Ruby Keane, president of the Cambridge Footlights, stepped down from her role today following the current committee’s failure to fully adopt a more democratic and inclusive structure.

In an email to the Footlights mailing list, Keane explained that democratic elections for committee positions, one element of the structural redesign proposed at the Footlights’ BME open discussion on March 13th, will not be implemented in time for the upcoming committee appointments.

The open meeting was prompted by an incident on Facebook in which two students criticised the Footlights for their BME representation.

The changes proposed include creating individual administration roles rather than informally assigning tasks to existing committee members, and having open auditions for Smokers and the Spring Revue instead of committee members gaining automatic entry, as is currently the case. They also include allowing any student who has been involved in a Footlights show or Smoker to vote for the committee, rather than members being chosen by the outgoing committee.

However, while application for individual administration roles in next year’s Footlights committee will be opened in the next few days, Keane wrote that in subsequent committee meetings “it has become clear that a voting system will not be brought in this year, and the current committee alone will elect next year’s admin committee”.

Explaining the reasons for her resignation, Keane said that while she understands that “it would take a lot of time and admin to set up and organise the [new system for] voting”, she felt she “cannot morally remain on a committee that does not follow through” on her statement that a democratic system must be implemented this year.

“I hope this puts pressure on the current and future committees to implement the changes we discussed in the open meeting,” she added, “and to think of further ways we can increase diversity.

“If me stepping down as President goes some way to dismantling the current committee system, then I’m okay with that. In fact, I am proud of that.”

Concluding the email, Keane thanked several students who have organised BME and women and non-binary open mic nights this term, as well as Hasan Al-Habib, one of the students who prompted the open discussion, for “kickstart[ing] a conversation that should’ve happened years ago”.

Speaking to Varsity, Al-Habib said that he “applaud[s]” and “admire[s]” Ruby’s actions, but questioned the why her resignation became necessary in the first place.

“Ruby’s email suggests there are many on the committee that don’t want this to happen, or at least want to delay it,” he said. “Why? Is it because they have no interest in meritocracy, given that a lack of it is what got many of them elected? Is it that their friends have reminded them they promised to elect them? Is it that they just can’t be bothered? Who knows.

“I urge the committee to reconsider. Footlights drastically and immediately needs to implement an inclusive membership system where people can vote for candidates for positions, or it is in danger of remaining a closed shop forever.”