No by-election for Glasgow presidency

The student body which represents 24,000 students at the University of Glasgow will continue without a president for the rest of the academic year following the departure of controversial leader Stuart Ritchie earlier this month, it has been revealed. 

Ritchie resigned as president of Glasgow University Students' Representative Council on November 2 amid a scandal over his relationship with university senior management. The SRC's three remaining executive officers have now announced that a by-election will not be held to fill the presidency..

In an open letter to students on the day of Ritchie's exit, the VPs said that instead "responsibilities which normally fall to the GUSRC president are to be shared amongst the remaining executive members."

Iain Smith, vice-president for media and communications, said that after "a turbulent period for the organisation, we're now keen to focus on core issues and activities... without further disruption which would be caused by the near two-month election process."

But some have raised concerns over the wisdom of the move, fearing that the three exec members are likely to be spread thin. A source close to the SRC told The Journal:  "They will manage in as far as there is very little expectation but they are not going to do anything groundbreaking.

"And not because they’re not capable but because simply there are not enough hours in the day. There are not enough hours in the day to do the work they’re going to be expected to do and things will slip. The ball will get dropped in things and that is just inevitable.”

ends