Friday 23-10-2020 - 12:24

Thursday the 15th saw the return of Senate Since February. With everything seemly moving online, this was the first time in the Union’s 160 year history that the highest decision-making body was attended by people from the comfort of their homes.

The meeting was due to start at 6:00 pm but with the inventible trickle of attendees, the meeting commenced some 8 minutes later. Once quoracy was reached, I welcomed everyone and provided a much-needed explanation of how this new format would work. Kwame Asamoah Kwarteng provided a brief overview of the steering report, which sets out some of the major decisions made by the steering committee. Three lapsing policies were notified that will be taken forward in the corresponding committee meeting.

Policy	Executive Officer Notified
The SU should lobby for The University of Manchester/Residential Services to provide secure, locked bicycle storage facilities in halls of residence	Junior Usina, Welfare and Community Officer
The Students' Union should lobby for the introduction of a disposable cup tax of 20p per cup in all food and drink outlets on campus when the new re-usable cup system starts in September	Carol ChepkechTiriongo, Activities and Development Officer
The Students' Union should lobby for the building of more 'Green Walls' on University buildings	Carol Chepkech Tiriongo, Activities and Development Officer

 

The focus now lies on Executive Officer and their committees on what should happen to them.

Next was the Officer’s turn to provide the Senate with an update on their progress since taking office in the summer. Their reports and objectives were included in the agenda.  

Welfare & Community Officer- Junior Usina: Several actions related to Covid-19 general safety of students in halls and on campus (i.e. Track and Trace at the SU building) as well as different actions during welcome week.

Women’s Officer- Chenze Ma: working with period poverty-related issues (i.e. period products discounts), as well as actions related with the Sexual Harassment Campaign (meetings with ‘Support for Student Sex Worker’) and Women Leadership Project.

Postgraduate Officer- Nana Fredua Agyeman: working in academic-related issues (i.e. academic advising, and assessment), also developing projects for new PGT students, which involve transition resources, the extension of ‘Prepare for Postgrad’, and revising the ethnicity of an applicant of Manchester Master’s Bursary 

to support the underrepresented.

Education Officer- Laetitia Alexandratos: working on H&S COVID-19 Awareness module, Inclusive assessment matrix for staffs and Welcome Week on-campus social spaces. Meetings with different people about a great variety of issues such as the Climate Network, UCIL director or a unit project on ‘creativity’.

International Students Officer – Ecem Yalcin: Working closely with the University to provide better support for international students during its arrival and pushing for better instalments plans for the international tuition fees.

General Secretary- Kwame Asamoah Kwarteng: working in high-level plan and strategy for this academic/financial year, employability and Covid-19 related issues, Working in the Weston Jerwood Creative Bursaries. Involvement in the Black History Month organisation, and the Black Lives Matter (update: reports after a focus group took place as well as consultant organisation researching on how to become anti-racist)

Activities and Development Officer- Carol Chepkech Tiriongo: working in welcome week and the delivery of societies fair and societies Expos. Also, working in giving societies access to licensed Zoom. Conducted of the Student Leadership Conference successfully, and working in Black History Month events, and organisation of Global Week and UoM Olympics.

Co-option process: 

Part of the meeting was focused on co-opting new members into the few vacant positions on Senate. With the Union’s decision to consolidate the full and part-time officer elections back in March, there were only a handful of positions that needed filling. Candidates who came forward were asked to make a short speech stating their intentions and hopes in filling their role. After 10 minutes the Senate approved four new members onto the senate. 

• Biology, Medicine and Health UG Faculty Officer- Ayma
• Humanities PGT Faculty Officer- Adaeze Ezeh
• Fallowfield and Withington Community Officer- Adriana Esteves
• Widening Participation Officer- George Morris

Shortly after the co-option process, was the crux of what students come to Senate for- the policy debates. There were two policies presented, both calling for the support and education on drug-taking. Digby Barrlowcliff, who is a member of Students for Sensible Drug Policy Manchester. Whilst both policies appeared similar, one was calling for Union to provide support and education on drug-taking, whilst the other called on the University to ‘guide students to students towards supportive, confidential appropriate services. Instead of expelling them from the university and [student] accommodation’, moving away from its zero-tolerance approach.  

After a balanced debate, the senate went to a vote on the policies. Both policies passed with 63% (‘Provide Effective Harm Reduction…) and 79% (Advocating for sensible policies…’) majority in favour.

Once the Senate came to a close with some 8 minutes to left, I thanked everyone for attending. Whilst the Union was able to replicate many of the functions that many students will be used to seeing at the old Senate. The meeting did experience some technical difficulties which have become commonplace in the online realm.

The next Senate will take place on the 3rd of December.

Lucia Chocarro Martinez
Senate Chair 2020/202