Policy

 

There are different types of policy at Cardiff University and Cardiff Students' Union.

 

University policy is created by university staff, with input from student representatives, including the elected Sabbatical Officers. Such policy may include reference to campus spaces, the recording of lectures, and support services. 

 

Students' Union policy is proposed, debated, and passed by students, and provides the framework within which the Union and its elected Officers operate. This may provide policies by which the Students' Union needs to abide, or provide a mandate for elected Officers to lobby the university for change.

 

What should I do if I have an idea?

 

As a Students' Union we engage with you on issues that are affecting you, the student body here at Cardiff University. With your responses and feedback, we work (with you and your elected representatives) to refine written definitions and action.

 

Student Senate, AGM, and Referenda are all examples of how we use our representative and democratic structures to ensure policies you want, happen.

Recently the student voice team presented at the Wise Wales Partnership Conference on changes to the Quality Assurance Framework and the Quality review process in partnership with HEFCW.

 

What should I do if I have an idea?

 

Cardiff Students' Union is a student-led organisation. This means big or small, practical or political, whatever the nature of your idea we want to hear about it! If you want some help or advice formulating your idea feel free to contact the Student Voice team. Sometimes you might have an idea that is of a more practical/operational nature. We want to hear all about these ideas too! 

 

Policy Book

 

Our Policy Book, found below, holds all the current policies in operation. If you would like to submit a policy to student senate or AGM, please do! The Student Voice team is more than happy to help you in the formation of your policy submission. Remember, policy lapses after three years.

 

Policy passed by AGM
November 2023
A Better & More Inclusive University

AGM Resolves

 

1. Cardiff Students’ Union should adopt the Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND) working definition of Islamophobia1 to better protect and support the Cardiff University community.

 

2. Cardiff Students’ Union should lobby Cardiff University to ensure that all University buildings have dedicated multifaith prayer rooms with private ablution facilities included. With particular attention needed at the Heath Park Campus.

 

3. Cardiff Students’ Union should work to introduce Halal and Kosher food options in the Students’ Union. In addition to lobbying Cardiff University to introduce Halal and Kosher options across the food outlets around campus. With particular attention needed at the Heath Park Campus.

 

4. Cardiff Students’ Union should run awareness campaigns regarding different religious and cultural events/celebrations and observations e.g., Ramadan, and Hannukah, with the intention of educating students on the matters.

 

5. Cardiff Students’ Union should lobby Cardiff University to make educational resources more readily available during religious periods on the student intranet.

 

6. Cardiff Students' Union should work to introduce committee training for sports clubs and societies on faith, religious observations, and discrimination.

 

7. Cardiff Students’ Union will commit to conduct consultations with its members from marginalised religious backgrounds to improve the experience of these students. Particularly important areas for consideration in these consultations may include: the centrality of alcohol in student events and in the communication of student life, access to support for discrimination, etc.

 

Proposed by Rasheed Shehadeh and Madison Hutchinson

 

Passed by AGM 23/11/2023

 

Time to Act: Tackling Sexual Misconduct at Cardiff University

AGM Resolves

 

1. The Students’ Union must support initiatives to prevent sexual violence from happening on campus by working with organisations such as Empowered Campus to change the culture that has perpetuated gender based violence across campus.

 

2. The Students’ Union must also hold thorough and inclusive consultations with students about what they would like to see from the student union to promote a safe campus for all. These consultations must be accessible and inclusive, ensuring that marginalised students could engage with them and have their say in this matter. They should also commit to organising and promoting educational workshops on topics such as consent, understanding types of abuse, and gender-based violence.

 

3. The Students’ Union must commit to collecting and monitoring data on the prevalence of sexual misconduct, following on from the findings of the Tab article as noted above.

 

4. The Students’ Union must commit to lobbying Cardiff University to:

 

4.1. Adopt a progressive definition of sexual assault through annual student consultation and with reference to the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

 

4.2. Make updated definitions easily accessible on both the intranet and sims.

 

4.3. Amend accommodation contracts to remove perpetrators from university halls of residence. This policy should align the interests of the victim with university policy making to ensure a successful adjustment to accommodation contracts. Within this amendment, give victims the option to move residency while going through an investigatory process.

