The OUSA Executive was expected to vote on a raft of changes to how students set association policy as Critic went to print late last week. Prime among these was a motion to hold Student General Meetings (SGM) online, in an effort to increase student participation in the constitutional process.
The motion comes after poor student attendance at SGMs, with recent meetings often having insufficient attendance to ensure quorum.
In a memorandum sent to the OUSA Executive, OUSA President Harriet Geoghegan said “it seems to be glaringly obvious that the Executive needs to change the way SGMs are run … In keeping with our strategic objectives of being relevant and engaging it is imperative that we move voting online as soon as possible.”
The proposed solution would see external policy submitted to an online vote after it had either been approved by a majority of the Executive, or upon the submission of a petition signed by 2.5 percent of the student body (approximately 450 people). Geoghegan touted the benefits of the scheme, saying: “The SGM process would … be more protected from being overrun by non-representative groups who are super-mobilised and function in a similar manner to the ballot box in Parliament.”
Additionally, the suggested process changes seek to utilise a ‘student forum’, which would incorporate posting a video of a ‘student discussion’ regarding changes to external policy. This would be put online within 24 hours of being filmed, or, pending costs, be streamed live.
Critic understands that there has been suggestion from some Executive members that such forums would also need quorum, so that standing orders could be adhered to, and procedural motions be put forward (e.g. advancing to next item of business and amending wording). Geoghegan however is of the opinion that the forums would merely comprise discussions and that quorum would not be necessary.
The worry for some Executive members is that the over-use of an online system like the one being proposed could lead to ‘referendum fatigue’, bringing the student body right back to where it started: student voter apathy.
If the Executive accepts this proposal, and the constitutional changes pass OUSA’s lawyers, the first online voting could be held from midnight on July 16.
Also under review is the suggestion that, in order to combat the issues of being bound by outdated policy, all current policy will automatically lapse after three years unless it is reaffirmed by the student body.
SGMs to go viral?
