Tyson Holloway-Clarke becomes President of UMSU
Photo: University of Melbourne Student Union
Tyson Holloway-Clarke has been appointed interim President of the University of Melbourne Student Union (UMSU), by a motion of its Students’ Council passed today.
Holloway-Clarke replaces James Baker, who resigned earlier this year. Until today’s appointment, UMSU General Secretary James Bashford was serving as interim President.
Although a call for applications was made on UMSU’s website and email newsletter (as well as reported in Parkville Station), Holloway-Clarke was the only nomination for the position. After a brief debate, Council appointed him as President.
There was some discussion in the room about the timeframe in which UMSU had received the legal advice, and whether more prompt action might have allowed for a byelection (at which all students are eligible to vote) this semester.
Holloway-Clarke is one of UMSU’s current Indigenous officers, and was also Indigenous Officer in 2015. He will leave that role in order to take up the rôle of President.
In appointing Holloway-Clarke, Council considered legal advice it received in relation to the process for appointing people to vacant officebearer positions. That advice, which was accepted by Council, made it clear that UMSU is obliged to promptly hold a byelection to permanently replace Baker as President. However, UMSU’s election timing rules now mean that a byelection will need to be held concurrently with the normal annual student elections, in September during semester 2.
We’ll have full details in next week’s Parkville Station.