On the AGM

At the AGM our erstwhile Accommodation Officer, Ian McElwee, gave what was purported to be his report. In his speech he alleged that his term in office had been marked throughout by obstructionary tactics on the part of nearly everyone he dealt with. As evidence he cited the fact that I had not agreed with him last year that we should have a student on the Accommodation Advisory Committee.

It is true that last year I did not agree with this proposal, but not because I wished to [unclear: obe] struct him. Mr McElwee seems to think that it is the prerogative of Exec members to direct SRC reps on committees (I sat on Prof Board at the time) to do their bidding. Those reps are responsible to the SRC and are charged solely with carrying out its policy in their respective fields.

Mr McElwee's job as Accommodation Officer was to help students in their accommodation problems: this means problems about where they live, not the academic accommodation position on campus. In my opinion this urea comes under the jurisdiction of the Education Officer. If Mr McElwee had been obstructed in his proper field of work he would have cause for complaint. As it is I am not aware of any such obstruction. Far from not talking to him about his job, I actually spend considerable time on the subject, as he well knows.

Asked to justify the generalised attack he made, Mr McElwee stated that he had no proof. Might I suggest that he used this attack to cover up the fact that he did very little of the work he was supposed to do. An examination of his written report would bear this out. To take just, one example: he implies that he was in part responsible for the introduction of a staff creche. This is just nonsense.

Mr McElwee voiced bitter concern that a so-called 'clique' was running the Association to it's own advantages and never did anything that did not embellish its own reputation. He refused to sustain the argument and I can only infer that we was voicing frustration that VUWSA is not set up in a way that will guarantee the supremacy of his own opinions.