Council Agenda 5th Week Trinity 2008

Sign in from 2.15pm

a.    Minutes of the Previous Meeting
b.    Matters Arising from the Minutes    
c.    Ratifications in Council            
d.    Elections in Council
e.    Reports from the Sabbatical Officers    
f.    Reports from the Executive Officers who wish to make reports
g.    Questions to Members of the Executive    
h.    Emergency Motions            
i.    Passage of Motions Nem Con
j.    Motions of No Confidence or Censure
k.    First readings of Motions to Amend the Constitution or Standing Orders
l.    The Budget or Amended Budget
m.    Motions Authorising Capital Expenditure
n.    Other Motions
i.   motions affecting ousu members as ousu members
ii.  motions affecting ousu members as students at Oxford University
iii. motions affecting ousu members as members of the student movement
iv. motions affecting ousu members as residents of Oxford
v.  motions affecting ousu members as residents of the United Kingdom
vi. motions affecting ousu members as citizens of the world
o.    Any Other Business

k.    First readings of Motions to Amend the Constitution or

Standing Orders

1.    SAS Review Group Report

Council Notes:
1.    That Council created the SAS Review Group in 1st Week of Hilary Term to review the Student Advice Service.
2.    That the group has been working for four months and presents its report today.

Click here to download a copy of the report

Council Believes:
1.    The Review Group’s recommendations should be implemented in full.

Council Resolves:
1.    To change the Constitution as below:

Article C: The Executive

Change 3.1(a)(ii) “Ten Executive Officers” to read “The Part-Time Executive Officers” (and rename subsequent references accordingly)

Delete 3.1(a)(iii) “Three Graduate Officers”

Delete 3.1(e) ”A Graduate Officer shall be removed from office only by the means prescribed above for the removal of an Executive Officer or by a two-thirds majority vote in Postgraduate Assembly and approved by Council.”

Delete 3.1 (c) “The Graduate Officer shall serve part-time for a period of one year from the end of the academic term of their election. All graduate officers shall be of equal status.”

3. To change the Standing orders as below:

Section D: The Executive and Committees

Change “D. 1 The Sabbatical Officers”

to read:

“D. 1 Student Union Officers”

Insert:

“1.2 OUSU shall have sixteen Part-Time Executive Officers, three of whom shall be dedicated Graduate officers. The Executive shall consist of: an Undergraduate Academic Affairs Campaigns Officer, Women’s Campaign Officer, International Students Officer, Access and Admissions Officer, Community Outreach and Charities Officer, Rent and Accommodation Officer, Undergraduate Health and Welfare Officer, Environment and Ethics Officer, Equal Opportunities Officer, Common Room Support Officer, Graduate Academic Affairs Officer, Graduate Health and Welfare Officer, Graduate Women’s Officer, a Black and Minority Ethnic Students’ and Anti-Racism Officer, a Students with Disabilities Officer, a Mature Students Officer and an LGBTQ Officer.”

Section E: Student Advice Service

Delete E 2. 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 and 2.5

and replace with (renumbering accordingly):

“2.1 It shall be the responsibility of the Vice President (Welfare and Equal Opportunities) to co-ordinate the day-to-day work of the Student Advice Service and be the Data Protection Officer for the Student Union.

2.2 The Student Advisor shall annually submit a report to the SAS Management Board and the Vice President (Welfare and Equal Opportunities) appraising the role and making recommendations as to the future development of the post.”

Add “E 3. The Student Advice Service Management Board”

“ 3.1 The SAS Management Board will consist of: The OUSU President (ex-officio), an individual with suitable clinical experience, an individual with suitable management experience and the Chair of the Joint Committee of University Council with Student Members. The membership of the Board will be appointed by the OUSU Executive and ratified by Council.

3.2 The SAS Management Board will have ultimate responsibility for the conduct and responsibilities of the SAS Team and will have ultimate jurisdiction over the structures of the Student Advice Service.

3.3 The SAS Management Board will be responsible for ensuring the Student Advice Service is compliant with the Data Protection Act and other relevant legislation.

3.4 The SAS Review Group will monitor and evaluate the procedures and practices of the Student Advice Service.”

3. To change the Schedules as below:

Schedule Five: Job Descriptions

Change 2l) “Graduate Welfare Officer”

And replace with “Graduate Health and Welfare Officer” (renaming accordingly)

Add:

1c) 8. “To be a member of the OUSU Equal Opportunities Executive and convene regular meetings of the group”

2i) 4. “To be a member of the OUSU Equal Opportunities Executive and attend meetings.”

