MINUTES FOR STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE FORUM
20th November 2014 6pm
SRF
Chair welcomed all and started the meeting with a 1 minute silence for Transgender Remembrance day.
Minutes from last meeting approved – Request that Ruairi Hipkin’s name is corrected
Apologies received from Stephen Brennan and Hristina Kamburova
Procedural motion F requested to change the order of the Agenda – Agreed to move Attendance Monitoring to after the Free Education Motion
Free our Education Motion
· Chair stated that the Articles of Governance ( article 51) take priority over the by laws as they are not consistent with each other.
· Procedural motional B – challenging the ruling of the chair
· Went to a vote:
- Chair’s ruling that Article 51 is followed which would mean that if a simple majority voted in favour of the motion w then it would be taken to a referendum
Vote was in favour of following the Chair’s ruling
· Motion was discussed – At last month’s SRF the student body voted to support the Free Education demonstration. Part of this motion included the SU funding a coach to the next demonstration being held in London
· After the vote the NUS pulled support from the demonstration. The President of the SU took this information to the trustee board to seek advice- the board voted that the SU should not be supporting this, there were too many possible risks associated with it.
· It was felt that the president should never have taken this to the Trustees as she had opposed the original motion and that the Trustees should not have overturned a democratic decision made by the students.
· Vote : 65 for 119 against 4 abstain and 3 spoilt papers so the motion fell.
Censures from previous meeting
Chair decided no censures should be given as reports were submitted, they were just not written reports so it was just a misunderstanding and no case to answer.
Ruth Raymer resigned as Mature and Part – Time officer – a vote of thanks was asked for to recognise her work over the last few years in setting up MAPSA.
Attendance Monitoring and Transparency motions were withdrawn by the proposer
George Johnson withdraw his membership from the Honorary Life Committee as he didn’t feel that the SRF was meeting its remit to provide free and open debate that is accessible for all.
Executive Officer Reports – written & video
Written reports were available and videos were played
Questions were directed to the Officers :
- Asked why liberation issues were being done by non liberation officers or not working together on issues – response was that they were working together , just different leads
- Mentor Scheme –seems to be a bit of a misunderstanding in terms of what the scheme can help with - MS & CLC to take to the university group that runs the scheme – who funds this scheme – University bid for funds from the Higher Education Funding Council
- Is the Peer Mentor scheme still running – yes VP welfare can provide contacts
- Can forums be better advertised – VP Services agreed to look into this
- Big Food Survey was biased and only specified three diets – VP Services responded that there was a comments box to add alternatives
- Rag Week – food bank , could this be a regular weekly thing , VP Services will look into the possibility, the Catholic society currently rum the ad hoc one and have said the logistics of doing it regularly are difficult
- ISA asked for more support from the SABBS and to promote the society more
- Concerns raised regarding Red Radio - VP Services will look into this
- National day of student action – are we doing anything? – campaigns officer is planning to do so and will be focusing on it over the next few weeks
Lapsed Union Policies :
This will be a standing agenda item going forward as there are many policies lapsing this year.
1. Think Before You speak expires 29th Nov – this will be taken to the Disabled Forum to discuss and decided on ( next forum is 12th Jan 13.00)
2. Two minutes Silence upon 11th Nov and Annual Poppy Appeal – Expires 8th Nov voted to keep this policy ( For 41, 5 abstained and 0 against)
3. That’s So Gay – Think before you speak - Expires 8th Nov - taken to the LGBT Forum to discuss ( next forum 9th Dec)
4. Accommodation Campaign – Expires 3rd Nov – Agreed that this would be brought back to SRF to discuss in full
5. N30 Education Shutdown – Expires 3rd Nov – remove policy ( 41 for , 0 against and 0 abstain)
Student’s Union Affiliations
Seem to be a number of affiliations missing from the list provided such as
- Defend the right to protest and confusion over some of the political party affiliations – Liberal Democrats are only ones listed currently. Request to go out to societies to find out if there are affiliations we are not aware of.
Post Graduate Election Dates
Elections are being re- run as they were deemed to have not been free and fair.
These dates were accepted 42 for 0 against 2 abstained
These will now also include the MAPSA elections
Free time
Much discussion about the fact that the room was not big enough to hold all the students that wanted to attend the debate- Chair made it clear that alternative venues had been requested and there was nothing available.
Also comments made that free discussion was not had as people were talking and mocking others during speeches.
It was suggested that controversial issues should be kept on the agenda till last to encourage people to stay in the room.
Number of students express concern that this was the first time they had heard of SRF and more needed to be done to spread the word.