 

4.4. Adopt and enforce a clear policy which bans University staff initiating or developing close personal or intimate relationships with students where the member of staff holds a position of authority or responsibility over that student. Where both an academic and personal relationship exists, the member of staff must inform the University, so that alternative arrangements can be made to prevent any potential abuse of authority. The Students’ Union must also lobby for a safe and effective method for students in/students aware of inappropriate staff/student relationships to disclose/report without fear of repercussion.

 

4.4.1. The Students’ Union and student groups will work with the University to produce clear guidelines which may frequently be reviewed and made publicly accessible. However, situations where a staff member will have responsibility for a student will include, but not be limited to where:

 

4.4.1.1. there is any direct supervisory or teaching relationship (for example between postgraduate students and their supervisor, or tutors and their tutees);

 

4.4.1.2. a member of staff has direct or indirect responsibility for that student’s academic studies (for example, assessor of a student’s work);

 

4.4.1.3. a member of staff has direct or indirect responsibility for that student’s personal welfare (for example providing welfare services or acting as a mentor or college advisor);

 

4.4.1.4. a member of staff has a mentoring role or ongoing administrative responsibility for a student; or

 

4.4.1.5. a member of staff is involved in the admission or selection of applicants or offer- holders.” [Based on Oxford University’s 2023 Student/Staff Relationship Policy].

 

4.5. Conduct a student-led review into the disclosure response team following on from the ideas set up by Emily Carr, SU’s Women’s Officer (2022/23).

 

4.6. Ensure that cases of harassment and discrimination are thoroughly investigated and ensure just outcomes for the victim, including criminal convictions, and permanent expulsions.

 

Proposed by Rebecca Rumsey, Bethia Tucker and Ishani Patwal

 

Passed by AGM 23/11/2023

 

Ceasefire Now

AGM Resolves

 

1. Cardiff SU to publicly call for an immediate ceasefire, while also lobbying Cardiff University to make this call.

 

2. Cardiff SU to call for material support to Palestinian, Israeli, Jewish, and Muslim students, as well as any others affected during this time from Cardiff University as well as other stakeholders in Wales.

 

3. Cardiff SU to organise, support, and curate educational events and resources to bring more awareness to the conflict among the students. Important topics to consider are:

 

  • That Israel does not represent Judaism, and that it is anti-Semitic to presume that any Jewish individual owes allegiance to Israel, rather than it being anti-Semitic to not support Israel.
  • The difference between Israel, Judaism and Zionism, and the difference between Hamas, Palestine and Islam.
  • Not every Muslim and Arab individual supports Hamas; they stand in solidarity with the Palestinians. Supporting Palestine does not necessarily imply supporting Hamas; it means advocating for an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
  • Rise in racist, Islamophobic, and anti-Semitic hate crimes due to people conflating pro-Palestine with pro-Hamas.
  • How to spot lies and propaganda from the state of Israel and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), e.g., biblical justification of the occupation of Palestine, extent of the damage to Israel, location of Hamas bases, etc.

 

Proposed by Penny Dinh and Bethany Thomas.

 

Passed by AGM 23/11/2023

 

December 2022
Adoption of an Offical Pro-Choice Stance

AGM Resolves

 

1. Cardiff University Students’ Union will publicly announce they maintain their stance as pro-choice and clearly state on the CUSU “Pregnancy Support” webpage and any other applicable webpages such as in the “Policy” webpage.

 

2. Maintaining the pregnancy and abortion related terminology throughout the Students’ Union to ensure it remains unbiased and medically accurate and add more information regarding miscarriage (support, policy, etc).

 

3. Retain the balanced links to up-to-date information regarding pregnancy and abortion on the CUSU website.

 

4. Up-to-date information on pregnancy, abortion and where to seek medical help on the back of the SU toilet stall doors to ensure students in abusive relationships can also access the information.

 

5. The VP of Welfare and Campaigns will remain responsible for ensuring that the Students’ Union campaigns and strategies support the pro-choice stance to provide an equal, safe, and inclusive environment for students.

