Oriel urged to reconsider
ORIEL'S PRINCIPAL AND Provost have both sent letters to all students in the college to express their displeasure at the JCR's decision last week to disaffiliate from OUSU.
The Provost, Dr E Nicholson, points out some disadvantages of the JCR's move in his letter. He refers to the possible damage to Oriel's reputation which would be caused to potential applicants. Furthermore, he highlights that the disaffiliation would mean that Oriel students cannot use certain OUSU facilities, such as the Nightbus which the college has already helped to fund. The high cost for Freshers' events is also cited as a problem for the college and a factor to discourage applications.
Finally, the letter states that, in his opinion, the college had overreacted to political disagreements in its decision to disaffiliate. Dr Nicholson states that he "hopes" that there will be a second referendum. Incoming JCR President David Follows had previously told the OxStu that he didn't anticipate a motion of reaffiliation until Trinity next year, when the matter must be raised by law. However, students speaking off the record hinted that a motion might be put to the JCR as soon as next term.
A student at Oriel, who did not wish to be named, told the Oxford Student of his own personal concerns: "I'm really upset about the disaffiliation. I live out of college and I wasn't really aware of the referendum."
JCR President Dave McCormick thought that the Provost "had done what he felt was necessary." He commented: "He thought he should stress to the JCR what the college felt", though added that "the question really needs to be raised whether college should have an input into what the JCR wants and does."
Both the Provost and Marcus Walker, JCR Treasurer and OUCA President, who spearheaded the college's campaign to disaffiliate, were unavailable for comment at the time of the OxStu going to press.
1st Jun 2001