2m) 8. “To be a member of the OUSU Equal Opportunities Executive and attend meetings.”

Add:

“2n) Black and Minority Ethnic Students’ and Anti-Racism Officer
1.    Represent the interests of Black and Minority Ethnic Students to the OUSU Executive and University.
2.    Lobby for the interests of Black and Minority Ethnic Students in all areas of the student experience including (but not limited to) access, academic affairs and welfare.
3.    Support the OUSU Racial, Ethnic and Religious Equality Campaign in their work.
4.    Liaise with BME and Anti-Racist student societies and groups within the University.
5.    Support Common Room Ethnic Minorities Representatives (or equivalent) in their work and arrange regular meetings between them.
6.    To be a member of the OUSU Equal Opportunities Executive and attend meetings.

2o) Students with Disabilities Officer
1.    Represent the interests of Students with Disabilities to the OUSU Executive and University.
2.    Lobby for the interests of Students with Disabilities in all areas of the student experience including (but not limited to) access, academic affairs and welfare.
3.    Liaise with the University Disability Office on a regular basis.
4.    Support the OUSU Students with Disabilities Campaign in their work.
5.    Support Common Room Students’ With Disabilities Officers (or equivalent) in their work and arrange regular meetings between them.
6.    To be a member of the OUSU Equal Opportunities Executive and attend meetings.

2p) LGBT Officer
1.    Represent the interests of LGBT Students to the OUSU Executive and the University.
2.    Lobby for the interests of LGBT Students in all areas of the student experience including (but not limited to) access, academic affairs and welfare.
3.    Work with the University Diversity and Equal Opportunities Unit.
4.    Work with LGBT groups and networks within the University.
5.    Support Common Room LGBT Officers and arrange meetings to exchange best practice and support them in their work.
6.    To be a member of the OUSU Equal Opportunities Executive and attend meetings.

2q) Mature Students Officer
1.    Represent the interests of Mature Students to the OUSU Executive and University.
2.    Lobby for the interests of Mature Students in all areas of the student experience including (but not limited to) access, academic affairs and welfare.
4.    Support the OUSU Mature Students Campaign in their work.
5.    Support Common Room Officers with responsibility for mature students in their work and arrange regular meetings between them and raise awareness of mature students issues in JCRs.
6.    To be a member of the OUSU Equal Opportunities Executive and attend meetings. ”

Proposed: Martin McCluskey (OUSU President)
Seconded: Louise Randall (OUSU VP Welfare & Equal Opportunities)

 

n.    Other Motions

1.    Charter for Graduate Students

Council Notes:
1.    That graduate students are often unaware of what rights and entitlements are guaranteed to them by university rules and regulations.
2.    That graduate students with complaints and problems don't always know what action they are entitled to take.
3.    That some aspects of the graduate student experience at Oxford need to be improved.

Council resolves:
1.    To mandate the OUSU Executive (primarily the OUSU VP Graduates) to write a document clearly detailing and explaining what the most relevant rules and regulations are for graduate students and what a graduate student can expect during their time here.
2.    To mandate the OUSU Executive to make this document available to all Graduate Common Room committees and to put it in the relevant OUSU publications and on the OUSU website.
3.    To ensure that the aspects of graduate students' rights to be addressed should include, but not be limited to: the availability of information on course objectives; rent increases; College Advisors; illness affecting study; searching of private rooms; student participation in the formation of University policy.
4.    To mandate the OUSU Executive to identify some of the rules and regulations which are most outdated and/or unfair to students and to lobby the University for changes to these.

Proposed: Paul Rollason (Queens)
Seconded: Ingrid Frater (OUSU VP Graduates)


 

2.    Orientations

Council Notes
1.    There is currently an orientation programme organised for new international students at the start of     Michaelmas and Hilary terms.
2.    That these orientations are well-attended and provide a useful start for new students with information and     a chance to meet other students.  

Council Believes
1.     That such orientations would be useful for other new students, including mature students, second BA     students and student parents.  

Council Resolves
1.     To mandate the relevant members of OUSU Exec and Campaigns to lobby the University to organise     orientations for mature students, second BA students and student parents.  

Proposed: Ingrid Frater (OUSU VP Graduates)
Seconded: Hannah Roe (OUSU VP Women)

AMENDMENTS

d.    Elections in Council

Graduate Womens Officer    Heather Milkiewicz (St Annes)
Charities & Community Outreach Officer    Tom Haynes (St Catz)