Have Your Say

Policy - Better University

What we are working on...

The items below are all ideas that have been submitted by students. These ideas were passed and we are now working on these.

• Should the University avoid academic teaching sessions on a Wednesday afternoon so that students are able to pursue extracurricular activities without jeopardising their academic success?

Policy Level: One,
Expires: 4th December 2011

This Union Notes:

1. That over 9,000 hours were scheduled into Wednesday afternoons during the 2007-08 academic year; an increase of over 500 hours from the previous academic year.
2. That the University of Leeds timetabling team was unaware of this.
3. That the University of Leeds Partnership Agreement states, “Wednesday afternoons will normally be kept free for extra curricular activities. The professional requirements for a significant number of vocational programmes and Masters level programmes may require students to attend timetabled commitments on a Wednesday afternoon”
4. That both University statistics and a survey taken by over six hundred students, showed all faculties have scheduled teaching into Wednesday afternoons at an undergraduate and postgraduate level in the last two years.
5. That the same student survey also reported 52.5 per cent of students have had teaching scheduled into Wednesday afternoons during their time at the University of Leeds.
6. That the University of Leeds initiative, Leeds for Life, advocates the value of involvement in Student Activities as a means of cultivating skills and knowledge outside of teaching.
7. That academic study and sporting fixtures often clash on a Wednesday leaving many students with a difficult decision between high level sports and academic study.
8. That a wide range of activities, as well as sports, are pursued on a Wednesday afternoon.

This Union Believes:

1. That it is important for Wednesday afternoons to be kept free from teaching and learning activities.
2. That students must have a time when they can collectively pursue their chosen activity.
3. That students should have the opportunity to become a well-rounded individual, and should be given the opportunity to become involved in both sport at a high level and achieve academic success and not have to choose between them.
4. That having over 9,000 hours scheduled into Wednesday afternoons is unacceptable.
5. That the University needs to more closely monitor how many hours are being scheduled into Wednesday afternoons.

This Union Resolves:

1. To oppose teaching and learning activities taking place after midday on a Wednesday afternoon.
2. To campaign against the use of Wednesday afternoons for teaching activities.
3. To mandate the Activities Officer to monitor teaching on a Wednesday afternoon for the next three years.
4. To mandate the Student Executive to lobby the University to keep Wednesday afternoons free of teaching and learning activities.
5. To mandate the Student Executive to submit this policy for renewal after 2.5 years.

Proposer:Stephanie Lett
Seconder: Jessica Parker



• Leeds University Union’s Response to the Universities Economies Exercise.

Policy Level: One,
Date of Meeting: 7th December 2009,
Expires: 7th December 2012

This Union Notes:

1. The University of Leeds recently announced it needs to make £35 million worth of savings over the next three years.
2. The University and College Union (UCU) have entered into a formal dispute with the University of Leeds.
3. Both staff and students are understandably worried about the potential impact of the economies exercise on educational provisions on campus.
4. That certain students have felt that Leeds University Union’s response to the economies exercise has not been clear or strong enough.

This Union Believes:

1. Above all, Leeds University Union has a commitment to ensure that the educational experience for students at Leeds is the best it can possibly be.
2. Whilst UCU’s action is understandable, Leeds University Union has a commitment to students and not lecturers.
3. That Leeds University Union should work with all campus trade unions and the University to ensure that no disruption is caused to students’ education throughout this ‘economies exercise’.

This Union Resolves:

1. To defend the education of all students at the University of Leeds throughout this turbulent time.
2. To provide students with the most current information on the situation at the University through the LUU website.
3. To continue to press the University for assurances that above all the student experience will be protected, and to press the University to detail how they will maintain the student experience in light of the current situation.
4. To write a letter to the campus trade unions asking them to ensure that any action they may take in the future will not negatively impact upon the education of students at Leeds.
5. For both the Education and Communications & Internal Affairs Officers to meet monthly with the campus trade unions to ensure that the lines of communication are continuously open, and identify areas where we can work together.
6. For the Communications & Internal Affairs Officer to facilitate an open meeting between students and the campus trade unions.
7. To publish on the LUU website information from both the University and the campus trade unions so students can be informed of both sides of the argument.
8. To send a copy of this motion to both the University and the trade unions for their information.
9. To mandate the Education and CIA officers to issue a statement on behalf of LUU opposing £35m cuts and pledging to engage with students to formulate a strategy to defend education and the student experience at leeds. To be issued within one week of present date as press release and on website.

Proposer: Jak Codd
Seconder: Mike Gladstone



• Should LUU oppose a rise in tutition fees and campaign for a progressive and fair-funded HE system?

Policy Level: One,
Expires: 25th October 2013

What LUU should do:

1. LUU should stand for a fair, progressive and sustainable funding system for higher education. LUU is against lifting the cap on tuition fees and is committed to ensuring access for all.
2. We belive:
   • That tuition fees are a barrier to education and need to remain capped at the current levels.
   
   
   • University should remain free at the point of entry for all students.
   
   
   • In widening participation and ensuring access to education based on talent, not on affordability. This must be reflected in any funding system proposed by the government.
   
