UNIVERSITY OF ESSEX
UNIVERSITY/STUDENTS’ UNION CONSULTATIVE GROUP
22nd September 2005
MINUTES
Chair
Present
Tony Rich, Registrar (AHR)
Paula Rothero, Assistant Director of Student Support (PR),
Rachel Fletcher, Director of Student Support (RF), Steve Tighe,
SU VP Sports & Societies (ST), Siobhan Kinealy, SU President
(SK) Gareth Barrett, SU VP Finance & Services (GB), Richard
Brabner, SU VP Student Development (RB), Moira Collett,
Academic Registrar (MC), John Donaldson, University Safety
Officer (JD), Darren Baker, Customer Services and Marketing
Manager (DB), Andrew Nightingale, Director of Estate
Management (ARN), Antony Blackshaw, SU General Manager
(AB), John Gilfillan, Membership Services Manager (JG).
Apologies
Secretary
Bav Patel, SU VP Academic & Welfare
Zoe Kent, SU Administrator - PA to GM (ZK)
1) Introductions
Ref no
The group introduced themselves.
108/2005
2) Minutes of the Previous Meeting
The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as a true
and accurate record.
109/2005
3) Matters Arising
70/2005 – AB said that there are now vending facilities at
Quays as agreed.
110/2005
The issue of financing renovating the area is still the same. It
was noted that the Union will continue to regard Quays as a
problem. It was requested to keep this on the agenda.
AN said a solution is trying to be found by advertising to
external companies to provide a service. Will continue to
111/2005
Init
work on this.
72/2005 – DB said that recycling facilities have now been
installed at the Quays and at new locations on campus. It
was noted these facilities will be added to the map of the
campus.
It was noted that the clothing recycling option was actually
cheaper the way it was before so this option may have to be
revisited. It was agreed there is a need to decide where the
money will come from to fund it.
AN
112/2005
PR suggested looking into charities who organise bag drops
113/2005
to houses and finding out whether they will extend the service
to the campus. DB to look into this.
82/2005 – AB said that a report on Avon Way and Quays is
still being compiled but will be brought to the next USUCON
meeting.
114/2005
100/2005 – MC said the issue of Erasmus students not being
able to check their results online had been raised and should
work for next year.
115/2005
101/2005 – VI showed the group the Essex Graduates
mentoring scheme that is already in place. RB asked whether
this could be advertised more, MC to ensure this happens
116/2005
It was noted that there is going to be a major review of the
Careers Advisory Service – revamping the website etc.
117/2005
104/2005 – Work on getting new telephones installed at Avon
Way will hopefully go ahead on 27th September.
118/2005
AB
MC
4) Feedback from Meetings
a) Welfare Forum (no minutes available)
b) Sports Advisory Group (27/06/05)
ST said there has been a sub-group set up to look at the
Sports Advisory group and the first meeting will take place
next Thursday.
It was noted that the University are establishing an Olympics
Task Group which ST is invited to attend. The idea of the
group will be to improve facilities for students and also
provide a training ground for Olympic athletes.
DB
119/2005
5) Community Service for Disciplinary Offences
MC asked the SU representatives whether they could provide
Community Service punishments instead of fines for some
students. MC said the disciplinary group were disappointed
with the original decision and wanted the SU to reconsider.
SK said that if the SU did this it would cause a conflict of
interests as volunteering is a very positive activity and so did
not want to turn it into a negative by doing this. MC to report
back to the disciplinary board that the answer is still no.
120/2005
MC
6) Ramadan – Confirming Arrangements are in place and
budgetary responsibility is agreed.
GB said the Hex is available. It was noted the cost of steward
will be £1138,30. SK wanted confirmation that the University
and the SU will share the costs of this. SK continued to say
that the SU have done most of the work including finding the
venue, liaising with Trevor and providing the steward so
thought it was fair for the University to contribute towards the
cost of a steward. AHR said he will continue to speak to AB
about this to ensure the invoice gets paid.
121/2005
AHR/
AB
7) Summer Provision on campus for Postgraduates
RB said he was happy the Security Office had resolved the
bike issue quickly and provisions had been made for next
year.
122/2005
It was requested to raise library issues at the next Library
Sub-Committee meeting. The main issue being library
opening hours. JG to first consult with Postgraduates to see
what hours they would ideally like. PG’s are concerned that
as most of them work through the vacation they cannot study
in the library once their work day has ended. AHR suggested
talking to Health and Human Sciences. It was requested to
revisit this at the next USUCON meeting.
123/2005
It was noted that an agreement has now been reached on
sports provisions for Postgraduates. From June-September a
goal will be available and one grass recreational pitch. ST
thanked AHR for his contribution to this.
124/2005
JG
8) Security Incidents Involving Students
RB said students are being encouraged to report
125/2005
verbal/physical abuse to the University through PR. PR told
the group that she had compiled a summary of incidents from
October last year to September this year and there had been
25 incidents in total (off campus) and 9 reports of indecent
exposure in the last 3 months. It was noted that there had
been no incidents at Quays – they all took place at Avon Way
and the Greenstead area.
GB said the SU are promoting the shuttle bus service at
Quays and Avon Way. AN said that the public bus service
already travels there so care has to be taken to ensure we do
not make enemies with them as it will make it more difficult to
encourage them to improve. It was noted that the public bus
service finishes at 7pm. GB said the SU service would run
from about 9pm.
126/2005
AB said that if we do not charge for the service, we are not in
competition with them. AB said it has already been agreed to
run the service for the first two weeks in October and
suggested carrying the service on until the end of October
and compiling a report on its success. It was requested that
the scheme be costed into 2006. VI and DB to work with the
SU on this.
VI/
DB
AN said we need to encourage students to continue to walk
down there as the more people that decide not to use the
route, the scarier the perception of it will be. JG said the
Human Bus Stop idea is being continued.
127/2005
It was noted that alarm/panic buttons along this rote are on
the University’s list of things to investigate.
128/2005
AHR said that Colchester has one of the lowest crime rates in 129/2005
the country (according to ‘Up My Street’) and thought we
should try and promote the positive more.
JG said some SU reps had visited E15 and found a spate of
robberies had been reported in the main buildings. JG was
also concerned about students there living in sub-standard
accommodation. VI said that unfortunately the
accommodation depends on the local authority. MC asked
whether it would be possible to use an agent there. VI said it
is a possibility and is on her agenda as it has been
recognised we need to do more. VI to report back at the next
USUCON meeting.
130/2005
VI
9) AOB
VI said that last year there had been discussions about
starting up a residents association with a feedback forum to
enable students to directly voice their opinions on
accommodation and improvements that could be made. It
was suggested SK and DB become a part of this. VI said she
is also working on an accommodation strategy and is keen to
get input from students.
131/2005
It was also suggested to have a consultation café where
refreshments could be provided in Mondo and people could
talk about accommodation issues. SK, VI and DB to work on
this.
132/2005
SK/
DB
SK
VI
DB
Volunteering – RB said that funding for voluntary activities is
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far from certain as we cannot apply for lottery funding. SU are
requesting £80,000 as the money will run out completely in
Summer 2006. SU to compile a paper on this and revisit the
topic at the next meeting.
10) Date and Time of Next Meeting
The Date and Time of the next meeting were agreed as
Thursday 24th November 2005 at 3.00pm
134/2005
RB