Balancing the books
The SU’s financial concerns are something which will be shared by all students and societies, and, although the current officers seem to have been stuck is this dismal situation by their predecessors, it is tempting to say that they are still exacerbating their predicament.
In attempting to circumvent NUS fees in the past, it has meant losing out financially in the long term, something which the current SU is now paying for (quite literally). Threatened with disaffiliation, SU president Micky Armstrong acknowledges there is “everything to lose” from this outcome. Leaving student number figures unchanged year in year out is still, despite claims to the contrary, a way of “fiddling” figures and a conscious effort to mislead the NUS. Alleging it to be a prevalent Union practice, is simply a feeble excuse for poor financial management.
Nonetheless, whilst this year’s team remain blameless for the financial crisis, a little bit of common sense wouldn’t go amiss. Before the beginning of term the SU offices had a complete refurbishment, including new computers, furniture, carpets and even a fridge. Whilst we don’t want them to be running their affairs from cardboard boxes at the edge of the lake, perhaps little luxuries should be put on hold until the books balance once again. After all, it’s the students who will lose out in the long run.
