OUCA treasurer stripped of office
The ex-treasurer of Oxford University Conservative Association has been dismissed from her position and fined a combined total of £250 for a failure to perform her duties. Sophie Bower, a secondyear PPEist from Magdalen, had eight charges of malpractice held up against her by the OUCA Disciplinary Committee on Sunday evening. On Wednesday afternoon she was also found guilty of not fulfilling the duties of her current role as political officer.
The disciplinary committee passed a motion of censure against Bower, and fined her a £110 on charges of failing to perform her duties as OUCA political officer. Separate charges relating to her conduct as treasurer included failing to keep accounts up to date or present them at OUCA’s general meeting. There was also a seemingly inexplicable £600 increase in the balance of the accounts from the end of the previous treasurer’s term to the end of Bower’s.
She was fined a further £140 as a result. The accounts were presented to the office of the clerk to the Proctors, Brian Gasser, as part of standard procedure. “All university societies registered with the Proctors, with an income of over £15,000 a year, are required to present their accounts,” said Gasser. “Generally, a member of staff will look into the accounts and alert the Proctors if any inconsistencies are discovered.
One OUCA member, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “It was a minor administrative error. We think that the money gained was coming from the reserve account, although we are not sure. “However, this was indicative of the series of deficiencies in the accounts, which culminated in the OUCA accounts being rejected by the Proctors. “The Disciplinary Committee decided that there were signficant failings during Sophie’s time in office, of which the membership were informed.
Sophie Steele, President of OUCA, stated, “I would like to emphasise that there was no financial irregularity, but a series of administrative errors and general lack of jumping through the right hoops. “A report will be issued by the Disciplinary Committee in the next few days and as far as we are concerned, once the report has been issued, the matter will be closed.” Bower was unable to comment on this issue due to the terms of the OUCA Constitution.
23rd Feb 2006