Yes for women, CND and officer restructure

The latest ‘Stir It Up’ meeting of students union passed almost all the motions up for debate – with only a small squabble at the end about the fate of the Pathfoot Disco.

Attending members voted in favour of three policies:

• Holding a referendum on a new way of structuring the union’s executive office – some of which is detailed here.
• The union pledging to support women and LGBTQ+ people (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer/Questioning, and a multitude of other sexualities)
• Support for the student arm for the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, CND.

The last two of those were inspired by the removal of similar policies after the Butscher’s Knife cut them from the union’s policies.

But the final point on the agenda – a motion to approve of everyone having a “jolly good time” at a disco in Pathfoot – failed to be voted on after the motion ended in farce.

The motion, which was inspired by a long-forgotten policy also scrapped at the last meeting, was taken off the agenda because of an “administrative” error, members were told.

The original ’80s motion regarding the Pathfoot Disco

Despite the possibility of a Pathfoot Disco being allowed without the need for a union motion – which was pointed out at the meeting – the motion was resurrected after a new proposer and seconder were found in the audience.

But the Pathfoot Disco debate descended into a war of words between Conn O’Neill, International & Exchange Students Officer, and Romain Maradan, station manager of Air3 Radio. Conn called the motion “nonsense” and derided Air3’s members as “jokers” after Romain falsely accused Conn of conspiring with The Tab on our ‘Butscher’s Knife’ article weeks ago.

Conn has since told The Tab: “I absolutely apologise for the accidental use of the plural when calling him a joker on the radio. I have the utmost respect for the work of Air3 radio and will appear on the news show next Tuesday evening to explain myself.”

Romain tweeted that the meeting was “farcical”. When asked for comment on the Pathfoot Disco fiasco, Air3’s Head of Music Wendy Loraine told The Tab: “Myself and Air3Radio have no official statement to make. I don’t wish to criticise or comment on procedures publicly.”