Elections for the committee of the Theological Society (the Theo) are to be re-held, Central Societies Committee (CSC) Secretary Ultan Pringle has announced.
In an email circulated to the society’s members this evening, Pringle explained that “it has become apparent that not everyone who voted at the meeting was a registered member”. Because of a “computer glitch and a CSC administrative error”, it was not possible to check the list of registered members at the time. The vote took place at the society’s AGM on Friday evening.
Pringle went on to say that “the CSC has been in consultation with those working to revive the society” and that “it would be best if a fresh ballot for all positions were held”.
The email also said that the CSC’s Executive Committee would manage the fresh round of nominations and voting, and that both would be conducted via email.
Potential candidates will have until next Wednesday, October 14, to put themselves forward and require the support of at least two registered members of the society.
Voting will take place between Wednesday and Friday, with the new committee announced on Friday afternoon.
Ahead of the AGM, some members of the society had previously raised concerns about the elections after the sole candidate for auditor made several unilateral decisions about their conduct which deviated from the Theo’s constitution.
The society had been inactive since the end of the 2018/19 academic year, when it failed to hold an AGM.
According to the CSC’s constitution, societies which fail to elect new committees at the end of an academic year cease to be recognised as Trinity societies.
At the start of this year, postgraduate student Lucas Dowling approached the CSC about reviving the Theo and was granted permission to “help generate interest in the society”.
Social media pages and posters have described it as hosting “discussions on Christian Theology”, in contrast with the multi-denominational focus it had maintained in recent years.
The CSC has not yet received an application for new recognition of the society, which would need to be accompanied by the signatures of 500 registered staff or students.
