Student Council Minutes Tuesday 13 December 2011 at 6.30pm in the David Sizer Lecture Theatre

Chair: Eleanor Hallam

Mile End Officers present (10): Ben Richardson (Student Representative) Chris Smith (Student Representative) Darcie Tyler-Henley (Volunteering Officer) Donald MacKinnon (LGBT Officer) Ellen Kiely (RAG Officer) Michael Gilbert (Postgraduate Officer)

Ozzy Amir (Campaigns Officer) Shaun Ramanah (Students with Disabilities Officer) Tom Voice (Ethical and Environmental Officer) Wilson Wong (Societies’ Officer)

Mile End Officer apologies (5):Caz Parra (Secretary) - proxy Ciara Squires (Student Representative) - proxy Dominic Todd (Sports Officer) - proxy

Edoardo Palmombo (Welfare Officer) Wanda Canton (Women’s Officer)

Barts and The London Officers present (9): Adnan Aslam (Dental Representative) Andrew Smith (Student Representative) Jeeves Wijesuriya (Vice-President London) Jon Cramphorn (Vice-President Barts) Mandi Pal (Secretary)

Ramey Assaf (External Affairs Officer) Rob Zabihi (Dental Representative) Sam Chequer (Welfare Officer) Tim Foster (Clubs and Societies’ Officer)

Barts and the London Officer apologies (5):Aran Ali (RAG Captain) Eva Pathmanathan (Dental Society President) Hannah Downer (Treasurer) - proxy

Richard Donovan (SSLC Rep) - proxy Salem Al-Sawaf (Entertainments Officer)

Faculty and Year Representatives present (4):Alex Schpektor (Humanties and Social Sciences Faculty Representative) Karishma Chouglay (Science and Engineering Faculty Representative)

Ollie Brown (Middle Years Representative) Nicolas Meier (Year One and Foundation Representative)

Sabbatical Officers in attendance: Sophie Richardson (President) Dominic Bell (Vice President Activities) George Ryan (Vice President Association)

Oscar Williamson (Vice President Education and Welfare) Sam Creighton (Vice President Communications)

Union Staff in attendance: Philip Gilks (Student Voice and Development Manager) Tom Sutton (Representation and Democracy Co-ordinator)

1.0 Apologies Apologies were noted and accepted. 2.0 Chair’s Welcome Announcements Chair welcomed members to the third meeting of the semester. 3.0 Minutes from the meeting of Student Council held on 23 November 2011

Noted with a change to 12.1 to: “Michael Gilbert stated the official reasons for Vik Chechi’s suspension were related to disputes within his working space. But the circumstances around his suspension suggested an act of retaliation against his trade union involvement.”

4.0 Officer Reports

Noted. 5.0 Executive Action Plan

Noted.

6.0 Election Dates Noted.

7.0 Executive Officers Duties and Responsibilities. Sam Creighton spoke for a motion to create an ‘Executive Officers’ Bye-Law containing the duties and responsibilities of the Union’s Executive Officers. He argued that the Bye-Law outlined the full duties and responsibilities of the Executive Officer positions approved at the General Meeting and in Student Council.

Sam Creighton waved the summation.

Student Council voted for the motion.

- 27 members voted for - 0 members voted against - 1 member abstained

8.0 Student Representative and Part-time Officer Duties and Responsibilities

Dominic Bell spoke for a motion to create an ‘Student Representatives and Part-time Officers’ Bye-Law containing the duties and responsibilities of the Union’s Student Representatives and Part-time Officers. He argued that the Bye-Law outlined the full duties and responsibilities of the Student Representative and Part-time Officer positions approved at the General Meeting and in Student Council. Dominic Bell waved the summation. Student Council voted for the motion.

- 26 members voted for - 0 members voted against - 2 members abstained

9.0 Use of the Library Postgraduate Reading Room by Undergraduates during the

Examination Period Chris Smith spoke for a motion proposing a Union campaign to open up the postgraduate reading room in the library to undergraduate students during the examination period. He argued while it was right that a room was established for postgraduate study, this could not be afforded during the exam period when there is a high demand from undergraduates for quiet study space.

