Student Voice Conference Minutes

The Student Voice Conference was held on Monday 25th April

from16:00 to 19:00 in Room CG41

Sabbatical Officers present / Position
Aman Siddiqi / President
Andre Thompson / VP Art & Design, Media & Performing Arts
Sayed Alkadiri
Orla Hillary / VP Business & Law
VP Health & Education, Science and Technology

Conference open: Conference was opened by Middlesex Students’ Union President Aman Siddiqi (AS).

  • Welcomed everyone to the conference
  • Highlights that this event is about holding officers to account for the last 10 months of work
  • Summarised the Students’ Union has been involved with since the last conference: involved in selecting the new CEO of the University, new Deputy Vice Chancellor for Learning and Innovation, the MDXSU elections which had a record turnout, the housing campaign which will reach a crescendo in the Copperbox Area on 28th April, POW Magazine receiving a reward for design, the passing of 3 referenda and record numbers of nominations for the Annual Student Led Teaching Awards

AS introduced next section: School Meetings

AS asked the Conference to split into two groups. In these groups Student Voice Leaders discussed problems which came up on their courses, as well as positives from their courses over the academic year.

As well as a group discussion, Sayed Alkaderi (SA) also ran a prioritisation workshop where students choose their top 5 things to change at MDX and were given a £250k budget to show how they would go about this.

AS introduced next section: Shouting 4 Housing

Delegates watched a video on the London housing crisis. They then broke up into groups and housing for Middlesex students in preparation for the mayoral hustings in the Copperbox event.

Conference Reconvenes for the Student Officer Accountability Reports.

The Accountability Reports section of the Conference begins.

AS gives the first accountability report:

  • Free Graduation – University unable to provide free graduation as they simply do not have the funds to cover the costs. It would cost the University £300,000. However, they have agreed to provide £10,000 for students who cannot afford to fund their own graduation gowns.
  • Shouting 4 Housing – taking 250 Middlesex students to the London mayoral hustings at the Copperbox.
  • Dyslexic students – Met with the Disability Support Service to get more provision for dyslexic international students
  • Hidden course costs – pushing the University to clearly detail and publish courses which have hidden extra costs

AS opens the floor for questions:

Will there be two graduations a year?

  • Spoken to the University about this issue. The University are open to holding a second graduation and will look into the details of this. However, this would not take place until 2017.

Orla Hillary (OH) gives her accountability report:

  • KWAF Campaign - Received confirmation from the University that Wednesday afternoons will be free for sports and extra-curricular activities starting from the 2017/18 academic year.
  • Study abroad - Found four countries that offer overseas nursing and teaching placements for students looking to study abroad.
  • Fundraising - Helped raise £38,000 for Future Sense Foundation with RAG and preparing to go to Tanzania in June with a MDX delegation.
  • Representation - Represented Middlesex students on a national level at the NUS national conference.

OH opens the floor for questions:

No questions.

Andre Thompson (AT) gives his accountability report:

  • POW Media – POW Media’s online hub will be live by Freshers 2016.
  • Disabled Students Liberation Assembly – Lobbying the University to make the campus more accessible.
  • Food on campus – Worked with Chartwells to release a satisfaction survey in the hope that it will expand food options on campus.
  • Democratic budgets for courses – In discussions to allow for more democratic budget setting with the Art & Design School courses.

AT opens the floor for questions:

No questions.

Sayed Alkaderi (SA) gives his accountability report:

  • Review of Student Voice Leader (SVL) scheme – Co-chairing a committee with Jan Williams which has a represented from each School on it. It has discussed potential changes to the SVL system. Some things it will look at are: the purpose of Board of Studies, number of students elected for each course, gender balancing on courses, a forum for academic and non-academic issues. The committee will continue to meet and discuss these issues.
  • London Living Wage for University staff – Lobbied the University to pay all contracted staff, such as cleaners, security, catering staff the London Living Wage. This has now been implemented.
  • Referendum – Campaigned for students to vote Yes to a referendum policy of not complying with the Prevent strategy.
  • Attainment gaps – Working on launching a review with the University on the black student attainment gap.
  • Tutoring – A personal tutoring scheme for all students at MDX will be launched next term.

SA opens the floor to questions:

No questions.

AS then introduces the Ideas for Change section of the conference.

1) Time to Act on Mental Health

Submitted by: Sayed Alkaderi (MDXSU VP Business and Law)

Seconded by: Ruth Berry (MDXSU Student Voice Leader), SulaimanLkaderi(MDXSU President-Elect), Orla Hillary (MDXSU VP Health & Education and Science & Technology)

Ruth Berry spoke in support of this motion.

No one spoke against.

Vote: Motion passed

2) A Vision to Transform Education at Middlesex

Submitted by: Sayed Alkadiri (MDXSU Vice President Business & Law)

Seconded by: SulaimanLkaderi (MDXSU President-Elect)

Sayed Alkaderi spoke in support of this motion.

No one spoke against.

Vote: Motion passed.

Conference closing comments by AS:

  • Last speech as MDXSU President.
  • Thank you for your participation and for holding the officers to account.
  • Invites room to Copperbox event, to Summer Fest, to MDXSU Awards.
  • Argued against NUS disaffiliation.
  • Proud to have served as President of this student body.

Conference closed