University of Abertay Dundee Students’ Association
Meeting of Executive Committee
Minutes
Of the Executive Committee meeting held on Monday 21st October 2013 at 3pm in the Student Centre Cinema.
Present: Richard Cook(Chair)
Andrew Reid
Louise MacAulay
Robyn Donoghue
Paige Shepherd
In attendance: Stewart Squire
Margaret Malloch (Minutes)
1. WELCOME
Richard welcomed members to the meeting.
2. APOLOGIES
Apologies were received from Bill Blackstock, Sarah Samson and Rachel Walker and Elley Petrie.
3. MINUTES FROM THE MEETING ON 7th OCTOBER 2013
The Minutes from the meeting held on 7th October 2013 were accepted as a true record of that meeting.
4. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING
4.1 Society access to their web page
Stewart has contact NUS regarding the problems being experienced by Societies. It was agreed to tie the website training in with the Club & Society training being organised by Sarah and Elley.
4.2 Promote SRC places
Promotion of SRC was successful and the meeting was quorate.
4.3 Discuss changes to teaching
Feedback to be brought to the next SRC.
4.4 Information regarding STEM
Paige has been experiencing problems collating the information. She has contacted Diane Gibson about wanting to work with the STEM co-ordinator, but to date has had no reply. She has also contacted Lynne Parker regarding being put in touch with AMG lecturers and the head of the Business School.
4.5 Zone conference link to all members
Done
As Sarah and Elley could not attend the meeting, their items will be brought to the next Executive meeting.
5. REPORTS
5.1 President - report attached
Richard gave a brief explanation of his written report.
5.2 Vice President
Sarah gave her report via Facebook. The Kilimanjaro trek now has 11 people signed up. The HEAR conference proved to be helpful for ideas.
5.2 Executive
Paige – Waiting for students to get back to her regarding the proposed changes to
Teaching and Learning. Has signed up to be a STEM Ambassador.
Robyn – SLAM meeting organised for Thursday 24th October at 5pm. Richard is to book a room for the meeting.
Dundee Rep to supply free tickets to a Young Rep Ambassador, who will interview the cast of the current production. Video/interview will be made available to SLAM. Robyn will discuss timelines with Stuart Tait.
Andrew – Has interviewed, and made a video of last year’s Erasmus students. The video will be used during the Abertay Goes Global event.
6. COSTED PLAN OF WORK - Report attached
Richard gave a brief explanation of his report. The members agreed the budget.
7. DUNDEE STUDENT COUNCIL UPDATE
Richard, along with DUSA President, Iain MacKinnon, aim to establish the Dundee Student Council, which will meet bi-monthly to raise and discuss issues relating to Dundee students. The proposed council will consist of 5 students from each of the 3 Dundee Universities/Colleges (2 x sabbatical officers and 3 students).
8. MOTION ON OPENNESS - Motion attached
It was agreed to follow the plain English ethos of the motion and to hold bi-weekly surgeries on alternate Mondays from the Exec meetings. The surgeries are to be well advertised. Various tactics on how to run them to ensure the best practice for the surgeries will be looked into.
9. MOTION ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY – Motion attached
Richard gave a brief explanation of the Motion which was passed by members. Richard will now take the motion to the University.
10. SRC BUSINESS
Professor Steve Olivier is to be invited to the next SRC to explain fully to members the proposed changes to Teaching and Learning. Richard is to email a report to the exec explaining the proposed changes in more detail.
Robyn noted the Powerpoint presentation and pace of the meeting should be maintained. She also suggested that next year the election of class reps should be organised by the Students’ Association.
Class Rep training takes place at the West Park on Wednesday 23rd October, with training for returning reps taking place in the Student Centre on the 30th October. A follow up event for new reps who are unable to attend on the 23rd is to be arranged.
11. INDUSTRIAL ACTION AT ABERTAY ON 31ST OCTOBER 2013
Richard explained the reasons behind the proposed industrial action being taken by University staff and noted he would support the action.
12. A.O.C.B.
No other business was noted.
Presidents Report
Over the course of the past fortnight I have been working mostly on SRC, the strikes, Class Rep Conference and building the Dundee Students’ Council.
On top of that I attended Senate with Sarah. The only noteworthy item for us is the change to mitigating circumstances in relation to the new late-submissions policy.
I also attended University Court. Here they discussed the refurbishment of Alloways Halls and that they’re letting the lease run out at Victoria Chambers. The demolition of The Bread as part of the universities Estates Strategy was noted. The university failed to recruit enough RUK and Overseas students – they’re now looking to see how to make degrees more appealing to international students (because they’re treated as cash-cows). The university completed 42/54 of the intended Outcome Agreement achievements for this year. And they’ve brought down the number of students in the university to bring down the staff-student ratio which will now sit at 1:23; they do this so we will look better on University Ranking tables.
There was also SRC.
I had meetings with Nigel Seaton (Principal) where I discussed rolling international fees, and Sheena Stewart (University Secretary) to talk about disciplinary boards.
