Union Council (3rd February 2015)

Members in attendance:

• Darren Richardson
• Jade Head (Student Trustee)
• Leon Rea (Student Trustee)
• Mert Chavushoglu
• William Yeong (Student Trustee)
• Charlotte Pollins
• Ellie Kilby
• Pyotr Kurzin
• Tom Emerson

The Chair (Ben Morton) welcomed members to the meeting and noted the apologies recieved. The Chair noted that Milosz Gaczkowski and Mayan Al-Shakarchy had resigned, and Josh McDonald had ceased to be a Full Member of the Students' Union and hence a Union Councillor.

The minutes of the meeting of 8th December were approved on a clear show of voting cards; the actions and decisions of that meeting had previously been ratified by Council electronically. The Chair noted that the meeting was inquorate (33 members were present), but that the meeting would continue and minutes would be ratified at a later date.

a. Election of Open Place Union Councillors

There were ten places available, and the following students were elected uncontested: Pyotr Kurzin, Charlotte Pollins, Ellie Kilby, Thomas Emerson.

b. Student representatives pool for Elections Working Groups

The Chair explained the membership of the Group.

c. Medicine Faculty Officer

Under Rule 7, section 7.4, on a clear show of voting cards, Council decided to delay the election of the Medicine Faculty Officer until the Summer block of elections (during this academic year).

d. Permission to undertake outside employment (Sabbatical Officers)

Sophia d'Angelico (Vice-President Education) requested the permission of Council to take up employment with the Quality Assurance Agency as a Student Reviewer. Council approved this employment on a clear show of voting cards.

There were no matters arising.

Poster space (Katie Lightowler): A good discussion that highlighted the difference betwene Union and University space, and whether we were currently using our space to the best of our ability? Easier to put things up. Space in faculties.

Recording Union Council (David Mendoza-Wolfson): Very positive, and he would now start having conversations with those involved.

Supporting our volunteers (Beckie Thomas): Would be returning later in the meeting.

Hire of minibuses to Winchester (Anjit Aulakh): The feasability was looked at and it was noted that Wednesdays and weekends are already largely hired. Not all groups have elibgle people to drive. A lot of issues at present, but he will go away and talk to the relevant people and bring this back.

Complaints procedure (David): A good discussion, and this would return to a future meeting of Council.

University sleep space (Katie Lightowler): Better advertising of chill-out space would be useful, and to look at including chill-out space in future Union planning.

Student Leader Review (Megan Downing): Largely finished, and now being implemented during the Spring Elections.

Equality Impact Assesments (Beckie Thomas): Work was progressing but this is a 2/3 year project. She advised students to look out for consultation.

Penalty Guidance (David Mendoza-Wolfson): this was on pause over the elections period, but will be brought up again once they are concluded.

a. Supporting and Recognising our Volunteers (1415P5)

Proposed: Steven Osborn (Union Councillor); Seconded: Jade Head

Steven explained that the Proposal aimed to to recognise and support the work volunteers do, and thanked Council for the helpful discussion earlier. The Proposal would support external accreditation and an annual survey to find out areas for improvement.

There were no speeches against.

David Mendoza-Wolfson moved Procedural motion E (to move to an informal discussion): He believed the Proposal was really positive but wanted to ask some questions. The Procedural Motion was passed on a clear show of voting cards.

David said that he thought the Proposal was fantastic, but asked if there was going to be a proper way of defining "volunteers", as this could include many people.

Steven said that he didn't have any particular definition in mind when he wrote this and that a definition will have to be decided on at a later date, when designing the survey. He would like to see it include student group committees. Beckie noted that in the discussion, the group had wanted to spread it to all volunteers. 

Sophia asked if the survey would be Redbrick or NSS style. Steven said he imagined it being like the staff survey.

David Allwright asked what kind of external accreditation would be being looked at? Steven said that this was deliberately left vague, to be determined at a later date. An example was Investors in People. Sophia noted that SUSU was not ablwe to enter the NUS awards but suggested that maybe other non-affiliated Unions might have something suitable?

David asked if the goal was to improve CVs? Steven suggested that the aim was more to recognise SUSU’s work.

Beckie noted that a new member of staff was coming in to look at this area of work. Steven noted that parts were left vague in order to accommodate this. 

• The Policy Proposal passed, on a clear show of voting cards.

 

The reports were recieved.

No reports were submitted.

a. Attendance of Union Council Members and Student Trustees

Beckie Thomas had not been able to get in touch with Emily Shepherd regarding her abscence.

Megan Downing would discuss Pyotr's abscence with him at the end of the meeting.

b. Officer Reports (see also VP Sports Development report)

Beckie Thomas noted cross-city work on sexual harrasement, and that an open discussion was to come. The recent housing fair had been busy, which was good. The BEES project was in need of volunteers, but was otherwise going well. THere would be a Working Group meeting in the next few months to discuss faith provision. She also encouraged those thinking of running for a sabbatical officer position to come and speak to her, Meg or David.

