Delegate Chairman Rose could be elected.
Dams claimed that '7 straight, white, cis males could be elected', refering to the seven white, male Sabbatical Officers elected in 2015.
This was a remarkably poor comparison from the Democracy Chair - since the election of the Sabbatical Officers uses a single winner election system which can create less representative outcomes comapred to proportional representation.
Unfortunately, the Council member who seconded the motion could not be present; Council duly voted 13 against, with 1 absention.
The more controversial comments by Dams were left out of the official minutes of the meeting.
By Warwick Eye
Sources:
The meeting minutes can be found (here).
The motion presented to Council can be read (here).
Council meets roughly twice a term, passing 'routine, and uncontroversial' resolutions and votes on whether motions deciding the Union's official policy should be voted on by student referendums.
At present, Council comprises of the 7 Sabbatical Officers, 8 Chairs of the Execs, and the Chair & Deputy Chair of Council. The Sabbatical Officers have an automatic seat on Council, and the Chairs of the Execs are indirectly elected to their Council position.
A motion was put forward to increase the franchise of Council by adding 7 directly elected members for the Academic Year 2017-18, to be elected by proportional representation.
On the 16th May Council Meeting, Chair of the Democracy Exec, Marie Dams asked Council to vote against the motion for adding 7 directly elected members. One of the arguments against, was that someone with 'extreme' views like NUS Delegate Chairman Rose could be elected.
 |
| SU Democracy Chair: Marie Dams (Wrygdwylife) |
Dams claimed that '7 straight, white, cis males could be elected', refering to the seven white, male Sabbatical Officers elected in 2015.
This was a remarkably poor comparison from the Democracy Chair - since the election of the Sabbatical Officers uses a single winner election system which can create less representative outcomes comapred to proportional representation.
Unfortunately, the Council member who seconded the motion could not be present; Council duly voted 13 against, with 1 absention.
The more controversial comments by Dams were left out of the official minutes of the meeting.
By Warwick Eye
Sources:
The meeting minutes can be found (here).
The motion presented to Council can be read (here).
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