YUSU regains key vote on Student Services
The two votes of student representatives on the restructured Student Services Committee have been regained, following a YUSU outcry at their withdrawal last term.
The original proposal for the restructured committee provided no student vote, causing a storm of controversy among YUSU and the student media. But over the summer, the University Senate voted on an amended proposal keeping the student votes intact.
The new committee, which has a wider remit than the Student Support Committee it replaces, makes recommendations to the Vice-Chancellor’s Advisory Group, one of the most powerful decision-making bodies at the University.
Two student representatives, YUSU President and Academic and Welfare Officer, will sit and vote on the committee, which discusses student policy issues such as accommodation, alcohol and drugs, careers, college bars and social facilities, disability services and health provision.
The student vote is at the discretion of the Chair of the committee, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Students Dr. Jane Grenville, who is mandated not to allow the student representatives to vote on financial matters of particular importance, such as rent-setting.
“We’ve never voted on rent-setting and we can understand why not,” said Anne-Marie Canning, YUSU President. “Jane’s pretty cool and we’ve got a good relationship with her. Our vote on non-financial issues was what we were fighting for and we’ve got it back.”
