Roger Hylton has been re-elected president of the Students' Union - despite a concerted campaign encouraging students not to vote at all.
The Autonomous Students' group gamely attempted to compete with 18 sabbatical candidates vying for attention in Library Square last week. The anti-vote campaign hoped to promote the "democratisation of the Union" and decisions being made at a grass roots, rather than elected representative, level.
One of the students behind the campaign said: "Sabbs [sic] think they are so amazing. But they are not, they are weak. Whenever anyone gets elected they get caught up in a tide of bureaucracy."
The student admitted she had voted, but said she had spoiled her ballot paper so no one could accuse her of being apathetic: "When it's a choice of Tweedledee and Tweedledum, who do you vote for?" she said.
Despite this, the sabbatical elections went ahead smoothly. Only Roger stays from the current team; the other sabbaticals were either at the end of their two possible years in the role or decided not to run again.
Current USSU Entertainments Officer and Music student Tom Harle takes on the badger and elections in his role as Communications Officer. Anthropology student Rosa Wilson Garwood takes over Joe William's Finance portfolio, with Abi Webb (English) taking on Welfare and Sophie McGlinn (Sociology) Education. Media and Film student Jo Walters provided a shock in taking the Activities post; currently RAG chair, she is the first non-sports person to fulfil that role.
Something less shocking is the complete lack of science students in the final six. Historically sabbatical positions are dominated by arts students (perhaps because scientists are too busy in labs to campaign?) and this year is no exception; three winners are from the School of Humanities, two from Social Sciences and Cultural Studies and one, incumbent Roger, from the Sussex Institute.
The new team take over in the summer. Whether they live up to their mantle of Tweedledum and Tweedledee remains to be seen.
Information on the current sabbatical team, in place until Summer 2005.
A full profile of the incoming 2005/06 sabbaticals.
| The new sabbatical team from summer 2005 | |||||
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| Roger Hylton President |
Jo Walters Activities Officer |
Tom Harle Communications Officer |
Rosa Wilson-Garwood Finance Officer |
Sophie McGlinn Education Officer |
Abi Webb Welfare Officer |