Walker: OU-SUE!
Marcus Walker, the only candidate to stand for the position of VP (Graduates), has told the OxStu that he "will go to the Proctors and possibly the law courts", following the postponement of the election for the position until next term.
Walker has claimed that the ruling to postpone the election is a "blatant breach" of the 1994 Education Act, which stipulates that student union elections should be "fairly and properly conducted". Walker has also alleged that OUSU is attempting to "fix the election".
A tribunal was convened to address the matter following a complaint from Mark Schaan of New College that Lyndsey Lomax, the Returning Officer for the election, had failed to perform the duties expected of her role.
Nominations for the post had been re-opened for another week after Walker's initial nomination was declared by Lomax to be invalid. He had handed it in only two or three minutes after the deadline, having been in the office for some time prior to this, which Lomax had been aware of.
The tribunal ruled that Lomax had made "no attempt... to inform OUSU members of the re-opening of nominations", following which Lomax admitted that she "did not follow the election regulations". She declined to comment on the latest development.
Walker told the OxStu that he feels that obstacles are purposefully being placed in his path by OUSU, which he believes is "run by what is perceived to be a clique". He said: "As soon as they realised that I'm the only candidate, they've acted to stop the election".
No one at OUSU would comment at the time of going to press.
20th Feb 2003