Hello again, and welcome my 2nd UGM report of this 2022/2023 academic year. Lots has gone on since our last UGM which felt like it was just yesterday. Let me know if you have any questions about my report at su.communityofficer@keele.ac.uk and enjoy!
Manifesto Updates:
1. Society Voice and Engagement:
1.1 Societies of Keele and Tom Tries
Since the launch of this campaign in October 2022 18 societies have signed up for the campaign and will be shared out during Winter Welcome when new students come to study at Keele. In terms of trying different societies, I have attended events hosted by Drama, Chess, Skate, Musical Theatre, Computing, and Labour Society. See last year's campaign at Societies of Keele (keelesu.com). If your society has yet to sign up, please do with this link Microsoft Forms.
1.2 Representing Music Societies
As you’ve seen from my last reports and for the past year and a half I've been working with our Music Union due to the changing of their space's multiple times. Currently they are in Barnes Bar and the heating, lighting and some other issues have now been solved. However now the pace needs sound proofing due to the dangerous levels of decibles in the space. We have met with the University to push this forward and they will be looking to install sound proofing in the near future. I have also lobbied the Estates Department and the University through USVC to ensure our Music Societies are guaranteed a suitable space in the future.
2. Sustainability:
2.1 Edible Campus
All garden planters in the halls of accommodation have now been weeded and new soil has been put in. We have been working with the Estates Department and some members of academic staff to source trees for our planters and some others around busier parts of campus like the David Weatherall and near Union Square. These fruit trees will supply students with free fruit whilst in season.
2.2 Keele Students’ Union Strategic Sustainability Action Plan
The strategic aims of the plan have now been submitted to the board and will be reviewed this month before Winter Break. If successful and passed the creation of an SU Sustainability Working Group will be created with stakeholder staff to action the points in the plan. The plan will be available on the website after this and it will be editable through student input.
2.3 Great Donate and On Campus Charity Shop
The business plan for the proposal to have a working Charity Shop on campus to combat the cost-of-living crisis has now been submitted to University Estates. The aim is to use a shop front space like ST5 where ‘On the Square’ used to be so it is visible, and students can use it with ease to get anything they need for their kitchens and accommodation at low prices. The current status f this project is still awaiting response from the Estates Department about what is to happen.
2.4 Accessible and Sustainable Water Refill Station
The new water station has now been installed in the SU as you’ve probably seen, however currently awaiting connection to electrics and water. After the full installation marketing material about water waste and poverty will be installed next to it and a campaign to get access to more free and clean water around campus will begin.
2.5 Veganuary Campaign
Next January we will be running a Veganuary campaign to raise awareness around diets and their impacts on the planet whilst also showing shopping vegan doesn’t always equal expensive event in a cost-of-living crisis. The campaign will include free meals, a vegan market, physical and online content, discussions, cook-a-longs, and more! I’m currently working on the events and campaign material for January so look out for when you come back to Keele if you’d like to get invovled.
2.6 Stop the Stink
After attending another Stop the Stink protest in November, I was able to liase with one of the organisers and am now working to update our own resources around campus, so students know about the movement and know what to do when you smell the stink from Walleys Quarry which is a landfill next to campus. You can learn more from our new web page here Stop the Stink Campaign (keelesu.com).
3. Student Experience:
No updates for now.
Team Strategic Aims:
1. Student Safety and Wellbeing:
1.1 Club and Society Movember Fundraiser
With a group of clubs and societies during Movember we were able to raise £353 for Movember as part of our response towards the campaign as an organisation. Clubs and societies got involved by selling bakes, doing activities and other pledges.
2. Access and Inclusivity:
2.1 Diversity Festival March 2023
Due to the success of this semesters Diversity Festival, we are organising another for 2nd semester. This will be held in the SU Ballroom and Blueprint on March 9th from 5 till 7:30pm. If you or your student group are interested in having a stall ,doing a performance, activity, or serving food let me know at su.communityofficer@keele.ac.uk. All religion, belief, and culture and some performance societies have been invited so make sure to check your society emails.
3. Quality Education:
Nothing to report
4. Cost of Living:
See section Sustainability 2.3
5. A fair and sustainable world:
5.1 Human Rights and Crisis Campaign
Our Qatar Human Rights campaign has started promptly with the beginning of the World Cup. The campaign will continue after with another crisis our world faces environmentally, socially, and economically. This campaign aims to support students here at Keele who may call home to an area in crisis as well as raise awareness and funding to aid those in crisis.
You can find our statement as well as other resource such as petitions, open letters to FIFA, and charities to support here KeeleSU.com/Qatar.
The campaign has also raised ethical questions within the Students’ Union which myself and the other officers will be looking into and putting together policy for the organisation moving forward.
Outstanding UGM Motions:
Check out our Policy Document here which includes all our passed UGM policies Policy-Document-February-2022.pdf (keelesu.com)
- Fossil Free Careers
During our last Union General Meeting you voted to support the Fossil Free Careers Campaign at Keele Students’ Union which has completely banned all fossil fuel companies from using the premises at Keele SU as well as partnering with the organisation. The campaign is focused on University Careers Departments however our department do not want to ban the top 250 oil, gas, and mining companies contributing to climate change. Instead, our Careers Department are running a meet the employer's session with sustainable and ethical companies during Green Festival. We will also be lobbying the Careers and Employability Department to put information on their website about Fossil Free Careers. You can learn more about the campaign and what we are doing here Fossil Free Careers (keelesu.com).
- Food Options on Campus
A motion was passed to increase food options on campus specially to fit the needs of every student's diets including more options such as Halal and Kosher. I will be surveying what food options we currently supply on campus soon and then will advise our different food providers what the best path for the future is.
You can find my report and the other full time officer reports at Full-Time Student Officers (keelesu.com).