Lapsed Policies 2013/14

Transcription

1 Lapsed Policies 2013/14 Lapsed policy International campuses Ethical Products Fair Trade Status Freedom of Expression Widening Participation Environment: achievement, awareness and involvement Environment: commercial services Environment: Energy Environment: Lobbying for Change Environment: Sustainable procurement Respect for international law in the University s Procurement and investment policy Sponsorship Higher Education Funding Student Led Education Human Rights National Student Survey Sharing Reusable Resources Donation not Discrimination Democratic Reform Part 1 P3 P3 P4 P4 P5 P6 P6 P7 P8 P8 P9 P9 P10 P10 P11 P11 P12 P12 P13 P13 1

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3 L A P S E D P O L I C Y " I N T E R N A T I O N A L C A M P U S E S " 24th February 2004 Re-adopted 19 th October 2006 Amended 10 th June 2008 Amended 12 th May 2011 (349th Meeting Union Council) (369th Meeting Union Council) (381st Meeting Union Council) (382 nd Meeting Union Council) (402 nd Meeting Union Council) Primary Officer: President Secondary Officer: N/A This Union Believes that the presence of an international dimension, provided by overseas campuses, provides a unique benefit for Students from Nottingham to benefit from improved teaching as the University improves its reputation internationally as well as presenting unique opportunities for students to develop themselves studying on Mobility programs at these campuses. This Union Believes that members of student groups can benefit, both socially and in their development, by linking their activities with like activities on the overseas campuses. This Union Believes that the Students Union should be culturally sensitive to any involvement it has with the overseas campuses and representatives from these campuses. This Union Believes that students from all campuses can learn from each other. This Union Believes that knowledge transfer and education is a liberalising force. This Union Believes that Admissions criteria for students on all University of Nottingham Courses should be consistent regardless of which campus they are studying that course on. This Union Believes that there should be parity in terms of the quality of teaching and student experience across all campuses. This Union Believes that all students at the University of Nottingham have the right to freedom of expression, representation and where needed, financial support. This Union Further Believes that it is vital that these basic rights are afforded to students at the University of Nottingham s China Campus. This Union Resolves to support the Students Association in Malaysia and the Students Union in China in their development. This Union Resolves to support the work of the Students Association in Malaysia and the Students Union in China in representing the needs of their members, when necessary, to ensure parity in the student experience across the campuses. The Students Union President (UK) should take responsibility on leading this. 3

4 This Union Resolves to encourage consistent lines of communication between student groups on these sites and lobby for the provision of resource specifically aimed at encouraging interaction between students and student groups on each of these campuses. This Union Resolves to lobby the University to raise human rights issues at relevant meetings with the PRC Government. This Union Resolves to raise awareness of any breaches of the human rights of students at the China Campus. E T H I C A L P R O D U C T S Amended 9 th June 2011 Secondary Officer: President This Union Believes that the products that UNU Services. Ltd sell in its shops should reflect the ethical beliefs of students. This Union Advises UNU Services Ltd. to seek alternatives to products that have been tested on animals. This Union Advises UNU Services Ltd. to seek alternative to battery eggs due to cruel conditions that battery chickens are kept in. This Union Advises UNU Services. Ltd to charge stock reusable bags to minimise the damage to the environment caused by plastic bags. This Union Advises UNU Services. Ltd to not stock pornography due to the offence that such material may cause some of its members, particularly female and religious students. This Union Advises UNU Services. Ltd to stock kosher and halal foods to better respect the religious sensibilities of its Jewish and Muslim members. This Union Advises UNU Services. Ltd to stock vegetarian and vegan products to better respect the choice of those of its members who choose not eat meat or all animal based products. This Union Advises UNU Services. Ltd to stock recycled paper to better conserve forests and woods. This Union Advises UNU Services. Ltd to ensure that within its bars soft drinks are less expensive than alcoholic drinks and that free water is provided. 4