 

6. The VP of Welfare and Campaigns, in collaboration with the Mental Health, Women’s and LGBT+ officers, will create an annual pro-choice awareness campaign that highlights the importance of access to safe and legal abortion using statistically and/or medically backed information.

 

7. The VP of Societies and Volunteering will remain responsible for ensuring that Students’ Union affiliated societies do not spread misinformation about abortion and pregnancy nor participate in activities against SU policy.

 

8. The Students’ Union and Cardiff University should work together to ensure that students understand their rights to bodily autonomy and abortion.

 

9. The Students’ Union will publicly condemn anti-choice organisations actively seeking to interfere in our democracy with the aim of oppressing students’ rights and pro-choice views, especially those that resort to bullying, harassment, and misinformation. The Students’ Union shall also keep up to date on and enforce regulations and laws that are applicable to stop external organisations from being able to access students on the public roads between the campus and display blown-up misleading graphic material.

 

10. The Students’ Union will thoroughly evaluate the support available to students who are targeted and threatened by external anti-choice organisations and individuals. The Students Union should increase support available in an aim to mitigate the harmful impact on students from the actions of these external parties.

 

11. The Students’ Union, especially the VP of Welfare and Campaigns, will build on the positive progress that this stance has had since 2019, not to simply maintain what has been changed but also to keep striving for an environment where there is clarity, information, support and unbiased options around pregnancy and abortion whilst fully respecting the individual’s right to choose.

 

Proposed by

 

Seconded by

 

Passed by AGM 06/12/2022

 

Climate action and accountability: Making Net-Zero a Reality

AGM Resolves

 

1. To incorporate sustainable development goals into Students Union decision making, in the mould of the 7 areas set out in the Well-Being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and with a particular focus on what can be done to minimise avoidable environmental harms.

 

2. To commit the Students Union to clear actions under four key headings, detailed below:

 

2.1. A commitment to renewable energy, sustainability, and biodiversity

 

2.1.1. That Cardiff SU must develop and implement a strategy to decarbonise its properties as soon as possible. Premises at Park Place have a non-domestic energy performance certificate (EPC) rating as low as D, with no provision for renewables (Appendix 1). Success will be measured by achieving an EPC rating of at least A for all of the SU’s premises. Achieving this could involve the use of renewables, energy storage technologies and measures to reduce energy demand such as insulation. This could also involve educating building users, including staff and students, to prevent energy waste. The time to act is now, not only to achieve Net Zero but also combat the SU’s vulnerability to rising energy unit costs in the non-domestic sector. A commitment to ethical investment, where investments and banking practices are conducted in an economically viable, environmentally responsible manner

 

2.1.2. Striving for sustainable food production, where food policy and procurement includes fair, ethical, and environmentally friendly items where possible – and achieving the Soil Association’s Food for Life Served Here award.

 

2.2. Ensuring Supply chains are fair, ethical, and sustainable.

 

2.2.1. Source only reused/recycled products where possible, such as paper, plastics, and other recyclables.

 

2.2.2. Publishing a detailed plan for working towards a zero-waste policy.

 

2.3. Ensuring services run by the Students Union have been assessed for their environmental impact.

 

2.3.1. Ensuring transport services see a transition to electric vehicles.

 

2.3.2. Promoting the use of Active Travel across university campuses.

 

2.4. Net zero accountability.

 

2.4.1. Lobby the university to create a specific job role responsible for net zero delivery.

 

2.4.2. Establish an Environmental Impact Committee, including Senior University Leadership, Students Union Representatives, and student groups to provide accountability for Net Zero promises.

 

Proposed by

 

Seconded by

 

Passed by AGM 06/12/2022

 

UCU Industrial Action

AGM Resolves

 

1.To mandate the Sabbatical Officer Team to stand in solidarity with UCU and publish a public statement of support for 2022/23 Industrial Action within five working days of any Industrial Action being formally announced.

 

2. To mandate the Sabbatical Officer Team to work with UCU and lobby the University Executive Board to meet the demands of University Staff and Postgraduate Students who teach regarding the Four Fights and Pensions, whether or not Industrial Action is formalised via a member ballot.

