SUSU SCRAPS WINCHESTER SABB: “It’s just not necessary”

Today Union Council controversially voted to get rid of the Winchester Sabbatical Officer, the role representing students at Winchester School of Arts, part of Southampton University.

Charlene Batchelor: WSASU President

Charlene Batchelor, the current Winchester School President, said that the position “wasn’t necessary in the long term” and that SUSU should “prepare the structure of the WSASU to be led by volunteers” in the future.

This decision has been made as a result of a review on the structure of the SUSU Sabbatical Officers that came to an end with tonight’s vote.

Council voted for the position to run for one more year in order to cope with the change in structure.

Winchester, where over 1000 University students are currently studying, has been neglected over the years both by the University and the Union, and for many students this most recent decision marks the final straw.

We spoke to a student currently studying at Winchester who said that she was “outraged” at the decision: “Charlene has done a fantastic job this year, she’s completely turned around our Union.” She continued, “Not having a Sabb will mean that we’re even more cut off from the Southampton Campus.”

What do you think about SUSU’s decision? Leave your comments below: