Thursday 12-12-2024 - 12:00

Our Assembly Media Observer, Ellen Hodges, reports from the first Assembly of the academic year.

Summary of Assembly

• Training of Assembly members
• Reopen nominations for Assembly Chair election- contact dsu.governance@durham.ac.uk if you are interested
• Ratification of Returning Officer
• Committee update
• Amendments to standing orders B, D and E

Training of Assembly members

Training was run by  SU staff to discuss what Assembly is, how the processes within it work, and how it can be shaped this year.

What is Assembly?

Assembly is the body responsible for the political and campaigning side of the union and its work.

Assembly meetings involve:

• Discussing and debating motions
• Setting political policy if motions are passed
• Scrutinising Officers’ work
• Reporting SU’s work to students
• Influencing the governance of the SU

How to make the most of Assembly as a member

• Attend all meetings
• Uphold values of the SU
• Represent members of constituency
• Promote Assembly and its work
• Engage with students on issues to be discussed
• Bring issues to Assembly

How Assembly processes work

Motions are submitted to Assembly through the website. These can either be written in full or submitted as an idea so that SU staff can help format it. Relevant deadlines are highlighted on the website.

Ideas for motions can also be discussed at Issues to Action. These events are informal and provide a space for students to discuss issues they are facing, learn about the SU’s work and get involved with campaigns. There is also free pizza and drinks!

Motions are then debated within an Assembly meeting. Any students within the meeting can present arguments for and against.

Assembly votes, and if they are passed, it becomes union Policy. Action will be taken by Student Officers or it will demonstrate the SU’s stance on a topic.

Other policy-making bodies include referendums and Officer committees.

How Assembly can be shaped

Everyone who attended discussed what changes they’d like to see to Assembly this year.  The training emphasised the importance of student input.

Reopen nominations for Assembly Chair election

SU President, Dan Lonsdale, chaired the meeting. Nominations for the chair’s election were reopened and students are encouraged to contact dsu.governance@durham.ac.uk if they are interested. The deadline is the 20 of February,

Ratification of Returning Officer

A motion to ratify Peter Robertson as the Returning Officer was passed. The role of the Returning Officer is to make sure elections are run fairly and that all rules are followed. The returning officer is external to Durham and enforces election rules impartially.

Officer Committee update

President- Dan Lonsdale

Dan’s focus this year is tackling the housing crisis.

Meetings

• Mary Foy MP- discussed issues affecting students
• UCU- discussed staff-student relationship policy

Events

• UKTGA- spoke about Durham’s housing landscape at the UK Town Gown Association Conference
• SU- delivered a talk at the SU’s leadership event Let’s Talk Leadership, committee meetings, Issues to Action

Education Officer- Catherine Howells

Catherine’s focus for this year is bringing down barriers for disabled students.

Meetings

• Office for students- discussed what it’s like to be a student at Durham,
• UCU- discussed shared concerns and objectives
• Mary Foy MP- worked on issues affecting students in Durham
• Faculty Reps- addressed concerns in different faculties
• School of Education- discussed their travel expense policy, which was now been overturned

Events

• Issues to action- led a discussion around disability support
• Spoke at Student Voice Regional Network
• Committee meetings
• Student staff consultation sessions

Projects

• With the University- kickstart project about academic advice

Communities Officer- Moitreyo Ganguli

Moitreyo’s focus this year is making sure students are not held back by the cost-of-living crisis. You can speak to Moitreyo in person for ‘his ‘Moi on the move!’ series where he will be launching a series of pop-ups around campus.

Meetings

• University- discussed the support available for estranged students, which they have now updated
• Mary Foy MP and UCU- talked about supporting each other over the year
• Plan drug consultation policy
• Welfare officers in college- discussed how to support officers with training
• Durham council- pushing the council to grit Kingsgate bridge

Cost of living objectives

• Breakfast club- expected to restart in SU in January
• University- reaching out to add microwaves to the science site and expanding bus deals
• Warm spaces over winter break- more details to come

Events

• Chairing Community Committee- discussing how to support students with loneliness and plan a mental health campaign

Part-time Officers

The Education Officers have been focused on improving assessment feedback, incorporating student voice, improving the inclusion of international students and enriching the experience for the PGR community.

The Community Officers have been actively supporting student leaders in common rooms, working to improve the name change process for Trans students, and contributing to the university’s mental health charter submission.

Motion to amend standing orders

A motion was passed to amend standing orders B, D and E. These will make the processes in Assembly easier and allow students to become Assembly members at any time throughout the year. They will also reduce the burden on Assembly members to join extra committees to keep Assembly functioning.