Change, Policy and Research

GUILD COUNCIL

Democracy and Governance Committee

05/11/14

Chair: Oscar Maddox

Change, Policy and Research

Apologies

Maria Finnerty

Milly Hindle – proxy to Oscar Maddox

Lucy Whitaker – proxy to Carlus Hudson

Emily Bevan – proxy to Matt Bate

Ben Street – proxy to Kate Hawkins

Rachael Gillies – proxy to Kate Hawkins

Natalie Anderson – proxy to Oscar

Maddox

In Attendance

Julia Bush

Charlie Evans

FerzanaYesmine

Exposé

Present

Matt Bate

Khoa Nguyen

Naomi Armstrong

Harry White

Alexandra Beeler

Natasa Christofidou

Marcel Golten

Bess Tuo

Carlus Hudson

Fong Khei Mah

Kate Hawkins

Oscar Maddox

Kane Davis

Change, Policy and Research

AGENDA

1. Student Idea: Have Water Fountains In All Buildings

2. Student Idea: Hold a Student Vote on NUS affiliation

3. Student Petition: An ATM (cash point) for Lafrowda

4. Student Idea: Better lighting in Hoopern Lane

Change, Policy and Research

5. Student Idea: Lights to be turned on until 11pm in Duryard

residential area

6. Student Idea: Encourage all Guild staff to join a Trade Union

7. Student Idea: Actively promote human rights as a career path

to law students

8. Student Idea: Put a microwave on St. Luke's campus for

students to use

9. Student Idea: More medium and large lockers in the Forum

Change, Policy and Research

1. Student Idea: Have Water Fountains In All

Buildings

63 votes, positive

Results:

http://www.exeterguild.org/change/ideas/idea69-fountains/

Report:

http://www.exeterguild.org/pageassets/change/ideas/idea69-

fountains/Student-Idea-Report-69-waterfountain.pdf

Change, Policy and Research

1. Student Idea: Have Water Fountains In All Buildings

Kate Hawkins told Council that an awareness campaign around water points

on campus had been run as a Students’ Green Unit project. Harry White

spoke in favour of raising awareness of current fountains, but also stated that

there were some buildings with no water fountains. Naomi Armstrong

recommended that catering outlets put out jugs of water as a quick solution.

Council voted to point the proposer of the idea towards the Green

Unit for help running a campaign around this, and to instruct

sabbatical officers to look into the other recommendations raised

in the meeting.

FOR - 19 AGAINST - 0 ABSTAIN - 1

Change, Policy and Research

2 . Student Idea: Hold A Student Vote On NUS

Affiliation

174 votes

Neutral

Result: http://www.exeterguild.org/change/ideas/idea74-nus/

Report:

http://www.exeterguild.org/pageassets/change/ideas/idea74-

nus/Student-Idea-Report-74-NUS.pdf

Change, Policy and Research

2 . Student Idea: Hold A Student Vote On NUS Affiliation

Carlus Hudson informed Council that the decision on whether or not to

condemn ISIS was delayed to the next NUS National Executive Council

meeting in order to allow further time to look at the wording of the motion to

ensure it did not unfairly demonise all Muslims. He spoke in favour of therefore

waiting to hold the vote until this meeting, currently scheduled halfway through

the proposed voting week (1-5 December) in order to allow students to make

an informed decision before voting.

A question was raised as to how much this vote was influenced by the ISIS

vote. Charlie Evans, the proposer, replied that the ISIS vote was the trigger, but

there were other reasons behind it, such as the fact that the NUS President

had never been to university (Toni Pearce, NUS President, joined NUS through

involvement in a Higher Education college, which are also represented by NUS). He

also spoke in favour of the vote being held in Week 11.

Change, Policy and Research

Alexandra Beeler questioned whether there was enough time to gather

information on how disaffiliation would affect students and communicate this

to the student body; HW reiterated that there was not enough time to do so.

Matt Bate said that the Guild had been in discussion with the proposer and

were expecting the vote to take place in Term 1.

A question was asked as to whether the vote could take place in January; the

answer was given that the next earliest time could most realistically be March,

due to the timing of the Sabbatical Elections. Matt Bate spoke in favour of

keeping the existing voting dates, and pointed out that while Guild staff remain

neutral, the Sabbatical Officers would be campaigning on this.

Natasa Christofidou said that as the ISIS issue was central to the debate and

wording of the original idea, it was only logical to wait and see the NUS’s

decision on this before holding the vote.

Change, Policy and Research

Kate Hawkins said that, as disaffiliation would only take place from the next

academic year, there was no rush to hold a vote, and that the ISIS issue was

too strong for voting to take place before a decision had been reached by

NUS.

Carlus Hudson spoke in favour of delaying the vote. This was supported by

Marcel Golten. Matt Bate spoke in favour of a Week 12 vote. Bess Tuo

suggested opening voting on the Thursday of Week 11.

Oscar Maddox moved the debate to a vote on the various timings proposed.

Voting in Week 11: 0

Voting in Week 12: 18

Voting in March: 1

Abstain: 1

Council voted to hold the vote in Week 12.

Change, Policy and Research

3 . Student Petition: An ATM (Cash Point) For

Lafrowda

85 signatures

Result: http://www.exeterguild.org/change/ideas/petition-

cashpoint/

Change, Policy and Research

3 . Student Petition: An ATM (Cash Point) For Lafrowda

Kane Davis told Council that he had spoken to the Residency Life Team

about this, that they received it positively and were looking into it.

