3rd Week Michaelmas 2007 Minutes

a.    Minutes of the Last Meeting

b.    Matters Arising from the Minutes

c.    Ratifications in Council

d.    Elections in Council

DRO

Governance Working Party

JCC

University Rules Committee

Junior Tribunal

e.    Reports from sabbatical officers

James Lamming talked about the Bodleian tour and said a motion about the depository will be coming in.

Martin McCluskey (OUSU President) mentioned the Extraordinary Council re the SAS.

Louise Randall (OUSU Vice President, Welfare and Equal Opportunities) commented on SAS numbers – we have seen 58 cases over the Summer and so far in term.

Ingrid Frater (OUSU Vice President, Graduates) mentioned PGA, the International Students’ Campaign (they have just elected their first committee) and the MCR PresCom (which was well attended by MCR Presidents)

f. There were no reports from the part time executive.

g. There were no questions to the part time executive.

h. Emergency Motions

Greyfriars Closure

Jonathon Hamill (President, Greyfriars JCR) proposed the motion and commented on his experiences at Greyfriars. He expressed a desire to improve the PPHs and ensure that life at PPHs can be as good as possible.

Motion passed.

i.    Motions nem com.

Motion 3 struck.

n. Other motions

1.    Election Regulations

James Dray (OUSU Returning Officer) proposed the motion.

James Lamming asked about rulings on bar codes and websites.

James Dray said that a candidate can have a link from the OUSU website. He will deal with rulings as and when they come.

Motion passed.

James Dray mentioned that nominations closed at midday at 12 noon. One referendum on the indicative poll will occur.

2.    Amended budget

Martin McCluskey talked about the budget, as Rich Hardiman is ill. The publicity budget has been raised to ensure that OUSU can engage students, as has the website budget. The majority of our income comes from OSSL. All the money we get in goes straight back out in services – we do not make a profit. Campaigns budget should be raised but it’s difficult. Income is inherently unstable.

Phil Robinson (Keble) Will the higher publicity budget cover OUSY?

Martin: Still only 11pence per student, and this was organised ore OUSY?

Rachel Cummings (Sommerville): How will the budget be divided between the campaigns?

Martin McCluskey: Think Rich is planning to have a campaign bid. See line 13.

Jonny Medland (President, Queens College JCR): Line 11? Clarify staff costs.

Martin McCluskey explained the staff. Three part time and one full time. During vacations we have no one in the office because we can’t afford to pay them.

Stuart Tooley (OUSU Rep, Christ Church JCR): how will safety bus and HOGO be paid for?

Martin: covered from a university grant.

Motion passed.

3.    Freshers Fair Report

Sam McGeever (OUSU Freshers’ Fair Organiser) gave a report. The Fair was a big success, with a few little problems here and there.

Motion passed.

OUSU Website

James Lamming (OUSU Vice President, Access and Academic Affairs) proposed the motion to ensure that Martin McCluskey puts names of attendees of Council on the website and produce a council report.

Hannah Roe (OUSU Vice President, Women): the names of attendees will be published in the student newspaper?

James Lamming: not realistic to pay for Cherwell space or ask the Ox Stu, who are editorially independent, to use the space for this – could be used for adverts to pay for services. This would be a more permanent record.

Elliot Golend (Pembroke College): Would this include extraordinary meetings?

James Lamming: didn’t think of that. Use common sense.
   
Hannah Roe proposed an amendment – publish on the front page.

Hannah Roe (OUSU Vice President, Women): should be very visible.

Martin McCluskey: wants the front page to be more open and friendly. Have recent updates on the front page. Not quite

Marlene Cayoun (President, Lady Margaret Hall JCR): is it going to be a naughty list? Will it be clear who should be there?

Hannah: this doesn’t fulfil the original motion. Needs to be more transparent.

Helen Lochead (President, Balliol College JCR): wanted a list, not sure of the exact details. Balliol JCR would be happy for a list which is on the website – JCR presidents should look at it.

Amendment failed.

Motion passed, one abstention.

Fair Trade

Claire Addison (OUSU Vice President, Charities and Community) proposed the motion. Make the OUSU building a fair trade work place. We do everything already.

Sara Ahmadi (OUSU Rep, University College MCR): how much does it cost OUSU for fair trade?

Martin: cheaper than Tesco!

Lewis Iwu (New College): vending machine?

Stefan Baskerville (President, University College JCR): fair trade vending machine coming to Univ.

Andrew White (St Edmund Hall): this is not a binary issue. OUSU should not take a policy on this. Don’t attach names to a flag. Lots of people don’t have an opinion on this or dislike fair trade.

James Lamming (OUSU Vice President, Access and Academic Affairs): got 80 in an economics paper on developing countries. If you’re assuming everything is perfect, fair trade doesn’t work. But this isn’t a perfect world. Fair trade is still a small scheme, not distorting prices enough yet. Common rooms do want to help the third world.

Claire Addison: being a fair trade registered work place makes it available as an alternative.

Tomasz Zawisz (OUSU Rep, Hertford JCR): western companies making profit. Do be careful re fair trade products and the details of the products.

Jonny Medland (President, Queens College JCR): move to vote.

Motion passed, two against. Six abstentions.