Suspicion and censorship at Salford

The news that a Salford student, Steven Maguire, has been banned from the University of Salford Students’ Union (USSU) for calling their President Matt Webber a bully, coupled with the rejection of several motions put forward to the Salford Annual General Meeting, should raise serious questions about USSU democracy.

Two motions proposed by Damien Shannon – one addressing the current disciplinary procedures that have allowed Maguire to be banned with little to no explanation, and another that would give the appointed Editor of Salford Student Direct an increased degree of editorial independence – were rejected by Webber on behalf of the USSU sabbatical team. Webber’s official reasoning was that both matters, as issues relating to disciplinary procedure and staffing, according to the Union constitution were not the preserve of the student membership but rather the property of the trustee board (which at Salford comprises of several sabbatical officers, including Webber, and four external trustees).

Webber, by law, may have a valid defence. One could interpret the Salford constitution and conclude that actually it is reasonable to defer Shannon’s motions as the responsibility of the trustee board. But therein lies the point, the constitution is a legal document and, like any legal document, it can be subject to interpretation. Questions, therefore, must surely be asked about a Students’ Union President and sabbatical team who chose to interpret their constitution in such a way that vetoed student-led discussion and debate. It has been recorded that Shannon’s concerns will be put to the trustee board when they review USSU’s disciplinary procedure. This is as it should be. But why didn’t the trustees wish to hear what the rest of the student membership might have had to say on the matter? Furthermore, why was the full news story kept out of the Salford edition of Student Direct by the USSU powers that be? Frankly, it seems wholly untoward for an organisation that should pride itself on transparency and accountability.