Not enough class reps attend SU Council to reach quorum

Attendance at Council insufficient to reach quorum. Delegates will not receive a mandate on which candidates to vote for at the USI conference.

Not enough class reps have attended Council tonight, Tuesday, to reach quorum – the minimum number of reps required to hold votes. As a result the council cannot pass motions, including on mandating how delegates to USI conference must vote. Every constituent union in the USI gets one delegate per 1000 students, which gives Trinity 16 delegates. Council usually votes to mandate how delegates must vote at the conference, including which candidates they should vote for in the sabbatical elections. Delegates will now be free to choose who they want to vote for, without any obligation to vote according to the wishes of Council. Their votes will not be made known to Council. Only one of the positions – welfare – is contested, though delegates may vote to reopen nominations.

Speaking to Trinity News, SU president Lynn Ruane said “it is disappointing that we have no quorum, mainly in relation to USI hustings. As I represent over 16,000 students I would feel much more comfortable knowing that when I cast my vote at congress for USI officers that it is representative and this case it wont be.”

Other motions which will not be voted on include a motion to establish a committee to review SU elections, a motion to produce a campaign guide for students thinking of running for SU positions, a motion to mandate the Comms and Marketing officer to conduct an annual review of progress towards strategic plan goals, a motion to provide equal access to Trinity student media to SU events and reporting opportunities, and a motion that sabbatical officers schedule at least two hours per week when students can drop in to talk with them.

Council can still discuss items and hear reports from the sabbatical officers.

William Foley

William Foley studies Philosophy and Economics. He is deputy editor of Trinity News.