Much ado about something
It is the last week of term, and still there is a lingering cloud over the Union – the reforms.
This is perhaps the paper’s 849923rd editorial concerning these once-lauded-now-shamed documents; quite frankly, we are bored of writing about this, really. This week however has seen another spurt of discontent erupt in the Union. This time, a small but determined group of protesters chanted outside a Court of Governors meeting, alerting a crucial part of the School’s management structure of the recent referendum debacle.
The protest followed a motion passed at the UGM, mandating the Returning Officer to overturn the referendum results and even insisting that the Sabbatical Officers attend an ‘Etiquette and Interpersonal Skills Refreshers’ Session’. As hilarious (and necessary) as this is, the Returning Officer has reaffirmed her belief that none of this was unconstitutional, and that the referendum results will remain as stand.
We applaud this group’s effort to ensure that their voices are heard by an authority higher than that of the Union, with limited vested interest in doing anything but abiding by the Constitution. However, it does feel like the brick wall that impedes any progress on this issue continues to stand firm. It is, after all, the last week of term. It still remains to be seen whether the School and its administration will take any action on the official complaint that has been submitted regarding the constitutionality of the referendum.
As things wind down, and exams approach, we do think this campaign needs to recognize their limits. UGM motions, protests and complaints are not going to result in anything if the powers that be remain insistent that no wrong has been committed, ever, at any point before, during and after the referendum. Perhaps all they can, and should hope for, is the opportunity to table another referendum come the next academic year, which has actually been suggested by the General Secretary all along. We only hope that the new team of Sabbaticals will be open to real concerns, and actual student-led change.
Tender loving reflective equilibrium
A week is a long time in student politics. A whole year then, feels like forever. It has been 21 issues, and our pages have been filled with controversy, vitriol, and sometimes, mature and reasoned debate.
Once again, the School’s reputation as a hotbed of student activism has not failed us, with a small but vocal and dedicated group of LSE students participating in demonstrations against cuts, for climate change, against the BNP and even against the Union itself over the recent referendum.
We would like to thank the Students’ Union in particular, for always giving us fodder for these pages. Student activists, and those eager to change the face of the Union should also be commended for caring enough to take a stand, despite the institutional forces that stand in their way. It is hoped that next year will be a blank slate for all of us, the Beaver included. With a new team of Sabbaticals (without any two-termers), we hope that the antagonism and dissatisfaction that has marked the previous term will be quelled.
Once again, though, we must reiterate that we simply would not have a paper, or stories, or a purpose really without the students and staff who read us week after week. For this, we sincerely thank you for your contributions and caring enough to pick up the paper. As summer term looms closer, we wish all students the best of luck for exams and hope that everyone can look past the Union, and look ahead to life outside LSE.
Related posts:
- Editorial: “Is that what democracy is for?”
- Editorial – “Change delayed. But … it can’t be stopped.”
- Editorial: BS101: Theories in Evolutionary Bullshit
- Discover Islam Week 2010
- Union Jack – 18th February 2010
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, March 16th, 2010 at 07:48 and is filed under Comment.
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16th March 2010 – Editorial
on 16 Mar 2010 in Comment
Much ado about something
It is the last week of term, and still there is a lingering cloud over the Union – the reforms.
This is perhaps the paper’s 849923rd editorial concerning these once-lauded-now-shamed documents; quite frankly, we are bored of writing about this, really. This week however has seen another spurt of discontent erupt in the Union. This time, a small but determined group of protesters chanted outside a Court of Governors meeting, alerting a crucial part of the School’s management structure of the recent referendum debacle.
The protest followed a motion passed at the UGM, mandating the Returning Officer to overturn the referendum results and even insisting that the Sabbatical Officers attend an ‘Etiquette and Interpersonal Skills Refreshers’ Session’. As hilarious (and necessary) as this is, the Returning Officer has reaffirmed her belief that none of this was unconstitutional, and that the referendum results will remain as stand.
We applaud this group’s effort to ensure that their voices are heard by an authority higher than that of the Union, with limited vested interest in doing anything but abiding by the Constitution. However, it does feel like the brick wall that impedes any progress on this issue continues to stand firm. It is, after all, the last week of term. It still remains to be seen whether the School and its administration will take any action on the official complaint that has been submitted regarding the constitutionality of the referendum.
As things wind down, and exams approach, we do think this campaign needs to recognize their limits. UGM motions, protests and complaints are not going to result in anything if the powers that be remain insistent that no wrong has been committed, ever, at any point before, during and after the referendum. Perhaps all they can, and should hope for, is the opportunity to table another referendum come the next academic year, which has actually been suggested by the General Secretary all along. We only hope that the new team of Sabbaticals will be open to real concerns, and actual student-led change.
Tender loving reflective equilibrium
A week is a long time in student politics. A whole year then, feels like forever. It has been 21 issues, and our pages have been filled with controversy, vitriol, and sometimes, mature and reasoned debate.
Once again, the School’s reputation as a hotbed of student activism has not failed us, with a small but vocal and dedicated group of LSE students participating in demonstrations against cuts, for climate change, against the BNP and even against the Union itself over the recent referendum.
We would like to thank the Students’ Union in particular, for always giving us fodder for these pages. Student activists, and those eager to change the face of the Union should also be commended for caring enough to take a stand, despite the institutional forces that stand in their way. It is hoped that next year will be a blank slate for all of us, the Beaver included. With a new team of Sabbaticals (without any two-termers), we hope that the antagonism and dissatisfaction that has marked the previous term will be quelled.
Once again, though, we must reiterate that we simply would not have a paper, or stories, or a purpose really without the students and staff who read us week after week. For this, we sincerely thank you for your contributions and caring enough to pick up the paper. As summer term looms closer, we wish all students the best of luck for exams and hope that everyone can look past the Union, and look ahead to life outside LSE.
Related posts:
This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 16th, 2010 at 07:48 and is filed under Comment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.