Letters
Liberal Democrats
Dear Sir, While OUCA and OULC squabble amongst themselves over George Galloway, he brings up an important point in his statement to The Oxford Student. There’s nothing to choose between Tony Blair’s Tory party or David Cameron’s New Labour. Both of Britain’s conservative parties supported the war on Iraq, and it is telling that the next generation of Tories and Blairites only find identity in trading insults about OUCA’s dubious past.
If there’s a real debate to be had, it will be with the only non-conservative choice: the Lib Dems.
Joe Chick, Sam Rowlands, Gabriel Grant and Richard Huzzey
OULD / Oxford Lib Dems
Fight to the Death
Dear Sir, Last week’s Oxford Student piece entitled ‘What’s the point of Turl Street colleges?’ usefully suggests that, because ‘there are enough dull people in the world already’, the three Turl Street colleges should organise a ‘fight to the death’ between themselves to whittle down their numbers.
Given the high standard of reporting and commentary that the story encapsulates, perhaps we should instead be asking ‘What’s the point of The Oxford Student?’ Indeed, a fight to the death between the combined might of the Turl Street colleges and the occupants of OxStu Towers would arguably serve a greater social function, as well as, we’d like to think, providing a damn sight more entertainment. We hope that you’ll take us up on our offer.
Ollie Munn, Emily Pull and Simon Hacking Lincoln, Exeter and Jesus JCR Presidents
Gimps and budgets
Dear Sir, We would like to respond to Omar Salem’s article in last week’s edition that suggested that OUSU’s commercial activities harm its campaigns and welfare services.
In fact the opposite is true, and the commercial services are vital to the campaigns; this year’s budget predicts that our commercial services will cover the cost of all campaigns, the nightbus, all welfare publications, the Alternative Prospectus, and the Student Advice Service (including the salaries of all four of its sabbaticals), with tens of thousands of pounds left over for OUSU’s other non-profit activities.
Without this commercial income, OUSU would have to cut around £120,000 in costs, which would presumably be in some way detrimental to OUSU’s other activities. Hopefully this will go some way to reassure Mr Salem that when he was enjoying a night out at G Bar last week he did nothing to damage OUSU’s campaigns.
Chris Allan and Rob Vance
OUSU VP (Finance) and Business Manager
Welfare Concerns
Dear Sir, I am writing in response to the article of 3rd November “Subtracting the ads” where Omar Salem states that commercial interests influence OUSU’s welfare structures. I would like to reassure students that the Student Advice Service acts outside of all OUSU commercial activities and OUSU policy.
This allows the Students Advice Service sabbatical officers to give the best support possible to students who approach the service. Furthermore, given that OUSU spends more than £4,500 each year on the Welfare Handbook alone I fail to see how OUSU’s welfare publications can be seen to be subject to commercial interests.
All the activities of OUSU and OSSL (OUSU’s commercial arm) are underpinned by welfare concerns, which is why safety is such a major concern for Zoo nights, all OUSU meetings are accessible and four of the seven sabbaticals have welfare portfolios. The role of the Vice-President (Welfare and Equal Opportunities) exists to ensure that these issues are taken seriously and are represented in all aspects of OUSU’s work.
If students are concerned about the welfare services that OUSU provide then I urge them to get in touch to make sure that these concerns get the attention they deserve.
Aidan Randle-Conde
OUSU VP (Welfare and Equal Opportunities).
10th Nov 2005