A group of York students has won the opportunity to have their very own I-phone application developed after winning The App Challenge final, held at the Ron Cooke Hub on Wednesday, January 18.
YUSU Welfare officer Bob Hughes has warned students to be vigilant after a student loans phishing scam has been revealed.
Her Majesty the Queen will be visiting York on Maundy Thursday, 5th April, as part of the 800th anniversary of York’s Charter for the traditional “Royal Maundy” ceremony.
A flood caused by a heating system “failure” forced the university IT services to shut down many essential systems on Sunday night, causing problems for many students on the eve of their exams and assignment due-dates.
Grace Fletcher-Hackwood has been voted out of her position by only 8 votes.
1440 votes were cast, an unprecedented total for a Union General Meeting (UGM) vote.
The vote passed by just a 0.5% majority.
The results were announced to campus press at 12.40pm, and YUSU have announced: "YUSU are able to announce that the motion has passed and that Grace will leave her position with immediate effect."
I'm delighted by the result, I think the students have spoken.
The unprecedented step leaves YUSU without a welfare representative, until either Fletcher-Hackwood launches an appeal, or a replacement is found.
The likely replacement would be the Academic and Welfare Officer-elect, who would not be voted in until Week 9 during the YUSU Elections.
Should Fletcher-Hackwood wish to appeal, she would have to call an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM.)
Dan Taylor, who proposed the motion, and was the student involved in the incident told The Yorker: "I'm delighted by the result, I think the students have spoken and I thank Grace for the work she has done in the past but this incident has impaired her abilities to do the job in the future."
Fletcher-Hackwood spoke on her 'Your:Support' radio show on URY and said: "The no confidence vote was put through by a student who has made it one of his missions at university to... well, perhaps to destroy me is too strong a way of putting it. But Dan wanted me out of this job and he has succeeded."
She also revealed that she hadn't yet decided whether or not to appeal but added: "I'm grateful for the amount of support I've had."
Anne-Marie Canning, YUSU President, said: “The students have spoken on this one, though the result was very, very close. The outcome does worry me, because we’re now without an Academic & Welfare Officer and aren’t likely to have the job covered until July."
Canning added: "However, we’re confident that we can make sure that students don’t lose out – it’s just going to mean more pressure on Union Officers and staff."
Should Fletcher-Hackwood successfully appeal, the alternative motion to censure Fletcher-Hackwood, which received 688 votes 'For' whilst 488 voted 'Against', would stand instead. It would result in her being disciplined, but would allow her to retain her post.
All other motions passed, including a controversial decision to make Women's Committee 'Open to all'.
Those requiring Welfare support should contact Mel Nichol, Academic and Welfare Co-ordinator on mjn500@york.ac.uk or at her office in the YUSU building.
I have to say the outcome of this vote says a lot more about Dan Taylor, and those who saw an opportunity to jump into bed with him in this 'crusade' than Grace making the mistake she did.
Think all the times Grace has won votes, policy debates etc. in all of the student groups with which she has been involved over the last 4 1/2 years and all she has achieved. Then consider that the only way that those people who opposed her could stop her was not to beat her upon these issues, but get her effectively sacked (5 months before she was due to leave anyway out of that whole amount of time). Sounds like her opposition were pretty inadequate and desperate to me...
It dosen't matter if this Dan guy started the campaign for the wrong reasons- she was voted out correctly, and (by the majority of people who voted no confidence) for the right reasons.
I agree with the comment that the Grace campaign was trying to blackmail students with the fact that there was no replacement from her. Anyway, i am sure YUSU will have plenty of volunteers to cover her duties until a permanent replacement is found.
By all accounts, Grace would certainly have demanded that another YUSU officer who had acted in this way (violently) be removed.
A triumph for democracy, i agree.
I disagree with a lot of both Dan's and Grace's views. However to have you mother back yourself in this sort of argument makes me laugh. As a 22 year old the last thing I would want would be my parents fighting on my behalf. As adults we should fight our own corners and take responsibility for ourselves! We are all over 18 so should take responsibilty for our own lives!
I disagree with a lot of both Dan's and Grace's views. However to have you mother back yourself in this sort of argument makes me laugh. As a 22 year old the last thing I would want would be my parents fighting on my behalf. As adults we should fight our own corners and take responsibility for ourselves! We are all over 18 so should take responsibilty for our own lives!
Did not mean to post that twice just am very thick with computers sorry!
I'm ashamed and embarrassed to be a York Tory alumnus. Grace made a stupid, stupid mistake, but losing her job is simply not a proportionate response.
This has long since ceased to be about what happened outside Club D but rather about getting one-over a political opponent - and that is not and never has been grounds for a no-confidence motion in a YUSU officer.
comment deleted by a moderator @47
I really don't think that's fair...I very much doubt Grace is an alcoholic, and her mum is just defending her as any parent would do, and she doesn't deserve to be attacked because of it.
It's really irrelevant what she or anyone else thinks should or shouldn't have happened however; the fact is we've had a free and open vote, which was carried out in accordance with the YUSU constitution.
Unless the remaining YUSU Sabs feel that there wasn't sufficient debate, or that there was a technical or procedural/constitutional failure, (and Sam has already ruled the latter two out), I really can't see what grounds there would be for an EGM, a less open and fair process where many people (myself included) would be prevented from voting.
