OUSU split over reform
The office of the OUSU Vice President for Women faces an uncertain future as a group of senior OUSU officials are set to back a referendum on its future. The divisive motion has met with strong opposition from the current OUSU VP for Women Jenny Hoogewerf-McComb. Hoogewerf-McComb condemned “a lack of consultation with the people who this motion concerns: myself and the women of Oxford.
The motion, which will be brought before OUSU Council on Friday, is supported by current OUSU President Alan Strickland and Vice President for Graduates Andrea Miller. The VP for Women currently takes responsibility for women’s welfare and works on campaign issues relating to women. Jenny Hoogewerf-McComb takes responsibility for issues relating to eating disorders and student parenting, which are predominantly (but not exclusively) women’s issues.
She ran the controversial “Viva la Vulva” event last term, where female students were invited to sew a symbolic vulva to celebrate their femininity. If passed, the referendum may move to replace the post of VP Women with a part-time women’s officer and a student advisor. The changes will take effect from Michaelmas 2008. Alan Strickland, OUSU President, said that change was essential.
“The entire sabbatical team agree that the position of VP wom- en does not work and that reform needs to take place”. Andrea Miller insisted that the referendum should go ahead. “Why are people afraid of a referendum? For a student union to be afraid of the electorate is funda- mentally wrong”. Imran Khan, VP for Charities, said that it was vital the issue was debated.
Khan said, “The position has never been reviewed before, and it is important to give students the choice to vote on this, given that there are valid alternatives”.
26th Apr 2007