Why didn’t you tell us, Seb? KCLSU keeps rebrand a secret for over a YEAR

Everybody makes mistakes, everybody has those days.

But as minutes from a College Council meeting have revealed,  some mistakes span well over one and a half years.

They tell us that our Student Union president, Seb, has known about the controversial rebranding plans since at least June the 25th 2013.

An online petition against the rebranding has already received over 8,600 signatures, and a statement by the union in response to the backlash did little to address concerns.

Seb in happier times.

The statement said: “As an Officer Team we are concerned by the way in which key university decisions are made and are communicated to students.

“The issue of the rebrand, current and past KCLSU Presidents have tirelessly pushed at College Council for wider consultation with students and open communication on the topic. We have expressed our concerns on changing a brand that has so much emotive value for students, staff and alumni.

“We fundamentally believe that a university is a community of learners and teachers, and that decisions should be made in a transparent, accountable way.”

The SU president attempts to deflect criticism

Greg Noone uses common sense – its super effective!

However, commenting on the union facebook page, American Studies MA student and part time detective Greg Noone, was quick to pull the carpet from under the union via a simple google search.

His comment revealed not only that the prophets of transparency themselves knew about the name change, but that no objections were noted at the meeting either.

The Union added further irony to it’s statement by deleting any further comments of dissent, such as one by an ex KCL ancient history student, pointing out the SU President “didn’t actually set out what his or the SU’s position was”.

Speaking to the Tab, the King’s alumni asked ‘”Will the University leadership, particularly elected SU representatives, now acknowledge that mistakes have been made throughout this process, and get unambiguously behind the huge student movement to abandon these unnecessary and deeply unpopular proposed changes?”

As of 05:23 17/12/2014

The union’s lack of position on an issue which has generated more than 14 times more signatures than the number of students which voted in the 2014 student council elections (8600* vs 584, or over 30% of the student body versus a measly 2%) was met with scorn by many students.

Amira Aratesh, third year English and communication said: ‘I just think it’s all-over shocking that the students aren’t made aware of issues that affect them. The changing of our university name, for whatever purpose, affects us all.’

Ryan Austin, Second year international relations told the tab: “From describing the re-brand as a “pretty big, exciting change” last Tuesday to now stating that they ‘hear’ us, KCLSU has shown its self as a hypocrite.

“Likewise, KCLSU first stated that “We made sure that student views were taken into account, and that focus groups were held with a wide range of students”. However the union now says that “We don’t believe King’s has done enough to consult current students”.

Sarah Analey, Comparative literature first year: “The general consensus of other first years I’ve talked to is we’re all just bloody confused. Timetabling issues, marking boycotts, trying to figure out how the fuck to use keats and now this.”

Some were simply at a loss for words.

Blaise Simpkin, third year English student: “Why?”

With our own Student Union president colluding on the public dismemberment of our institution’s name, KCL students would be forgiven in thinking they were attending a Red wedding rather than a democratic institution.

Whether through ignorance or purpose, this betrayal of trust has shown that, whilst nobody is perfect, the union is really going to have to work it, again and again. To make it right.