Whether or not you agree with the result or the part of the constitution that lead to it, unfortunately that's the way they are. I'm sure at the next UGM there will be constitutional amendments abound, and there will no doubt be worthwhile debate to be had then, but all of them will be too late to help Grace.
This whole affair has been a sad time for YUSU; whether the motion passed or failed, the loser was always going to be York students as a whole. I think the time has come to leave Grace and her family alone, and let her get on with her life.
Can I please just say, that once this motion was submitted it was out of my hands and the decision was not mine but that of the students of this University. Does anyone on this wall not believe that this incident should have gone to the students of York? If so, I believe you are over-stating dramatically the personal nature of this campaign and underestimating the seriousness of the action our A&W Rep carried out.
York Tory alumini: You really cannot speak for me and my reasoning behind this. If people choose to believe me or not, then that is their choice but I would have taken this action against any officer who hit a student, regardless of size etc. However, since this has never happened because, as much as we might disagree on some political issues, the YUSU staff are all efficient and carry out their jobs to the students of this Uni. with great integrity. Grace did not.
On the subject of her mum posting: I think that any mother would be protective of their child, however old/young they are. However my point was that this should not affect the line of debate nor the incident that resulted in her removal.
Finally, I am delighted to hear from YUSU that, as I thought during campaigning, inspite of the scaremongering going on by various members of the welfare team supporting Grace (Tom Langrish etc.)the welfare of students will infact not be compromised by this event. Langrish, for your information regarding a team leader, Anne-Marie is now your team leader and whatever YUSU sab. decides to take the role on a goven day/incident. I hope this clears up your clear and well-aired concerns about not having a leader. She said: "However, we’re confident that we can make sure that students don’t lose out – it’s just going to mean more pressure on Union Officers and staff."
I think this is a favourable outcome and had people not been scare-mongered into believing that their welfare was going to be seriously compromised, then the voting margain would have been much bigger.
Dan Taylor
"I will from now on be offering no more comment on the matter" - Dan Taylor, 07/02/08 18:36.
"Can I please just say..." - Dan Taylor, 08/02/08 08.25.
Hmm...
This debate should have been finished yesterday. The vote has passed and people (anon. post above) are still bleating on about the whole issue. The time for debate was before voting. The matter has been decided. If other people wish to go on and on and on then I to have a right to return when my name is spoken 'with regard to'.
You look mightly clever having pointed out the above though...
I have to say, I think those people who are celebrating Grace's removal really need to think twice about all of the stupid things they've ever done in their life. I think this whole thing is ridiculous and that people at York are trying to hard to find something to bitch about.
RE: Sue Fletcher-Hall. If "what goes around comes around" then won't someone be slapping Grace in the face at some point?
Talk about bitter.
Just going over the facts... there was actually a clear breach of procedure at the last UGM.
Students are called to speak for and against the motion. There is no procedure to allow students to speak by proxy. There is nothing within the UGM procedure to allow a statement from one student to be read out by someone else, yet this is exactly what happened. Completely against the rules.
I agree there is no specific clause allowing it, but equally "completely against the rules is a bit misleading" I would argue that as it was made clear who was 'speaking' that it does not contravene anything I can't see how it would have influenced anyones decision. Equally no-one complained at the time, nor during the voting.
"The Chair’s ruling is final in the event of any dispute over these rules unless challenged by a procedural motion" Sounds like someone's trying to dispute it after the fact to me....
"Anne-Marie is now your team leader and whatever YUSU sab. decides to take the role on a goven [sic] day/incident" - what a great suggestion for a stable, regular responsible for the welfare of students, Dan.
To paraphrase: "whoever isn't too busy, can look after student welfare." You make it sound as important as tidying-up the office.
I voted in the UGM despite not being a member of the NUS, I understand that is permissible now but not sure if I should have been allowed to. The YUSU page let me vote, however I have most definitely not been an NUS member for 4 years.
All registered students can vote, regardless of if you have purchased an NUS Extra card or not.
@54 - The Chair made a decision to read out a speech - it was then attributed to that person on-line in the minutes of the meeting. No one questioned it, no procedural motion - done and dusted.
I am dissapointed by Grace being removed but we have to accept the students have made their (bad) decision. I think we should accept it and move on really. Dan has had his ego boosted a good deal, but what goes around comes around.
On the issue of an appeal, I think all ideas of one should be forgotten. It would be so unpopular with students who having democratically voted, would be over-ruled by something coming from what is viewed as being the YUSU 'clique'. Students on placement years or unavailable for some reason would not be able to vote and turnout would undoubtedly be far less than in the UGM vote, meaning the outcome would reek of illegitimacy. It may also perpetuate Dan Taylor's claims about YUSU and it having a "democratic defecit" and going against the interests of the students. If an EGM was called, there would also undoubtedly be resignations from exec. and maybe even the sabs.- YUSU would be split and who knows, Taylor might put forward a vote of no-confidence in the entire sab. committee if an EGM is agreed on.
As a fan of not just Grace but YUSU as well, I think anyone considering an EGM is making a gross, gross error and would cause political conflict similar to that in Sudan. Grace is gone, but YUSU must continue doing the great work it does for students and not get embroiled in personal politics because it's 'Dan' and 'Grace'. Any EGM would bring into question the very future of YUSU and be a disaster for uni democracy.
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