COMMENTARY

This year’s advertisements to run as part of the student Executive have been released.

Last year DUSA faced controversy for their posters, with one Dunfess post summing it up:

Two highlights from last year’s posters include:

I still think there is a great a disconnect between DUSA and the students it serves.

If students don’t know what the executive does, that’s either a transparency problem or an impact problem. And both matter.

This year is a somewhat improvement. There is less “slagging off” as the Dunfess put it, however one poster which sticks out this year is this one.

Dundee University has had a dismal past 15 months.

DUSA needs people to run who want to make things better.

Not people who want a CV filler, an ego boost, or have their face splashed above the Prem.

At the start of the academic year DUSA’s funding was cut significantly, by 34%.

In the press release which announced this cut, a DUSA spokesperson said:

“This cut is of such a scale that this is likely to mean venue closures, fewer events, reduction in society funding, and a further reduction in student opportunities. 

It will have a direct impact on your student experience and may threaten our ability to meet the needs of our members”.

The DUSA cuts have resulted in, as CEO Chris Gourley explained:

  • “the closure of DJCAD cantina 
  • “a significant reduction of discretionary funding available to societies
  • “reduced capacity of DUSA’s advice and support team by one third
  • “reduced the fixed staffing resource of DUSA by approximately 30%, with a recruitment freeze for all non essential roles (we have made one permanent appointment in the past 14 months)
  • “restricted our ability to deliver events for students and to provide support for student led events.”

Dundee University is in chaos, and DUSA isn’t in a much better position.

This is not a normal year.

It’s a difficult situation for everyone. And no, the Executive did not cause the funding cuts. But when the University continues to face uncertainty, and DUSA has lost funding, staff, and capacity, this is exactly when leadership matters most.

That’s why this really isn’t the year for surface-level campaigning.

If the Executive leads the Union, advocates for students, and shapes the direction of services, then students deserve to see that leadership clearly.

If students don’t know what the Executive does, something is wrong. Either the impact isn’t strong enough, or the communication isn’t good enough.

In a year like this, both need to improve.

It’s a difficult situation for everyone. But when the University continues on in it’s financial crisis and DUSA has lost funding. Students need an executive team who will defend and advocate for the student experience.

Not people who are interested in “stacking their CV.”