Plan of Work budget
November – Circa £1400
Women in STEM (£300); Dundee Students’ Council (£0+); Erasmus (£600); Healthy living (£300); By-election (£200)
December – Circa £600
Stress-awareness (£300); Preparing for winter (£300)
January – Circa £1500
Online Bookstore (£300); Living Wage (£600); Indyref (£300); Society training (£300); Welcome back RAG (£TBC)
February – Circa £900
Liberation workshops (£300*); LGBT History Month (£300*); Go Green (£300);
March – Circa £2000
Elections (£1000); NSS (£TBC); UADSA Survey (£1000)
April – Circa £1300
Stress-Awareness (£300); STLA’s (£1000)
Additional costs
Burns Supper – £1500
SLAM – £2100
Potential 20th Anniversary event for the Students Association – £1500
*Both of these events come under Equality and Diversity campaigning which is attributed £600 altogether.
Motion: “The Students’ Association Annual General Meeting adopts the proposed ‘Openness and Plain Communication’ Policy.”
Proposer: James Bastone
Openness and Plain Communication Policy
Plain Communication
1. Use of the Plain English guides [http://www.plainenglish.co.uk/free-guides.html] in all Students’ Association publications, policy and communications with students and members of the public. In addition, these guidelines shall be used in internal communication where possible.
2. Rewriting of or amendments made to the constitution of the Students’ Association must be written to follow the guidelines and in consultation with ordinary members.
3. Society constitutions when rewritten or amended should follow the guidelines. The Students’ Association should aid societies in achieving this with advice and a template constitution in Plain English.
4. Students requiring help with wording motions for SRC, AGMs or EGMs in Plain English shall be aided by the Students’ Association on request.
5. The Standing Orders shall be revised and new Standing Orders proposed for approval to a future SRC, AGM or EGM with a guide to using them and written in Plain English.
Openness
1. Agenda and Approved Minutes of all Students’ Association meetings shall be published on the Students’ Association website and noticeboard in a timely fashion.
a. Reserved areas of business shall be exempt from publication in line with the Constitution.
2. All other appropriate documents including policy and procedures shall be published on the website or available upon request from the Students’ Association Office with a reasonable period of notice.
3. Decisions made by the Executive, SRC, AGM or EGM should be announced through headlines on the website, twitter, Facebook and the notice board.
4. Executive Members shall between them hold weekly timetabled surgeries outwith their offices so that any student may attend and speak to them without an appointment. The times and locations shall be made available on the Students’ Association notice board and website.
University of Abertay Dundee Students’ Association
Meeting of Executive Committee
Minutes
Of the Executive Committee meeting held on Thursday 28th February 2013 at 1pm in the Student Centre Cinema.
Present: William Mohieddeen (Chair)
Sarah Samson
Richard Cook
Scott McBurney
Brian Beacom
Kevin Rooney
In attendance: Bill Blackstock
Stewart Squire
Margaret Malloch (Minutes)
7. MOTIONS
Openness and Communication 1
Motion: In order to better facilitate openness, accountability and an increase in the professional image of the students’ association, the Executive Committee agrees to establish abertayunion.co.uk email addresses for all current executive members.
Action: Set-up email addresses at the abertayunion.co.uk domain. It is suggested that Brian Beacom be given this task.
The Motion, by a show of hands, was passed unanimously.
Openness and Communication 2
Amendment
Proposer: William Mohieddeen
Seconder: Richard Cook
UADSA-EC notes:
The Openness and Communication motion passed at SRC
UADSA-EC further notes:
That we should reflect on that we shall be asking students to engage in many different things over the remainder of the semester and there is a potential for students to be saturated by UADSA activity.
UADSA-EC believes:
Surgeries will enhance student engagement with the UADSA as aligned to the Representative theme of the Strategic Plan.
That surgeries should facilitate two-way communication, so students interested in UADSA activity can hear about events e.g. SLTAs, democratic events, campaigns; as well as providing a platform for students to feed information to the Executive Committee
That surgeries should have an inclusive, welcoming environment.
UADSA-EC resolves:
To have three surgery events before the Semester 2 coursework and exam diet.
That surgeries shall be attended by at least two executive committee members.
That surgeries be held in either the Blue Area or at the Abertay Union reception desk.
To treat these surgeries as pilots, for feedback to be available and ready for next year’s Executive Committee to reflect upon and improve for planning surgeries in 2013-14.
The amendment, by a show of hands, was passed.
University of Abertay Dundee Students’ Association
Meeting of Executive Committee
Minutes
Of the Executive Committee meeting held on Tuesday 14th May 2013 at 1pm in the Student Centre Cinema.
Present: William Mohieddeen (Chair)
Sarah Samson
Richard Cook
Brian Beacom
Kevin Rooney
In attendance: Bill Blackstock
Stewart Squire
Margaret Malloch (Minutes)
5. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MOTION – Motion attached
Brian gave a brief explanation of the motion. A recommendation to review the situation as it stands and to take it forward to the next Exec meeting was agreed unanimously.