Michael Gilbert spoke against the motion. He argued that the postgraduate reading room facility was a new and one of the only benefits to being a postgraduate at the College. He understood there was a high demand from undergraduates for quiet study space and

suggested that undergraduates lobby their departments to make use of empty classrooms for quiet study as an alternative.

Chris Smith spoke for the motion. He argued not all departments controlled rooms that they could make available for quiet study space. Oscar Williamson spoke against the motion. He argued the reading room was one of the only benefits to being a postgraduate at the College. The Library was keen to join undergraduates in calling on the college to make available empty classrooms for quiet study.

9.1 Clarification

Alex Schpektor sought clarification as to how many postgraduate students studied at the College.

- Oscar Williamson replied approximately 40% of the overall student population. Chair moved to a vote.

Student Council voted against the motion.

- 7 members voted for - 18 members voted against - 3 members abstained

10.0 ATMs on Campus

Chris Smith spoke for a motion calling for an investigation concerning the future of ATMs on the Mile End campus. He argued cashpoints were an important facility and service to provide for students and College staff. It was important cashpoints were located within the campus because it was a significantly safer environment. An investigation should take place, a report given back to Student Council with a set of recommendations and Student Council should have a say over the decision reached.

10.1 Clarification

Dominic Bell clarified that the Board of Trustees had taken a decision to take the stand-alone cashpoints out of service and remove them on grounds of potential risk.

Chris Smith waved the summation. Student Council voted for the motion.

- 28 members voted for - 0 members voted against - 0 members abstained

11.0 Campaign for Q-Review

Ollie Brown spoke for a motion proposing a Union campaign to extend the pilot of Q-Review, a lecture recording service. He argued a review into Q-Review had found both lecturers and students found the recording service useful. Rather than lecturers opting-in to use the service, lecturers should opt-out to encourage wider use of the service. Ollie Brown waved the summation. Student Council voted for the motion.

- 28 members voted for - 0 members voted against - 0 members abstained

12.0 Dyslexia Testing to Remain Free to Students

Shaun Ramanah withdrew the motion. 13.0 Researching the need for a Students with Disabilities Representative for Barts and the

London

Shaun Ramanah spoke for a motion proposing that the Union undertakes research to identify the need for a Students with Disabilities Representative (Barts and The London). He argued that the views of Barts and The London students with disabilities should be thoroughly researched to identify if there was a need for a representative for Barts and The London students with disabilities. George Ryan spoke against the motion. He argued he was not against the Mile End Students with Disabilities Officer independently researching the need for a Students with Disabilities Representative (Barts and The London) but was against mandating the Union to conduct research he believed he had already conducted. Shaun Ramanah spoke for the motion. He argued that he was the Students with Disabilities Officer for Mile End not Barts and The London. Researching the views of Barts and The London students with disabilities was not under his remit. The Union was better placed to conduct this research. George Ryan spoke against the motion. He argued that he was happy to facilitate the Mile End Students with Disabilities Officer to conduct the research which he could conduct without passing a motion into policy. Ozzy Amir spoke for the motion. He argued comprehensive research into this issue would end an ongoing discussion and debate on this subject. George Ryan spoke against the motion. He argued he had conducted the research already and there was no need to revisit the issue. 13.1 Clarification

Members sought clarification as to how much research had been conducted. - Tim Foster and George Ryan replied that Barts and The London Part-time

Officers and committee members of Barts and The London Clubs and Societies at a General Council Meeting had been consulted.

Dominic Bell asked whether a majority of those consulted were students with disabilities.

- Jeeves Wijesuriya replied that some were, as well as a large number of those that spoke on the subject, but not necessarily a majority.

Ozzy Amir spoke for motion. He argued that there was no harm in re-conducting the research, especially as some members argued the results were so conclusive. Mandi Pal spoke against the motion. She argued that Barts and The London students with disabilities did not want a representative to help them resolve the issues they faced or signpost them to services. 13.2 Clarification

Sam Creighton clarified that a representative’s role was not to resolve student issues or signpost students to services. A representative was responsible for representing students views on the issues they faced and seeking improvements to the student experience.

13.3 Clarification

Alex Schpektor sought clarification whether the Mile End Students with Disabilities Officer had been approached by Barts and The London students with disabilities with requests to conduct this research.

