THE UNIVERSITY OF STIRLING STUDENTS’ UNION
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING
AGENDA
22nd OCTOBER 2014
There will be a meeting of the Students’ Union Executive Council on 22nd of October from 9am in
Cottrell 2B80. In order to ensure the meeting is kept to time please ensure all attached papers are
read in advance. Should you be unable to attend the meeting please submit apologies to Amy
McDermott at president.union@stir.ac.uk by 21st of October 2014.
1
IN ATTENDANCE
1.1
Members Present
1.2
In Attendance
1.3
Observers
1.4
Apologies
1.5
Absent without Apologies
2
MINUTES AND MATTERS ARISING
3
CHALLENGES TO ORDER PAPER
4
DATES TO NOTE
5
ELECTIONS & RESIGNATIONS
6
REPORTS (oral)
7
UPDATES, DISCUSSION AND DECISION TOPICS
8.1 National Student Demonstration. Free Education – no cuts, no fees, no debt!
8.2 Equalities Campaign
8.3 Gender Neutral Toilets
8.4 Action on Nuclear Disarmament
8.5 Officer Projects
8
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
9
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
10
RESERVE BUSINESS
8.1 National Demo- Free Education
To discuss actions on:
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Promotion
Transport
8.2 Equalities Campaign
To discuss:
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Timetable
Ideas
Executive Officer roles
8.3 Gender Neutral Toilets
General Meeting Notes:
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Currently on campus there are female, male and disabled toilets.
Those who do not conform to traditional, binary, gender norms can feel
uncomfortable using gendered toilets.
The Equal Opportunities Policy of the University of Stirling Student’s Union which
states that the union is “dedicated to maintaining equal opportunities for all of its
members and employees regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion or
sexuality”.
General Meeting Believes:
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That everyone has the right to feel safe in entering a toilet facility.
By providing the option for student’s to use gender neutral toilets, we can better
achieve our equal opportunities policy.
General Meeting Resolves:
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To begin research into possible locations for already existing toilets to be converted
from gendered to gender neutral facilities.
To allow the minimal funds that would be required to do so; the changing of the sign
on the door.
Proposer: Jennifer Carmel Lester
Seconder: Astrid Smallenbroek
8.4 ACTION ON NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT
General Meeting Notes:
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The motion passed by General Meeting on the 12th November 2013 by 47 votes to 14 with 6
abstentions entitled "Trident and Nuclear Disarmament";
That the aforementioned motion commits the Student Union to "practically support, as far as
is reasonably possible, CND's campaign against nuclear weapons";
The annual report published by IKV Pax Christi, entitled Don't Bank on the Bomb (2013
edition ISBN 978-90-70443-26-9), which lists producers of Weapons of Mass Destruction and
the financial institutions that invest in them, and divides these into 3 categories (Hall of Fame,
Runners Up and Hall of Shame), and
That the Student Union holds investments in and has relationships with businesses that
produce or fund nuclear weapons, as does the university, and accordingly indirectly funds
nuclear weapon production in ways that it is not legally obligated to do, for example by paying
taxes.
General Meeting Believes:
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That it is inconsistent for the Student Union to be funding weapons which it opposes and
campaigns against;
That the Student Union should divest from the companies listed as producers and those
financial institutions listed in the Hall of Shame of the aforementioned report, and hold no
investments with them;
That the Student Union should not enter into any contracts with or provide facilities or
services to, other than may be required by law, any company that is listed as a producer of
nuclear weapons or financial institution that is listed in the Hall of Shame of the
aforementioned report, and
That divestment increases the stigmatisation of nuclear weapons and also reduces the
amount of capital available to assist in their production.
General Meeting Resolves:
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To reaffirm its commitment to the policy 'Trident and Nuclear Disarmament', thereby renewing
that policy and recommencing its 4 year 'shelf life';
That the Student Union will divest at the earliest possible opportunity and will have completed
divestment at a date no later than 12 months after the passing of this motion by General
Meeting (20th October 2015) from all companies and institutions named in the Hall of Shame
or as Nuclear Weapon Producers in the Report Don't Bank on the Bomb, hereafter referred to
as 'the categories', and shall furthermore specify the reason for divestment to the institution or
company divested from;
That the Student Union shall refuse to enter into any contract or renew any existing contract
with an institution or company in the categories;
That the Student Union shall bring full pressure to bear to force the university to do likewise,
especially with regard to commercial concessions;
To provide no facility to any company or institution in the categories, including advertising or
stalls, and
To always source and use the most recent version of the Don't Bank on the Bomb report, in
order to not disadvantage those institutions that have improved their stance.
Note: A copy of the 2013 report, the most recent at the time of writing, is attached to this motion as an
appendix*
*http://www.dontbankonthebomb.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/DBOTB2013-FINAL.pdf
Proposed by CND
8.5 Officer Projects
Can all Officers please report on their key plans for the year highlighting the following:
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Project and reasons for choosing
Aims
Key partners
Potential areas of evaluation
Timescale
As elected representatives with a series of manifesto promises, it is key that now with a full
exec we can make plans for shared Union campaigns and also ensure that promises are
being kept and change is occurring.
Amy McDermott, Union President
20th October 2014