Ellie Cawthera noted that student volunteering week was soon, and work would be done on waste recycling at the end of year. All student emails were now going out on a more regular basis, but that they would be relevant and not more than once a month. She also noted the forthcoming crepe shack on the Redbrick, the general election website and that Thursday was National Voter Registration Day.

Megan Downing noted that elections were the main bulk of her work at present. Planning was well underway for the Student Publication Association National Conference, and a new group for Students In Performing Arts was being established. The recent screening of The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel had been a success. The Creative Industries Careers Season had gone well, and the special LGBT issue of the Wessex Scene was launching next week.

Katie Lightowler apologised for the delay with her report. She noted the work on the sports strategy, including a focus on coaches. The Shop on Top has Team Southampton branding and will have stash soon, and a website will follow. Alumni Day, Intra-Mural Ball and the AU Ball were all organised. Varsity preparations were well underway as well. She had recently received news that the University were finally taking drainage at Wide Lane seriously and a bid was being put together for this.

Sophia d’Angelico noted that a lot of work over the past six months had lead up to the QAA inspection this week. The University would receive a report back on the 19th February and the full report in the summer. A transition pack was being put together for Dalian. A new academic representation policy was currently being reviewed, and guidance was being developed for staff.

Anjit Aulakh: Work on the bus service to Winchester bus was going in right direction. Noted image and that many people had been confused with a non-white elf. JCR training was underway, and there would be an International forum on 18th Feb. He welcomed the new Winchester manager. The focus for the Improving Participation group next year would be disability. 19th Feb was Chinese new year, and there would be lots on on the Concourse, and approval has been received from the University to celebrate Holi on the Redbrick.

David Mendoza-Wolfson: Drew attention to the recommendations from his Malaysia report and summarised these. He noted that it won’t be easy, so is asking for money from the Uni, looking at seconding staff, and some changes to make here. University Council has just allocated £500k for a feasibility and design study into a new Union building to be finished by end 2015, and it was expected that this would result in a ~£10 million investment. Shortlisting for the new Vice-Chancellor had finished this afternoon, and would hopefully be finished by the end of term.

c. Questions to Officers

Q1: Sophia explained that there were problems with the accuracy of the system as the data is very vague, but that she was working with the University to fix this.

Q2: Katie apologised, and said that this had been investigated and fixed. On 2nd September there had been no meeting, and also 28th November. She assured Council that these would be on time in future.

Q3: David informed Council that these were currently being worked on and would be published as soon as they’re finished.

Q4: Beckie informed Council that one of those meetings wasn’t held, and the other set of minutes wasn’t published when it should have been, but that this was now fixed.

Q5: David informed Council that they were currently looking at the costs and will be going from there, but that this would be happening soon.

Q6: "Could you please give an update on when you expect to hold the first meeting of the Sabbatical Officer Term Limits Working Group?" (Fraser Delves)

Megan said that the question for the voting interface would shortly be sent around the Group, and the Group can then meet after the election, but if they want to meet, she would be happy to organise this.

Q7: "Policy 1213P10 (External Letting Agencies on Campus and Hall Sites) mandates the VP Welfare:

1. 1. To lobby the university to enforce tighter security on campus and halls to stop external letting agents from infiltrating those spaces.
2. 2. To lobby the university to work with SUSU to create a response to letting agencies who are found to have been on halls sites, asking them to cease and desist with an explanation as to why.

Throughout the Autumn Term and part of the Spring Term, it seems that some letting agencies have gained access to halls to circulate flyers. One company has told students to 'KEEP CALM NO LONGER!', stating that over 500 Southampton students had signed up with them before Christmas.

In light of this, do you feel that Policy 1213P10 is still adequate as a way of challenging the exploitative behaviour of external letting agencies?" (Fraser Delves)

Beckie said that a plan was in place before next year's rush, to speak to letting agencies earlier.

Giles Howard asked Megan if the AGM policy permitting direct questions to sabbatical officer candidates has been implemented? Megan confirmed that it had.

Giles asked David whether SUSU was approaching our work in Malaysia in a way that would ensure this doesn’t turn into money sink. David asked him to clarify the phrase "money sink"? Giles said that he had been informed that the University's work in Malaysia cost around £2 million per head, but we have limited resources. David said that this figure was massively inaccurate, but noted that the work has been expensive and it was a long-running project. He said SUSU would not be wasting money and are very careful with our expenditure, and we would take an approach that would be able to be expanded in future. 

David asked Megan if she agreed that it would be good if every member of Council read the Sabbatical Officers' 6 month blogs? The Chair encouraged everyone to read the blogs.

The Star was awarded to Sam Bailey for his dedication to dedication and commitment to his role as Equality and Diversity Officer. He has already achieved some impressive changes to impact students, including co-writing the equality impact assessment policy, collecting feedback an accessibility focus group, organising subtitled screenings and Union Films for hearing impaired students, and organising the LGBT history month activities for February; including an innovative idea to create an LGBT focussed Wessex Scene magazine. He most definitely deserves to be recognised for all of the time and energy he has given to his role so far.

Sam updated Council on the events and activities organised for the forthcoming LGBT history month.

The date and time of the next meeting is 19 March 2015 at 6pm. The meeting closed at 8:12pm.