MOTIONS
UNION COUNCIL PLENARY

February 21st 2017

Ordinary Motions

BOYCOTT AND DISVESTMENT FOR PALESTINE AND AGAINST APARTHEID...... 2

CARING FOR CARERS – STUDENTS WITH CARING RESPONSIBILITIES

END TO BLACK MEMBERS OFFICER

OPENING A 24 HOUR LIBRARY

NO TO OUTSOURCING

Emergency Motions

ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL DIETARY REQUIREMENTS...... 7

NO TO SUPPORTING AND/OR OUTSOURCING CAMPAIGNS...... 8

PROMOTING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM...... 9

BOYCOTT AND DISVESTMENT FOR PALESTINE AND AGAINST APARTHEID
Proposer: James Godfrey
Seconder: Kyle Williamson

This Council believes:

  1. That the ongoing occupation of Palestine and Israeli Apartheid imposes a range of barriers, including financial and practical to Palestinian people wanting to access university education which are at odds with the aims of Birkbeck College.
  2. That the principles of the Palestinian initiated Boycott Divestment and Sanctions campaign, initiated in 2005, are valid tools of resistance to the ongoing occupation of Palestine and Israeli Apartheid and in support of the Palestinian people’s right of return as demanded by United Nations Resolution 194.
  3. That student organisations and universities in Britain have a particular responsibility to campaign against British collaboration with Israeli Apartheid and the ongoing illegal acts of the Israeli state.

This Council resolves:

  1. That within the next month, BBKSU will establish a working group to report back to the Council as soon as practicable, on the details of institutions and corporations that support or profit from the Israeli military occupation of Palestine, that Birkbeck College has interests in or financial connections with. This working group should take particular notice of the national targets of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and its report should include recommendations on how the BBKSU can divest from and impose a boycott on goods and links.
  2. That BBKSU will lobby Birkbeck College to collaboratively develop policy strategies and guidelines to manage procurement policies as well as direct and indirect investments of Birkbeck College and the University of London.
  3. That BBKSU will seek to work with other organisations, including the Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and the National Union of Students to implement an academic boycott of Israeli universitiesand simultaneously seek to work with University College Union and other interested trade unions with a view to establishing relations with tertiary education students and their institutions in Palestine.
  4. That BBKSU will disseminate and support the dissemination of resources and materials on the issues raised in and related to this resolution, including during Israeli Apartheid Week.
  5. That BBKSU will issue official public statements throughout the year to publicise its work in implementing this resolution.

CARING FOR CARERS – STUDENTS WITH CARING RESPONSIBILITIES

Proposer: SharzadAbucar
Seconder:

This Council believes:

  1. There is no forum for Student Carers to come together to meet each other and discuss issues relating to Caring Commitments.
  2. Some departments, such as Cultures and Languages, are already very supportive of Student Carers, but the quality of support for Student Carers across departments is patchy and inconsistent.
  3. Caring is a fulfilling experience, but it can be emotionally, physically and mentally taxing for anyone involved. Specialist counselling is one way of promoting good practice for the overall wellbeing of the students who juggle family life, job and study.

This Council resolves:

  1. To create two Carers’ Evening annually, one for female carers and one male carers to identify and discuss Caring Commitments in a supportive and informal environment at university.
  2. To raise awareness about how to support student carers across all departments of the University, and move towards concrete/ measurable understanding and support from all departments.
  3. To support the creation of a carer’s counselling service as part of the existing student counselling service.

END TO BLACK MEMBERS OFFICER
Proposer: Hasan Hasan
Seconder:

This council believes

  1. That some black students feel the positon signals them out from the rest of the students by being labelled as part of “black members” which defines and groups them by the colour of their skin.
  2. The council understands that students should be able to enjoy their student life without being labelled.

This council resolves

  1. By ending the “black members officer” positon

OPENING A 24 HOUR LIBRARY

Proposer: Kyle Williamson
Seconder: Eliyahu Goldsobel

This Council believes:

  1. Birkbeck is an evening college, which means our students require facilities that meet this requirement.
  2. The library currently closes at a time which leaves students a matter of hours to collect books and other resources after lectures.
  3. The College previously had an arrangement for access to a 24 hour computer room, but this was shut down due to the college not arranging adequate security.
  4. 24 hour library access during term time is an essential requirement for a modern university, with universities across the UK including Reading, Warwick and Edinburgh amongst others having 24 hour access.

