1. Union Meeting 23 rd February 2015

2. Housekeeping Toilets Emergency Exits Mobile Phones Voting Cards Staff Protocol Notices/Statements and Any Other Business Election of Vice-Chair

3. 1.Welcome & Apologies 2.Accepting the agenda/declarations of conflicts of interest 3.Minutes from previous meetings 4.Matters arising 5.Accountability and questions 6.Students’ Union financial position 7.Policy Lapse: Initiations Policy 8.Policy to submit to NUS Conference 9.Big Ideas discussion and voting 10.AOB 11.Notices/Statements 12.Date and time of next meeting: Agenda

4. Officer Reports

5. Marcus Boswell President Presented 21 st Century University research to numerous NTU Boards. Consulted Brackenhurst students on redevelopment design concepts. Getting ready for NTSU Elections. Pushing forward on an Employment Agency Working on handover for the incoming Officer team. Working with NUS and discussing Notts Student Manifesto.

6. Marcus Boswell President Questions?

7. Lizzy Kelly Vice President Activities RAG Week went down a treat! Working on events for Easter and Term 3. New societies code of practice. Working on AGM training for societies. Developing a template for society handover.

8. Lizzy Kelly Vice President Activities Questions?

9. Matthew Scrimshaw Vice President Education Buddy system implemented by School of Science and Technology. QAA audit completed. Gained feedback from Academic Rep Assembly meetings. Working on summer library opening hours. Developing a campaign on academic regulations and policies. Looking into digital learning as part of Feedback Week. Investigating student views on education funding.

10. Matthew Scrimshaw Vice President Education Questions?

11. Paddy Atkinson Vice President Sports Committee Training: Delivered Democracy and Governance training to sports clubs before the elections. Sports Ball: Colwick Hall booked for 8 th May. Representation: NTU Sport have split sports club and gym membership for next year. Initiations Policy: Worked on a new policy which is being voted on later. Varsity: Many events now booked in and seasons ticket to be resurrected. BUCS: Working with NTU Sport on a BUCS Top 10 strategy and ensuring non-BUCS clubs do not suffer. NUS Policy: Working on a policy around better representation to University sport.

12. Paddy Atkinson Vice President Sports Questions?

13. Josh Eloi Vice President Community Gender Neutral Toilets. Launch of The Notts Student Manifesto. University Mental Health Day Working on Student Volunteer Week and Green Impact Excellence award. NUS Policy on housing and representation in preferred halls. Working on a new FAST self defense system.

14. Josh Eloi Vice President Community Questions?

15. Jeremiah Anson Vice President Services Using DJs for a new ‘Crème de la Crepe’ event. Secured new kitchen fittings for UPP halls. Student Feedback used to get new drinks at the bar. Sneaker and Street wear showcase – ‘Crème de la Crepe’. Engaging with Hall Reps on more inter-hall events. Working on voter registration.

16. Jeremiah Anson Vice President Services Questions?

17. Students’ Union’s Finance Update Marcus Boswell

18. Policy Lapse (Italics signify changes from printed agenda) Paddy Atkinson

19. Proposed Policy *Definition: An initiation ceremony is an event in which members (often new members) of the club are expected to perform a task or tasks as a means of gaining credibility, status or entry within that club. This may involve peer pressure (though not explicitly) exerted on students, and may compromise a person’s inherent dignity as a person by forcing or requiring an individual to drink alcohol, eat mixtures of various food stuffs, nudity and behaviour that may be deemed humiliating/ Anti-social. The Union notes: There is concern that initially harmless intentions may frequently evolve to demeaning, felonious, dangerous, and even fatal activities. The 2006 NUS Conference condemned ‘initiation ceremonies’. In 2013 BUCS (British Universities Colleges Sport) have condemned initiation ceremonies as well as alcohol abuse linked with any competitions/ University sport Welcoming student into their sports club/ society in an appropriate way is a good thing, as it builds a sense of belonging & community. The Union believes: The practice of an ‘initiation’ can be a dangerous and degrading exercise that jeopardises the safety of Sports Clubs members and is a source of negative publicity for the Union and University. All students should be able and encouraged to participate in sport in an atmosphere free from discrimination or fear of physical danger. Clubs who are found to be holding initiation ceremonies, or in breach of their agreed welcome event, are to be disciplined accordingly. That the Union has a duty to protect the interests of its members.

