UNIVERSITY OF SALFORD STUDENTS’ UNION STUDENT COUNCIL WEDNESDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2011 MINUTES
COUNCILLORS PRESENT: Holly Brunt, David Heaton, Stephen Mann, Kevin Rowswell (Chair), Heather Sharp, Tom Hughes-Roberts, Robert Barr, Joe Woods, Joe Bijster, Dilip Das, John Hart,
IN ATTENDANCE: Caroline Dangerfield (President), Sophie Atkinson (Vice President), Christina Kennedy (Vice President), Tom Doyle (Vice President), Emma Ogden (College Rep), Stuart Campbell (College Rep) Chrissy Patman (College Rep), John ?? (College Rep), Toby Duckworth (College Rep), Nikolai (College Rep), Pauline (College Rep), Laura Johnson, Phil Benton (Chief Executive), Rhiannon Cruse (Student Engagement Manager).
1. Quorum: The Chair opened the meeting by alerting attendees that due to only 11 Student Council members being present, the meeting was inquorate. The Chair explained that this meant no official Council business could be transacted, and that the meeting would therefore operate in an advisory fashion only. The notes of the meeting would be confirmed at the next meeting. In order to allow for an external speaker, an agenda change was noted. 2. Welcome: The Chair congratulated and welcomed new Council member Joe Bijster to Student Council. 3. Received: Apologies for absence from Councillors Reetu Zarora, Liam McLoughlin, Daniel Walton, Donna Woolley and Matthew Metcalfe. 4. Confirmed: Minutes from Council meeting 03.10.11 5. Discussed: Paper SC11/25 ‘Trade Union Industrial Action’. Following a summary presented by the President, the Chair invited Chris Sheehy, the President of the Salford Branch of the UCU to address Council. After thanking Council for the opportunity to speak, Chris Sheehy summarised the situation at the University of Salford in terms of redundancies, downgrading of jobs and a pay increase of less than 0.5% in recent years. The fact that the pension scheme in question (USS) is not paid for by the taxpayer was emphasised. Chris Sheehy explained that for lecturing and academic staff, a pension is a form of deferred pay, compensating in some ways for the lower salaries paid in the public sector. It was stressed to Council that the UCU gave strong support to the Students’ Union and to NUS when the new funding and fees structure was announced in 2010. The Salford branch of UCU helped to fund the transport of students from Salford to the demonstration in London in November 2010. Chris Sheehy ended her speech by calling on Council to support the lecturers’ strike action, as they have supported student action in the past. Student Council members questioned the speaker on issues around future plans for industrial action, particularly given Council’s earlier decision not to support a programme of rolling strikes. Chris Sheehy emphasised that it is difficult to plan too far in advance, but that alongside the current ‘working to rule’, a
one-day strike on the 30 November is all that is planned at the moment. Other options available to the union are boycotts of assessment or graduation, but it was stressed that this is always considered as a last option, and that it is hoped negotiations will restart before that stage. A question about the responsibility of individuals to negotiate their own packages was answered with a direct comparison to the Students’ Union. Like SUs, trade unions believe that individuals benefit from collective strength and can produce better outcomes for members than numerous individual negotiations. The Chair thanked Chris Sheehy, who left the meeting. Resolved: To support the one day strike by UCU and UNISON on 30 November. During discussion, the President asked Council to direct the Sabbatical Officers on the level of support the Union should show to the strikes. The President explained that the opinion of the Sabbatical team was not unanimous and that a decision on whether to cancel any political work taking place that day would need to be taken by Council. A Better University forum is scheduled for the 30 November, and two Sabbatical Officers are due to attend a senior University meeting (LTEC). Resolved: To cancel the Better University forum scheduled for the 30 November, and for the Sabbatical Officers to show their support for the strikes by not attending the University meeting. Council also asked the Sabbatical Officers to seek information from the University about the impact of the strike action. 6. Discussed: Paper SC11/22 ‘Campus Car Parking’. This paper was submitted by Council member Liam McLoughlin who sent a statement in his absence, read aloud by the Chair. The President informed Council that the plans to close Northern Car Park are part of the University’s Campus Master Plan, and that she had already been involved in discussions about the issue. It was noted that the University is currently undertaking a survey on transport, and is considering options such as allocating parking permits on a ‘needs basis’ to cope with fewer spaces. Resolved: The Sabbatical Officers to continue to lobby the University for increased consultation about the car parking plans, and to feed back progress to Council. 7. Discussed: Policy paper SC11/23 ‘Environmental Policy’ presented by the Vice President for Science and Technology on behalf of the Green Society. It was explained that this policy is due for renewal in December 2011 and that the newly established Green Society had considered it and submitted it for adoption. The Vice President alerted Council to the goal listed in the policy that the Students’ Union work towards a silver Sound Impact award (an environmental award scheme operated by NUS). Resolved: To adopt the Environmental Policy. 8. Discussed: Policy paper SC11/24 ‘Placement Issues’ presented by Stephen Mann. Issues around ERASMUS, exchange and other work placements were detailed. The Vice President for Health and Social Care described work started by the Sabbatical Team 2010/11 on this issue, including working with Student Life on ERASMUS issues. The Vice President also highlighted ongoing work in the College of Health and Social Care on professional placements. Resolved: For the Sabbatical Officers to continue to work on placement related issues, and to raise the issue with NUS. 9. Discussed: Student Community Forums. Student Council member David Heaton provided a verbal summary of the Better Union forum (20/10/11) which discussed issues including Welcome week, Salford Direct, and the University’s sporting colours.
The Chair informed Council that the remaining two fora due to take place this term (Better University and Better City), needed convenors. Tom Hughes-Roberts and Heather Sharp volunteered for the positions respectively. It was noted that due to the decision earlier in the meeting, Better University forum now needed rescheduling, and a date for Better City to be agreed. 10. Discussed: Representative groups: update and vacancy. The Chair invited the representative group Council members to give a verbal report of their recent activity. The Postgraduate representative, Tom Hughes-Roberts highlighted his work in setting up a postgraduate activity group which now meets regularly, and his plans to set up focus groups before each Council meeting to ensure postgraduate opinions are being sought. The students with disabilities representation, Heather Sharp reported that she had held meetings with many University staff, including student life staff dealing with disability issues. She is also planning to set up an activity group for students with disabilities. The International Students representative, Reetu Zarora, sent a statement in her absence which was read aloud. Reetu outlined her meetings with University staff, and an NUS event on internationalisation which was attended in September. The Chair drew Council’s attention to the fact that the members elected for the representative groups International students, BME students and Women were due to finish their studies in December and would therefore need replacing. He urged the representative members to consider options for doing so in an effective manner before the next Council meeting. 11. Discussed: Guidance document SC11/26 ‘Extraordinary meetings of Council’. Resolved: To adopt the document. 12. Noted: Reports SC11/29 and SC11/30.
13. Discussed: Report SC11/28 ‘Trustee Board Report’. A question about collaborative elections was asked. The Chief Executive and the President explained that the annual elections in 2012 would be undertaken in collaboration with the Students’ Unions at Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan Universities. The benefits for this are both competitive i.e. that students at each university would compete for the highest number of votes, promotional i.e. that the impact of one single elections brand across greater Manchester would be greater than three separate ones, and financial. 14. Discussed: Report SC11/27 ‘Student Officer Report’. A question about the progress of the Library redevelopment project was asked. The President explained that a decision has yet to be made, and will not be made until the New Year at the earliest. Financial issues are causing a major problem, and the President remarked that she did not feel that the closure of Allerton Library was now likely. 15. Any other business: No other business was reported. Date of next meeting: 5pm Tuesday 7 February 2012