Change, Policy and Research

GUILD COUNCIL

25/03/15

Chair: Maria Finnerty

Change, Policy and Research

Apologies

Change, Policy and Research

AGENDA

1. Student Idea: PGCE students should get a graduation

ceremony

2. Student Idea: Lobby the Uni to reduce the cuts to the music

service

3. Student Idea: There should be paper recycling bins in study

spaces on campus

4. Student Idea: Placing a dartboard in the RAM

Change, Policy and Research

5. Student Idea: All main College buildings should have a small

utility space where students have access to a fridge,

microwave and hot water

6. Student Idea: The hairdresser on campus is too expensive, it

should reduce its prices

7. Student Idea: Campus needs a Pizza pick-up point!

8. Council Discussion: Student Ideas dates

Change, Policy and Research

1 . Student Idea: PGCE students should get a

graduation ceremony

136 votes

91.2% positive approval

Results:

http://www.exeterguild.org/change/ideas/157-PGCEGrad/

Report:

http://www.exeterguild.org/pageassets/change/ideas/157-

pgcegrad/Student-Idea-Report-157-PGCEgrad.pdf

Change, Policy and Research

1 . Student Idea: PGCE students should get a

graduation ceremony

Matt Bate noted that he had received a great deal of anecdotal feedback on

this issue and that there was a lot of support for it on social media.

Ben Street told Council that he had spoken to PGCE students about this, and

was currently in discussion with the students and with Ian Blenkharn, Head of

Student Services at the University.

Council voted to agree with this in principle and instruct Ben Street

to continue working with the University on making it a reality.

PASS TO BEN STREET - 11

FAIL - 0

ABSTAIN - 8

Change, Policy and Research

2. Student Idea: Lobby the Uni to reduce the cuts to

the music service

42 votes

85.7% positive approval

Results:

http://www.exeterguild.org/change/ideas/idea149-musiccuts/

Report:

http://www.exeterguild.org/pageassets/change/ideas/idea149-

musiccuts/Student-Idea-Report-149-MusicCuts.pdf

Change, Policy and Research

2. Student Idea: Lobby the Uni to reduce the cuts to the music

service

Matt Bate informed Council of plans that had been finalised that day about changes to the

music services. He told Council that the delay in communicating these changes to students

were because they involved changes to staffing, and therefore sensitivity and discretion were

required to ensure staff affected were notified first. The changes he announced were:

• Music services will now be supported by the Guild with the creation of two co-ordinator

roles

• Society grants and tuition will be protected in some form

He also made the point that the original proposal from the University were to only have one

staff member and no tuition, which the Guild pushed for. Because of this MB said he felt that

this was a success and that this idea had already been achieved.

Milly Hindle expressed concern over the cuts and told Council that this was a recurring theme,

cared about by far more students than the vote count of the idea suggests. MB reiterated that

significant effort had been made by the Guild to ensure that these plans were secured for the

long term.

Change, Policy and Research

2. Student Idea: Lobby the Uni to reduce the cuts to the music

service

Ben Street said that using the established Activities and Volunteering support structure was a

decision to ensure that provision for music services were well supported and secured for the

long term.

Geoff Pringle, Chief Operating Officer for the University, who was attending Council as an

observer, told Council that despite these changes, the University has seen a big investment in

music as a response to student demands, including the refurbishment of key buildings.

Maria Finnerty recommended that as actions on this issue have already been

taken by the VP Activities, the vote should be on whether to support the idea in

principle and ensure these actions are seen through. Council voted to support the

idea and these actions.

SUPPORT IDEA AND ACTIONS - 11

FAIL - 0

ABSTAIN - 8

Change, Policy and Research

3 . Student Idea: There should be paper recycling bins

in study spaces on campus

56 votes

100% positive approval

Results:

http://www.exeterguild.org/change/ideas/idea137-recycling/

Report:

http://www.exeterguild.org/pageassets/change/ideas/idea137-

recycling/Student-Idea-Report-137-Recycling.pdf

Change, Policy and Research

3 . Student Idea: There should be paper recycling bins in study

spaces on campus

Maria Finnerty reminded Council that this was a recurring theme in student

ideas, and that there had been other very similar ideas to this around the

same time, showing that students felt that this issue has not been resolved.

Kate Hawkins told Council that she had met that day with Campus Services

and discussed recycling with them. She told Council that the University

changed waste removal contracts last year, and that one of the changes

introduced was the replacement of paper recycling bins with confidential

paper waste shredders due to staff needs and recurring contamination of

open paper recycling bins.

She said that the University are restricted within this contract but that she

was working on having more of these confidential paper waste put in key

areas such as DH1.

Change, Policy and Research

3 . Student Idea: There should be paper recycling bins in study

spaces on campus

Milly Hindle stated that as this idea is focused on study spaces, attention

should be placed on paper recycling in other academic areas, not just DH1.

