Accessible Web Content

Update from SU Community Officer – Matt Humberstone

I have spoken to the Web Co-ordinator who is already incorporating some changes to Bathstudent to make it more accessible. We are in the process of setting up a focus groups for students with disabilities to express the difficulties they have with Bathstudent and the University’s webpages. In the long term, students with relevant disabilities will be invited to attend user testing groups for Bathstudent so that it can be understood in detail where difficulties arise and how things can be improved.

Guarantor Scheme

Update from SU Community Officer - Matt Humberstone

The Students’ Union ran a survey over December and January that was completed by over 600 students and I gathered evidence from other sources such as the Advice and Representation Centre, Accommodation and Student Services. This evidence was included in a paper that I wrote and got suggestions for improvements from the International Students’ Association Exec and various SU staff members. The paper was presented to the University at the Council/Senate/Students’ Union meeting on Wednesday 1st March with outcomes to follow.

Opening up access to Higher Education for refugees in the UK

Update from Adam Kearns – SU Postgraduate Officer

We are currently writing a paper for Senate, which is soon going out to consultation with various supporters across the SU, University, and externally. I have had meetings with representatives from Bristol University where a refugee scholarship scheme already exists, as well as speaking with Jason Hart from Social and Policy Sciences. Furthermore, I have contacted Alumni asking them to reach-out to former students and ask them to support our Crowdfund, although unfortunately Alumni declined to do so. The Amnesty Committee has been working alongside these efforts to promote the Crowdfund and we are now nearly half-way to the target.

Boycott The National Student Survey

Update from Ben Davies – SU Education Officer

The proposer has been met with to discuss the strategy moving forward with boycotting the NSS. The proposer was seeking an active campaign against participating in the survey. The NSS is currently open and all student emails have been sent out by the University. The SU have promoted the boycott in several student emails and in a news article. A website outlining what the TEF is and why we are boycotting it has been produced along with a pledge button that final years can click to show their support for the boycott. The Education Officer has spoken at various GMs (Socs and Sports) and has sent out various student emails. The deadline is the end of April for NSS. Nationally the response rates are up. The boycott seems to be having the opposite effect. Universities and Ipsos Mori have done a great deal to promote the NSS. Approximately 30 SUs are boycotting the NSS and students in other Universities will be boycotting NSS as individuals. Other communications include information through the plasma screens, promoting the boycott through our students leaders and we have created a video from the Officer team highlighting the importance of a boycott. An alternative means of feeding back information about their student’s experience has also been created to be launched imminently.

Increased Performance Reviews for SU Officers

Update from SU President – Lucy Woodcock

Each SU Officer should now be having monthly meetings with their executive chairs. The SU Officers consider the feedback given by Review Panel to be an official performance review.

Political Campaigns Sub-Group

The new sub group has been created and nominations are now open for the Exec. Posts are open to any student and will be for Chair, Treasurer and Publicity Officer.

There will be individual affiliated groups which will be running elections at the same time as those of the other SU Activity Groups. A Labour group is already affiliated and other groups are invited to submit applications for affiliation. Membership fees will be £9 and will buy membership of the sub-group, as with Media. Students can then affiliate to any of the associated groups as they wish.

For more information click here: www.bathstudent.com/politics/

Bath Says ‘TEF-Off’

Update from Ben Davies – SU Education Officer

Bath’s submission was submitted before the 26th January deadline. The University is fully aware of the SUs position with regards to TEF. The policy proposer has been met with and she is happy with the work we are carrying out. This policy is very much linked to the Boycott NSS one and the proposer was also happy with the work we are carrying out with the boycott. In every meeting we attend that has anything to do with the TEF it is always highlighted that the SU is fully against the TEF.

Increased Transparency on the VC’s Pay

Update from SU President – Lucy Woodcock

In February, the SU was a joint signatory with UCU on a letter to all members of University Court which called for increased transparency on the VC’s pay and the work of the Remuneration Committee. The letter asked for democratically elected staff/student representatives on the Committee, as well as clearer information on what basis the decisions are made. A discussion and vote followed at the meeting, in which the Officer Team showed their concern re the VC’s pay. The Chair of the Remuneration Committee has agreed to look at the recommendations of the SU and the UCU at the next formal review of the Committee. The SU President is meeting with him soon to discuss this review in more depth.

Update from Will Galloway – SU Sport Officer

I have met with the policy proposer and discussed the different ways in which we can support their efforts to publicise pay inequality within the University. So far management group have acknowledged the policy: this acts as the official position of the SU. SU Officers have all supported student-led events including ‘VC Day’ and a protest outside of University Court. The SU will continue to lobby the University to reduce pay inequality when the opportunity presents itself.