   
   • In ensuring that in any funding system, there are ample support packages for students which are relevant to their context, background and financial situation.
   
   
3. This idea proposes that the Student Executive must lobby locally, within the University, and nationally to MPs and the Government to ensure that the student voice remains heard.

Why LUU should do this

1. On October 12th Lord Browne’s Review of Higher Education & Student Finance will report to Parliament and is expected to suggest a rise in fees. Between of £7,000 to £10,000. This will be followed by the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review which will be published on 20th October, and is expected to suggest cuts to public service funding of between 25% to 40%.
2. The University will be affected, particularly with funding to teaching and Arts subjects, such as English, Geography and Business, may lose their teaching funding all together. To fill the gap from the lost funding, Universities are hoping to rely on higher fees, paid by students.
3. As a Student’s Union we must decide what sort of education we want available to future generations, our younger siblings and our children.

Proposer:Elliott Jebreel



• Should LUU support the joint NUS-UCU National Demonstration, ‘Fund our Future,’ against cuts to HE?

Policy Level: One,
Expires: 25th October 2013

What LUU should do:

1. LUU should support the joint NUS-UCU National Demonstration ‘Fund our Future’ on Wednesday 10th November 2011.
2. The idea proposes to mandate the Student Executive to promote the event to all students and ensure that coaches are made as cheap and as accessible as possible to any student who wants to attend.

Why LUU should do this

1. NUS and UCU are jointly organising a national demonstration – 'Fund Our Future: Stop Education Cuts' - to take place on Wednesday 10 November 2010.
2. It is expected that 15,000 students will descend on Parliament. The march is supported by numerous organisations, including the British Youth Council, and Students Unions all across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
3. On October 12th the Browne Review will report to Parliament and is expected to suggest a rise in fees of between £7,000 to £10,000. This will be followed by the Government’s Comprehensive Spending Review will be published on 20th October, and is expected to suggest cuts to public services of between 25% to 40%.
4. The University will be affected, particularly with funding to teaching and Arts subjects, such as English, Geography and Business, may lose their teaching funding all together.
5. As the union, we will also be affected, because our future financial support from the university may be cut, affecting vital services such as academic and welfare advice and funding to societies.

Proposer:Rachel Wenstone



• Should LUU lobby the University to begin collecting data on how many LGB students come to the University?

Policy Level: One,
Expires: 25th October 2013

What LUU should do:

1. LUU should lobby the University to begin collecting data on how many LGB students come to the University of Leeds.
2. Currently Leeds University collects data on religion/faith, gender, ethnicity, disability, caring responsibilities, international status, age and study type but not the sexual orientation of our students.
3. The idea proposes that the Equality and Diversity Officer should lobby the University to ask, at the point of registration each year, what the sexual orientation of each of our students is and then to use this data to inform plans.

Why LUU should do this

1. At this moment the University does not collect data on how many LGB students we have. As such we do not know how the University and the Union are doing in terms of hate crime levels, degree attainment, uptake of membership services etc.
2. If we manage to lobby the university to collect this data then we will be able to measure our effectiveness at providing for this group of students and therefore use any trends that we discover to inform plans in the future.

Proposer:Marcus Crawley



• Should the Education Officer find a structure to represent Research students?

Policy Level: One,
Expires: 25th October 2013

What LUU should do:

1. I want the Union, through the Education Officer, to find a way to represent Research Post-Graduate students within their areas of study.

Why LUU should do this

1. There are 2,057 Research Post-Graduate students (December 2009) at the University of Leeds. There is currently no academic representative structures in place for them across the University.

Proposer:Elliott Jebreel



• Should the University install differentiated recycling bins, including for organic waste?

Policy Level: One,
Expires: 25th October 2013

What LUU should do:

1. I want my Union to campaign the University to have a recycling scheme like that of the Union, with a bin for organic waste (much of the waste in the university is food) as well which will be composted. If composting facilities are not ready, the waste could be delivered to the allotments in Hyde Park where compost is needed.

Why LUU should do this

1. The issue of waste is simultaneously very important and easy to sort out. In Britain we send to landfill at least five times what we actually need to, resulting in land being bought up in Australia, China and the Sahara Desert in which to dump a colossal amount of waste which increases year on year. Our own landfill space is set to run out in 2016. Around 80% of household waste is compostable (i.e. doesn't have to go to landfill AND can fulfill useful purposes!) A university produces a lot of waste, so a change of policy can make a big difference, far greater than environmentalists themselves can by changing habits at home. The uni can definitely afford it, so don't take any excuses!

Proposer:Danny Turi



• Should LUU support the development of cycle routes on campus and additional cycling facilities?

Policy Level: One,
Expires: 25th November 2013

What LUU should do:

1. If the union adopts this motion, the union would be mandated to lobby the university for cycle routes on campus.
2. The union would also support and lobby the university for more bicycle racks, covered/secure bicycle storage and shower & changing facilities.

