CUSU: When was the last time you said sorry?

I’m not sure about the last time I said sorry, but I know when the next time I say sorry will be: immediately before I send off this week’s article to the Editor at The Tab, as it’s already several hours later than we agreed (turns out it takes longer than you’d expect to fend off 100 duck-sized horses).

Maybe you think I’m being facetious, but I’m not sure I like this week’s question. While I understand the sentiment behind it (and don’t get me wrong, I’m the first to admit that I – and CUSU – can always do things better, along with the rest of the population), I don’t agree with the idea that CUSU sabbatical officers should be forever on their knees apologising to the student body for the challenges CUSU faces. We do actually have jobs to do.

Sabb jobs aren’t just about sitting in a tiny cave of an office reading The Tab all day (nor contemplating taking a shot of vinegar to the eye*), they’re about achieving for the whole student body. Sometimes that means winning for students in an obvious way – like free sexual health supplies on demand or training for your tutor – but other times it just means stopping the University making daft decisions that don’t consider students. It’s not always easy but it does get results, whether they are immediately visible or not.

Do CUSU need it post-referendum?

To win on these issues, and even just to stop bad things from happening for students, we have to be bold. We have to push for change, not just for CUSU, but for our University too. And no, we shouldn’t apologise for that. Last week you saw us recognise that CUSU has problems; we ran a referendum to give students the opportunity to address those problems. I’m not going to apologise for that either; you might call it bureaucracy, but it’s something we had to do with the aim of making lasting change.

And when we say ‘we’, we don’t just mean 6 sabbatical officers. CUSU is a union, you individually are a member. Like it or not, CUSU isn’t just Flick (which one is she again?!), or any of the other sabbatical officers alone. It’s all of you. It takes more than one referendum to change an organisation and it takes more than six sabbatical officers to change an apathetic culture, so I won’t apologise for apathy either.

THIS is Flick (THE ONE ON THE LEFT)

Whether CUSU sabbatical officers are sorry or not is irrelevant; most of this year’s team are leaving in 9 weeks anyway (not that I’m counting). You are a member of CUSU; you can change it.

You can choose to make a change using your vote in next week’s bye-elections for the CUSU-GU Welfare Officer and CUSU Coordinator. Keep your eyes peeled for more info in my widely read and obviously never ignored weekly bulletin.

* FYI last week’s commenters, I would definitely do this rather than down a pint of vinegar. And I have no idea how many 5 year old children I could take in a fight – probably not that many.

Want to get a question in next week? Comment away below