 

3. To mandate the Elected Officers to give UCU a communication platform with students online via the SU Website and offline via space in the Union building, to raise awareness and inform students about any UCU Industrial Action.

 

4. To mandate Cardiff Students’ Union, particularly the Vice President Postgraduate Students, to openly encourage Postgraduate Research Students to join UCU, whether as a ‘student’ member or a ‘standard free’ member (eligibility depends on whether a PGR is carrying out teaching work).

 

5. To mandate the Sabbatical Officer Team to encourage eligible Postgraduate members of UCU to submit their ballots in any further balloting period within the academic year 2022/23.

 

6. Cardiff Students’ Union should work with UCU to facilitate and promote ‘Teach Out’ sessions for students should a strike period occur.

 

7. Cardiff Students' Union should offer wellbeing support to all students who have been affected by the strikes.

 

8. The Students’ Union Sabbatical Officers should lobby the University for fee reimbursements for any lost contact hours owing to potential Industrial Action in the Academic Year 2022/23.

 

9. The Vice President Postgraduate Students will encourage PGR students who teach, that want to support any Industrial Action, to join UCU and apply to any available hardship funds for those who have lost income resulting from participation.

 

10. The Vice President Postgraduate will encourage students to support and engage with staff at rallies and on the picket lines if and when these occur.

 

Proposed by

 

Seconded by

 

Passed by AGM 06/12/2022

 

Cardiff Students' Union Stance on the FIFA 2022 World Cup Cardiff University

AGM Resolves

 

1. To take a public stance on the World Cup 2022, making the thoughts of the Union and its members clear.

 

2. To call upon Sabbatical Officers and Union Trustees to donate/reallocate all the ‘profits’ from bar (and app) sales in the Taf and YPLAS during the games to CU Pride and CU TANGGS with the purpose of using funds to run campaigns in their interest.

 

i. By the term ‘Profits’ we are referring to Net Profits.

 

ii. ‘During the games’ defined as: Total sales taken during the time of each screening of the world cup and 30 minutes before match start and 30 minutes after match end.

 

3. For transparency, Cardiff University Students’ Union / Cardiff Union Services Limited should publicly release a statement detailing how much was donated and to which group(s). This statement should be released jointly with the group(s) receiving the donation(s). This statement should be released promptly after donations have been given.

 

4. Information regarding the negative treatment of workers and LGBTQ+ rights in Qatar should be clearly visible and freely available where matches are shown within CUSU.

 

5. Relevant campaign officers should be consulted in the creation of information regarding the negative treatment of workers and LGBTQ+ rights in Qatar.

 

6. To strengthen its work in promoting inclusion and equality in sports, especially for members of the LGBTQ+ community.

 

Proposed by

 

Seconded by

 

Passed by AGM 06/12/2022

 

Cops off Campus

AGM Resolves

 

1. Cardiff SU will publicly condemn police violence by South Wales Police, especially their brutality towards Black people and people of colour.

 

2. Cardiff SU will audit where it engages with the police, and following this audit, cut down on engagement with the police to the minimum without violating legal requirements and interfering with strictly essential operations of the SU, such as the operation of its trading venues and important large-scale events. Cardiff SU will work towards non-engagement with the police in the future, and work towards a position where our operation and income are not reliant on engagement with South Wales Police or any other policing organisations. The immediate priorities in cutting down engagement with the police include refusing, opposing, and resisting police presence on campus, especially to promote career opportunities (including voluntary) and to promote themselves as the sole legitimate protectors of our safety. Cardiff SU officers will also lobby Cardiff University to take the same stance and cut ties with the police as much as possible.

 

i. This will not stop the police, with warrants, from investigating crime on Cardiff SU premises, nor from arriving in response to calls from individual students who choose to call the police and seek justice through this system.

 

ii. Cardiff SU, especially its Advice service, will continue to support students who wish to pursue justice by reporting to and working with the police.

 

3. Cardiff SU will actively promote alternatives to policing and transformative justice practices, steering away from promoting the police and the carceral justice system as the only channel that survivors could pursue, while raising awareness of the police’s complicity in violence and sexual violence. Cardiff SU will broaden its definition of safety in its campaigns to acknowledge how policing perpetuates violence, and that students can feel unsafe around the police.

