Council Agenda 7th Week Hilary 2008

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

n.    Other Motions

1.    Returning Officers Report

Council Notes and Accepts
1.    The attached Returning Officers Report for Michaelmas 2007

Proposed: James Dray (OUSU Returning Officer mt07)
Seconded: Martin McCluskey (OUSU President)

Returning Officers Report Michaelmas 2007
 

2.    Womens Right to Choose March

Council Notes
1.    OUSU Pro-Choice Policy

Council Resolves
1.    To support the march for a women’s right to choose on 8th March 2008 organised by Abortion Rights.
2.    To organise a delegation to attend this march alongside other local campaigning activities during International Women’s Week.

Proposed: Katherine Wall (OUSU Womens Officer)
Seconded: Hannah Roe (OUSU VP Women)
 

3.    Affiliation to Abortion Rights

Council notes:
1.    OUSU’s affiliation to Abortion Rights, the national Pro-Choice campaign
2.    Muslim teaching on abortion that states abortion is wrong and forbidden (haram).  
3.    Janism teaching on abortion that states abortion is forbidden because of the importance of principles of non violence.  
4.    Hindu teaching on abortion that states abortion is forbidden since the foetus is recognised as a living, conscious person deserving of protection.
5.    Catholic teaching on abortion that states abortion is ‘a horrendous crime and constitutes a particularly serious moral disorder’ because ‘the right of the child to develop in the mother’s womb from the moment of conception’ constitutes an integral part of the human right to life.  
6.    Baha’I teaching on abortion that states abortion is unacceptable except in exceptional circumstances.

Council believes:
1.    OUSU has a duty to represent the interests of all students regardless of their gender, sexual orientation, religion, race, nationality, or disability.
2.    There are many students of the different religions cited above who are students at Oxford University and members of OUSU.
3.    The continued affiliation to Abortion Rights represents an unacceptable bar to active involvement in the student union for those members of the above mentioned religions.

Council therefore resolves:
1.    To disaffiliate immediately form Abortion Rights, the national Pro-Choice campaign.
2.    To continue to create an inclusive OUSU equally open to all.

Proposed: David Howell (Christ Church)
Seconded: Madeleine Rudge (Merton)
 

4.    Still Human Still Here Sleepout

Council notes that:
1.    Currently, people seeking asylum lose all access to benefits, including housing and non-emergency hospital treatment, when their claims are refused, but still remain barred from taking any paid work, making them completely destitute and lacking the means to provide themselves both with food, shelter, and other material necessities, and with occupation, security, dignity, and other psychological necessities.
2.    In spite of this, many such people remain in the country, their numbers estimated by the Home Office to be in the region of 300,000.
3.    That the majority of these people have come from countries where violence and oppression are so widespread as to be for most people inescapable, such as Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Iraq, Somalia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
4.    The Still Human Still Here campaign is a coalition of 21 organisations including Amnesty International and Student Action for Refugees, which are both active among Oxford Students, aiming to pressure the government into ending the threat and use of destitution against refused asylum seekers.
5.    On the 5th of March a group in Oxford as well as groups in other cities across the country will sleep on the streets to raise publicity for this campaign.

Council believes:
1.    That it is definitional of a civilised society that it pursues whatever goals it sets itself only by humane means.
2.    That forcing people into utter destitution in one of the world's wealthiest countries is inhumane, and moreover hypocritical for a government which proclaims a desire to fight absolute poverty abroad.
3.    That people who are made destitute are not thereby encouraged to leave the country, but are made to focus on day-to-day survival, and often develop depressive disorders, which inhibits any difficult and complex endeavour such as returning to a dangerous country.

Council resolves:
1.    To support the Still Human Still Here campaign and its goals.
2.    To encourage JCR and MCR Presidents and others to advertise the sleepout to their members.

