Question
Can you resolve the following dilemma for me?- It is common practice for card-holding members of Council to pass the cards to other members of their college.
- Steering Committee has never, in the past four years, commented on or opposed this (at any Council I've been at).
- Until last Council.
- I am a member of Van Mildert College JCR, and yet was barred from voting, despite it having been passed to me from a member of Van Mildert College (and no, I'm not talking about a packet of B & H).
- Is this, therefore, not a blatant victimisation of a DSU President, the ongoing target of Steering Committee's attitude problem and petty rules?
Answer
To our most adored, revered and esteemed President,
Steering committee infinitely regret their inability to allow you to vote as you wished at the Council on 10th November in St Aidan's College Dining Hall. Unfortunately, being under a duty to uphold the Constitution and Standing Orders, we are forced to refer you to Section 7.1 of the Constitution which declares members of the DSU Executive Committee to be Non-Voting members of Council. Also Section 7.5 specifically disallows the members of Council mentioned above from concurrently holding voting rights under Section 7.3, the college representatives.
While in no way doubting your place in Van Mildert College JCR, we are devestated to explain how you are unable to vote as a representative of the above organisation without resigning from your present position as President.
Moving to your second point it is entirely unfounded to suggest any prejudice affecting the actions and decision of Steering Committee when considering issues in relation to the President. Steering Committee vehemently deny any charge of an attitude problem, and vigorously defend their "petty rules" as the central democratic principles of the union. This very institution, the Council of DSU, and the main policy-making body, the Union General Meeting, have create the rules you so disparage. Although these rules may cause you some personal inconvenience they are fundamental to the successful, representative and just running of our Union. Steering Committee would like to remind you of the efforts made on behalf of the various plans and intentions you have formed this term. We would wish to continue to help you to reconcile these schemes with the rule and would appreciate the fullest and most prompt, and early, consultation in future.