20. Proposed Policy The Union resolves: Sports and societies will NOT carry out initiation* ceremonies either on or off university premises. 1.1. Breaches of this policy may result in the following penalties: Closure of the activity Activity Funding removed or frozen Removal of individuals, team or club from all competition Suspend all functions of a club 1.2. Individuals who organise events in breach of this code of conduct will be subject to disciplinary action in line with the Students’ Union Disciplinary Procedures. An event welcoming and introducing members is a good idea, as this would allow new members to meet, providing the activities as described above do not take place. Attendance at the event should not be made compulsory. Information on such events are to be provided to the relevant Executive Committee member and should include, but not be limited to, when and where the event shall be held and what activities are planned to take place there. Such events are not to take place without the prior approval of the relevant Executive Committee member and any Executive Committee member, Sports or Society Executive Member is permitted to attend such events, unannounced, to monitor the activities taking place there. If a breach of this policy may also constitute a breach of the University’s Student Code of Behaviour, the University may decide to take appropriate action against you in accordance with those regulations. It is the policy of Nottingham Trent Students’ Union that every student has the right to participate as a full member in all activities without attending any social events. Selection for competitive activities should be based purely on ability, skill, fitness criteria and attendance at training. To educate committees and new members of our policy and to encourage wider participation within sport.

21. Policy for NUS Conference Josh Eloi Patrick Atkinson

22. Representation of Students in Private Halls (for NUS Conference) Conference believes: Many Universities across the country have relationships with private halls, in which their service is recommended to students. Many students see living in halls as a central part of the university experience. In a relationship such as this between private companies, institutions and students, it is crucial that students are independently represented by their SU. In some instances, the commercial nature of this relationship means the student voice is unheard. It is unacceptable for students to not be a partner in their housing Conference resolves: To mandate the VP Welfare to establish a toolkit for working with external halls suppliers and Universities, in order to strengthen the representation provided by Students’ Unions. To support Unions both locally and across the UK in working together to combat bad practice from halls suppliers.

23. Ensuring Representation within Sport (for NUS Conference) Conference believes: University sport represents a strong part of the student experience at many institutions. Universities increasingly control student sport, with the Students’ Union providing representation of the students. With Universities continuing to focus on enhancing ‘the student experience’ and many expanding staff capacity in this area, there is a risk that the representational role of the SU is under threat. An independent and autonomous body should represent students. The University cannot provide this. NUS should provide support where the autonomy of Students’ Unions representative function is being challenged. British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) currently doesn’t create an effective platform for student feedback as well as democracy. BUCS engagement with sabbatical officers on a democratic & representational level is not sufficient despite having a high level of engagement with Sport senior managers. Conference resolves: NUS to survey the relationship between Institutions, Students’ Unions, and Sports Department to establish what is current best practice and detail various working models. NUS to provide support to Students Unions in ensuring that their representational role is not threatened over student sport. NUS to Lobby and work with BUCS to ensure that there are appropriate platforms for student representation and democracy.

24. Big Ideas Marcus Boswell

25. EXAMPLE! Provide a Puppy Room to help de-stress students during exam/assessment time. For Against Open debate Vote

26. Big Ideas: Roll on, AerOff I would like to see Trent shops stock only roll on deodorant instead of the damaging effects of aerosol, and its effect indoors on its atmosphere!

27. Speaker for the proposal

28. Speaker against the proposal

29. Open to the floor

30. Vote During the count please keep your card high in the air and keep noise to a minimum for the benefit of our counters.

31. Big Ideas This is a campaign dedicated to the boycotting of newspapers that contain pornographic images in Nottingham Trent’s Student Union. The main target being “Page 3” in The Sun. The ultimate goal is that the publications removed from sale on all of NTU’s campuses. Images like these normalize the objectification of women’s bodies and disgracefully offer up those bodies as something to be consumed. As an educational institution, we believe, universities should be expected to lead the way in positive change and should take a political stance against that which is seen as damaging to society and since the newspaper holds no educational value there is no reason for the university to stock it. As a result we hope to stop the Students’ Union and other university facilities stocking the newspaper, symbolizing its stance as a 21st century university who ranks its female students as equal to its male students and not just potential objects for sexual consumption.

32. Speaker for the proposal

33. Speaker against the proposal

34. Open to the floor

35. Vote During the count please keep your card high in the air and keep noise to a minimum for the benefit of our counters.

36. Big Ideas As actioned by Sports exec to gauge the interest in sports clubs continuing ocean, as they often complain about not being able to get a book/ having too many members for the number of tickets they receive. The demand for ocean on a Wednesday, particularly in first term, is far higher than the capacity of ocean. As some of the sports clubs and societies are unable to get ocean ticket books (as there aren’t enough), they miss out on vital income Many students are unable to get into ocean at the start of term 1, which can put them off going in future weeks. They also feel disengaged from their society/ club Move the Wednesday night social from Ocean, to the SU in the academic year 2015/16. This will enable more ticket books, more income for sports clubs and societies, a higher level of inclusion on Wednesday night and more income for the SU to invest back into students

37. Speaker for the proposal

38. Speaker against the proposal

39. Open to the floor

40. Vote During the count please keep your card high in the air and keep noise to a minimum for the benefit of our counters.

41. Any Other Business (A.O.B.)

42. Notices/Statements

43. Islamic Society: vote of thanks Mohammed Ali Shafiq

44. Thank you for attending! Next meeting: Annual Meeting! 11 th May 2015 6pm, The Level, City Campus Submit your Big Ideas NOW! www.trentstudents.org/thestudentvoice