Proposed: Dom Weinberg (OUSU Rent & Accommodation Officer)
Seconded: Jenny Allsopp (Wadham)

AMENDMENTS

Termly Council

Election of Chair

Nominations Received

    Elliot Golend (Pembroke)
    Oliver Linch (Lincoln)
    Robert Barham (LMH)
    Peter Morcos (Lincoln)

 

Election of RO

Nominations Received

    James Dray
    Robert Dacre (Exeter)
 

Ordinary Council

The following policy lapse are noted for discussion
•    Alternative Careers Fair (TT, 03)
•    Support for Fairtrade (MT, 03)
•    Encouragement to Common Room International Student Reps to Attend Intl Students Committee
•    Call for the University and Colleges To Be Open Regarding the Fees
•    Charged to International Students
•    Campaign for SRI
•    Advertising ban on Lonely Planet
•    Reaffirmation of OUSU's concern for the Environment
•    Support for the Switch to Green Coalition
•    Opposition to the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Bill
•    Support for the No Sweat campaign
•    Support for Fairtrade
•    Support for regionally weighted student loans
 

h.    Emergency Motions

1.    OUSU Accounts 2006 - 2007

Council notes and accepts
1.    The attached OUSU Accounts 2006 - 2007

Proposed: Rich Hardiman (OUSU VP Finance)
Seconded: Martin MCCluskey (OUSU President)

 

2.    Complaints Board Report 1 - Regulations

Council Notes and Accepts
1.    The Complaints Board Report 1 - Regulations

Proposed: John Maher (OUSU Complaints Board Chairman)
Seconded: Jack Matthews (OUSU Complaints Board Secretary)

 

2.    Complaints Board Report 2

Council Notes and Accepts
1.    The Complaints Board Report 2 - Complaint made by David Howell, President Oxford University Pro-Life     Society (OUPLS)

Proposed: John Maher (OUSU Complaints Board Chairman)
Seconded: Jack Matthews (OUSU Complaints Board Secretary)

 

3.    Complaints Board Report 3

Council Notes and Accepts
1.        The Complaints Board Report 3 - Complaint made by Andy Heath, Merton College

Proposed: John Maher (OUSU Complaints Board Chairman)
Seconded: Jack Matthews (OUSU Complaints Board Secretary)

 

4.    Appointment of New Vice-Chancellor

Council Notes:
1. That the Vice-Chancellor, Dr. John Hood, recently announced that he would not seek a second term in office and, as such, would step down in September 2009.
2. The motion passed in 3rd Week Council mandating the President to request Student Representation on the Nominating Committee.

Council Further Notes:
1. That following representations by OUSU, the Committee has decided to invite students to a future meeting of the Committee in Trinity Term. 

Council Believes:
1. That the decision to include students in the decision making process is welcome.
2. That extensive consultation among the student body is essential for meaningful representation.

Council Resolves:
1. That the qualities we believe the new Vice Chancellor should possess are:
a. A proven track record of consulting extensively with students on any University issue that could affect the student experience, if the candidate comes from a University background.
b. If the candidate does not come from a University background, a will to engage with students as well as members of the University and College administrations.
c. A commitment to including students in University decision making at all levels.
d. An awareness of Oxford’s unique structures and the challenges of leading a collegiate university.
e. An awareness of the challenges facing students at this time and an ability and willingness to understand them from a student point of view.
f. A commitment to student welfare and an awareness of the implications of policy decisions on individual student welfare.
g. A commitment to pursue radical reforms to the University in the interests of students and the maintenance of academic standards.
h. A commitment to pursue radical reforms to the University in a manner that ensures their success.
i. A willingness to continue the informal meetings between with students, such as the breakfasts and Question Time meetings introduced by the current Vice Chancellor.
j. A willingness to continue regular meetings with Student Union Officers.

2. To encourage Common Rooms to invite students to contribute tot his process by email over the Easter Vacation.

3. To encourage Common Room Presidents to submit to the OUSU President a summary of their college’s views by 0th Week of Trinity Term.

Proposed: Martin McCluskey (OUSU President)
Seconded: Stefan Baskerville (JCR President, University College)