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OUCA elects first female president since 2015

The new President hopes to make OUCA "more inclusive and welcoming"

Ellie Flint has been elected OUCA president for Trinity 2019, which will make her the Association’s first female president in four years.

Having run unopposed, Flint was one of five women elected, with the other nine available positions filled by men.

Charlie-Anne Plemming and Kia Owen were elected as Junior Officers, with both topping the list, while Melissa Orr and Tess Vartanian were elected to the Association’s committee.

Last term four of the Association’s elected positions were filled by women, with the positions of President, Treasurer, and Secretary won by men.

Flint told Cherwell: “I am delighted to have been elected as president of OUCA for Trinity 2019.

“I look forward to continuing the work of previous presidents to make student politics, OUCA, and the Conservative Party a more inclusive and welcoming place, and I hope seeing a woman in the most senior position will lead to a positive effect and encourage more women to get involved.

I look forward to working with all of the team for the next two terms.”

Current OUCA President Ben Etty told Cherwell: “The lack of female participation in student politics and in OUCA is a serious problem that many people have fought hard to tackle in recent years.

“Though long overdue, I’m absolutely delighted that we have elected another female president, who I’m sure will bring a fresh perspective to the Association and encourage more women to get involved.

“Ellie has been great to work with this term in her role as a Junior Officer, and I wish her all the very best for what I’m sure will be a fantastic term under her leadership.”

Since 2014, Oxford University Liberal Democrats have had five female presidents. In 2016, Oxford University Labour Club mandated that at least one of their co-Chairs must be “someone who self identifies partly or wholly as a woman or transfeminine”.

Updated 30/11/2018: The OULD have had five, not three, female presidents since 2014. 

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