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?

 

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! 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.

 

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 2024

Securing Justice: A Renewed Call to End Sexual Violence

AGM Resolves

 

1. Cardiff Students’ Union Officers should make and take preventative measures to protect victims of sexual misconduct, we recommend that this is done by working with other organisations such as ‘Our streets Now’ and campaigns (which are yearly or biyearly reviewed) promoting consent around both Cathays and Heath Campus.

 

1a. The campaigns could include information on support offered to victims, what consent is, healthy relationships etc.

 

2. Cardiff Students’ Union Officers should lobby the University to implement Bystander training for all staff members, as well as promote it to students yearly, through numerous platforms; such as but not limited to enrolment, society and sports clubs committee training, university intranet pages, posters. Cardiff Students’ Union Officers should also work to implement such training for all staff members in the Students’ Union.

 

3. Cardiff Students’ Union Officers and Cardiff University should publicly acknowledge possible failings of protecting and supporting previous victims of sexual misconduct.

 

4. Cardiff Students’ Union Officers and Cardiff University should provide better information around healthy relationships through posters, informative videos, training to societies/sports clubs and pages on the student intranet page.

 

4a. These informative posters should be made in line with Women’s Aid Survivors handbook on health relationships

 

4b. These informative posters should also be made with awareness of current student culture, particularly surrounding dating and relationships. We recommend this is done by questionnaires and reviews of what students want to see.

 

5. Cardiff Students’ Union Officers and Cardiff university should promote the fact that “Coercion is not consent” and that consent is not in relation to the relationship the victim has with their perpetrator.

 

6. Cardiff Students’ Union Officers should aggressively lobby the university to promote its support offered to victims

 

7. The Cardiff Students’ Union Officers and Cardiff University should acknowledge the fact that healthcare students are particularly vulnerable to sexual misconduct on their placements. In response the Students Union and Cardiff University should ensure that students on placement can report the incident, change placement locations and are offered numerous forms of support. Students should also be continuously informed that reporting will have no impact on their academic progression

 

8. The Students’ Union and Cardiff University should advertise SSIT better, this should be followed by a questionnaire of different ways students wish to see it promoted.

 

9. The University should have more security and safety measures to protect students on Cathays and Heath campus from sexual misconduct, particularly following the recent assault of a woman under Senghenydd bridge.

 

Proposed by Isabel Trinkle, Rebecca Rumsey and Rowan Dominique

 

Passed by AGM 21/11/2024

 

Oppose Cuts to Teaching Opportunities for PhD Students

AGM Resolves

 

1. Cardiff Students' Union's elected officers should oppose the university’s decision to reduce teaching opportunities for PhD students.

 

2. Cardiff Students' Union's elected officers should lobby the university, advocating for the reinstatement and expansion of teaching opportunities for PhD students, emphasising the benefits to both PhD and undergraduate students.

 

3. Cardiff Students' Union's elected officers should run awareness campaigns, potentially including open letters, petitions, and events, to highlight the importance of PhD teaching roles.

 

4. Cardiff Students' Union's elected officers should work with relevant departments, student bodies, and faculty members to explore alternative solutions that could maintain or increase teaching opportunities for PhD students.

 

Proposed by Micalea Panes

 

Passed by AGM 21/11/2024

 

Protect our freedom to express solidarity with Palestine

AGM Resolves

 

1. To publicly express solidarity with universities in Palestine that have been destroyed by Israeli bombardments, and with the families of those university workers and students who have been killed, on the basis of condemning scholasticide as a matter of academic and moral importance for the SU.

 

2. To publicly express solidarity with students at Cardiff, in the UK and around the world who are exercising their right to peacefully protest, and who have been subject to violence and punitive measures for supporting Palestine.

 

3. To publicly condemn and resist punitive measures against pro-Palestine student activists enacted by Cardiff University and other external bodies, such as the police or the Home Office. As well as to provide practical support and advice to members who are subject to these punitive measures as an urgent matter regarding student safeguarding.

 

4. To lobby the university to request provision of legal guidance to support and empower students to take part in peaceful activism in solidarity with Palestine.

 

5. To write to Cardiff University's executive board requesting a public statement:

 

a. confirming that all students can express solidarity with Palestinians under academic freedom and the right to freedom of speech..

 

b. clarifying to all staff (such that students are treated correctly) and students, that expressing solidarity with Palestine is not inherently antisemitic, as Anti-Zionist beliefs are protected under the 2010 Equality Act(17). [7]

 

c. confirming that the university will take proactive steps to protect students from defamation, intimidation and harassment linked to Palestinian solidarity, including those made on social media platforms and in the press, and to protect students from online surveillance concerning their public or private, personal social media accounts.

