?The Union Council is in place to set the political/campaign direction of the Students’ Union, and thus make important decisions that affect the student body. Its members ensure that the wide diversity of the student body is fairly represented in these decisions. Discussions at this meeting ranged from declaring a Climate Emergency to identifying appropriate spaces on campus for mentors to provide support for those students with autism.

?Key Points

• The Council, via a vote, instructed the SU President and VP Education, to request that the Trustee Board of the Students’ Union declare a Climate Emergency.

• 5 School Reps and 2 Part Time Officers were co-opted onto the Council.

• A working group of Part Time Officers and School Reps is being set up to identify appropriate spaces on campus for mentors, contracted by the University, to provide support for those students with autism. It was highlighted that some of the impacted students are having their support meetings in very open and non-confidential spaces.
   
• Concerns were raised around the University dropping LinkedIn Learning. Have your voice heard over this by completing this survey currently being run by an SU Course Rep.
   

Meeting Minutes - 16.11.2019 - For the full minutes from the meeting click here

Co-Opted Positions

The following students were co-opted into vacant positions by the members of Union Council.

• Disabled Students Officer
  This role was contested, with Liz Staples being co-opted to the role of Disabled Students Officer with Union Council members voting 10 to 8 in their favour.

• Postgraduate Officer
  Martins Akhemigbeze was co-opted to the role of Postgraduate Officer with Union Council members voting 22 to 0 in their favour.
   
• Representative for the School of Psychology
  This role was contested, each candidate received 7 votes from Union Council members resulting in the Chair casting their vote and Tafadzwa Nyambuya was co-opted to the role of Representative for the School of Psychology.
   
• Representative for the School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences
  Paris Song was co-opted was co-opted to the role of Representative for the School of Geography, Earth & Environmental Sciences with Union Council members voting 21 to 0 in their favour.
   
• Representative for the Peninsula Medical School
  Sophie Schenk was co-opted was co-opted to the role of Representative for the Peninsula Medical School with Union Council members voting 19 to 0 in their favour.
   
• Representative for the School of Biological and Marine Sciences
  Willow Moody was co-opted was co-opted to the role of Representative for the School of Biological and Marine Sciences with Union Council members voting 13 to 2 in their favour.
   
• Representative for the Plymouth Business School
  Perran Johnson was co-opted was co-opted to the role of Representative for the Plymouth Business School with Union Council members voting 16 to 0 in their favour.

Postitions Available

• Faith & Belief Part Time Officer
• Partner Institutions Part Time Officer
• Women’s Part Time Officer
• School of Nursing and Midwifery Representative

The process for being appointed to these roles is co-option. The existing Union Council members, who are elected student representatives, can appoint/elect representatives to be a member of Union Council. You can view the role descriptions for the Part Time Officer roles, and the School Representative roles, here and here respectively.

If you do wish to be co-opted, you will need to submit a manifesto to the SU Student Voice Team, by Friday 17^th January. Full details on how to write a manifesto can be found here. If your manifesto is satisfactory, you will then need to attend the next Union Council meeting and give a short speech, up to one minute, about why you think you would make a good representative. You will then be asked to leave the room whilst the Union Council vote via show of hands. If you'd like to find out more please get in touch with the Student Voice team – studentvoice@su.plymouth.ac.uk .

Accountability Board Members cannot be co-opted. If you wish to fulfill the role of Accountability Board Member or of Accountability Board Chair, then please get in touch with the Student Voice team – studentvoice@su.plymouth.ac.uk

Upcoming Union Council Meetings:

• Thursday 23rd January, 17:30 – Babbage 411 (Deadline for Papers = Thursday 9th January)
• Tuesday 25th February, 17:30 – Location TBC (Deadline for Papers = Tuesday 11th February)
• Thursday 30th April, 17:30 – Location TBC (Deadline for Papers = Thursday 16th April)

Find out more about Union Council and how it exists to give you, as a University of Plymouth student, the opportunity to shape your student experience here.