 

4. Cardiff SU will work with local and national organisations as well as student groups to raise awareness of police violence within our community, and to provide students with resources about resisting police violence, supporting victims of police brutality as a bystander, and knowing our rights when facing police violence.

 

5. Cardiff SU will publicly oppose and condemn the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, especially its potential to suppress student protests, which are essential parts of students’ voice and democracy.

 

6. Cardiff SU will provide resources to facilitate transformative justice practices at Cardiff University as an alternative to policing in addressing student safety, focusing on education, bystander interventions, and community care.

 

Proposed by

 

Seconded by

 

Passed by AGM 06/12/2022

 

November 2021
Full-Time Welsh Language Officer for Cardiff University

AGM Resolves

 

1. To call upon the trustees of the Students’ Union to amend articles 23.2 and 22.1 in the Union’s memorandum and articles of association in order to have 8 full-time officers instead of the current 7, thus ensuring the fullest possible representation of students. The eighth officer would be the Welsh Language Officer, who would also be the UMCC President.

 

2. When a full-time post of Welsh Language Officer is created, this officer will also become the President of UMCC.

 

Proposed by

 

Seconded by

 

Passed by AGM 25/11/2021

 

Vice President Welfare and Campaigns Role and Name Change

AGM Resolves

 

1. To permanently change the name of ‘Vice President Welfare and Campaigns’ to ‘Vice President Welfare’ from the beginning of the Officer cycle 2022/23.

 

2. To give the responsibility of taking on an unfilled Campaign Officer role to the Students’ Union President or a Sabbatical Officer nominated by the Students’ Union President.

 

3. To give the responsibility to the Students’ Union President or a Sabbatical Officer nominated by the Students’ Union President to support Campaign Officers alongside the further support provided by Union staff.

 

Proposed by

 

Seconded by

 

Passed by AGM 25/11/2021

 

Adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Definition of antisemitism in full

AGM Resolves

 

1. To permanently adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism in full, as the definition of antisemitism.

 

2. To apply pressure on the University to listen to its Jewish students and adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism in full.

 

Proposed by

 

Seconded by

 

Passed by AGM 25/11/2021

 

Acceptance without Exception: Protection for our Trans Students

AGM Resolves

 

1. Cardiff Students’ Union should adopt the TransActual definition of Transphobia8 to better represent a broad range of issues that have a detrimental impact on our trans students.

 

2. Cardiff Students’ Union should proactively lobby the University to adopt the TransActual definition of Transphobia8 to its Trans Policy, through the University’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Committee and other routes.

 

3. Cardiff Students’ Union should adopt mandatory training for its staff, Elected Officers, and contractors on trans identities, to enable better support of trans students.

 

4. Cardiff Students’ Union should review student-facing training at least annually, in partnership with its LGBTQ+ Officers and appropriate Sabbatical Officers, to ensure key groups of students (such as Sports Clubs and Society Wellbeing Officers) are appropriately and accurately informed on issues that impact the trans community. This training should include how to be an active bystander and how to call out and report transphobic incidents.

 

5. Cardiff Students’ Union should continue its work to ensure that sufficient gender neutral toilets are included as standard in all new University buildings, and should retain its new suite of toilets on the third floor as protected gender neutral spaces.

 

6. Cardiff Students’ Union should work on behalf of 1390 individuals who signed the opposition letter (referenced in Notes 5), by lobbying the University to challenge transphobia in reference to the outcome of the issues raised about Stonewall.

 

7. Cardiff Students’ Union should work with the LGBTQ+ Community to ensure fair representation of trans identities through its campaigns, ensuring accessibility for all students.

 

8. Cardiff Students’ Union should review all forms and paperwork used, both student-facing and otherwise, to ensure accessibility for trans and other identities. Key areas of focus to include the addition of prefixes (Mx. and others) and careful review of requesting information regarding sex and gender.

