Online referendum motion finally passes at EUSA EGM

The students of Edinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA) will now be able to vote on constitutional changes via online referenda after a special general meeting was held at Pollock Halls to vote on the issue.

The current EUSA sabbatical team together with the sabbatical-elects organised an extraordinary general meeting specifically to vote on this motion after over 380 students signed a petition.

EUSA President Thomas Graham told The Journal: "It was absolutely fantastic to see so many people there and for this to finally pass. Clearly this was what the students wanted and it passing with an overwhelming majority is absolutely fantastic." 

It was the fourth time the motion had been brought to a general meeting. In order for the motion to pass, 300 students had to vote in favour of the motion and it had to pass with a 75 percent majority.

This time motion passed with 309 votes to 45. There were 3 abstentions.

The meeting began about 30 people short of being quorate but by the time the debate had started almost 350 people had arrived.

Mr Graham continued: "A particular shout out has to go to all the volunteers who helped make it quorate, CompSoc who brought a massive contingent of people and all the people who turned up. Nine votes. Phew!"

NUS Scotland President Liam Burns chaired the meeting with EUSA Chief Executive Anthony Blackshaw there to answer any questions voters had.

Mr Burns told The Journal: ""Now that I am no longer obliged to be impartial, I think it was absolutely the right decision.

"Students' Associations across the UK have recognised that the old General Meeting model is fundamentally flawed when dealing with such a diverse student body.

"As far as I can see these changes mean that the debate and political discourse students' associations are funded to provide remains, whilst the actual power and legitimacy of association policy and activity now rests with all 26,000 Edinburgh students from all backgrounds rather than a couple of hundred 18-24 full time undergraduates.

Great debate. Good decision. Pretty good looking chair as well, I heard a few folk say."

The motion was formally brought by Vice President of Services-elect Sam Hansford. He compared the change to the recent health care bill passed in America.

A former Trinity College Dublin sabbatical officer was the first to speak against the motion claiming that more personal methods of voting should be used rather than internet.

Next to speak was a disabled student in the middle of her dissertation. She said the current system was very unfair on students who cannot make the meetings such as part time workers, disabled students and parents.

President-elect Liz Rawlings also pointed out that in these tough times for students, their voice is best heard in numbers, not just 300 out of the 27,000 students at Edinburgh University.

The first time the motion was introduced it gained a 90 percent majority but failed because the meeting was inquorate. 

Last November at the AGM, over 650 attended but only 70 percent of students voted in favour as the motion was not explained properly by the sabbaticals. 

Finally, in a third attempt to get online referenda at EUSA at a barely quorate GM in February, over 80 percent of students supported it but the required total of 300 people did not vote in favour. 

Vice president of services James Wallace was delighted and told The Journal: "309 students voted for change so 27,000 could have their say. I have two simple words: thank you!"