SRF does not work and is not interesting, too many references to by laws and procedural motions – suggested an easy guide to SRF be provided
Safety Bus - question asked about lack of information on how to get from Colchester to University – VP Welfare explained that this is already a project and the SU is looking at the service as a whole. Are restrictions on what we can advertise due to the license the SU has. Also mentioned that as more students are living further away, depositing students by Waitrose is not safe – VP Welfare to look into this. To note the safety bus is not making a profit.
The First Bus Company – could VP services please ask them to lower the cost of a borough card, also 75 and 61 bus route finishes at 7.00, can they be asked to stay open longer
Next meeting is 11th Dec
Attendance List
Jessica Blair Chair
Executive
Chantel le Carpentier President
Michael Spencer VP Education
Luke Bowdery VP Activities
Cherina Darrell-Sutherland VP Welfare & Community
James Rolfe Disabled Students Officer
Ruth Raymer Mature Students officer
Matteo Paba Participation & Involvement Officer
Adam Coll LGBT officer
Adria Porta Caballe Campaigns Officer
Charlie Edge Women’s Officer
Ogechukwu Onyia Charity & Fundraising Officer
Taireen Hussainn's BME Officer
Emily Armstrong Ethics and Environment officer
Student Attendees
Natasha Osei-Aremaeh
R Konagbon
Ezekiel Peeta
Tanyaradzua Kanogoyiwa
Afis Olawrewwasu Gbadamoss
Akan Ekanem
Sei Downes
Oluroun Quadi
Sophia Malin
Joshua Yeboah
Leanna Cofano
John Oduor
Michael Farah
Emily Carter-Richardson
Sage Eriksson
Fiolla Korenica
Emily Townsend
Melissa Sendes
Neekhil Patel
Eric Matthews
Poppy Gerrad
Emma Holland
Antony Taylor
James Wood
M Johnson
Chelsea Jade Thomas
Pamela Njandu
Nerifa lukvamusu
Julianna Doughty
Roslind Redstoke
Tracy Ilunge
B Leung
Mayo Adeosum
Mazino Jarik
Philippa Bjaalend
Ellen Jessup-Dunton
Libby Johston
Sam Crocgh
Caroline Dunmore
Robert Hall
Jack Street
Josh O’Conner
Ewan Daves
Michael Marigan
Alex Dillon-Reams
Fabian
Malene Kabella
Lucinda Andrews
Stephen Dudley
Omar Narik
San Send
Jessica Rich
Scott Osbon
Mitchell Bond
Bonnie Murphy
Charlotte Corgrove
Megan Sharman
Perry James
Paige Blastock
Jorden Cohen
George Johnson
Rowan Daniels
Alex-Claxton-Nager
Christopher Flossman
Jake Parkins
Josh Murray
S Griesnr
Liam Gilbert
Madalina Radu
Paula Huitsu
Amelia Naner
Stefan Bertrum
Andrew Jones
Robert Haughton
Pargines Alexandros
Aikaterini Seraleim Rovanaki
Chad Blackmoor
Lexi Keegan
George Dorela
Zoe Garsh
Connor Moone
Debbie Remi
Rianne Thompe
Richie Jackson
Nuinda Saye
Kenneth Vitofiz
Moradeyo Makinde
Remi Enigbokan
Vivica Gravesande
Joek Fryer
Lewis Brown
Lee Stansfield
Tom Watson
Madalina Leordean
Rob Brown
Lorenza Arnabold
Jordan McCartney
Nikki Grant
Pinar Temiz
Josh Gulratani
Beth Astley
Ryan Lethaby
James Prasser
Shani Cracknell
Jasmin Andrews
Gurvinder Parmar
Kirsty Partner
David Budo
Jack Drewett
Jonny o’Hara
Martin Talbot
Yusra Ali
Lauren Betts
Stefanie Nitsche
William Stacey
Jacob barrett
Rebekah Patrick
Manna Thalikallumkal
Conor O’loan
Tom Phillips
Conor Brady
Anthony Campbell
Matthew Lee
Seun Awonus
Wole lawb
Michael Premeh
Joghis Semis
Despina Malai
Sergiu talaba
Aron Donaldson
Ionut Iliesco
Ekta Bahad
D Fawibe
D Hatalp
Antonia laporta
Alistair Wilson
Theo Chashorton
James Potter
Harry wells
N Welbrock
Joshua james
Jake Stones
Student Union Staff
Craig Stephens - Chief Executive
Marianne Provan – Deputy Chief Executive
Gary Richardson – Representation and Democracy Co-ordinator
Reeves Watson – Director of Student Services
Nick Atling – Digital Marketing Co-ordinator
Freddie Stringer – Market Intelligence Co-ordinator
Michelle Harris – Governance Clerk