Why LUU should do this

1. Cycle facilities enable students to cycle to campus and can encourage those not currently cycling to do so.
2. There is currently only one cycle path on campus (next to the ring road) and no cycle routes which go through campus.
3. It is often unclear where cycling is/isn’t allowed on campus.
4. A cycle route through campus would enable students and staff to cycle to their department/lecture theatre etc.
5. Currently there are a number of barriers and kerbs which impede cycling on campus.
6. Measures which encourage students to cycle are important because of the environmental and health benefits of cycling.

Proposer:Paul Gold



• Should the University libraries review which items should remain in High Demand?

Policy Level: One,
Expires: 25th November 2013

What LUU should do:

1. Ask the University libraries to review whether items in the High Demand section could be reclassified to 7-day or Standard loans, based on their usage history.

Why LUU should do this

1. Some High Demand items may have been on reading lists in the past, but have been replaced/removed. These items could be reclassified as 7-day or standard loans, if the demand has been low. For example, I browse the German DVD section often and some DVDs are seemingly borrowed.
2. This would give the few people using these items more time to read/watch them and the opportunity to renew, if needed

Proposer:Christopher Schuster



• Should the Union push for more accessible computer spaces on campus?

Policy Level: One,
Expires: 25th November 2013

What LUU should do:

1. I want the Union to ask that all computer spaces on campus be made more accessible for disabled students.

Why LUU should do this

1. The computers in the Roger Stevens level 6 coffee bar are on long benches and the only way to sit at them is to climb over the bench and the screen is too close to the edge of the bench. The computers in the Baines Wing coffee bar are all on a high bench making it hard for students who can't climb onto the stools. The computers on the mezzanine of the Refectory are also on a high bench and the stools are fixed in position so you can't even stand in front of the computer. The departments responsible for these areas (and possibly others) are failing to provide equal access for disabled students.

Proposer:Robyn Brockie



• Should the University increase the awareness of crisis pregnancy counselling available to students?

Policy Level: One,
Expires: 25th November 2013

What LUU should do:

1. My proposal is for the university to increase the awareness of crisis pregnancy counselling that is available to students both in and outside of the university. I believe this should be in the form of putting posters on the back of toilet doors, for example, which give information as to where women and men can get free confidential face-to-face counselling, as well as a telephone number if they wish to ring for advice anonymously. This could potentially progress to having a student drop-in where those who need advice can come for confidential counselling on campus.

Why LUU should do this

1. Having recently completed a course to gain a qualification in crisis-pregnancy counselling, I have become aware of how little information is available to students who could potentially be in a very stressful and difficult situation if they find themselves pregnant and do not know what to do. I am currently involved with Leeds Pregnancy Crisis Centre (LPCC) and believe that we as a university should be doing more in terms of advertising to women and men what is available to them. The university does offer financial support both for those who wish to terminate their pregnancy as well as for those who wish to carry on with their pregnancy, and whilst this is great, I feel there needs to be support given to students before that, in the making of their decision, to ensure they have all the facts to make an informed choice. To find yourself unexpectedly pregnant can be a huge shock and very daunting situation to be in, however I feel if we give students easy access to the information they need, it can become a less daunting situation, and one they do not have to cope with alone.

Proposer:Alice Czajka

What we have to bear in mind...

• Should LUU lobby the University for Home Fees to apply to refugees?

Policy Level: One,
Expires: 21st February 2011

This Union Notes:

1. There are around 100,000 young refugees and asylum seekers in education in the UK (The Guardian, ‘Fees Rules Hurt Refugees’, 19/6/2007).
2. There are currently no statistics held by UCAS on the number of refugees who apply for university.
3. By law asylum seekers who are granted a “settled” immigration status – that is, they are given ‘refugee status’ and have leave to remain for 5 years – must be treated as UK students for fee purposes. However, those who are not given full refugee status, but are given another form of leave to remain, such as Discretionary Leave (DL) or Humanitarian Protection (HP), must have lived in the UK for 3 years before they can access student support from their local authority.
4. Many refugees have discretionary leave to remain until they are 18. This means they often have to apply for renewals to their immigration status at a time when they are applying to university.
5. It is left to the discretion of the university to decide whether to charge home fees or overseas fees to refugees awaiting the settlement of their immigration case.

This Union Believes:

1. Refugees and asylum seekers have experienced unimaginable and terrifying experiences in the countries they have fled. To be denied an education and a chance to rebuild their lives is a travesty and creates an additional barrier to their integration and full development.
2. Universities should provide clear, accessible information on the fee status and support available for refugees and asylum seekers who are applying to university, thereby enabling refugees to access their entitlements.

This Union Resolves:

1. This Union resolves to support the NUS, STAR and other organizations that are campaigning to ensure refugees and asylum seekers have equal access to the support mechanisms currently granted to UK students, to enable refugees and asylum seekers to rebuild their lives and ultimately contribute to UK society and economy.
2. This Union resolves to mandate the Student Executive to lobby the University of Leeds for explicit information detailing the fees status of refugees and asylum seekers who apply to the University of Leeds.
3. This Union resolves to lobby the University of Leeds to consider refugees with settled status, DLR or HP as home students.
4. This Union also resolves to lobby the University of Leeds to apply home fees to asylum seekers awaiting a decision on their asylum application from the Home Office.

Proposer:Kathryn Elizabeth Bird
Seconder: Susan Nash