 

9. Cardiff Students’ Union should liaise with the University for the creation of a Trans Working Group in partnership, to address widespread issues within the trans community. This should include, but will not be limited to:

 

i. The Students’ Union LGBTQ+ Officer(s)

ii. Appropriate representation from the Sabbatical Officer Team

iii. Representatives from ENFYS (The Staff/Postgraduate LGBT+ Network)

iv. Representatives from the University Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Committee

 

Proposed by

 

Seconded by

 

Passed by AGM 25/11/2021

 

UCU Industrial Action

AGM Resolves

 

1. To mandate the Sabbatical Officer Team to stand in solidarity with UCU and publish a public statement of support for 2021/22 Industrial Action within five working days of any Industrial Action being formally announced.

 

2. To mandate the Sabbatical Officer Team to work with UCU and lobby the University Executive Board to meet the demands of University Staff and Postgraduate Students who teach regarding the Four Fights and Pensions, whether or not Industrial Action is formalised via a member ballot.

 

3. To mandate the Elected Officers to give UCU a communication platform with students online via the SU Website and offline via space in the Union building, to raise awareness and inform students about any UCU Industrial Action.

 

4. To mandate Cardiff Students’ Union, particularly the Vice President Postgraduate Students, to openly encourage Postgraduate Research Students to join UCU, whether as a ‘student’ member or a ‘standard free’ member (eligibility depends on whether a PGR is carrying out teaching work).

 

5. To mandate the Sabbatical Officer Team to encourage eligible Postgraduate members of UCU to submit their ballots in any further balloting period within the academic year 2021/22.

 

6. Cardiff Students’ Union should work with UCU to facilitate, promote, and directly support ‘Teach Out’ sessions for students by means including but not limited to advertising on Cardiff Students’ Union websites and providing space, should a strike period occur.

 

7. The Students’ Union Sabbatical Officers should proactively lobby the University and seek staff support for fee reimbursements for any lost contact hours owing to any future Industrial Actions.

 

8. The Vice President Postgraduate Students will encourage PGR students who teach, that want to support any Industrial Action, to join UCU and apply to any available hardship funds for those who have lost income resulting from participation.

 

9. The Vice President Postgraduate will encourage students to support and engage with staff at rallies and on the picket lines if and when these occur.

 

Proposed by

 

Seconded by

 

Passed by AGM 25/11/2021

 

Hybrid Events, Seminar, Meetings and Guest Policy

AGM Resolves

 

Where possible, all seminars, meetings and guests should at least be available broadcast live, via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, YouTube, Discord or any social media platforms supporting live streams/broadcasts, or any videotelephony software, AND in person via any rooms of Cardiff University. Using a computer (with a camera), laptop or smartphone.

 

Proposed by

 

Seconded by

 

Passed by AGM 25/11/2021

 

Refugees Welcome – University of Sanctuary Campaign

AGM Resolves

 

1. Cardiff Student Union, working alongside Cardiff University, should take some proactive steps to remove barriers to higher education for asylum-seekers and refugees.

 

2. As such, Cardiff Student Union should follow the example of other Universities and Student Unions including Cardiff Met, University of South Wales and Bristol University and get involved with the University of Sanctuary Campaign.

 

3. University of Sanctuary is a campaign seeking to make Universities an institution ‘where everyone feels safe, welcome and able to pursue their right to education’. This might involve hosting cultural awareness events as well as offering fee-waivers to sanctuary-seeking students.

 

4. By creating a welcoming environment for refugees and asylum-seekers this would enhance the student experience for all students and is consistent with previous motions including a commitment to tackling institutional racism.

 

5. Finally, this campaign could be led by a University of Sanctuary Working group. This would be led by students with a refugee background alongside the University, Student Union, and relevant student societies.

 

Proposed by

 

Seconded by

 

Passed by AGM 25/11/2021

 

April 2021
Commitment to Improving Student Safety

AGM Resolves

 

1. To lobby the University to fulfil their commitment to Student safety.

 

2. Concentrating on improving communication and processes regarding:

 

i. Reporting of incidents and disclosures (including harassment, hate crime, sexual violence, relationship abuse and other forms of unacceptable behaviour).

 

ii. The University Complaints procedure to ensure appropriate/timely sanctions are in place to protect student wellbeing and academia.

