Fit for President
5 Sabbatical Officers, 10 Executive Officers and 12 Delegates. These are the people who run OUSU. The Sabs are in charge, the Execs are a kind of cabinet sharing the responsibility for decision making and the delegates are the ones who get to go to OUSU Council each week to stand up for your rights.
Voting takes place on Thursday of 6th Week (15th November). There will be polling stations set up in most affiliated college's lodge or JCR. Vote to make your voice heard and to determine how your student union is run next year.
Read the OxStu's interviews below, and the editorial on page 25. Look at the issues which you think affect students the most. Whether it's more relevance you want, more campaigning on tuition fees, or just cheaper stationery in a Central Student Venue there'll be a candidate for you.
If elected, George Callaghan aims to redefine the role of OUSU President by both delegating responsibilities to other OUSU personnel and by increasing the salary and allowances for the President.
As regards fees, Callaghan has stated that he thinks the current system is a "reasonable system based on the ability to pay" and therefore supports its continuation.
When questioned about the possibility of a central student venue, Callaghan states "We have a central student venue, and that is the Oxford Union", and indicates a possibility for directing OUSU funds to the Union to subsidise membership fees.
Within the University Callaghan would oppose sexism, racism and homophobia and also wishes to maintain the current university policing system already in place.
George Callaghan sees a strong parliamentary campaigning role for the OUSU President and would use the position to lobby parliament for the retention of the Oxford MA system. He would also seek to lobby parliament for the legalisation of cannabis as a taxable recreational drug, and for the continuation of hunting with hounds.
Callaghan previouslyresigned as an OUSU Executive Officer, and stood for the positions of LGB rep, OUSU/NUS rep and anti-racism rep in his own college.
Will Straw has said that he sees the role of the OUSU President as a Media figurehead to represent the students of Oxford University. To make this representation more relevant he promises, if you elect him, to attend Common Room meetings frequently to gauge the student sentiment on important issues at a grass roots level. He also wants to streamline OUSU council by "kicking out time-wasters".
As Finance & Funding committee co-chair, Will has organised a great deal of student activism against student hardship and would remain staunchly anti-fees if elected.
Straw doesn't view the possibility of a central student venue as a realistic goal, but still sees the importance of searching for such a central facility and would maintain current corporate interest whilst seeking new financial opportunities.
Within the University Straw sees admissions as a key issue to be "tweaked" and would push for increased fairness on comprehensive students in the admissions procedure.
Will has previous experience on a college level as the JCR President of New College and on an OUSU level as the Fresher's Fair co-ordinator this year and as F&F committee co-chair
A staunch Liberal Democrat, although Adam Killeya agrees that the role of OUSU President is inevitably political, he doesn't view his personal politics as an problem as regards a possible future role as OUSU President. If he were to be elected OUSU President, Killeya would wish to see an increase in the accountability of OUSU sabbatical positions and wishes to see the sabbatical officers submitting reports and showing more grass-roots involvement.
Killeya has a strong background of anti-fees and anti-top-up-fees campaigning and would remain committed to these goals.
Killeya acknowledges that a central student venue is most likely unfeasible, but would want to increase the range and scope of events held in existing venues across Oxford, and would want to increase RAG involvement.
Within the University, Killeya seeks to address concerns regarding student discipline if elected. Killeya would move to reform both the proctorial discipline system and the University police.
Adam has previously been the Vice Chair of the Lib. Dem. Youth and Students group, and has OUSU experience as a delegate and from several committees.
8th Nov 2001