Psycho Sabs?
OUSU OFFICIALS COULD be sent on an anger management course, if a motion proposed by Jane Blumer, Vice President (Women), is passed.
The recommendation observes that a difficulty faced by OUSU sabs is that "one is liable to much interaction with different people, with whom one will not necessarily agree with all the time". V-P (Finance), Steph Gray, said that the job often brings you into contact with "frustrating people and circumstances".
Jane Blumer argues that the stress faced by Sabs is further compounded by a widely held misperception that they are also trained councillors, as opposed to individuals who will pass concerns onto "people who can help". OUSU officers currently receive a programme of Peer Support training, but it is proposed that the 2001/2002 Sabbatical team would benefit from learning team-building skills as well as completing stress and anger management courses.
There are some reservations about the proposal. Steph Gray believes that the suggestion is a "good idea" but argues that it is "misguided in that you should tailor training to those involved", namely with respect to individual personalities and specific roles within OUSU.
He expressed concern as to whether the current Sabs were the "best people" to dictate training policy to their successors. Queries over costing, however, were met by Jane Blumer who emphasised that the training would prove a "sensible use of student money".
The OxStu is absolutely committed to supporting the stressed and angry OUSU Sabs and has undertaken comprehensive research into the sort of team-building exercises available in the Oxford area. The Oxford Gun Company offers a day of the "ultimate shoot and drive" and a company representative said that they would be perfectly willing to "dump" our Sab officers "into a river on a quad bike" in aid of OUSU unity.
Stress-busting hovercraft racing or even sumo-wrestling were further available and surely OUSU cannot ignore the invaluable bonding potential of an 'It's a Knockout' contest? It seems that there are opportunities available for OUSU Sabs to manage their anger and subvert their stress from the urban jungle of Broad Street to the uncharted hinterlands of Bicester.
The OUSU Council will discuss the motion in their meeting on Friday 10th November at 2pm in Magdalen Auditorium. Go give the Sabs your top stress-saving solutions.
9th Nov 2000