 

iii. Existing safeguarding and student safety related policies

 

3. For VP Welfare to work with relevant Elected officers to develop Union initiatives to improve student safety alongside the University Commitment, focusing on prevention initiatives as well as reconciliation.

 

4. To work in with University, Police, external organisations and Council to improve Student Safety. Concentrating on:

 

i. Empowering and supporting students to disclose

 

ii. Education and advice.

 

iii. Changes to the physical environment to promote safety.

 

iv. Implementing compulsory and universal training for all students within the induction period. This will make sure students understand behaviour expectations, are empowered to call out others and know the consequences for breaches.

 

5. To communicate actions taken by the Union effectively with members.

 

Proposed by Georgie East and Jude Pickett

 

Seconded by Polly Denny

 

Passed by AGM 27/04/2021

 

Policy passed by Senate
Academic Year 2022/23
Fossil Free Career

Submitted by Noah Russell

 

Motion Resolves:

 

1. To publicly support the Fossil Free Careers campaign,13 and demands that Cardiff University career’s department:

• Refuses all new relationships with oil, gas or mining companies.

• Declines to renew any current relationships with oil, gas or mining companies after the contractually obligated period ends.

• Adopts a publicly available Ethical Careers Policy that explicitly excludes oil, gas and mining companies from recruitment opportunities.

 

2. To mandate a full-time sabbatical officer and the Ethical and Environmental Officer to actively work with the Fossil Free Careers campaign group and People & Planet to ensure that Union work is linked up with grassroots campaigners.

 

3. To mandate the relevant full-time and part-time officer(s) to help set up meetings relating to the Fossil Free Careers campaign with relevant university staff, and include student campaigners where relevant.

 

4. To use relevant SU social media channels to amplify petitions, statements and other calls to action from the Fossil Free Careers campaign.

 

5. To send out a press release and website statement announcing the passing of this motion and the support of the union for this campaign.

 

6. To never allow oil, gas, or mining companies access to SU-organised events, or to lend the SU name, logo or endorsement to events which include these companies.

 

7. To refuse the presence of oil, gas and mining companies in any SU-controlled physical or digital space.

 

Passed by Senate 30/01/2023

 

Measuring Student Parent Intake

Submitted by Zara Siddique

 

Motion Resolves:

 

1. For the Students Union to consult with Cardiff University to begin measuring intake of student parents and to produce statistics around student parents and their learning experience.

 

2. To ensure there are ways for current students to declare parental responsibility after enrollment, i.e. if their circumstances change.

 

3. For the Students Union to ensure they will be able to reach out to students with parental responsibilities to make them aware of the services and support available to them.

 

Passed by Senate 05/04/2023

 

Gender Identity Fund

Submitted by Nodie Caple-Faye

 

Motion Resolves:

 

1. For the Students’ Union to campaign for the introduction of a Gender Identity fund, funded by the University and administered by the Students’ Union.

 

2. For this fund to be designed to support students who wish to obtain the correct size of gender affirming items.

 

3. For the Students’ Union to promote the fund, once available, to the study body with particular focus on transgender and non-binary students.

 

4. For the fund to take account for the recommended application and awarding process as outlined in Appendix A.

 

Passed by Senate 04/05/2023

 

Change the way we talk about ethnicity

Submitted by Penny Dinh

 

Mption Resolves:

 

1. Cardiff SU will permanently change the title of the role of Black and Ethnic Minority Officer to Anti-racism Officer, with “anti-racism” signifying Cardiff SU’s value and commitment to take actions against racism.

 

2. Cardiff SU will work with the current Black and Ethnic Minority Officer as well as future Anti-racism Officers to create a guidance on communicating about ethnicities and racism, which will be circulated to its staff members, trustees, as well as student societies and student leaders. This work will involve consultation with the student body and review of best practice adopted by other organisations, such as the UK and Welsh governments.

 

3. Cardiff SU officers will lobby Cardiff University to also adopt best practice in communicating about ethnicities and racism, steering away from the use of the BME and BAME umbrella terms, as well as the terminology of “political Blackness”.

