No confidence in Thrifty – Warwick SU votes on the Vice Chancellor

Contraversial VC Nigel Thrift is set to be told there is no confidence in his leadership by Warwick’s SU.

A motion to publicly advocate a lack of confidence in Thrift is to be debated by Warwick Students Union today.

Warwick for Free Education has pushed a resolution through Warwick Students’ Union, allowing all University of Warwick students to vote on whether they should publicly denounce the Vice Chancellor, Sir Nigel Thrift.

Warwick for Free Education (WFFE) was formed at the beginning of this academic year, and have actively participated in creating petitions, protests and even an occupation of the University’s Rootes Building.

Last December, a peaceful protest by WFFE in the University’s Senate House made national news after police alegedly used CS spray. Several officers are now being probed.

Three of the protest leaders were arrested, but none were charged.

Vice Chancellor Nigel Thrift issued a statement the following day, supporting the measures that the police took.

A protest against police violence was organised for the following day, whereby over a thousand students turned up in solidarity of what had occurred to their fellow students the night before.

The motion would not have any sway in actually removing Sir Nigel but would apply significant pressure.

The vote of no confidence is said to be supported by staff at the university, as well as students, due to multiple controversies including a wage freeze for staff. Meanwhile Thrift received a pay rise.

There was also uproar over the suspension of a member of staff who had openly criticised the university system, who was punished for insubordination.

In a statement on the WFFE website, Callum Cant, a third year English Literature student said: “This is a chance for the student body to show we have totally lost faith in the management of Warwick University.

“Nigel Thrift has consistently acted in a way which has damaged our community, and we want to show that he no longer has our support.”

Sir Nigel Thrift was knighted this year for Services to Higher Education and is scheduled to step down from office later on this year. The debate over no confidence in Sir Nigel is scheduled for Monday 2^nd of February, with voting open to the student body for the rest of that week.