Policies for Council to Consider for Early Completion

Policies for council to consider for early completion

Policies past by this council normally last three years before “lapsing.” The below policies have been identified by the Officer team as policies that they would like to lapse early (before the three years are up.) This would mean that the Union would no longer have to work on the policies or abide by them.

Council will have a vote on whether to lapse these policies, the detail of which you can find below.

Name / Current date which it will lapse / Page number / Officer
Communications Policy / January 2019 / P2 / VPMC
Walkover Policy for Sports Clubs / October 2018 / P3 / VPSA

1.7 Communications Policy

Proposer: Vice President Media and Communication Lapses January 2019

This Union notes:

De Montfort University has a diverse student body and the Students’ Union has a responsibility to engage with students as possible.
That effective communication between members and the Union is key to the student experience.
Communications with the University and key stakeholders are also important.
There is a need for structure and a strategy to maintain and manage our communication in order for it to be effective.

This Union believes:

A good communications strategy is vital because of the following:
To ensure key messages from DSU are communicated effectively.
To further our strategic objectives.
To prioritise communications activity and to ensure DSU recognises the importance of communicating effectively both internally and externally.
To ensure the DSU brand is maintained and developed.
To define the role of student media.
To define the protocol DSU should follow in the event of a crisis.
To ensure the local and national media outlets promote the Union’s positive activities.
To raise our profile with external organisations and key stakeholders.
To highlight the positive impact our students have in the community.

This Union instructs:

A communications strategy should be maintained and frequently reviewed yearly.
The Vice President Media and Communications should be the primary Executive Officer responsible for the communications strategy and other Executive Officers should actively support it.
The Media and Communications Coordinator should support the Vice President Media and Communications in adhering to this strategy.
The Vice President Media and Communications and Media and Communications Coordinator should oversee all social media channels.
The Vice President Media and Communications be responsible for ensuring the student media reflects the diverse needs of the student body.
A communications one-page plan will be written at the beginning of each year by the Vice President Media and Communications and the Media and Communications Coordinator to ensure the Union’s communications adapt as the student body adapts.
Students will be reminded about their conduct on social media in accordance with the social media policy on a termly basis

5.4 Walkover Policy for Sports Clubs

Proposer: Vice President Student Activates Lapses October 2018

Union notes

Frequently, Sports Clubs have had walkovers which has cost the Students’ Union money
That in the 2014/15 season, DMU teams gave up 65.5 points and six ranking places by not ‘turning up’

Union Beliefs

That walkovers can be prevented with stronger communication between Sports Clubs committees, their members & the Students Union
A walkover policy is needed to fit in line with the developing professional attitude to Sport at DMU

Union instructs

That if a team does not communicate to the Sports Office that they are not able to fulfil a match within one week of the fixture then they will have to pay a fine of £100
If a team has 2 or more walkovers within one season, then they will be pulled out of the league and their position in BUCS for the following season be discussed at the Sports Committee Panel meeting in March