UAB 9th February 2016 6pm Park 2.05

Minutes Present: Nick Johnson- President Carla Watton- VP Education & Democracy Elisa Kanagarajah- VP Sport Jamie Mitchell- VP Welfare & Community Bo Sun Lam- CCI Faculty Rep Shannon Thwaites- Humanities Faculty Rep Elizabeth Barnes- Science Faculty Rep Ryan Thickett- Technology Faculty Rep Joshua Robertson- Disabled Students’ Officer Marion Forgeot- European Students’ Officer Sian Brooke- Womens’ Officer Ben Conway- AU Chair Kacper Bochen- Course Rep Executive Chair Rachel Allman- Media Chair Sam Whittaker- RAG Chair Waqar Younas- VIP Chair Ailar Suley- Good Governance Officer Non UAB: Rhiannon Jenkins- Deputy CCI Faculty Rep 1. -

Apologies & Declaration of Interests Lai Kwan Daisy Ho (LGBT + Officer) David Ayton (Societies Chair) Nicole Doig (International Students’ Officer)

2. Minutes from previous meeting 26th January 2016 - Some members hadn’t received the minutes so Nick Johnson agreed to recirculate and they will be agreed on at the next UAB. 3. Action Points & Matters Arising from Those Minutes Masters students to have their graduate ceremony after they finish their course in October. Actioned to Carla and Marion. - Carla Watton: Spoke to academic registry and they agreed to look into it, I’m waiting to hear back from them. Introduce silent study open access areas in the library. Actioned to Kacper, Shannon and Jamie. 1

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We haven’t had a library committee meeting yet so haven’t discussed the idea, the next meeting is the 9th March.

University wide pyjama day. Actioned to Sam Whittaker and faculty reps. - Sam Whittaker spoke to the RAG committee and they are happy to be involved, they have a specific committee member who is happy to take on the event. - Elizabeth Barnes spoke with the Science Dean who was happy for science students to be involved with the event. More buses. Actioned to Nick and Jamie. - Nick Johnson spoke to Fiona but hasn’t had a reply as yet. 4. Updates from Sabbatical Officers - Byelaws: Query bought up so can’t discuss until the next UAB meeting. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Updates from Student Officers Updates from Executive Chairs Updates from Faculty Reps Passed Ideas: Union Zones

8.1 RAG Date 4/2/16

Second round of union training, including risk assessment- James Troughton Explain your idea further: As well as May, October training have another round of Union training compulsory for RAG, VIP, Media, Societies and AU. To help choose on a new committee to keep up to date with the training the union offers How would your idea benefit students? Helps those students who are voted in during EGM’s. Refreshs students with Union procedures. How could your idea be implemented? The union organises an identical training session focussing on procedures such as risk assessment to commence in January.

UAB Discussion:

Ben Conway: Is this financially viable? The activities team are very busy already! Nick Johnson: I don’t think it’s financially unviable Elisa Kanagarajah: We are currently changing committee training to be in May so this idea is technically already happening. We could go back to the student who submitted the idea and ask if changes are ok? Sam Whittaker: The idea is to do with if new committee are elected through the year through EGMs and haven’t attended the first training. We could do one training session a day for a week. 2

Nick Johnson: Seems fair. Elisa Kanagarajah: The small number of students this would involve could mean they could just be sent the PowerPoints that were used in training and this would then reduce the workload of activities. Kacper Bochen: The PowerPoints could be put on the Union Hub. UAB Actions:

8.2 Societies Date 3/2/16

Ok to action. Actioned to Elisa Kangarajah and Sam Whittaker.

More ways in contacting students to get involved with the societies in university- Ben Karuh Debofa Explain your idea further: The Nigerian Socio-Political Union Society students have various ideas that they want their society to do but they are not getting involved with the society. I was approached by a student and he talked about organizing an event in DSPU but this student is not aware of the Nigeria society. How would your idea benefit students? Getting involve with the societies development their ideas. Also being able to impact on their society. How could your idea be implemented? Union sending emails to all DSPU students in the university and also creating that awareness for them to be informed.

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UAB Discussion:

Elisa Kangarajah: I don’t get the idea. Ben Conway: I don’t either. Ailar Suley: Are they saying the Union should tell them everyone at the university who is Nigerian? Shannon Thwaites: If you read the idea title it refers to all societies not just the Nigerian Socio-Political Union Society. Kacper Bochen: Think it’s who the University think may be relevant to attend. Sian Brooke: So they’re asking for a list of suitable students? Nick Johnson: I think we need to send this back to the student for clarity. Elisa Kanagarajah: We could as Orion Brooks and David Ayton how it got passed at the zone.

