The Student Union (SU) Council was unable to vote on any proposals at this week’s meeting (02/05), including next year's budget, as not enough postgraduate representatives of the Council were present. The low turnout was described as “not particularly surprising” by undergraduate president-elect Fergus Kirman.

SU sabbatical officers were seen asking attendees to convince their friends to turn up in the minutes leading up to the meeting’s delayed start.

For voting to go ahead, Council meetings require 25% attendance from both its undergraduate and postgraduate members. Members include J/MCR officers, academic reps, campaign reps, and portfolio officers. While 42% of undergraduates representatives were present, less than 15% of postgraduate representatives attended.

Proposals for the introduction of a reading week were due to be voted on at this week’s Council, which would first be implemented in Week 4 of Lent Term 2025. In 2021, 83% of SU members voted in favour of a reading week.

The SU’s budget for 2023-24 was also due to be ratified, which currently stands at a deficit of £35,737. The budget also failed to be passed after running out of time at the last Council meeting of last term.

Sam Hutton, chair-elect for the SU’s ethical affairs campaign, told Varsity: “I think a lot of students have been disappointed by the fact that the SU just can’t function.” Hutton then drew attention to the various issues due for discussion at the meeting, including one that would have “mandated the SU to campaign to eliminate the influence of the fossil fuel industry on our education and research.”

“The one thing I want any student to understand here is this: hold your JCRs and MCRs to account,” continued Hutton. “Make sure they’re sending representatives to the SU, and that they’re engaging actively in issues that will affect all of us at the university and contribute to broader social change.”

Fergus Kirman told Varsity that while low postgraduate attendance is “understandable in the context of exam term”, “undergraduate engagement with SU Council has been improving so much over the past year, and I look forward to working with the other sabbatical officer-elects to continue the current team’s work to that end.”

Kirman went on to stress that the meeting was still productive: “While being unable to vote is always frustrating, attendees were still able to discuss important issues, above all the modified plans for a reading week and the timeline for sharing them with academics.”

The turnout for this week’s meeting is down from Lent term, as 42% of undergraduate and 39% of postgraduate representatives attended the last Council.

When contacted by Varsity, the SU stressed that “several non-voting members” were present at the meeting, and wrote that this week’s motions will be voted on at the next Council, on the 15th of May.