This month’s Student Council discussed issues surrounding this year’s Students’ Union elections, the upcoming lecturers strike and the lack of SU representatives at university open days.
A student rep put forward that with 700 prospective students attending with parents and friends meant that the university was flooded with over 2,000 people on an open day and feedback showed there were nowhere enough student staff about.
The university’s marketing department, who organise the events, would not allow the SU to send members or sports and societies members to represent the university. This has been put to Mark Crowhurst, general manager of Lincoln SU, to press the marketing department about.
Another issue brought to the Council was the popularity of the Hustings event on Monday, March 14th, in which candidates running for SU positions had a chance to be questioned and outline their manifestos.
The turnout was less than usual and members questioned whether this was due to it being badly advertised, it’s confliction with a guest lecture and because it was held in LPAC and not the Tower Bar, as previously.
There were also concerns with the rigid layout of the night, lack of debate and the selection of which questions were asked to participants, while Crowhurst argued that “any questions asked had to be equally applicable to all candidates.”
On the same subject, there were questions about the amount of flyers being distributed during the elections and whether it was an excess.
Over 14,000 were printed and candidates commented they hadn’t put them all into use because they didn’t want to ‘wallpaper’ the atrium. Dan Derricott, vice-president for academic affairs and presidential candidate, said that feedback would be generated after the elections on what worked and what was unsuccessful. Students were also informed that the leaflets used are all recycled afterwards.
The rest of the meeting focused on events, including the upcoming nationwide lecturers strike on Thursday, March 24th, as some University of Lincoln lecturers will be taking part in the UCU organised strike about pensions and wages being maintained.
Students urged the SU to back the lecturers but it was asked how the university were going to compensate for the work that students will miss if their lecturers are striking.
The next meeting is Thursday, April 14th at 4.30 in MB1019.
“Students were also informed that the leaflets used are all recycled afterwards.”
I expect the SU were reaching into the bins to collect them then.
I think you’ll find it was the students urging the SU to back lecturers.
Notably myself, Laurel Dearing and Huseyin Kishi.