KeeleSU Union Annual General Meeting
Held on Monday 22nd February 2016
KeeleSU
Minutes
Sergeants at arms appointed: Craig, Alice
All of the steering committee are candidates in the elections, this was declared and no problems were raised.
- Reports
Report order (all online): Jo, Craig, Nat, Ela, Nick
Mo (to Ela) – what happened with Jason Derulo?
Nat (on Ela’s behalf)– explained that his agent signed a contract the promotor didn’t agree with. He did come to the SU, the SU ents manager discussed with JD’s crew, but he left.
Any final questions
Jo Lea – why has some sabs reports that were submitted late been accepted when other motions submitted by Nat haven’t been accepted?
Chair – reports were deemed more important than the motions, a full response will be given
Nat – NUS motion submitted late because it wasn’t finalised until Tuesday. It is important and I’m disappointed it isn’t heard. We’re now behind other unions.
- Motions
4.1 Junion Doctors Motion
Chair reads the motion
Tom reads a statement form hospital campus rep in support
Jamie – action point two to be amended. Fact 5 changed to “in relation….”
Jo – should we just support junior doctors or BMA too?
Tom – BMA too
Mo – amend action point 2 to “junior doctors that the BMA represents”
Adrian – some are still against it
Sophie – when you start a medical degree most people sign to become part of the BMA but not all
Tom – amendment is fine
Jo – amendment from “this contract” to specify time
Mo – if we specify this time then it is only valid now
Alex – procedural motion that the motion is put to vote
against – 2
abstain 1
Vote on motion
abstain – 3
Motion passes
4.1 gluten free food
Chai reads the motion
Nat and Sab explain Nicks work on catering has been ignored by the SU. Most concerning is lack of gluten free options but wider variety too.
Tom – poor salad bar to be moved to opinion section
Nat – agreed
Mo – change poor to inadequate
Nat – salad bar is gluten free but still bad
Chair – wording is staying
Nick sab – salad bar isn’t poor but is expensive. Action shouldn’t just be gluten free but other dietryrequirments too
Nick C – gluten free and healthier options amendment
Suad – add dairy free as lots of lactose intolorent
Nat – fine
Alex H – vegetarian should be added
Nat – there is more than last year
Nat – amend to “food should be required to provide food to meet the dietry requirements of all students including but not exclusively gluten free, veggie, vegan”
Mo – action point to do more frequent reviews
Nat – its there, add “at regular intervals”
Nick sabb – action point that keeleSU read food fighters report
Ethar – procedural motion to vote
all for
Motion passes
4.3 Gender Neutral Toilets
Chair reads the report
Nat – update, the lock has now been fixed. Its not a radar but normal lock. There is more concern that there are very few gender neutral toilets rather than the lock. No specific place for non-binary and are just chucked with disabled
Alex h – another update, the lock broke again on Friday and is still broken
Tom Campbell – surely maintenance aren’t doing there job?
Nat – this is the best option
Alex – one member of staff is in charge of repair and does a shift once a week
Nick sabb – its easy to slate staff as there may not be a spare lock
Nat – this isn’t about lock or cleanliness its about lack of gender neutral toilets. We need to make a commitment to non binary toilets.
Mo – could we make a reporting system?
Nat – yes
Mo – action point to publicise the reporting system can be used by students
Craig – it is on the website, they go to craig and then I forward them
James English – priority should be given to disabled toilets rather than gender neutral ones
Nat – this is common practice.
Nick – should we have a steward stopping people going in at night?
Jo – we do
Alex – there is someone a few feet away
Jo – adjust motion to remove the lock sections
action 1 moved to opinions
Vote:
against: 1
abstain 1
Motion passes
4.4 motion of censure
chair reads motion and gives 3 minute time limit to explain, 5 to discuss
Tom – didn’t write the motion but on behalf of student council. Rag week not finalised until the week before, person that organised it wasn’t even rag rep, disputed between volunteering week and RAG week
Nick C – rag week went well from what I saw
Nat – I have witnesses other PTOs that have not turned up for anything, if this passes we should do it for others
Nick – Jose should leave like at student council if he wishes
Vote:
for – 14
against - 15
abstain – 16
motion fails as it did not reach a 2/3 majority
Anthea – motion to discuss Aat’s motion regarding refugees
chair – we’ll put it onto discussion points
vote:
all for
Motion passes
- Discussions
5.1 CEO
Explains Daryl is from Aber and what his plans are
5.2 Dignity and respect
Nat – We want to make a framework that works for student. Nat needs to produce a code of conduct for elected officer both FTO and PTO, this should be written with students not just officers. Need to know if theres any input from the student body. Will produce a survey at a later date
Gaydeliya – how would this effect the student body?
Nat – sets out expectations for officers, if anyone breaches it then they can be brought to it and sanctioned. We don’t have this for officers and can behave as we/they like. All a HR policy.
Alex – what would be the process of the sanctions?
Nat – officers are held to account by membership not staff members so it wouldn’t change, just formalising it
Alex – could someone be removed from office without it coming to UGM?
Chair – this wouldn’t change as it’s in the by-laws
5.3 Med School Issues
Nat – theres been issues and complaints with health and conduct panels, I am investigating them and not impressed with their process. Health and conduct is below fitness to practice panels where they can be removed from practicing, so this is serious. Students feel like they are unnecessarily harsh and make them feel embarrassed and uncomfortable.
Tom reads on behalf of health campus rep
Nat – have already spoken to other medical schools, Birmingham have issues for example and are doing similar things. Medical school is separate and should be talked about
Nick C – bad behaviour from medical school as it stigmatises mental health. Unhappy with medical campus rep.Having a meeting with Jake Baker later in week.
Adrian – all panels are bad. They are discouraged from getting a representative from the BMA, minutes from meetings are bad, theres never firm decisions.
Sarah –hospital campus rep would be aware of issues if he was at student council and I disagree with his report.
Jo – I will help Nat as education is involved. Regarding Jake’s statement Nat should be representing them and his statement is inappropriate.
Mo – student support at med school is inefficient. Have had many complaints from Isoc. It is biased as some medics didn’t know they could go to the SU for support.
Nick C – what do you mean by actively discouraging students from support?
Nat – ranges from not telling them they can have representations or don’t go to ASK as it could negatively affect the decision. Also feel they cant disclose mental health issues in case it affects the panel.
Nick C – hope the actions from this report also apply to pharmacy etc
Nat – pharmacy is good
Nick Reeves – statement from Jake is wrong. Sabbs represent ALL students.
5.4 Jo doesn’t want it to be heard anymore
5.5 Refugee discussion
Nat reads motion
Nat – Keele needs to be at the forefront as its in the 5 year plan.
Tom – procedure to vote on it as a motion
vote:
all in favour
Motion passes
Alice – agree with the motion but remove ‘no one is illegal’ from This Union Believes no.1
Nat – don’t agree
Alex –If a person crosses a border the ACT is illegal not the person. Terminology is wrong.
Mo –procedural motion to vote on amendment
vote: sam has numbers
amendment fails
Mo – amendments:
1) for Keele SU to lobby for at least 10 scholarships to refugees for tuition and living cots
2) to lobby for supplementary English language support before or alongside programme
3) for Keele to write a letter to government to allow in more refugees
Nat –
1) 10 is unrealistic, no number
2) all refugees not Syrian refugees
3) Seele SU will make a separate letter as well as one with uni
Tom – motion to move to a vote
vote:
against – 1
abstain – 1
Motion passes
Vote on full motion
abstain – 3
motion passes
- AOB
Jo – vote in motion next week!