Alexandra Beeler raised the possibility of the Marketplace by Lafrowda

offering cash back; KD said he had raised this with the Residency Team, but

this had been turned down.

As the appropriate body had already been contacted about this by

a Guild Councillor, Council voted to pass this petition to the

Residency Life Team to support the arguments already presented

to them.

FOR - 19 AGAINST - 0 ABSTAIN - 1

Change, Policy and Research

4 . Student Idea: Better Lighting In Hoopern Lane

67 votes, positive

Results:

http://www.exeterguild.org/change/ideas/idea70-lighting/

Report:

http://www.exeterguild.org/pageassets/change/ideas/idea71-

duryardlights/Student-Idea-Report-67-and-71-Street-Lights.pdf

Change, Policy and Research

5 . Student Idea: Lights To Be Turned On Until

11pm In Duryard Residential Area

30 votes, positive

Results:

http://www.exeterguild.org/change/ideas/idea71-duryardlights/

Report:

http://www.exeterguild.org/pageassets/change/ideas/idea71-

duryardlights/Student-Idea-Report-67-and-71-Street-Lights.pdf

Change, Policy and Research

4 . Student Idea: Better Lighting In Hoopern Lane

and

5 . Student Idea: Lights To Be Turned On Until

11pm In Duryard Residential Area

Oscar Maddox reminded Council that a number of other ideas around street

lighting had been discussed by Council previously this year, and passed to Kate

Hawkins to work on. Kate Hawkins told Council that she had been waiting for

this ideas to pass through Council to bring all proposers together and take

further action on this issue.

Council voted to pass these ideas to KH to integrate into her

existing work on street lighting.

FOR - 19 AGAINST - 0 ABSTAIN - 1

Change, Policy and Research

6. Student Idea: Encourage All Guild Staff To Join

A Trade Union

59 votes, neutral

Result: http://www.exeterguild.org/change/ideas/idea74-union/

Report:

http://www.exeterguild.org/pageassets/change/ideas/idea74-

union/Student-Idea-Report-74-Union.pdf

Change, Policy and Research

6. Student Idea: Encourage All Guild Staff To Join A Trade Union

Matt Bate told Council that the Guild, as a union itself, has its own

representative and democratic systems, but that staff were welcome to join

other unions. Various councillors suggested ways of encouraging staff to join

and these were discussed.

Julia Bush told Council that she believed there was information given to new

staff about trade unions and that a member of staff was a designated union

representative. Carlus Hudson recommended a meeting between the Guild

and other trade unions. Kate Hawkins stated that she would like more

information on the unions before progressing.

Council voted to instruct Julia Bush to look into what information

Guild staff are currently given about trade unions, and report back

on this to Council.

FOR - 19 AGAINST - 0 ABSTAIN - 1

Change, Policy and Research

7 . Student Idea: Actively Promote Human Rights

As A Career Path To Law Students

57 votes, positive

Results: http://www.exeterguild.org/change/ideas/idea72-

humanrights/

Report:

http://www.exeterguild.org/pageassets/change/ideas/idea72-

humanrights/Student-Idea-Report-72-humanrights.pdf

Change, Policy and Research

7 . Student Idea: Actively Promote Human Rights As A Career Path

To Law Students

Ferzana Yesmine, the proposer, told Council she had spoken to the Bracton

Law Society and staff in the Law School already. Matt Bate said that a useful

channel to further this idea would be the Guild liason group for

employability that he is part of.

Bess Tuo and FY discussed presence of other firms with human rights

divisions that are already attending University events.

Council voted to instruct Matt Bate to include this issue on his

work on employability with the Career Zone.

FOR - 19 AGAINST - 0 ABSTAIN - 1

Change, Policy and Research

8 . Student Idea: Put A Microwave On St. Luke's

Campus For Students To Use

45 votes

Results: http://www.exeterguild.org/change/ideas/idea73-

microwave/

Report:

http://www.exeterguild.org/pageassets/change/ideas/idea73-

microwave/Student-Idea-Report-73-microwave.pdf

Change, Policy and Research

8. Student Idea: Put A Microwave On St. Luke's Campus For

Students To Use

Julia Bush read comments from the proposer, Anna Collin, about the

possible financing and location of the microwave.

Kate Hawkins told Council that the Guild were currently looking into how

St Luke’s can be improved, and asked for this to be postponed while she and

Matt Bate look into whether a microwave can be included in these plans.

Council voted to instruct the Sabbs to incorporate a microwave

into the Guild’s work on this, or failing that, lobby the University

to provide one.

FOR - 16 AGAINST - 0 ABSTAIN - 4

Change, Policy and Research

9. Student Idea: More Medium And Large

Lockers In The Forum

43 Participants, positive

Result: http://www.exeterguild.org/change/ideas/idea76-lockers/

Report:

http://www.exeterguild.org/pageassets/change/ideas/idea76-

lockers/Student-Idea-Report-76-Lockers.pdf

Change, Policy and Research

9. Student Idea: More Medium And Large

Lockers In The Forum

Due to the meeting overrunning, this idea and any

other business was postponed until the next

Democracy and Governance Committee.