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Follow all the action from Kent Union AGM, live today from 6.00 p.m.
6.10: The meeting has started late, as usual, there don’t look to be too many people, probably slightly less than last year’s AGM
6. 12: I speak to Tom Christian, the evil doers at the University have scrapped the ‘media balcony’, hence inQuire live has been dumped in Eliot computer room, relaying on paper and two reporters to get the messages across
6.15: We reach quorum, which is the magic number of 150 attendees, if this number was not met, the whole evening would have been declared invalid.
6.20 Non union members and non university members have suspiciously been allowed to attend and have been included in the quorum count. SCANDAL! No objections were raised, however they didn’t ask the question for long enough.
6.22: Archie, the current union president, gives his opening address, he talks about the ‘inspiration’ that comes from the AGM, I didn’t know there was any? Archie receives polite applause.
6.30: I’m departing for the balcony, apparently that’s where the action is, back soon!
6:35: There’s no really any action on the balcony, Archie continues to talk
6.37: Tom Stubbs from the NUS national executive committee takes the stand and tells us the NUS is scrapping its annual decision making conference. Student decisions will now be made by an unelected senate, DEMOCRACY ALERT!
6.41: Archie’s address returns, he says that most students ‘have no idea’ what the Union is, I think this is a fair point, however presumably he should be doing something about it?
6.42: Archie name drops inQuire, best president ever! or is he?
6.45: At some point this evening, I’m going to get a new picture for the top of this story, I’m mean, come on, AGM in big red letters, it’s just so passé!
6.47: I’m making another dash for the balcony, I’ll be back with some real news..ok there is now a 20 minute interval, Archie’s address finishes, we’ll take these moment to update you with the contents of his speech..
Half way through his speech Archie made reference to Kent Union’s ‘surplus’ for the budget, they have declared £52,511 profit!, ironic considering they bill themselves as a ‘not for profit charity’. Where did all this money come from?
Archie laid into all University of Kent students, SCANDAL!, saying that they need to make a “positive influence” and provide “positive solutions”, he didn’t say what we need to solve, he wasn’t at all specific.
7.00: Right the interval is now over and the first round of motions begins, this is the exciting part!
7.08: I’m heading back to the balcony, I’ll get you all, if there’s anyone out there, the details of the first motion.
Comments
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I can 100% guarantee you that I will never be working in Aldi…
By Lauren on 29.2.2024
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Kent Union budgeted to make £50,000 this year, like they did last year and have hit their taget. Staff costs are built in.
The point you make, however, is a good one. Archie said in his report he’d like to make the surplus around 4% of turnover (which you correctly state as around £7mill), but he thought it would take another couple of years.
All of this is a hell of a lot better than the defecit we had 3 or 4 years ago.
By Matt Friend on 30.1.2024
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Hi everyone, top stuff on the website, looks cool but just read the agm thing coz I couldn’t go and thought the reporting back was pretty unprofessional.
I went to one in my first yr and tho its not the funnest thing in the world I still found it pretty inspiring some of the speeches. It really comes across in the report that the writer was bored and didn’t want to be there. I’d quite like to know what things are mentioned in these reports rather than just throwing in emotive words like scandal.
I appreciate your trying to update the news as he’s speaking which must be really difficult but in future maybe you could sum up one of the key things that comes from his talk. I would find that more interesting than reading about name dropping inquire and your big red agm letters.
The only other thing was your mention on the 52k profit. I heard that Kent Union turn over something like 7million. 52k can only be something like a couple of percent of that right? Surely a surplus of that small cannot be healthy and wouldn’t go very far when you think of all the staff and things they do. I think if they didn’t have at least that amount of reserve I think they’d be in pretty big trouble.
If those things could be taken on board I think the overall standard of the website would improve and people would have greater respect for you.
Other than that great start. Thanks.
By Anonymous on 30.1.2024
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The JCC love the little power they have and I am sure it it will come in handy when they join the Aldi graduate management scheme.
By Roger the Park Ranger on 30.1.2024
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The website team are aware of the union president’s name, however, we prefer to affectionately refer to his as ‘Archie’
By website-editor on 30.1.2024
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Should really spell the president’s name right guys! Achike!
By Anonymous on 30.1.2024
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