KH said that ideally she would like to see paper recycling at every cluster

point, but the issue is the cost of doing this.

Ben Street suggested taking this to Learning Spaces Management Group. Julia

Bush suggested that communication of the work being done on this and the

reasons for the change would be beneficial.

Council voted to pass to Kate Hawkins to continue working on.

PASS TO VP WELFARE & DIVERSITY - 11

FAIL - 0

ABSTAIN - 9

Change, Policy and Research

4. Student Idea: Placing a dartboard in the RAM

85 votes

69.4% positive approval

Results:

http://www.exeterguild.org/change/ideas/idea136-dartboard/

Report:

http://www.exeterguild.org/pageassets/change/ideas/idea136-

dartboard/Student-Idea-Report-136-Dartboard.pdf

Change, Policy and Research

4. Student Idea: Placing a dartboard in the RAM

Rachael Gillies told Council that she had spoken to the Ram Manager about

this and that to comply with health and safety regulations, they would need

to remove 20 seats to make room for it. She said that there was a still a

choice but the Guild would need to consider the financial implications of

losing so much business in the Ram, and student satisfaction. She said that

this could be put into plans for the future Ram redevelopment.

Council voted to fail the idea.

PASS - 0

FAIL - 12

ABSTAIN - 8

Change, Policy and Research

5. Student Idea: All main College buildings should have

a small utility space where students have access to a

fridge, microwave and hot water

51 votes

84.3% positive approval

Results:

http://www.exeterguild.org/change/ideas/idea135-amenities/

Report:

http://www.exeterguild.org/pageassets/change/ideas/idea135-

amenities/Student-Idea-Report-135-Amenities.pdf

Change, Policy and Research

5. Student Idea: All main College buildings should have a small utility space

where students have access to a fridge, microwave and hot water

Council discussed that many colleges do have these facilities, but they are not open to

all students. Matt Bate suggested asking colleges to open these facilities to post-grad

research students at least. Ben Street agreed and said he would email Learning Spaces

Management Group about it. Council discussed the feasibility of opening up these

spaces to more students, with several councillors expressing concern that these

spaces do not have the capacity to accommodate all students. Ben Street said he

would look into possible compromises, for example providing just hot water taps.

Rachael Gillies said she would tweet about existing hot taps to raise awareness.

Council voted to pass this idea to Ben Street to investigate options.

PASS - 13

FAIL - 1

ABSTAIN - 6

Change, Policy and Research

6. Student Idea: The hairdresser on campus is too

expensive, it should reduce its prices

52 votes

75% positive approval

Existing action on this topic currently with Rachael Gillies

Results:

http://www.exeterguild.org/change/ideas/idea147-pricing/

Report:

http://www.exeterguild.org/pageassets/change/ideas/idea147-

pricing/Student-Idea-Report-147Pricing.pdf

Change, Policy and Research

6. Student Idea: The hairdresser on campus is too

expensive, it should reduce its prices

Rachael Gillies said she had invited the salon owner but she declined to

attend. RG said that she has been working with the salon and Ross Trant,

Guild Sales Manager, and has raised these issues. She said that passing this

idea would be useful to demonstrate to the business owner the strength of

student support and desire for more flexible prices.

Council voted to pass the idea and instruct Rachael Gillies to

continue working on this.

PASS - 14

FAIL - 0

ABSTAIN - 6

Change, Policy and Research

7. Student Idea: Campus needs a Pizza pick-up point!

43 votes

51.2% positive approval

Results:

http://www.exeterguild.org/change/ideas/idea148-pizza/

Report:

http://www.exeterguild.org/pageassets/change/ideas/idea148-

pizza/Student-Idea-Report-148Pizza.pdf

Change, Policy and Research

7. Student Idea: Campus needs a Pizza pick-up point!

Council felt that this was unnecessary and voted to reject this

idea.

PASS - 0

FAIL - 14

ABSTAIN - 6

Change, Policy and Research

8 . Council Discussion: Student Ideas in Term 3

• Facts

• It is almost impossible to schedule a Guild Council after week 2 of term 3 due to exams –

there’s nowhere to hold it, and no-one comes.

• Given the number of Student Ideas this year it is highly probable that a Council of exam-

taking students would be overworked before starting.

• We cannot exclude Councillors on the basis of subject (i.e. those with most exams) leaving

decisions to students without exams.

•

• Options

• Provide a cut-off date – 20th April would be most likely (14 days to last Council of the year)

• Provide a cut-off number – 6 more Ideas (or so) to manage volume

• Spell out that Council cannot meet to carry forward Ideas after 20 April, but...

– Allow Ideas to continue to come in, but emphasise they will only pass for action above 67% approval

/ 4.0 mean average score.

– This eliminates Negatives, and Neutrals (given Council’s role is to arbitrate the Neutral.)

– Ideas that pass will enter ‘consultation’ of a few days with the proposer to determine exactly what

outcome they wanted from the Idea.