Union Rules OK
OXFORD UNION PRESIDENT Karen Price is poised to present major Union rule changes to the Society. The alterations should cut the number of words in the rulebook from over 150, 000 to under 50, 000 and make them "more accessible to Union members" whilst "conserving detail where experience has shown it is needed".
Price stated that the momentum for modifications had been building "for a long time", but that the possibility was only realised when Peter Jay, former Ambassador to the United States and ex-Union President, agreed to take primary responsibility for the rewriting last term. Mr Jay was aided by many prominent current and former members, including Lord Jenkins and Michael Heseltine.
Former President Nick Mason, who also took part in the redrafting, explained that problems had arisen from the fact that the rules had "grown organically", and were "impenetrable" to ordinary members, yet remained a "serious contract of membership". He explained that the changes had primarily been "taking out a lot of what is surplus", including 400-word sentences, endless sub-clauses and references to rules which no longer exist.
More innovative changes include the idea of making Library Committee positions elected, in order to lessen the managerial burden on Standing Committee. There will also be new restrictions in order to prevent Standing Committee from overspending their budgets, something which Price describes as being "a fundamental problem" in the past.
The redrafted set of rules will be placed on display on the Union notice board from the end of this week, and presented to a Public Business Meeting for a vote in 6th week. In the intervening time period, Union members will be able to request copies, and will be free to submit recommendations for alterations, which will be taken into consideration by Price before 6th week.
Price admitted to expecting that "quite a few people will oppose certain aspects" of the rule changes, but explained that the period of consultation should allow her to "work with those concerned" rather than to enter into confrontation with them.
Mason expressed support for Price's approach, saying that the time lag would allow her to take into consideration "the great awareness and knowledge of the Union" which several of the members often seen as 'loons' possess.
Most Union members expressed cautious optimism about the proposed rule changes, insisting that they would have to wait for publication before passing judgement. Former Chair of Consultative Committee MatthewRichardson described the idea to "make the rules more readable for lay people" as sensible, but expressed concern over the fact that Mr Jay could "still have a 1960s view" and has suggested "some stupid stuff".
Former Returning Officer Daniel Johnson also agreed with the spirit of the alterations, but insisted that it was important to "wait and see what they actually say", and ensure they do not "sacrifice openness and accountability".
2nd May 2002