PRESIDENT'S REPLY TO 'OPEN LETTER'

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THURSDAY 25TH FEBUARY | THE LION

THIS IS THE OPEN LETTER THAT WAS PRINTED IN THE FULL ONLINE ISSUE, REPRINTED FOR EASE OF READING BOTH LETTERS TOGETHER. ENJOY.

COMMENT? An Open Letter to the HSU,

Now we are approaching election season, it’s time to discuss the proposed changes of HSU exec that will operate next year.

Considering the level of professionalism displayed at the AGM, or rather the lack thereof, the motions opened and ‘discussed’ that were passed seem to be rather inconsequential. If this impotency continues next year, I fail to see how the Union will continue in any worthwhile way.

Of the two Exec members chairing the meeting (an aspiring Poet Laureate that quite clearly hasn’t learned how to write anything resembling a poem and an otiose waste of space) neither displayed the important skills of student leaders of a union, regardless of its size. The incompetent presentation, their veritable failure to even basically discuss the content of the motions proposed and their inability to do even the most basic things (answer questions non-patronisingly, comparatively of course). In the relatively short time left, we need, nay DESERVE a Union that works.

Hope for the future is, at present, severely lacking. The dwindling student population and the Union’s open and blatant incompetence (e.g. the ‘Singles and Mixer’, an utter disaster apart from lovely Pete, looking sadder and more dismal than Heythrop’s future) serve as evidence that the next academic year direly needs an injection of energetic enthusiasm or simply an injection to euthanise this waste of time, space and money. What is required is either (a) a restructure of the restructure that people actually want and understand, or (b) a full scale revolution from FemSoc and we become the Reborn Republics of Heythrop. If the current plan continues, then the Union will collapse like cardboard in the rain, folding rapidly under its own weight. Not to mention, the Union is essentially a sinkhole sucking up the TOPSE treasury dedicated to preserving our ‘student experience’. The Union has now become one ginormous hospice, giving palliative care to what’s left of our dignity.

Amidst this chaos, the College as a whole is sailing on in blissful ignorance, unaware of the failure nascent in the basement. Never before has the Union been so disassociated from the students which it deems to represent. It is a matter of time before the Union implodes, taking all of our hopes with it.

Seriously, is everybody blind to the situation? The catastrophic AGM, coupled with the evident blatant tenacity with which the Union has disregarded the students wishes, questions and requests shows the evident neglect of the Union’s duties over the past year. Going forward, if this does not change then the few members of the college who actually care for the legacy of our institution and are willing to enact actual change will face perhaps the biggest challenge possible to enthusiasm, energy and will – apathy not of the student body, but of the Union.

Both chairs of the AGM had campaigns full of vigour, promises and (what appeared to be) genuine, actual enthusiasm. That seems to have long since faded. Now, they are content with the kind of reception and performance such as that at the AGM. Are the students of Heythrop College prepared to really accept the caliber of officers who failed miserably to deliver on their campaign promises? Glorified accountants and secretaries that claim to represent our interests while having not the faintest clue what those interests are? It is time for a change; hopefully the upcoming elections will field candidates willing to enact the change the students want and need and are prepared to save our last year.

Yours sincerely, N. O’Connell

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THURSDAY 25TH FEBUARY | THE LION

COMMENT? READ THE PRESIDENT’S REPLY TO THE ‘OPEN LETTER TO THE HSU’

Dear N. O’Connell,

I am writing to you as your fellow student, and chair of this year’s HSU Executive.

Firstly, let me recognise two things: There is some substance in your letter; that substance is couched in needlessly aggressive, and often cruel, personal attacks. These have no place in journalism, Students’ Unions, or Universities. They serve only as a barrier to discourse and effective change, and discourage those who would succeed this author – who you are so very desperate for - from applying, for fear of personal attack.

Having recognised this, let me turn to addressing your substantive points. You accuse the Union of a lack of professionalism at our AGM, citing incompetent presentation, a failure to discuss the issues at hand, and a failure to adequately answer questions. We will endeavour to ensure that there is a clearer structure for our OGM on the 17th March, and very much hope that you will attend and assess for yourself. I am less sure, however, of the merit of your other criticisms. All questioners were encouraged to follow up on questions, had they found my responses inadequate. As for a failure to address the issues, I’m afraid I find this completely implausible. A significant amount of constructive discussion was undergone regarding all of the motions that we passed, and questions were at all stages encouraged.

You proceed to accuse the Union of ‘open and blatant incompetence’, citing a single event with low attendance.

This is in spite of the fact that the majority of the Union’s events are successful, in the face of a ‘dwindling student body’ – serving as a very great credit to the events team. We have had over 70 people in the common room, an unprecedented number in recent history, and our Winter Ball retained sufficient numbers to warrant the same boat as last year - all in spite of our reduced student numbers. If however, you feel that we are still wasting TOPSE money, then I would encourage you to come forward and volunteer to sit on the TOPSE board – an offer open to any student reading this. If you have better ideas about how the money should be spent, we welcome suggestions.

You accuse the students’ of being blind to our numerous alleged failings, and that we fail to represent their interests. Given the passing of all of our motions, I assume you further think them incapable collective decision making. I cannot help but feel that perhaps instead you mistake their interests for the interests that you believe they should hold instead; their preferences for your own.

I do not want to end this letter on an accusative note. There is clearly a very great deal to discuss, and ways that the Union can improve itself. I encourage you to make future suggestions in a way that encourages discussion, over choosing to offend and attack those who volunteer their time to offer a functioning Union. Personal attacks can only ever exclude people from the conversation, and can only ever devalue the conversation which we take to be so very important for the continuation of our Union.

Yours, Oliver Holdsworth Chair of the HSU Exec.

‘Otiose Waste of Space’

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As the lion transitions to an online format, it seems some authors have adapted their prose to match that which is paradigmatic of internet anonymity .