Sabble up: Union to get fifth sabbatical officer

Students vote in favour of introducing a fifth sabbatical officer, but reject a referendum on NUS affiliation.

A motion proposing to introduce another full-time, paid sabbatical officer position to the executive passed at an emergency general meeting on Thursday night.

The new sabbatical officer position could be up and running as early as next year

The new position would have a remit for Equality & Diversity. It passed with 104 votes in favour, four against and no abstentions.

The motion was proposed by union president Amy McDermott, who spoke passionately at  the meeting about how important it was to ensure that Stirling continues to prioritise equality and diversity.

Union president Amy McDermott

This ties in with the university wide One Stirling campaign launched recently.

However, the motion is dependent on funding, which will be discussed as part of the Union’s renegotiation of their block grant with the university.

But the most contentious motion was the proposal put forward by International Politics student Max Kiecker which called for a referendum on NUS affiliation.

Max argued that it was simply democratic to give current students the chance to have a say on NUS affiliation, especially considering the recent number of high profile blunders made by the NUS, including a refusal to condemn ISIS on the basis of being “islamophobic”.

The student union decided against allowing a referendum on NUS affiliation

He questioned the value of being affiliated and named several unions who were successful despite not being affiliated to the NUS including Dundee and St Andrews.

Three amendments were discussed at length before the vote took place, including suggesting that the timing of the referendum be moved so as to allow the current sabbatical team to deliver on their manifesto promises.

After a lengthy and, at times, heated debate, the motion fell with 37 in favour, 50 against and 3 abstentions.