Josie Throup stands down as Warwick’s women’s officer
Josie Throup stood down from her role as the women’s officer for Warwick Students’ Union (SU) over the Christmas break, it has been announced.
Throup is particularly known for having led the I Heart Consent campaign on campus, and publicly responding to the criticism directed at the campaign in the media uproar that followed.
Throup stated: “I am happy to announce that I’m resigning as Women’s Officer of Warwick SU. Happy because I want to give up this role to someone who has the time and emotional energy to do it justice.
Josie was a championed the I Heart Consent campaign Photo: I Heart Consent
“I’ve come to realize that I took on too many things in my final year and I need to take a step back from SU politics and focus on my English and Creative Writing degree.”
She finished: “I look forward to seeing the new women’s officer kicking ass in student council, and I hope whoever she is, she’ll keep banging the drum about I Heart Consent!”
A by-election is to be held to fill the role, which is part-time role within the SU.
Nominations open at 12pm on 11 January, with them closing at 12pm on 18 January.
The campaigning period will begin Wednesday 20 January at 9am, the same time voting opens. Voting will close on Friday 22 January at 12pm.
I’ve come to realize that I took on too many things in my final year and I need to take a step back from SU politics and focus on my English and Creative Writing degree.
Josie Throup, former SU women’s officer
The role is specifically for the 2015/16 women’s officer – meaning that the election for the 2016/17 women’s officer will still be held alongside the other SU roles for the next academic year. These elections will be held near the end of term.
This is a liberation officer role, which exist “to ensure that the voices of minority groups are heard on campus”, according to the SU website.
The SU women’s officer ensures the voices of women are heard on campus Photo: Francisco Osorio / Flickr
Due to the nature of liberation roles, only those that self-define into the minority group can stand and vote in the election.
So, for the women’s officer role, you must self-define on your account on the Warwick SU website, under “election profile”. There, you select that you self-define under “women” to ensure your eligibility to stand and vote in this by-election.
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