5 " F A I R T R A D E S T A T U S " 8 TH March 2005 (357th Meeting Union Council) Re-adopted 15 th February, 2007 (372 nd Meeting Union Council) Re-adopted 9 th June 2011 Secondary Officer: Education This Union believes Fairtrade products are produced and sold in a way that better respects the rights and dignity of the producer. This Union Believes that the increased sale of Fairtrade products will have a beneficial effect on many developing countries and the people within them. This Union Believes that there is no trade-off between Fairtrade certification and highquality, affordable food and drink products and Fairtrade. This Union Believes that it is vital that the University of Nottingham respects both the spirit and the letter of its Fairtrade status. This Union Resolves to lobby the University to take all the necessary steps to retain its Fairtrade status. This Union Resolves to support 100% Fairtrade products by serving Fairtrade products at meetings, and campaign for increased consumption of Fairtrade on campus. " F R E E D O M O F E X P R E S S I O N " 17th March 2005 Amended 4 th May 2006 Amended 9 th June 2011 (358th Meeting Union Council) (367th Meeting Union Council) Primary Officer: Activities Secondary Officer: Environment and Social Justice This Union Believes that freedom of expression is a fundamental human right. This Union Believes that the right to freedom of expression is not a reason or an excuse to undermine the human rights of others. This Union Resolves to promote freedom of expression, without weakening its Equal Opportunities Policy. This Union Resolves that all student groups who are hosting a speaker or organising an event that may express sentiments in opposition to the policies of the Students Union should give written warning to the Union 15 days in advance. This Union Resolves to ensure that at events where its policies are challenged, that it puts across its reasons for having them. 5

6 " W I D E N I N G P A R T I C I P A T I O N " Amended 9 th June 2011 Primary Officer: Education Secondary Officer: N/A This Union Believes that it is important that more people from non-traditional and lowincome backgrounds come to the University of Nottingham. This Union Believes that the biggest barrier to bright students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds from attending university is cost and/or perceptions of cost This Union Believes that the best way to attract bright students to university from nontraditional and low-income backgrounds is through outreach projects, and through continuous improvements in the UK state education sector. This Union Believes that students from independent schools should not be discriminated against as part of the admissions policy at the University of Nottingham This Union Resolves to proactively engage in the community and help encourage potential students from non-traditional and low-income to come to the University of Nottingham, through working with the University s Widening Participation department. This Union Resolves to support the targeting of financial support to those students who need it the most. This Union Resolves to lobby the Government against any plans to reduce the salary threshold for student grants. E N V I R O N M E N T : A C H I E V E M E N T, A W A R E N E S S A N D I N V O L V E M E N T Amended 9 th June 2011 Secondary Officer: President This Union Believes that anthropogenic climate change and environmental degradation pose two of the most serious threats to the survival of the human species. This Union Believes that continual and durable environmental improvement of its procedures and practices, including reduction in our CO2 emissions, is necessary to meet the challenge of becoming an environmentally sustainable institution. This Union Believes student and staff involvement is vital in improving its environmental credentials. 6

7 This Union Believes it has a responsibility to promote and develop environmental awareness among its membership. This Union Resolves to ensure that it complies with up-to-date environmental legislation relevant to the Union s operations. This Union Resolves to actively seek the input of staff and students in the development of its environmental strategy. This Union Resolves to inform staff of its environmental policies and codes of practice through their training and induction. This Union Resolves to promote environmentally-friendly careers to its membership via an annual Alternative Futures Fare. This Union Resolves to produce an annual basic environmental report and make it available to its membership. E N V I R O N M E N T : C O M M E R C I A L S E R V I C E S Amended 9 th June 2011 Secondary Officer: President This Union Believes that stocking and promoting environmentally-friendly products helps students make environmentally-friendly choices This Union Believes that plastic bag pollution is a threat to our ecosystems, natural habitats and wildlife as well as constituting the most visible form of litter. This Union Believes that boycotting some products in our retail outlets on environmental (or ethical) grounds can be financially difficult. This Union Resolves to, where appropriate, inform its members about unethical and environmentally unfriendly practices of companies who have a business relationship with either the University or UNU Services Ltd This Union Advises UNU Services Ltd to seek to increase the stock levels of environmentally sound products in its retail outlets as they are made available through NUS Services Ltd. This Union Advises UNU Services Ltd to minimise the use of unnecessary packaging in the products it sells. This Union advises UNU Services Ltd to charge 5p per carrier bag in its retail outlets to discourage plastic waste. This Union advises UNU Services Ltd to develop a strategy to go plastic-bag free in its retail outlets by the beginning of the academic year 2012/

