SU President Micky Armstrong
The end of another academic year; a year that has seen trials, tribulations, ups and downs. I hope for all of you that you have enjoyed the highs more than you have endured the lows.
It has been a mixed bag within the YUSU as well, we have faced bar closures, the death of one of our first Presidents, Tony Banks, and assessment boycotts, but managed to implement the most vital changes that the Union has seen in its forty year history. Many of you may remember the late night executive meetings over the ‘do they or don’t they’ abstention debate and if some of you thought that officers of the Union were the protagonists, you would be wrong. We were put in a very difficult position and I would like to thank all the executive officers for the commitment and professionalism that they saw during this time.
The situation was not helped by the lies and confusion circulated by some people, particularly those who are no longer members of the Union. To those people I suggest you find out your information before making accusations, and to those who are no longer members of the Union (bar informed predecessors) I have two words for, one is ‘off’.
My job is to represent the students of the University of York, not to debate with hacks who really should learn to let go. And finally, on the constitution…to that person who had the cowardice to slip a note under my bedroom door calling me all sorts, I hope some day you will learn the boundaries between work life and home life, and I hope that I can be the person to teach you. It is a difficult life being in a sabbatical position. Be it working a 120 hour week before Freshers Week, or not sleeping throughout Roses, Kids Camps, Woodstock and hitches, you have to put your all in and be prepared to take a lot of criticism for doing it.
I have found that it is a lot more than a nine-to-five day job and it’s certainly more than five days a week. You may see me in ‘Toffs’ or ‘Ziggys’ sometimes, but that is a rare moment of ‘relaxation’. However, when you see students dancing at a ‘Freshers’ bash or Woodstock, or the elderly people being entertained by the tea and coffee club, you realise it’s worth it.
So the ‘Year of Reform’ has come to an end and I hope you realise how important a year it has been; everybody in some way has been affected by what we have done this year, whether you realise it or not. Yet more importantly, the majority of you will benefit from the changes that we have implemented. Be it societies having easier ratification or budget-making procedures, to sports clubs having more space, we have implemented changes that will, in the long run, make student life a lot easier. Behind the scenes, we have put in place new procedures that will make the Union a lot more efficient, more democratic and more representative.
Our Strategic Plan gives us a stepping stone guide into the world of Heslington East and top-up fees and looks to hugely improve the status of the Student Union. Although some of you may not know this, we are one of the best Student Unions in the whole country, with over 50 sports clubs and over 100 different societies, and that is down to all of you who ‘get involved’. Thank you for all you do.
I would also like to give a special mention to this year’s JCRC chairs. Although at times we have not seen eye-to-eye, they have been unique in the work that they have done throughout the year. I hope this continues and that they all work together with the Student Union for what is best for their students and all students.
So what is the next step for the Union? Stability. All of the new sabbatical officers at one point during their election campaign mentioned this word, and I agree whole heartedly with them. Next year should be a year when the changes that we have implemented are adheared to and taken as common practice, for the good of the Union and all the students of at the University. I have undoubting faith in the abilities of my successor, Rich Croker, and I look forward to seeing the good work that he and his team will put in over the next 12 months. Who knows, it may even be the next 2 years!
Finally, I would like to thank the officers of the Union for all the help and support they have given me over the past twelve months, particularly the sabbatical team. Special mention must be made to Nat Thwaites-McGowan and Nik Engineer, as we have argued, agreed, laughed, shared some very late nights in the office, drank, cried, danced, won and lost together more than I can remember. Thank you. Good luck to you all in the future, see you later. Stay involved.
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