Monday 06-06-2022 - 11:15

Assembly Media Observer, Laura Sadler, reports from the last Assembly of the year, held in-person for the first time since 2020, on Thursday 26 May.

 

Highlights

Officer Updates

Redevelopment of Durham Students’ Union bar

Motion: Mitie Must Fall

Motion: Amendments to standing orders of Durham Students’ Union

 

Officer Updates

Seun Twins (President)

· Launch of the Culture Commission, a piece of research two years in the making which aims to outline students experience of culture at Durham and make recommendations to the University for a more diverse and inclusive community for all. You can read the report here.
 

Jack Ballingham (Opportunities)

· Working on the final stages of the Democracy Review (remodelling the democratic processes of Durham Students’ Union), including the new Standing Orders which were presented to Assembly.

· Attended the NUS (National Union of Students) conference in Liverpool as an Observer. You can read Jack’s summary of what went down here.

· Wrote to the PVC of Colleges (Pro Vice-Chancellor) Jeremy Cook requesting justification for the rise in accommodation fees for 22/23.

· Organising Durham Students’ Union’s annual Inspiring Students Awards (held 6 June at the Radisson).
 

Jonah Graham (Welfare & Liberation)

· Finished focus groups and interviews for the Mental Health Provision survey. Moved onto the writing stage to give recommendations for the Students’ Union and the University.

· Fed back and critiqued the University’s draft suicide prevention policy.

· Organised June welfare training.

· Successfully lobbied the University for more support for peer-led welfare.

· Secured funding for next year’s Active Bystander training.

· Created a bespoke Associations training course.
 

Declan Merrington (Postgraduate Academic)

· Working with the UCU (Universities & Colleges Union) and the University to feedback the feelings of students towards the proposed marking boycott. The University and the UCU both referenced Durham Students’ Union’s stance against the marking boycott as having influenced their decisions and the final outcome. The marking boycott will no

longer be taking place at Durham where the University and the UCU reached an agreement to end current industrial action.

· Declan is pleased to announce that the Postgraduate Application Fund has now received over 100 applications and is open for a second round. This is specialist funding dedicated to supporting postgraduates in their academic activities, such as conference attendance. You can find out more here.
 

Charlie Proctor (Undergraduate Academic)

· Responding to many emails offering reassurance and information about the marking boycott and its implications on students.

· Presenting Durham Students’ Union decolonisation paper to the Provost Board. It is hoped that another year’s funding will be granted for decolonisation interns to lead this work across the University.

· Working with library and estates to set up more study spaces during the exam period.

· Organising a Thank You event from students for those who have gone above and beyond to provide excellent academic experience.

 

 

Redevelopment of Durham Students’ Union bar

Your SU is considering transferring the main bar and café in Dunelm House to the Kingsgate space on the second floor, rather than its current position in Riverside Bar and Café. Instead, Riverside Bar and Café could then be used as a common space for students, with facilities such as hot drinks and microwaves. This refurbishment is planned to take place over the Summer, and Durham SU welcomes student feedback on what sort of space you would like to see created and how we can best transform Dunelm House to fit your needs. More information about the research will be provided soon, so keep an eye on this space.

 

 

Motion: Mitie Must Fall

What is the motion being proposed?

· Lauren Powell from Durham STAR (that’s Student Action for Refugees) presented a motion which looks to request Durham University to cut its tie with the external company Mitie.

· Mitie are a provider of facilities management and professional services who supply contract staff to Durham University across many different sectors including catering, cleaning and security.

· In addition, STAR are requesting that Durham University offer to bring all Mitie staff in-house, meaning they would change to employment with the University itself under which they would have protected workers’ rights.

Why?

· STAR denounce Mitie over their involvement in the management of detention centres.

· Detention centres hold immigrants and refugees for indeterminate periods of time (this can be weeks, months or years) whilst awaiting the authorities’ decision on whether they can obtain a UK visa or asylum.

· Most have not committed any crime and many are extremely vulnerable.

· Conditions inside detention centres are often poor, and those detained can feel like prisoners.

· This issue is locally relevant - the UK government recently opened a detention centre in County Durham which is being actively opposed by STAR alongside several other University societies, including the Intersectional Feminist Society.

· In addition, Mitie has a track record of poor employee treatment including poverty wages, poor working conditions and breaking Covid-19 safety rules for their staff.

And what would this motion change?

· This action will make a positive contribution to the local community by actively resisting association with the detention centre which is plaguing County Durham.

· It shows a respect and consideration for the welfare of refugees, immigrants and asylum seekers and holds Durham University to its own EDI (Equality, Diversity & Inclusion) standards.

How would this affect students?

· STAR hopes that this action would constitute an important step towards building a more inclusive and diverse institution, and that it would help to make refugee, immigrant and international students feel welcome in Durham.

 

This motion was taken to vote and passed.

What happens now?

· Durham Students’ Union will lobby the University to end its contract with Mitie and encourage the University to take an active stance against detention centres, and the Hassockfield centre in County Durham. You can read Durham STAR’s blog on the SU website here to find out more.

 

 

Motion: Amendments to standing orders of Durham Students’ Union

Please note that for the second motion, Assembly was inquorate. That means that Assembly did not have a quorum (a quorum is the number of voting members who must be present at a meeting for a vote to count. This stops a small group of people from making decisions on the behalf of the whole).

Any vote is only indicative (this means it will have to agreed upon at a later date when there is a quorum present). Assembly will be asked to ratify this decision at a later date.

 

What is the motion being proposed?

· This is the final part of the Democracy Review, the culmination of a three-year piece of work to reform the democratic process of Durham Students’ Union, which has included extensive consultation with Assembly members and the wider student body.

· The amendments to the Standing Orders bring into effect the changes previously decided upon by Assembly to overhaul the democratic structures of Durham Students’ Union, particularly of Assembly itself (including its membership and different functions). To find out more about what is changing, you can read my previous Assembly reports here.

· The motion proposes that the amendments are agreed by Assembly so that the new Standing Orders come into effect.

Why?

· Changes to the Standing Orders are needed to bring into effect the changes decided on during the Democracy Review.

· The amendments represent a ‘significant and positive overhaul’ of Durham Students’ Union’s democratic processes.

And what would this motion change?

· From the Standing Order change, many things will be different going forward including who has a seat at Assembly, how your Student Officers are scrutinised/held to account, and how motions passed at Assembly are transformed into positive action.

How would this affect students?

· It is hoped that this overhaul will create better representation of the student body within the Union and will mean that every student feels their voice can be heard and can have their say on the issues that matter to them. Overall, this will make the Union processes fairer and more inclusive.

Several Assembly members proposed amendments to the motion, which were debated. Some of these passed and were included in the motion.

This motion was taken to vote and passed.

 

What happens now?

Since this vote was indicative, the motion will be ratified at the next Assembly in academic year 22/23 for the Standing Orders to come into effect.