This Council resolves:

  1. Continue to support efforts by the Student Union to call for 24 hour library access during term time.
  2. Support the call from Unison that any additional staffs needed to keep the library opens past current times is employed by the college and current staff does not work longer hours.
  3. Build a campaign, working with students and Trades Unions on campus to make the 24 hour library a reality.

NO TO OUTSOURCING

Proposer: Kyle Williamson
Seconder: Eliyahu Goldsobel

This Council believes:

  1. Outsourcing is a huge waste of money, with the G4S Olympics contract and the lack of delivery being primary proof of this.
  2. Birkbeck College currently outsources a number of functions including cleaning and catering to outsourcing firms.
  3. While it is recognised that the staff are working very hard, it is clear that the outsourcing firms are paying these people poorly, with many below the London Living Wage.

This Council further believes:

  1. This council further believes that the lack of designated smoking zones at a safe distance from University buildings is causing smokers to congregate around entrances to buildings, and so the University is not paying due attention to the health, safety and well-being of both smoking and non-smoking students.

This Council resolves:

  1. Work alongside Unite the Union to form an anti-outsourcing campaign which will call for the various outsourced functions to be brought back under the College or Student Union control.

ACCESSIBILITY FOR ALL DIETARY REQUIREMENTS

Proposer: Eliyahu Goldsobel
Seconder: Boruch Gluck

This Council believes:

  1. that all students should be able to access food on campus.

This Council further believes:

  1. that where a big percentage of students at Birkbeck eat Kosher and/or Halal, understanding that there is a multi-cultural student body with verity of dietary requirements. We have seen a good verity in regards to vegetarian, pescatarian, and/or vegan.
  2. Caring is a fulfilling experience, but it can be emotionally, physically and mentally taxing for anyone involved. Specialist counselling is one way of promoting good practice for the overall wellbeing of the students who juggle family life, job and study.

This Council resolves:

  1. This matter but supplying a line of sandwiches and hot meal that has certified traceability for both Kosher and Halal.

NO TO SUPPORTING AND/OR OUTSOURCING CAMPAIGNS

Proposer: Eliyahu Goldsobel
Seconder: Boruch Gluck

This Council believes:

  1. That student needs refer to the matters obtaining to the needs of all students both national and international students, in the directive of studies and career, to further each student’s potential future. Having motions and policies which deal with international relations will prevent our students from feeling comfortable to partake in Student Unions, Clubs and Socs, events. It further believes that by doing so, students with their own cultural backgrounds will feel comfortable to be proud of their own identities and culture. This Council further believes:

This Council further believes:

  1. That student needs refer to the matters obtaining to the needs of all students both national and international students, in the directive of studies and career, to further each student’s potential future. Having motions and policies which deal with international relations will prevent our students from feeling comfortable to partake in Student Unions, Clubs and Socs, events. It further believes that by doing so, students with their own cultural backgrounds will feel comfortable to be proud of their own identities and culture.

This Council resolves:

  1. This matter by removing any outsourced campaign motions/policies, and help proactively support students to promote their identity and culture, and proactively promote the multicultural society we live in, as well as lead conversations that allows all ideologies to be confronted and given the freedom to express and be critiqued academically, culturally, and politically. To promote for such discussion to happen without fears of being shut down, excluded, and ridiculed. It further resolves to open a Middle-east forum as an alternative to students promoting campaigns in regards to the Israel/Palestine conflict, as well as an UN forum discussing international relationships, in general, to include an ethics committee to moderate motions for future councils. The council final resolve is that all resources that can be used to promote this should be sourced.

PROMOTING RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

Proposer: Eliyahu Goldsobel
Seconder: Boruch Gluck

This Council believes:

  1. That all religions should be represented in-house.

This Council resolves:

  1. That although there are chaplains for university that are registered under the umbrella of University of London, Birkbeck should have in-house chaplains. With the current global, European, and national, climate where people’s identities are oppressed an in house spiritual support of all religions should be readily available and sit on council.

This Council further believes:

  1. This by having an office for the in-house spiritual chaplain, to be shared by all faiths, outside of the multi-faith prayer room. A spiritual representative is to be elected by the student body, after being put forward as a candidate by the staff of the university. Representing, both, faculty and students.

07/11/2018
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