Full speeches from UGM

Dan Taylor

3 minute speech made by Dan Taylor, York student:

"On the night of the 12th of January, YUSU Academic and Welfare Officer Grace Fletcher-Hackwood hit another student in a drunken and unprovoked attack outside Club D.

Such actions are completely contradictory to the position in which Grace holds. There have been previous incidents where Grace has been so intoxicated to need to see Paramedics. I myself looked after her at one such event at 'Christmas D' but never before has she stooped to the levels of hitting another student.

In short, rather than looking out for the welfare of the students she claims to represent, she impinged them with her drunken, violent actions.

I believe and it's clear that many others do as well that her position as a Sabbatical, paid member of YUSU's Academic and Welfare Rep.

Since the incident, Grace has uttered several apologies all in worded form to me despite the fact she saw me three times after the incident where she could have apologised to my face. Yet they have not been unequivocal. In her statement to The Yorker, she said sorry, but also went on to explain that because she was only "5'5" (sic.)" and the victim was a "strapping individual" - these aren't my words - that this somehow reduced the seriousness of the incident.

Now I do want to get back to the serious point here, that that is not an unequivocal apology. It is highly unacceptable for someone in her position.

If she ever has to deal with a student who has been hit by their girlfriend would she make that excuse that the girl was only 5'2" and the boyfriend 6'4"? Would she say this was acceptable just because of their size? Before this incident I would probably have said no, but it really brings into doubt her future ability to not do that.

But there are events where Grace has been intoxicated, but I think these are actually irrelevant to the actual incident, and that is that a YUSU Academic and Welfare Officer hit another student.

Personalities out of this, because that what everyone's pretty much attempted to do, that is the crux of the matter.

In conclusion, the events on the night of the 12th of January will seriously jeopardise Grace's reputation, credibility and personal and professional integrity. Her half-hearted apologies were unprofessional at best, demeaning and patronising at worst. Her entire reputation has been tarnished by this, it undeniabily affects her ability to carry out her mandate to the students of this institution in the future.

It does not change the good she has done in the past but it affects her ability to work for our best efforts in the future. Do you honestly think she has any credibility campaigning for responsible drinking or against violence in a student capacity? I genuinely don't believe it." Time was called at this point.

3 minute speech made by Grace Fletcher-Hackwood, YUSU Academic and Welfare Officer:

"I would like to start by repeating that I am so, so, so sorry for hitting Dan Taylor, I have no excuse for what happened and I am truly ashamed of my behaviour.

I would like to ask that if you are considering voting for this motion, you ask why. If you don't believe that I'm sorry for what happened, I am. I'm not sorry because the press got hold of it, I was sorry from the moment that it happened. I cried for two hours that night because I was ashamed of my behaviour. When I turned on the computer the next morning, there was a message from Dan, to which I replied with an apology which he then accepted. I have apologised several times since.

I understand that the sincerity of my apology is compromised by my attempts to clarify, for the notoriously excitable campus press, the specific circumstances of the incident. The most important of which, was, to my mind, that Dan was not hurt. These were not intended to excuse my actions, and if they were seen as such, I apologise.

However, there are things for which I will not apologise. I will not apologise for drinking alcohol. I will not apologise for slipping on a wet floor at a campus event last term, I will not apologise for taking a leave of absence in my second year. Why do I bring up all these things? You might well ask that of the people involved in the campaign to smear me as they have drawn all these, and more incidents from my time at university into this debate as if they were somehow relevant. And so if you are thinking of voting for this motion because you want to see me punished for what I did, I have been punished.

On top of the guilt I genuinely feel, my family and I have been upset by the malicious lies told about me during the past few weeks. So if you want to hurt me, you've done it. If you want to censure me officially, then please vote for the motion of censure, but please, do not use this deeply regretted, single incident to deprive all York students of a dedicated officer to represent them at that academic appeal and run sexual health testing and fight their corner in university meetings and arrange emergency loans for them, keep them informed about finance and housing and healthcare. That is what you are voting to scrap if you vote for this motion.

Ignore the lies about me being replaced by some our most over-extended part-time officers - they can't do it, and they don't want to do it. The only legitimate reason for voting for this motion is if you think that having me as Academic and Welfare Officer is worse than having no-one.

And I'm sorry to sound as arrogant as you all think I am, but I am a bloody good Academic and Welfare Officer. I am. I go the extra mile for York students. If they're too nervous to go see their supervisor, I go with them. If they get called to see their department and don't know why, I phone their department and ask. If they don't want to come all the way to my office to get a chlymadia test, I'll sit through their JCRC election hustings and carry away a box of their urine.

I got a message yesterday, from one of the University Chaplains. I want you to know how often, directly, or indirectly, the effective way that you are going about your job.

I am passionate about this job. I love this job. And if you let me keep it, I will get better. if you let me come back from letting myself down, I will work harder for students than ever before, and will never let you down again. So please vote against this motion. Thank you."

Statement read by Anne-Marie Canning on behalf of Joey Ellis, Student Development and Charities Officer

"Violence, no matter how small the action or chance of physical harm, is unacceptable in my eyes and for someone who is elected to look after the welfare of students, this is intolerable.

I feel that when we, the officers of the Union, were elected, we were all entrusted with the students' confidence. I believe we should act as role models in the way we behave and we are here to look after their interests and well-being whilst they are members of the Union.

I particularly think that being responsible for students is a gift of trust and that of all the Sabbs positions this is particularly applicable to the Academic and Welfare Officer. I feel that Grace's actions in striking a student have undermined this trust with a large number of students.

Through her actions I feel that the integrity of the Union has been questioned and have left her unable to comment on some key issues relevant to her job. If people, no matter how few, feel they can't talk to her about their problems, then it is unacceptable.

Despite my respect for the work Grace has undertaken this year and in previous years, I support the motion 'No Confidence for Grace Fletcher-Hackwood' for striking a student."

Anne-Marie Canning then said that "for the minute taker we will specify who submitted that off the record."

The full news article can be seen here

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