 

d. confirming that the University will not work with the police or private bailiffs to pursue punishment against students involved in activism for Palestine, in line with the Students’ Union’s Cops Off Campus Task and Finish Group’s findings and recommendations published in November 2023, which should also be in line with the Cops Off Campus motion that was already passed at the 2022 AGM.

 

Proposed by Luke Palin

 

Passed by AGM 21/11/2024

 

Protecting Students’ Right to Parking Permits in Cardiff

AGM Resolves

 

1. For Cardiff Students’ Union Officers to publicly oppose the removal of parking permits for students and advocate for students’ equal access to these permits.

 

2. To mandate the Students’ Union officers to actively lobby Cardiff City Council, in partnership with Cardiff University, to ensure that students retain equal rights to parking permits as other residents.

 

3. To mandate the Students' Union officers to engage with Cardiff City Council's consultation process to advocate for an approach to sustainability that does not unfairly penalize students.

 

4. For the Students' Union Officers to collaborate with other Students’ Unions in Cardiff, if possible, to create a united front in supporting students’ rights to parking permits.

 

5. To call on Cardiff University to formally support this position and advocate alongside the Students’ Union for students’ equal treatment regarding parking access.

 

6. In the event the legislation passes the elected officers should consider alternative options to oppose the legislation including calling for a judicial review

 

Proposed by Madison Hutchinson

 

Passed by AGM 21/11/2024

 

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

 

 

Policy passed by Senate

Academic Year 2024/25

Anti-Racism is a Verb: A Call for Racial Justice at Cardiff University

Submitted by Faaiza Bashir

 

Motion Resolves:

 

1. Commit to becoming an anti-racist organisation.

 

2. Developing an anti-racist action plan with measurable goals and accountability by 2027.

 

3. Run a rolling campaign of communication and education about anti-racism to SU staff and trustees, elected officers and the student body.

 

4. Embed anti-racist policy across the portfolio of work of the students union, not restricted to one voluntary campaign officer. Each elected officer should consider intersectionality and the experience of racialised students in their area of remit.

 

5. Campaign to hold the University to account to make the university policies, practices and services truly anti-racist, from policy to practice. All services should make the university an inclusive and place of belonging for all ethnic minority students.

 

6. Campaign the University to decolonise education by eradicating racism and colonialism, and elevate marginalised voices.

 

7. To work to implement all Students’ Union staff, trustees and elected officers annual anti-racism training, with additional training for Sabbatical and Elected Officers.

 

Passed by Senate 05/12/2024

 

Defend and Extend Postgraduate Space on Campus

Submitted by Micaela Panes

 

Motion Resolves:

 

1. Cardiff Students' Union elected officers should actively lobby the university to reconsider the closure of the Postgraduate Study Zone, emphasising its significance to postgraduate students’ academic success, well-being, and sense of community.

 

2. Cardiff Students' Union elected officers should urge the university to seek alternative solutions that do not involve the loss of dedicated postgraduate study spaces..

 

3. Cardiff Students' Union elected officers should work with the university to find an alternative space for the Postgraduate Study Zone, which is 24/7, central, and meets all other postgraduate requirements.

 

4. Cardiff Students' Union elected officers should ensure that dedicated PGR offices are not implicated and remain dedicated to postgraduate research students only.

 

Passed by Senate 05/12/2024

 

Academic Year 2023/24

Advocation for the Abolition of Tuition Fees

Submitted by Cadewyn Skelley

 

Motion Resolves:

 

1. To support tuition fee abolition and forgiveness of student debt for all, international and national students;

 

2. To support and promote activist action on the subject of tuition fee abolition and forgiveness of student debt, while strongly encouraging Cardiff University societies to do the same.

 

Passed by Senate 05/12/2023

 

A Better Future for Welsh Students

Submitted by Deio Owen

 

Motion Resolves:

 

1. Cardiff Students’ Union believes in and supports Independence for Wales, for the advancement of education of students, through supporting a Wales void of Westminster rule and control, being able to create a better education system for Wales.

 

2. The Students’ Union should lobby the University to refuse to nominate individuals for National Honours that are connected to the British Empire.

 

3. The Union and its officers will not suggest names for the University to nominate for National Honours that are connected to the British Empire (by the discretion of the CUSU Board of Trustees)

 

4. The Union and its Officers shall lobby the University to use other national awards and honours rather than those connected to the British Empire.

 

5. The Union shall release a statement opposing National Honours that are connected with the British Empire as it goes against our values as an organisation.

 

6. By supporting an Independent Wales, the Union shall look at and campaign for new options for a national body to represent the students of Wales outside of NUS UK.

 

7. The Union and its officers shall demand that the University acknowledge and reject participating in Empirical systems.

 

Passed by Senate 22/02/2024

 

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

 

Motion 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