Joint Committee's controversial attempt to remove the Chairs of the Finance and Services and Welfare Committees was defeated in Council today, with over half of the Junior DSU Representatives voting against the advice of the Senior DSU Reps on Joint Committee. The half-hour debate on the motion, which called for the two committee chairs to be ineligible for re-election by their committees next term, contained several speeches urging Junior Reps to stand up for what they believed was best for their colleges, as well as pleas from Senior Reps for unity.
The vote, in a packed Council meeting in Vane Tempest, was the largest revolt by Junior Reps against Joint Committee in over four years, with a final vote total of 38-22. The chairs of the two committees hailed the vote as a triumph of democracy, and a sign that Junior DSU Reps would no longer accept that the Senior Rep was automatically better placed to interpret the will of their JCR.
The Chair of Finance and Services, also a Junior Rep, said that the JCRs would never accept Junior Reps who voted with the wishes of their Senior Rep, and not the wishes of their JCR
. The lack of JCR mandates on the issue had given the Junior Reps a free vote, but nevertheless the defeat of Joint Committee's motion was a significant blow to the committee, which had usually managed to control a majority in Council beforehand.
The Finance and Services Committee, which controls the recommendation of budgets, had previously recommended budgets that gave low priority to several areas Joint had recommended for increased spending, and its chair had been critical about attempts by Joint to interfere in the financial process.
The Chair of Welfare stated that Council must never be allowed to subside into a great morass of people doing what they are told, not by the JCRs, but by the executives
and that it was not the place of one committee to attempt to determine who chaired any other committee.
One former Senior Rep warned Joint Committee that it would be unwise for it to ignore the new mood among the Junior Reps on Council, and that the days when Joint could reliably direct Council were over. No members of Joint Committee were available for comment, but the outgoing chair of Joint has issued a short statement on behalf of the committee.
Joint Committee respects the democratically expressed will of the JCRs, as shown through Council, and looks forward to working with both committees next term. We will give full support to all other committees, regardless of who chairs them, and there will be more details on our reasons in our next report to Council.
One outspoken former Steerer said that the vote was a lesson
for the committee and Joint should think very carefully and make sure that they fully consult with their Junior Reps instead of trying to steamroller anything through that is counter to the wishes of the students they represent
.