Cambridge University Students’ Union (CUSU) is looking to add to its staff, listing a vacancy for “a part-time administrator to support the union’s fortnightly CUSU Council meeting” on its website.

The vacancy comes after the role of CUSU Coordinator was effectively abolished during Easter term, with CUSU Council resolving to defer elections for the role and use an upcoming constitutional review “to critically evaluate the structure of the CUSU Sabbatical Team, most specifically with regards to improving the position of the Coordinator.”

CUSU had previously suggested that many of the Coordinator’s responsibilities could be split between existing staff members.

At the deferral of the Coordinator election in May, it was agreed by Council “To distribute the administrative work within the CUSU Staff Team”.

The part-time administrator will work around eight hours a week during term time, and will be paid an hourly wage of £9.40, translating to an average weekly salary of £75.20.

The new role will potentially add over £600 to CUSU’s wage bill for both Michaelmas and Lent term and could cost the union in excess of £1,500 a year.

The listing says that: “the role will be responsible for ensuring members are informed of Council business, that meetings are well-organised and well-prepared; that papers and minutes are properly disseminated and publicised; and that the business of Council, such as policy and mandates from the Council meeting, are taken forward with relevant stakeholders”.

Last month, Varsity revealed CUSU had recorded its first spending deficit in four years, after its latest published accounts showed a £4,498 overspend.

The accounts, which were for the year ending 30th June 2015, also showed an increase of £49,894 in staff costs relative to the previous year, despite the union adding just one additional member of staff in that time.

The Trustees’ Report, which accompanied CUSU’s accounts for 2014/15, also raised questions over the internal power structure of the student union. The report was signed off not by any of the union’s sabbatical officers – who are by extension, trustees – but by McCormack, who is not a trustee.

The new vacancy for a part-time administrator, while advertised as suited for “a current postgraduate student”, is not reserved for a member of the student body, adding to concerns that CUSU’s sabbatical officers are relinquishing student control of the union.

In addition to filling part of the void left by abolition of the Coordinator role, there appears to be significant overlap between the responsibilities of the new position, and those of the CUSU Chair, whose responsibilities – as outlined in CUSU’s Standing Orders – include “arrang[ing] the schedule and venue of Council Meetings and Open Meetings and publicis[ing] them.”

At present, the CUSU Chair is elected by CUSU Council, which is comprised of representatives from all affiliated Cambridge colleges. The CUSU Constitution stipulates that: “The Chair of Council… must be, or must have been at some time, a registered representative on the Council or a member of the CUSU Executive”, which does not appear to be a condition for the new part-time administrator.

CUSU is currently without a Chair, with Brendan Mahon having vacated the position at the end of the academic year. At the last meeting of Easter term, elections for Mahon’s successor were delayed until the first CUSU Council meeting of Michaelmas.

Speaking to Varsity, Mahon said: "I think having a dedicated part-time member of staff to carry out admin for CUSU Council will strengthen the democracy of CUSU, and enable students to get involved, effect change and hold their Union to account more effectively."

The official handover between the outgoing and incoming CUSU sabbatical officers begins today, with Thursday marking the end of official duties for the 2015-16 sabbs.