Alex Slingsby
Photocredit: Philippa Grafton
Leon Morris has announced his plans to step down from his position as YUSU LGBTQ Officer with immediate effect. Morris revealed his exit through a post on Facebook and announced that YUSU Welfare Officer, Bob Hughes, will be acting as chair until a new YUSU LGBTQ Officer is elected.
When asked about his reasons for stepping down from this position, Morris admitted that his main reason was due to degree commitments. “Whilst YUSU was enjoyable to work with, I felt the welfare provision for Part-Time Officers wasn’t sufficient for the amount of work and pressure that Officers put up with. I felt that I couldn’t live up to the Network’s expectations in increasing representation, despite my hard efforts, and others would be better at the job than I was.”
Leon Morris was elected into the position of LGBT Officer last year, with a total of 1,333 votes, and has since run for Vanburgh Chair, attended many university-related marches and protests, and had previously welcomed the role as an opportunity to improve the LGBTQ community here at York.
According to the open Facebook group on which Morris published his announcement, “YUSU LGBTQ exists to support lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer students at the university of York. We’re part of the students’ union, and represent LGBTQ students on the union’s committees”.
Morris’ main reason has been confirmed as a need to focus on his degree, and the heavy time commitments needed from a part-time officer. Unlike the sabbatical officers, the part-time officers usually work alongside their degree, and it has been noted that this is not always a feasible extra-curricular activity. The expectations of a part-time officer are usually just as high as those of a sabbatical offers, and the time commitments can often interfere with degree responsibilities.
Morris’ decision to step down as LGBTQ Officer comes weeks before the YUSU election campaigning season begins, but it is unknown whether a replacement will be elected before campaigning begins.
The announcement was made tonight (Sunday 20th January) at 9.30pm, and Leon Morris has made it clear that any further enquiries should be directed to [email protected]
20 Jan ’13 at 11:17 pm
YUSUClique says:
This was clearly because of the clique.
20 Jan ’13 at 11:23 pm
Hmm says:
Never rated him anyway, he’s a flaker and opportunist.
20 Jan ’13 at 11:27 pm
lol says:
So he ran for Vanbrugh chair despite knowing that he couldn’t handle his degree workload. Looking to pad the CV eh?
20 Jan ’13 at 11:38 pm
Donald Donaldson says:
Ain’t nobody fresher than ma mo’ mo’ clique, clique, clique, clique.
Good. Nobody ever heard the work he did, anyway. Big up Bob; whut.
21 Jan ’13 at 1:06 am
Dan says:
I never liked this guy. I have friends in the York tories and he used to be the campaigners officer but resigned from that citing the same reasons as above and saying they all ganged up on him. He couldn’t cope with that, he couldn’t cope with being LGBT officer yet he still intends to run as chair of a college? Chances are he also left because of the clique attitude of the pathetic YUSU. Everytime I walk past that building all they seem to be doing is watching youtube what exactly are they being paid for? As I have often said of Kallum Taylor he ony ran for YUSU president to put off real work in the outside world for another year, probably because he is effectively unemployable. But I shall try to be kind, after all this is the high point of the life careers of some of these people.
21 Jan ’13 at 1:25 pm
I call bull says:
As much as I agree about the YUSU clique Dan, I’m not sure where you’re getting your facts about Leon – he was never a campaigns officer …
21 Jan ’13 at 4:59 pm
More than meets the eye says:
There are more reasons that just degree commitments that have forced Morris to step down. Citing work load as his reason for resigning is just the least contentious motive he has for resigning, with the others being perfectly relevant but perhaps not appropriate to voice in a public context. If anything he’s bowing out gracefully by trying to leave without causing too much conflict.
As for the Tories, Leon was the Secretary, with the conflict there arising for completely different reasons which had nothing to do with him.
22 Jan ’13 at 12:08 pm
pressure pot says:
Why would you run for chair if your degree workload was too much? #suspicious
22 Jan ’13 at 4:23 pm
Skanky Dan says:
@Dan
“I have friends in the York tories” – this renders everything else you say redundant, m’dear. KTay for PM.
22 Jan ’13 at 8:40 pm
Charlotte says:
“KTay for PM.” – I see Kallum has nothing better to do than troll student newspapers
23 Jan ’13 at 1:30 am
Skanky Dan says:
I assure you, Charlotte, m’dear, my sweet, bonnie lass that I am not, nor shall I ever be him who you accuse me to be.
Retract it now, or never know the meaning of friendship.
11 Feb ’13 at 7:16 pm
Alex says:
It can’t be because of the YUSU clique, Leon wants to get right back in there are Campaigns officer
http://www.yorkvision.co.uk/news/yusu-elections/
11 Feb ’13 at 7:42 pm
Time Server says:
@Alex
Maybe he just wants to herald the death knell of what is now a largely irrelevant position?