Advertising ban costs YUSU
A self-imposed ban on providing advertising for property rental businesses may be revoked at the next Executive meeting, after it cost YUSU and affiliated societies over £1,000 pounds in revenue to date.
The ban on advertising in the first term was proposed at a Senate meeting in Week 2 of last term by former Academic and Welfare Officer Amy Foxton. It was intended to keep first year students from panicking unnecessarily about the need to find a house early in the academic year. The ban would prevent property rental businesses from advertising on YUSU promotional posters, term calendars and the AU Handbook.
Services and Finance Officer, Matt Burton, said it was believed at the time that the ban was imposed that advertising could be made up from other sources. Over the summer, however, YUSU advertising revenue fell by £1000. The decision will be reviewed at the first Executive meeting of term.
Burton said: “While finance is always one of your key concerns, that is not the main reason for the reconsideration. It’s always a balancing act between financial needs for all areas of the Union against making sure our communications policy is not misleading.”
Niall MacTurk, the Managing Director of Sinclaire’s, one of York’s main property rental businesses, said: “We’re a little bit annoyed that we are not being allowed to advertise. We spend thousands on the University and that is being curtailed.”
In an attempt to overturn the ban, Sinclair’s have given YUSU a written statement of understanding in which they promise not to allow first years to view houses before Christmas. The move is intended to allay concerns that the advertising can cause undue worry among first years about finding a house.
Bad Taste Magazine, which was told by the YUSU Marketing Department that it was not allowed to accept advertising from Sinclair’s, stands to lose £475 if a decision is not reached before their print deadline.
Burton said that the minutes of the meeting in which the ban was decided on were never ratified, possibly voiding them as Union policy. When asked if he would encourage societies to ignore the ban as a result Burton refused to comment.