UAB Actions:

8.3 Societies Date 3/2/16

AP: Send back to student.

Renovate a union room into a clear room with a wooden or rubber floor to be booked by societies – Timothy Stempt Explain your idea further: Given this space many “homeless” societies can book a regular hour or two hour slot each week in an area they can make noise and practice. How would your idea benefit students? Many societies would finally have the place they desperately needed. How could your idea be implemented? By renovation of a room to contain very little but a floor, plain walls with no windows, and a tough ceiling to facilitate all other societies needs.

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UAB Discussion:

Nick Johnson: We had a similar idea at the last UAB, should we link it to that? Kacper Bochen: Feedback from Orion Brooks was that this was the newest room and there wouldn’t be any refurbishments done at this time. Elisa Kanagarajah: This could only be the activities room. Waqar Younas: Maybe they don’t want the mirrors or windows? Jamie Mitchell: There’s curtains to hide both of them. Ryan Thickett: We old ask the idea submitter if this is ok? Sian Brooke: Shall I ask White Swan about their rooms.

UAB Actions:

Go back to student and tell them about room 1.

8.4 Societies Date 3/2/16

Societies to have their own uni system log ins – Harry Eastwell Explain your idea further: Each student has their own UP login to the uni computer system. My idea is for each society to have one as well. So for example my society could have the log in upscifi or something to that effect. I feel this would be useful for societies as it would help in transitioning from one committee to the next, as any relevant files or media for the society could simply be done and stored on the shared account, instead of being spread out amongst the committee and reduces the risk of if a committee member suddenly drops out the society you losing out on whatever info or media they had. Some societies like mine also use the computer system during their weekly meets, so it would be useful in this regard as well to not have to use your own. How would your idea benefit students? A smoother run and more centralised society would make for a more enjoyable one. Would make it easier for committees to work together on society material without having to meet up in person. How could your idea be implemented? Liaising with the University IT department to create the accounts. 5

UAB Discussion:

Shannon Thwaites: Can’t they just use Google drive? Kacper Bochen: But they want a physical log in. Sam Whittaker: What advantage does that have over Google drive? Waqar Younas: They would have a printing allowance. Kacper Bochen: That’s true. Waqar Younas: If groups will have a bank card in the future as planned then it’ll be easier to top up printing balances. Ben Conway: But Google drive is so much easy. Ryan Thickett: But this idea shouldn’t be hard to implement and if people will gain something from it then we should implement it. Sam Whittaker: If a committee member drops out it’ll be easier to keep access to group documents. Ailar Suley: Logging into Google drive can be done remotely. Kacper Bochen: There is a 15GB limit on Google drive and that may be the issue. Ryan Thickett: Can use the University proxy to access accounts remotely. Sian Brooke: There would be an issue with these being union account when all other accounts are university accounts. Nick Johnson: Is it financially a risk? Sian Brooke: An alternative is through the IS portal you can get temporary accounts for 90 days which can be renewed even though it says you can’t.

UAB Actions:

AP: David Ayton and Orion Brooks

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8.5 Societies Date 3/2/16

Generic Union Zone – Michael Sprake Explain your idea further: A catch all for all ideas which don’t fit into the current Union zones. How would your idea benefit students? Lots of ideas get moved to less appropriate zones because of a lack of finding the right place for them. How could your idea be implemented? Create a zone for all students for all Union ideas.

UAB Discussion:

Sian Brooke: Marion & I have been asking for this since the start. Elizabeth Barnes: This may mean less people going? Sian Brooke: Is this online or offline? Elisa Kanagarajah: There’s going to be a big review at the end of the year about this, so should be brought up in this. Carla Watton: The byelaws would have to be changed.

UAB Actions:

AP: Sabbatical officers.

9. Discussion Points: - Have Your Say feedback: No comments. 10. Any other business: Green Impact Project: Do One Thing –Jamie - Everyone agreed to be involved.

Sabbs on Sofa- Women’s Officer -

Sian Brooke wants to know times. 7

Student Officer Forums- Women’s Officer -

Sian Brooke: General student officer drop in held weekly at the union. All agreed it’s a good idea. Marion Forgeot to lead. Doodle poll to be set up to arrange time when most officers are available.

Absence for Governors lunch- Everyone attending. Hoodies- Nick Johnson receiving email about hoodies tomorrow.

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