VP Women election today
Voting will take place all day today as two candidates go head to head in the elections for OUSU VP (Women).
Hustings on Monday night at St John's allowed students to quiz the pair, Bex Wilkinson from St Edmund Hall and Lucy Underwood from Corpus Christi, who are competing for the position.
The election race has once again raised the contentious issue of OUSU's policy on abortion.
OUSU banned charity Life from advertising in OUSU publications in 2000 when investigations by the OUSU ethics committee concluded that it was "directive" and went against Student Union policy, which is pro-choice.
The OxStu spoke to both candidates about their aspirations and views on this issue.
Underwood, as President of the Oxford University Pro-Life Society, has been at the centre of much of this debate.
She told The OxStu: "The problem with OUSU's pro-choice policy is that it is commonly seen as a pro-abortion policy by many people; it would be better to have no policy at all so as not to impose views and pressurise students."
Underwood added that she would probably not campaign to overturn OUSU's policy when it is up for renewal in 2005.
She told The OxStu that she had not had much experience within OUSU but was keen to make it more accessible to "ordinary" students, like herself. She added that she would "like to keep improving safety provisions for women, and awareness of them, including a more publicised nightbus service."
Wilkinson, who has taken part in women's campaigns for OUSU over the past two years, hopes to concentrate more on the problem of the 'finals gap' and promises voters that this is something that she will address if elected.
She told The OxStu: "I fully support OUSU policy on Life. I think that when students are in an emotionally fragile situation, they should be given support and not be forced into making a decision based on politics."
13th May 2004