In an attempt to find additional funding for the administrative structures of the University, the Vice-Chancellor approached DSU's Finance and Services Committee last Wednesday, in an attempt to gain ratification for the Senior Management as a DSU Society.
All DSU societies are entitled to claim up to £500 for
their running costs, and to put towards their aims and objectives,
in this case given as The provision of management experience at
a senior level within a top-quality University
.
A University spokesperson gave the following statement:
The Vice-Chancellor feels that it would be a great activity for many people, as evidenced by the 45 potential members who have already expressed an interest in joining, and we feel that we would be fully deserving of ratification.
However, sources within Finance and Services Committee were
more sceptical. One said There is a problem with [the
society's] commitment to equal opportunities
, referring to
concerns expressed by many members of the committee that the
society's constitution would make it very difficult for student
members of the society to have much say in how it was run. We
don't believe that their constitution as it stands is adequate,
but they were unwilling to accept our suggested changes
.
The provisional secretary of the society, the University Registrar
remarked that he was hopeful
that Finance and
Services would negotiate on the structure of the constitution, as
it was the view of the current members that to make the changes
Finance and Services were requesting would substantially change
the feel of the society.
One long serving member of FnS was more sceptical, however, pointing out that the ratification requirements were not open to negotiation, although FnS would be quite happy to consult with the society members further on the form of possible changes they could make. Finance and Services also felt that the membership charge of £50 was a little high, and that it would perhaps make it difficult for the society to get many members of DSU to join.
The Society (and University) Treasurer justified the high fee by
saying that the Union Society was able to charge comparable
amounts, and the society would make every effort to ensure that
no-one was excluded for financial reasons. They also claimed
that most other societies of this nature in comparable
universities charge significantly more
. Comments from many
students that DUS is full of rahs
have not yet been
responded to by the Senior Management Society.
If the ratification is successful, the society plans to spend the £500 it could claim from DSU on paying the Vice-Chancellor for a day.