3rd Week Michaelmas Term 2007

Council met on Friday of 3rd Week in the Moser Theatre in Wadham College. With elections just a few weeks away, the early part of the meeting was spent electing members of OUSU’s Junior Tribunal and Deputy Returning Officers for the elections. We also elected members to our new Governance Working Group which will be meeting through the rest of this term to discuss the composition of OUSU’s new Trustee board and governance structure.

Council then considered the Ammended Budget. In the absence of Rich, our Vice President (Finance), I answered Council’s questions on the Budget. I highlighted the increased publicity budget, aimed at improving communication between OUSU and Common Rooms and the increased budget to invest in our web presence. Questions were put about how the budget for campaigns would be distributed between the newly established autonomous campaigns: this question is still under consideration. One council member asked whether the new budget would allow for OUSY to be commissioned. It was pointed out that despite the higher publicity budget, it still only translated into 11 pence per student and that spending £700 on a furry blue animal costume may not be the best use of our limited resources.

Sam McGeever, the Freshers’ Fair 2007 Organiser, presented the Freshers’ Fair report which was accepted unanimously by Council.

James Lamming (VP, Access and Academic Affairs) proposed a motion to make me write these reports. Given that you’re reading this, I’m sure you can work out what way that vote went.

The final motion in Council proposed to work towards the OUSU Buildings having Fair Trade status. After a lively discussion, where some Council members expressed reservations about OUSU taking a position on a “controversial” issue such as Fair Trade, the motion passed after a convincing speech from James Lamming who wowed us all with his knowledge of development economics (he’d probably want me to point out at this point that he got an 80 in that paper).