The OUSA Student Executive have decided to take the question of whether it should be mandatory for a representative from every club and society to attend their Student General Meetings (SGMs), which historically have an abysmal turnout, to the next SGM for the students to vote on. Or at least the 90 students the Exec manages to drag over from the food court.
The idea would be to tie the grants that OUSA gives out to clubs to SGM attendance. If a club wanted to be eligible for grants, they’d have to turn up to the SGM.
At an earlier meeting, Recreation Officer Josh Smythe was told to investigate the idea. He found a mixed response from clubs and said that Clubs Development Officer Sarah Taylor was concerned that the process of checking attendance would be a lot of admin.
“I found that the best way [to get attendance] was to ask the clubs nicely instead of mandating it,” said Josh.
The Exec unanimously decided to take the issue to the next SGM instead of deciding it themselves. James Heath, OUSA President, made sure to point out that it was “not a unanimous vote in favour, just in favour of it being taken to the students”.
Other questions that will be decided at the SGM include whether the Exec restructure (see last week’s Critic) should go through, and whether OUSA should make Starters a dispensary if weed is legalised next year. The weed question is quite transparently only there in the hope it will get some people interested enough to attend the SGM.
“Can we change our logo to have a weed leaf instead of an ‘O’?” asked Education Officer Will Dreyer at last week’s Exec meeting. Everyone laughed but no one actually answered. He’s still waiting.
If you want to come watch a bunch of student politicians be upset that no one turned up to their meeting, come down to the Main Common Room (that weird room opposite the Food Court where people watch the sports) at 12pm this Thursday.