 

Passed by Senate 04/05/2023

 

Cardiff University Students' Union and Graduation 2023

Submitted by Micaela Panes

 

Motion Resolves:

 

1. This motion resolves that Cardiff Students’ Union will not send Sabbatical Trustees, Campaigns Officers, or any representatives of past, present, or incoming to attend or represent the Students’ Union at Graduation 2023, in the case that UCU takes industrial action in the week of Graduation 2023. This includes making speeches at graduation ceremonies, attending Cardiff University graduation dinners, or related activities.

 

2. This motion resolves that Cardiff Students’ Union makes a public statement condemning Cardiff University’s choice to deduct 50-100% of pay from staff participating in the MAB, ASOS, or similar industrial action.

 

19/06/2023

 

Carers Awareness Week

Submitted by Nodie Caple-Faye

 

Motion Resolves:

 

1. To have a Carer and parents awareness week during the first term (possibly after election week as it was in 2018), with a family day and /or a Give it a Go Trip.

 

2. To have those Sabbatical Officers dealing with Welfare involved with the lead being the Campaign officer and to involve the Together at Cardiff Officer.

 

3. To make this an annual event.

 

Passed by Senate 19/06/2023

 

Academic Year 2021/22
Creation of a 'Student Parents and Carers' Part Time Campaign Officer

Submitted by Sebastian Ripley

 

What is your idea?

 

1. To create a part-time campaign officer for Student Parents and Carers. This officer will represent students with children and those with caring responsibilities, working with relevant student groups, officers and Cardiff University departments to raise awareness about and combat issues faced specifically by student parents and carers. While also addressing the knowledge gap in the Student Carers' community of who is a carer therefore who is entitled to additional support.

 

2. For the Student Union to consult with Cardiff University to begin measuring intake of student parents and to produce statstics around student parents and their learning experience.

 

3. For the part-time campaign officer and Students' Union to work together to build resources for academic support, financial support, and mental health support for student parents and carers.

 

Passed by Senate 16/12/2021

 

Welsh pints for a Welsh pub

Submitted by Mason Steed

 

What is your idea?

 

Push the Taf to serve beers from Brains Brewery, such as SA, SA Gold and Bayside to show Cardiff SU is produ of Cardiff and supports local businesses

 

Passed by Senate 08/02/2022

 

Academic Year 2020/21
Embed Sustainable Development Goals into Cardiff University Students' Union working framework

Submitted by Julia Komar

 

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were set out as a universal call action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity by 2030. The SU is doing a lot towards those goals, for example for mental health, good quality education or climate action. But even more could be done to enhance the experience of every single student.

 

What is your idea?

 

Embedding SDGs into the working framework would ensure the SU can track and plan their actions allined with SDGs. Moreover, having a tracker on the website would make students more informed. Students would be able to submit their ideas and/or feedback about specific actions, ensuring we are working together towards SDGs.

 

Passed by Senate 15/12/2020

 

Cardiff University Students' Union to Commit to Carbon Neutrality by 2030

Submitted by Julia Komar

 

What is your idea?

 

The Climate Emergency status was passed through Senate last year, however, there is no mention of when the SU is to become carbon neutral by. This addition would ensure there is a clear goal to be working towards, that is both achievable and necessary, in accordance with the Welsh Government guidelines.

 

Passed by Senate 15/12/2020

A Referendum on Supporting Potential Industrial Action

Submitted by Samuel Tilley

 

An indicative Cardiff UCU ballot has shown support for strike action and for action short of a strike (ASOS) as a result of working conditions during the coronavirus pandemic. This may cause concern both for students who have already faced significant obstruction to teaching this year and for those Postgraduates who also teach.

 

What is your idea?

 

In previous years, the SU has had a clear stance on industrial action due to AGM motions. Considering the challenges in holding large scale meetings this year, an online referendum should instead be held in order to gauge student support for potential industrial action in this academic year. The question would be: “Should the Students’ Union support potential UCU industrial action in the academic year 2020/21?”

 

This was amended to ‘the Senate agrees to call an emergency meeting if a strike is called’.

 

Passed by Senate 04/02/21