Warwick SU defends decision to reinstate Warwick Tories after student backlash

Warwick Students’ Union (SU) has responded to controversy over its handling of an All Student Vote (ASV) motion to disband the university’s Conservative Association (UWCA).

The motion, along with others, was dismissed during the ASV’s impact assessment stage, sparking criticism over SU transparency and minority protections.

This comes after three students were investigated after a “nazi song” was played at a Warwick Conservative Association (UWCA) event this summer.

Student group “Fix the SU” called for the disbanding of the Warwick tories and called into question the democratic principles operated by the Warwick Students’ Union (WSU) as a whole.

This comes after the Assessment rejected all eight motions submitted by students, effectively cancelling the vote.

WSU released a statement entitled “a message to our members” which responded to the student discontent surrounding the reinstatement and endorsement of the UWCA and the recent boycott of the societies assembly, which Fix the SU called for.

In this statement, the SU acknowledged student “unhappiness with processes operated and decisions made’’ and the “accusation that the SU is broken in relation to our All-Student Vote process’’, stating a “small number of our students feel we’ve not communicated well enough”.

It read: “We recognise that it will take time to build confidence in the SU in parts of our membership, and we’re committed to improving the union for all students.

“There has however been some unfair criticism of our officers and staff during this time, particularly in respect of decisions made by formal committees responsible for the running of the SU.”

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It claims to be “committed to improving the union’’, adding: “We recognise that our members want their union to take principled positions on matters important to them, however there are times when these positions are either incompatible with the unions charitable objects.. or pose a legal, reputational or financial risk’’.

Following students’ claims that the decision to resinstate the society go against WSU’s commitment to a “safe, respectful and cohesive campus community”, the organisation added: “Our response has been proportionate to the findings of the report and to remove, ban or add additional punitive sanctions on this (or any) group without supporting evidence would bring equal challenge to the Union’s commitment to fairness, inclusion and equity.”

The SU also reiterated the sanctions placed on the students involved and elaborated on training the UWCA will have to undertake, namely surrounding antisemitism, islamophobia, inclusion and belonging. Antisemitism training for members is to be run by the Union of Jewish Students (UJS), for all members of UWCA.

There will also be a three year probation period for the group, and a failure to complete the training “would result in a suspension… and may lead to derecognition”. The SU also emphasised the independence of its disciplinary processes.

Underlining its ”collective revulsion over the content of the video”, the statement concluded that further actions and reactions are being monitored.

In response to the SU statement, Fix the SU stated in comment to The Warwick Tab”

The SU, in its statement, says there has been “unfair criticism of our Officers and staff”.

We have never mentioned names or criticised elected officers, and remain consistent that the problems lie with the organisation, not individuals.

Officers face many of the same issues that students face when engaging in the SU, and our campaign seeks to rectify that.”

Fix the SU has been contacted for comment.

Featured image via YouTube