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OUSU facing voting reforms

 

JCRs are debating this week whether OUSU should hold a referendum on who should vote in its minority reps.

Students have argued that it is undemocratic for OUSU to decide who should be allowed a say in selecting OUSU’s future LGBT and ethnic minority representatives.

However others have argued that the referendum would support universal voting, and that the majority would therefore eclipse that of minorities.

The controversy arose again in the Fifth Week Council meeting, and continued into an Extraordinary Council meeting on Friday of Sixth Week.

Tom Haynes, OUSU rep for St Catherine’s, is one of the students behind the recent campaign for a referendum.
Haynes took the issue to his JCR, proposing a motion “request[ing] that OUSU holds a referendum in Hilary 2009 to determine whether or not [restricted voting] should continue.”

Haynes claims he hoped to trigger a referendum by getting nine other JCRs to pass similar motions, and sent an email to all the other OUSU reps, urging them to agree that a “referendum was the best way forwards.”

He argues that no conclusion has been reached because JCRs have not been consulted, and that a referendum is “the most democratic” solution to the issue. He said it would enable discussion on “the most final way to resolve this long running dispute”.

However Merton’s OUSU rep, Joshua Monahan, initially agreed with Haynes, but has since declared, “I’m withdrawing my support.”

Monahan admitted that he backed Haynes “for the sole reason that I thought the issue was being wilfully ignored,” but now believes that debate has pushed this issue forward.

Joseph Edwards, OUSU rep for Jesus College, agreed with Monahan.  He said: “Referenda are not the only way, or even the best way, of ensuring that the voice of Oxford students is heard.”  He went on to say that it would be a waste of OUSU’s time and resources to hold the referendum.

Luke Tryl, former Union president, who is rumoured to be running for OUSU President, said: “We should have as many referendums as possible.” He pointed out that responsibilities in OUSU often overlap, and that even a position like Vice President for Women is responsible for pro-choice policy, which affects men also.

Haynes’ campaign for a referendum has been halted when, after consultation with other colleges, further issues were raised. He claims that OUSU have decided to “re-open our discussion…early on in Michaelmas.”

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