Ultra Virus
The Union’s views on the West Bank faced scrutiny from the Charity Commisssion this year. Three years on, the memory of the Gaza referendum might be hazy for most but the Union is still feeling the repercussions. After a recent legal challenge, the Commission has ruled that UCLU was not acting illegally. The Union General Manager revealed in an admin meeting last month, however, that UCLU has been under increased scrutiny from the Commission and urged caution in their political activity.
Due to Charity Commission regulations, any activity deemed not directly relevant to the education of students can be classified as illegal. In an attempt to toe this line, it was proposed that there be a process where motions would be vetted by four staff members, including the IT Manager and the Democracy & Communications Officer, before arriving at Council. This appears to be a less democratic re-working of the Governance Committee that was axed in the 2011 Governance Review. This was at least made up of elected students, rather than Union staff, who doubtless would also have been suspicious of their plan to vote on whether to support the plight of the people of North Korea, rather than discussing their penchant for nuclear weapons or dictatorships.
Less Gold Bequeathed To LGBT+
Tom Robinson, LGBT+ Officer, proposed that the Union fund his current position for ten hours a week at London Living Wage. The grand total of £88 per week that it would cost the Union, which could be found in the LGBT+ budget, became a source for contention as Sports and Activities Officer Doris Chen questioned whether the legacy of this motion would mean that the Union incurred financial difficulty, asking “when we’re piss poor, who’s this going to effect?” She blamed having to share the time of a member of staff for a falling-out between Black & Ethnic Minority Student’s Officer Shanell Johnson and Women’s Officer Beth Sutton, and suggested that paying the LGBT+ Officer for their time would somehow exacerbate this.
External Accommodation Officer Matthew Deaves questioned why it would take longer to pay a part time officer than it did to get four new sabbs, calling the disparity between the liberation campaigns “outrageous” and gesticulating wildly. After heated debate, the motion was referred back to its proposer, due to legal issues surrounding the implications of paying a part-time officer.
Basket-Weaving for Beginners
Eagle-eyed hacks may have noticed that both ULU Vice President Daniel Cooper and ULU Women’s Officer Susuana Antubam are running for office in the NUS. Both recent graduates, they launched their campaigns, for President and national Women’s Officer at the start of the year. However, due to ULU’s particularly inefficient bureaucracy, none of its sabbatical officers benefit from student status. No student status, no National Union of Students campaign one might think – but no! Cooper has taken up IT lessons and Antubam is studying history of photography at local further education colleges to qualify as students for their campaigns. The Cheese Grater praises ULU’s commitment to the continuous professional development of its student staff members.
Valentine’s Day Present
In the last issue we reported that London Student had found itself in a spot of bother with which The Cheese Grater is not unfamiliar. Part of the legacy of ex-editor Jen Izaakson appears to be dealing with her lawsuits, leaving the Union to shell out an alleged £20 000 to Daniel Valentine after lawyers decided that the remarks she made would never stand up in court.