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EXECUTIVE MEETING NO. 12
5th November 2012 12.00 noon
Present:Luke Newton (Chair), Nick Pringle, Tabz O’Brien Butcher, Khalil Secker, Saad Wahid, Tommy Fish
In Attendance:Student Voice Manager, Union Director, Exec and Campaigns Assistant (minutes)
1.Apologies & Absences
Cat Gray, Membership Services Director
2.Actions and matters arising from previous meetings
3.Policy update
It was discussed that policy ideas needed to be assigned fully to members of the exec.
Idea / Assigned toPhD students to have a 'manchester.ac.uk' address, not 'postgrad.manchester.ac.uk'. / Luke
Campaign for the University to have a wider range
of waste sorting opportunities. / Kaz
Campaign for the University to redesign student
system to make it easier to select course units. / Luke
The Students' Union should build better relationships
with R.As / Kaz
Should the Union provide more awards for societies? / Tommy
To mandate the Union to encourage Greater
Manchester Police (GMP) to introduce no victim
blaming publicity about rape and consensual sex. / Cat
My idea is to have a separate classification of activities as 'Mind Sports'. / Tommy
The Union should aim to provide free self-defence courses for students. / Cat
The University of Manchester's Students' Union should
take responsibility for organising and promoting
HolocaustMemorial Day on campus. / Khalil
The University should endeavour to provide vegan
friendly and kosher food within all University food
outlets at a reasonable price. / Cat
Fuse FM to run a room at every Pangaea. Their
theme for the room, will, like everything else, go
through the Pangaea committee for approval.
However, they will be in charge of the musical
offering and decoration. / Tommy
There should be spaces available where you can heat
your own food and wash up your lunch box. The
"meal deal" costs £2.40. You can easily cook proper
food for £2 per day. / Nick
The union should run a campaign to protect the NHS
from cuts and privatisation. / Khalil
Prospective university students don't know what to
expect in uni. Not academically per se, but for University life in general. I would like to create a forum that runs once every Freshers' Week, to bring together interested first years to discuss and exchange their fears, dreams and hopes with a panel of student speakers. The purpose of this will be to give first year students a platform to engage
and learn from their older counterparts on a more
informal basis. / Cat
The university does provide day-time bus service
and personal safety information sessions, but I
believe the university and the students can go beyond
that and provide safer means of travel for students.
This could involve organizing a Walk Home service,
similar to those found on other universities. Although the Student Safe Zone is a start, the zone only covers the Oxford Rd area, and not beyond. What about students
who live in halls off Oxford Rd and in private accommodations around the campus in all directions?
What about free access to a night bus service? I believe these are both things that are viable and worth looking
into. / Kaz
There should be more sheltered outside areas.
/ Nick
Students should have access to PPT-slides from
previous year(s) of their elective modules to get a
better insight of the course outlines of these. / Luke
ACTION
Date assigned / Owned / Secondary owner / Policy / Priority / Action / Deadline05.11.12 / Exec / Develop action plans for assemblies / For Assemblies
4.Demo Update/Push
Khalil explained that he had been emailing students regarding the demo, and asking them to post the video on their Facebook pages, change their Facebook banner to the demo and hand out at least 5 flyers in a bid to push sales. The exec discussed how to promote the demo further. It was suggested that they attend society meetings with flyers and tickets. Tabz pointed out that sales were still low and this needed to improve.
Luke stated that, despite the front page of this week’s Mancunian, they should promote the safe guarding policy. The Exec expressed their concerns over being asked for quotes for the paper. The Union Director said that they were welcome to comment through the Communications and Marketing Manager.
ACTIONS
Date assigned / Owned / Secondary owner / Policy / Priority / Action / Deadline05.11.12 / Tommy / To email all societies regarding demo / 12.11.12
05.11.12 / Exec and Campaigns Assistant / To create another lecture shout out timetable. / 12.11.12
05.11.12 / Khalil / Student Voice / To head planning for Demo with help from Student Voice. / 21.11.12
05.11.12 / Luke / To write copy for student Reps around Demo / 09.11.12
05.11.12 / Union Director / To organise the demo bike to be fixed / 09.11.12
05.11.12 / Luke / To speak to the Federation of Islamic Student Societies regarding the demo / 12.11.12
5. Post Demo Campaign
It was discussed that there needed to be a campaign after the National Demo. There was a debate around ideas, including Course Closures, Employability, Open Book and Post Graduate fees. The General Secretary reminded the Exec that the union now had Faculty Reps that would be relevant when there is a portfolio review for courses.
Date assigned / Owned / Secondary owner / Policy / Priority / Action / Deadline05.11.12 / Luke / To write up ideas and plan to be emailed to Exec. / 12.11.12
6.Election Regulations
Tabz raised concern about tactics used by certain election candidates where students felt pressured into voting. The Union Director stated that the Union was currently discussing regulations to be used by universities in Greater Manchester that would be clear for all concerned.
Date assigned / Owned / Secondary owner / Policy / Priority / Action / Deadline05.11.12 / Student Voice / Arrange an open meeting for exec and students to discuss ideas for regulations. / 12.11.12
7.Organising for Assemblies
It was discussed who would be reporting back at the Assemblies this week. Tabz reminded the Exec that everyone should be attending each Assembly, unless there is a valid reason not so. Nick stated that only students should be attending the Assemblies.
Date assigned / Owned / Secondary owner / Policy / Priority / Action / Deadline05.11.12 / Exec and Campaigns Assistant / Arrange meeting for Exec to discuss NUS disaffiliation idea. / 05.11.12
05.11.12 / Union Director / To cancel NUS visit for Wednesday / 06.11.12
05.11.12 / Exec / To promote Assemblies through Facebook. / 07.11.12
8. Exec Accountability
Tabz explained that the Mancunian and students had expressed their concerns that the Exec need to be accountable to students. It was important, therefore, that this was a priority for the team. Tabz suggested “Keep Your Exec In Check” as a way to tell students that they can be held accountable.
Date assigned / Owned / Secondary owner / Policy / Priority / Action / Deadline05.11.12 / Student Voice / Plan Exec accountability / 12.11.12
9. CCTV
It was discussed whether or not the CCTV footage of the recent vandalism on the Palestine Plaque should be given to the Mancunian, and the effects the decision may have. It was decided that it would not be appropriatein this case to give the footage to the Mancunian.
10.Bids
Khalil submitted a bid for banner to promote the ‘Access to Essential’ Medicine campaign. He was reminded that this bid needed to be done as a society, and it was therefore rejected until a new bid was submitted.
11. AOB
a)Nick mentioned that the Exec needed to set the agenda for next week’s meeting with the University Senior Leadership Team. It was suggested that this included the Union Plan and Student Engagement.
Date assigned / Owned / Secondary owner / Policy / Priority / Action / Deadline05.11.12 / Nick / Email Exec agenda ideas for meeting / 07.11.12
b)Tabz highlighted the recent Mancunian article that asked if the Union’s Facebook group was a ‘wasted opportunity’. She stated that the page should be pushing other events and not just the Demo. Nick said that he had recently met with the Communications and Marketing Manager to tighten up the key message plan. It was discussed that societies and other events should be put online as well. The Exec were reminded that any posts should go through the Communications and PR Intern.
Date assigned / Owned / Secondary owner / Policy / Priority / Action / Deadline05.11.12 / Tommy / To ensure that societies are showcased on the Union’s facebook page. / 12.11.12
8.DATE OF NEXT MEETING
12 noon, Monday 12th November(Chair: Nick Pringle)