8 E N V I R O N M E N T : E N E R G Y Amended 9 th June 2011 Secondary Officer: Community This Union Believes that energy consumption and wastage is one of its most significant environmental impacts. This Union Resolves to promote energy efficient use within the Union building by encouraging staff and students to switch off unnecessary lighting and electrical equipment via staff induction, posters and bulletins. This Union Resolves to seek the advice of the University Environment Manager and Energy Manager in the planning of all future refurbishments. This Union Resolves to avoid the purchase of wasteful electrical appliances, including patio heaters and fan heaters. This Union Resolves to improve the energy efficiency of lighting within Union-controlled spaces. This Union Resolves to monitor, where possible, its energy consumption in order to set annual targets for reduction. E N V I R O N M E N T : L O B B Y I N G F O R C H A N G E Amended 9 th June 2011 Secondary Officer: Community This Union Believes that the Higher Education sector is a significant consumer and provider of goods, services and energy and has a responsibility to reduce its environmental impacts. This Union Believes that the purchase of biodiesel from unregulated sources has seriously damaging global environmental and social impacts including deforestation, habitat destruction, increased CO2 emissions, grain price rises and eviction of indigenous peoples. This Union Resolves to work with the University to develop complementary environmental improvement strategies. This Union Resolves to lobby the University to continually improve its environmental credentials by improved recycling provision, reduction in energy consumption and maximised purchase of renewable energy consumption. 8

9 E N V I R O N M E N T : S U S T A I N A B L E P R O C U R E M E N T Re-adopted 9 th June 2011 Secondary Officer: Activities This Union Believes that decisions about purchases of goods for consumption should take into account their relative environmental costs as well as their price This Union Believes that the University directly benefits from the Union s purchase of energy-efficient equipment via a reduction in their energy bills This Union Resolves to prioritise energy efficiency and assess whole-life energy costs when purchasing new electrical or lighting equipment This Union Resolves to preferentially purchase environmentally-friendly products including recycled paper, recycled stationary and cleaning materials with European Eco- Label accreditation. This Union Resolves to actively source timber products from certified sustainable sources (Forest Stewardship Council, Tropical Forests Trust) when buying new furniture or items for refits and refurbishments. R E S P E C T F O R I N T E R N A T I O N A L L A W I N T H E U N I V E R S I T Y S P R O C U R E M E N T A N D I N V E S T M E N T P O L I C Y 9th June 2011 (403rd Meeting Union Council) Primary Officer: International Secondary Officer: Activities This Union Believes this University should divest from and abstain from business relations with companies that aid and abet breaches of international law. This Union Believes that a company s past and on-going behaviour relative to compliance and respect for international law should be considered before contracting with or investing in them. This Union Believes that it is appropriate for a prestigious institution of higher learning like the University of Nottingham to consider respect for international law as a criterion for purchasing contracts/procurement and investment. This Union Resolves to lobby for a change to the University s policy on partnerships, contracts and investments (including the Endowment Fund) to include criteria requiring compliance with and respect for international law. This Union Resolves to explore an appropriate means to implement such a policy by consulting with appropriate groups both on and off-campus. 9

10 This Union Mandates the Environment and Social Justice Officer to report back to council regarding similar steps taken by other Universities. This Union Mandates the Environment and Social Justice Officer to report back to the council until issues are resolved. S P O N S O R S H I P Re-adopted 9 th June 2011 Secondary Officer: Sports This Union Believes that it should not accept sponsorship from companies that conflict with its ethics. This Union Resolves that it will encourage ethical banks to sponsor it and its associated/affiliated groups due to such banks being more in line with its ethics than mainstream banks. This Union Resolves that it should not accept sponsorship from arms companies due to its belief in human rights. This Union Resolves that it should not accept sponsorship from tobacco companies due to the negative health effects of tobacco products. " H I G H E R E D U C A T I O N F U N D I N G " 10th November 2009 Amended 9 th June 2011 (391st Meeting Union Council) Primary Officer: Education Secondary Officer: Postgraduate This Union Believes Higher Education is a social and economic good and should continue to attract a large level of Government funding. This Union Believes that the majority of our members chose to come to study at the University of Nottingham because of its strong international reputation, and that continued investment is necessary for the University to maintain its competitive status among other universities globally. This Union Believes that the Students Union is fundamentally opposed to any action that has a detrimental effect on the educational quality of the students of the University of Nottingham. 10