- Shaun Ramanah replied that he had been approached. Chair moved to a vote. Student Council voted for the motion.

- 18 members voted for

- 6 members voted against - 4 members abstained

14.0 Accessibility for Students with Disabilities on Campus

Shaun Ramanah spoke for a motion to lobby the College to improve physical and virtual accessibility. He argued there were still many barriers to full accessibility across the campus as well as online for students with visual impairments and the Union should do what it could to improve accessibility.

Shaun Ramanah waved the summation. Student Council voted for the motion.

- 28 members voted for - 0 members voted against - 0 members abstained

15.0 Action Plan for Students with Disabilities

Shaun Ramanah withdrew the motion. 16.0 Time, date and place of next meeting

6.30pm on Tuesday 31 January in Francis Bancroft Room 10.02.6

officer: position: 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0

for against abstain for against abstain for against abstain for against abstain for against abstain

Ben Richardson Student Representative X X X X X

Caz Parra Secretary X X X X X

Chris Smith Student Representative X X X X X

Ciara Squires Student Representative X X X X X

Darcie Tyler-Henley Volunteering Officer X X X X X

Dominic Todd Sports Officer X X X X X

Donald Mackinnon LGBT Officer X X X X X

Ellen Kiely RAG Officer X X X X X

Michael Gilbert Postgraduate Officer X X X X X

Ozzy Amir Campaigns Officer X X X X X

Shaun Ramanah Students with Disabilities Officer

X X X X X

Tom Voice Ethical and Environmental Officer

X X X X X

Wilson Wong Societies Officer X X X X X

officer: position: 13.0 14.0 14.0 15.0

for against abstain for against abstain for against abstain for against abstain

Ben Richardson Student Representative X X

Caz Parra Secretary X X

Chris Smith Student Representative X X

Ciara Squires Student Representative X X

Darcie Tyler-Henley Volunteering Officer X X

Dominic Todd Sports Officer X X

Donald Mackinnon LGBT Officer X X

Ellen Kiely RAG Officer X X

Michael Gilbert Postgraduate Officer X X

Ozzy Amir Campaigns Officer X X

Shaun Ramanah Students with Disabilities Officer

X X

Tom Voice Ethical and Environmental Officer

X X

Wilson Wong Societies Officer X X

officer: position: 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0

for against abstain for against abstain for against abstain for against abstain for against abstain

Adnam Aslam Dental Representative X X X X X

Andrew Smith Student Representative X X X X X

Hannah Downer Treasurer X X X X X

Jeeves Wijesuriya Vice-President London X X X X X

Jon Cramphorn Vice-President Barts X X X X X

Mandi Pal Secretary X X X X X

Ramey Assaf External Affairs Officer X X X X X

Richard Donovan SSLC Representative X X X X X

Robert Zabihi Dental Representative X X X X X

Sam Chequer Welfare Officer X X X X X

Time Foster Clubs and Societies Officer X X X X X

officer: position: 13.0 14.0

for against abstain for against abstain

Adnam Aslam Dental Representative X X

Andrew Smith Student Representative X X

Hannah Downer Treasurer X X

Jeeves Wijesuriya Vice-President London X X

Jon Cramphorn Vice-President Barts X X

Mandi Pal Secretary X X

Ramey Assaf External Affairs Officer X X

Richard Donovan SSLC Representative X X

Robert Zabihi Dental Representative X X

Sam Chequer Welfare Officer X X

Time Foster Clubs and Societies Officer X X

officer: position: 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0 11.0

for against abstain for against abstain for against abstain for against abstain for against abstain

Alex Schpektor Humanities and Social Sciences Representative

X X X X X

Karishma Chouglay Science and Engineering Representative X X X X X

Nick Meier Year One and Foundation Representative

X X X X X

Ollie Brown Middle Years Representative

X X X X X

officer: position: 13.0 14.0 11.0

for against abstain for against abstain for against abstain

Alex Schpektor Humanities and Social Sciences Representative

X X

Karishma Chouglay Science and Engineering Representative X X

Nick Meier Year One and Foundation Representative

X X

Ollie Brown Middle Years Representative

X X