11 This Union Believes that the biggest barrier to students from lower socio-economic backgrounds from attending University is cost and/or perceptions of cost. This Union Believes that access to education should not be based on ability to pay and that financial incentives should not be a factor in a student s educational choices. This Union Believes that the majority of our members are opposed to paying more for their education. S T U D E N T L E D E D U C A T I O N Amended 12 th May 2011 (402 nd Meeting Union Council) Primary Officer: Education Secondary Officer: N/A This Union Believes that the provision of high quality education to its members rests on the university and Students Union working together in close partnership. This Union Believes that students have a vital role to play in shaping and developing their education. This Union Believes that teaching and extra-curricular activities are as important as research to preserve Nottingham s place as a leading institution within Higher Education. This Union Further Believes that its student academic representatives at course, and school level should take the lead in its efforts to improve the quality of teaching within the University. This Union Resolves to campaign for increased investment in the student learning experience, to include capital, project funding and infrastructure upgrades. This Union Resolves to lobby the University through the relevant University committees, to increase its academic staff numbers in proportion to its rising student numbers. This Union Resolves to oppose any changes to the teaching year or structure of courses and examinations that have been made without consulting students and their representatives. This Union Resolves to work towards better involving students in their education, its campaigns to improve it and academic representation on a course and school level. " H U M A N R I G H T S " 26th October 1992 Re-adopted 23rd October 1995 Re-adopted 30th November 1998 Re-adopted 11th October 2001 Amended 6th November 2003 Re-adopted 2 nd February 2006 (256th Meeting Union Council) (281st Meeting Union Council) (307th Meeting Union Council) (329th Meeting Union Council) (346th Meeting Union Council) (364th Meeting Union Council) 11

12 Re-adopted 9 th June 2011 Primary Officer: President Secondary Officer: N/A This Union Believes in the "United Nations Declaration of Human Rights" and demands basic individual rights irrespective of political or religious creed, race, age, gender or sex. This Union Believes that torture is still used in many countries today. This Union Believes in the abolition of the death penalty, and opposes all forms of torture and the degrading treatment of prisoners. " N A T I O N A L S T U D E N T S U R V E Y " 6 th December 2005 (363rd Meeting Union Council) Re-adopted and Amended 6 th December 2007 Amended 12 th May 2011 (378 th Meeting Union Council) (402 nd Meeting Union Council) Primary Officer: Education Secondary Officer: N/A This Union Believes that the National Student Survey (NSS) offers students a chance to let the university know directly what they feel about quality of their education and university experience This Union Resolves to encourage its members to engage with the NSS by working with the University to develop and carry out an effective communication plan This Union Resolves to work with IPSOS to continue to improve the NSS. " S H A R I N G R E U S A B L E R E S O U R C E S " 2nd May 2002 Re-adopted 2 nd February 2006 Re-adopted 16 th March 2006 Re-adopted 9 th June 2011 (335th Meeting Union Council) (364th Meeting Union Council) (366th Meeting Union Council) Primary Officer: Sports Secondary Officer: N/A This Union Believes that it is one of a nation-wide movement of Students Unions and should work closely with other Students Unions. 12

13 This Union Resolves to make available, via the web, editable source files of reusable electronic resources, where this will not take excessive time, money or effort for the use of its fellow Students Union. D O N A T I O N N O T D I S C R I M I N A T I O N 9th February 2011 (400th Meeting Union Council) Primary Officer: LGBT Secondary Officer: Welfare This Union Believes that the current National Blood Service (NBS) policy bans men who have ever had oral or anal sex with another man from giving blood for life. This Union Believes that people who have been aboard to a high risk area and who have had unprotected sex with multiple partners are only required to wait for 12 months before giving blood. This Union Believes that only 4% of people give blood and that donation is vital to supply the 8000 units required by hospitals for transfusions daily. This Union Believes that the NBS regularly runs blood donation sessions on campus which are supported and advertised by both the Students Union and University. This Union Further Believes that the current NBS policy imies that all same-sex sexual activity is inherently high-risk and perpetuates the myth the AIDS is a gay disease. High-risk heterosexual activity does not lead to a lifetime ban. This Union Further Believes that it is important students are made aware of the current lifetime ban and encouraged to give blood. This Union Resolves to support the NUS LGBT Donation Not Discrimination Campaign which calls for a review and revision of the current lifetime ban. This Union Resolves that the Students Union will continue to support blood donation sessions on campus and encourage students to give blood. This Union Mandates the LGBT Students Officer and LGBT Students Network to continue the Donation Not Discrimination Campaign (as outlined above) and educate students about the current policy. " D E M O C R A C T I C R E F O R M P A R T I " 12 th May 2011 (402nd Meeting Union Council) Primary Officer: President Secondary Officer: N/A This Union Notes SU Council had been quorate 17% of the time in the last 10 years. 13

14 This Union Notes the SU Big Review 2010 Section showed that Big Student Meetings were the least preferential method of decision making for students with Referendum coming out on top. This Union Notes the 2010 SUEI Audit highlighted Representation as a Priority Improvement Area and Participation as an Improvement Area. This Union Notes SU Big Review 2010: shows us that students believe Representation to be the most important core value within the Students Union with Democracy also scoring highly. This Union Notes all evidence shows that our Students Union council is not fit for purpose. This Union Notes that an audit of the Executive Committee in November found that Officers spent on average 65% of the time performing operational tasks and not representing students. A similar audit showed the same was the case for Representational Officers. This Union Believes 65% of students said that they would engage with decision making if it directly affected them (SU Big Review 2010: 4.1.1) This Union Believes The Democracy Survey, Q1 showed that students wanted to be involved in 'Campaigning Decisions' (what the Union is trying to change on behalf of students) more than 'Policy Decisions' (what stance the Union had on an issue) and then decisions on the 'Internal Structures of the Union' (e.g. the makeup of Prizes and Awards Committee). This Union Believes a new Democratic Structure is needed in order to represent students on the three main issues that they are concerned with: Education, Personal Development and Welfare and Citizenship issues (SU Big Review 2010:5.1.1). This Union Believes the Democracy Survey, Q3 showed epolls and ereferenda to be the most popular method of student engagement and physical meetings being the least. The Democracy Survey, Q4 showed that epolls were the most popular method to make decisions on all issues. Students prefer "direct e-democracy". This Union Believes students prefer to communicate with their Students' Union electronically using Facebook, websites and (SU Big Review 2010:6.3.1). We need to involve more online services in order to make decision making more accessible with all students regardless of situation or circumstance. This Union Believes SU Big Review 2010:4.3.1 shows us that we need to incorporate more direct democracy into our decision making, with students preferring Referenda over any other method. This Union Believes The Democracy Survey, Q5 shows that students want to hold its Students' Union to account via the website and by submitting questions online, to be answered online. 14

15 This Union Resolves to set up three separate 'Zones' on the website dedicated to i) Education, ii) Personal Development and iii) Society and Citizenship where students can submit ideas for other students to decide whether it is the important to students by epolling. This Union Resolves to replace SU Council with a Union Assembly that is made up of specifically elected Union Reps and randomly selected Student Panellists that are representative of the student body and change each time Assembly meets. This Union Resolves to cross campus elect a Chair of Union Assembly. This Union Resolves to hold all Officers to account at the Union Assembly where any student could submit a question and interact online as if they were there in person. This Union Resolves To take the most important ideas from the three Zones (as indicated be Students) to Union Assembly to be voted on. If the Union Reps and Student Panellists could not reach a decision or deemed the issue to be too important for them to make, the decision would be put to the wider student body in a Referendum. This Union Resolves to run Referendum three times a year (with NUS delegate elections, Officer Elections and with Course Rep Elections in the summer) when needed. This Union Mandates the Democracy and Communications Officer to implement the new Democratic Structure by the Academic Year 2012/13 following its sign off by students in a Referendum in the next academic year (2011/12) and report to Council on relevant developments. This Union Mandates the Democracy and Communications Officer to review the makeup of the Executive and Rep Officer teams in order to make them more 'Representational' and less 'Operational'. 15