The Union and You Understanding and working with Durham Students’ Union Krystina Warrington David...

The Union and You

Understanding and working with Durham Students’ Union

Krystina WarringtonDavid Morris

The beauty of collectivism

Society - A number of people joined by mutual consent to deliberate, determine and act toward a common goal.

Union - That which is united, or made one; something formed by a combination or coalition of parts or members; a confederation; a consolidated body; a league.

Charity and Corporate Governance

Board of Trustees• 5 Student Officers; 4 Elected Students; 4 co-opted (non-student) members.

• Responsible to the Charities Commission and Companies House (i.e. the

law).

• Hires and manages the Chief Executive.

• Legal, fiduciary, financial liability for the Union and everything it does.

• Responsible for ensuring general good governance and business practice.

• Sets and approves the Strategic Plan, and monitors progress against it.

The Union is:

• A statuary requirement under Education Act 1994; all students automatically members.

• A registered charity and a company limited by guarantee.

• An independent body with certain responsibilities to University Council.

The Strategy!!!• Based on extensive consultation with over 4000 students and staff.

• Ensures the Union is thinking long-term.

• Bring us in line with how good Unions are run: e.g. Leeds, Sheffield, Northumbria, Teesside,

Brunel, Newcastle.

Mission: We will be an enabling students’ union which develops and supports our students as they strive to create a lasting, positive impact in society and in their own lives through their university experience.

Vision: Students working together to create a lasting, positive impact

• Fun• Student-led• Engaging

• Helpful• Dynamic• Sustainable

Staff

Staff facilitate. Students lead!!!

But fundamentally…

The Union is not about doing things for students.

We want to enable students to do things themselves, together, and have a real impact.

We want to focus on student leadership, rather than student management.

Mission: We will be an enabling students’ union which develops and supports our students as they strive to create a lasting, positive impact in society and in their own lives through their university experience.

Vision: Students working together to create a lasting, positive impact

The link – Student Officers• Members of Assembly, and also Trustees. • The student faces of the Union.• Run the committees of the Union. • Sit on major University committees.• Interact with University staff.• Work with the Union chief exec and senior managers.• Lead campaigns and set change-priorities.• Held to account by Assembly

Democratic Governance

ASSEMBLYUnion Zone University Zone Community Zone

• Governance• Media• DUCK• Societies Forum• Societies

Committee• Grant Allocation

• Welfare, Equality and Diversity• Ethics and Environment• Community• JCR Presidents• MCR Presidents

• UG Academic Affairs• PG Academic Affairs• Science Faculty Forum• Social Sciences and Health Faculty

Forum• Arts and Humanities Faculty Forum• Facilities and Services

Subset - Associations• International Students• Disabilities• LGBTa• Mature and Part-Time

Assembly• 5 student officers• 1 from Media Committee• 1 from DUCK Committee• 8 from Societies committee• 9 Faculty Representatives• 16 College Reps• 1 JCR President’s Committee Chair• 1 MCR President’s Committee Chair• 4 Associations’ Presidents

• Elects a Chair at the first meeting• Colleges remain the biggest ‘bloc’, but now more representative of

all Union activity.• Aim to be less sectional, and more of a Union.• Responsibility to decide what’s best for the ‘student body’ in

totality.

Order of precedence

1. Referendum – Campus wide-ballot2. General Meeting – All members invited 3. Board of Trustees4. Assembly5. Zones – All members invited6. Committees

Committees and Forums

Forums – Societies Forum

Committees – Media, Societies, DUCK

Forums/Market Research

Trustees (maybe)AssemblyZoneCommittee

The ideal policy process

Issues raised

Policy discussed and formed

All students invited for comment and discussion

Approval as policy

Considered and approved if financial/legal implications

Policy – a statement of resolve, belief or process agreed democratically that the Union will adopt.

Student Group Representatives• Active: Marisa Plater marisa.plater@durham.ac.uk• Outdoor: Tom Stevenson t.a.stevenshon@durham.ac.uk• Political & Causes: Will Yuill william.yuill@durham.ac.uk• Music: Sophie Kidwell sophie.kidwell@durham.ac.uk• Hobbies & Games: Adam Symonds a.j.symonds@durham.ac.uk• Academic: To be Elected• Culture & Faith: To be Elected• Arts: To be Elected• LGBTA Katie Reynolds katherine.reynolds@durham.ac.uk• Mature SA. Rachel Kurtz rachel.kurtx@durham.ac.uk• Disabled SA Steven Williams s.i.williams@durham.ac.uk• International SA Lei Wang international.students@durham.ac.uk• DUCK Naomi Atkinson dsu.duck-chair@durham.ac.uk • Media Ben Hamer b.f.hamer@durham.ac.uk

Your Voice

Where to Go?Societies, DUCK and Student Fundraising Beth Pearson – Activities ManagerHannah Parratt- Activities Development Coordinator

dsu.adc@durham.ac.ukJonathan Clinch- Music Coordinator:

music.coordinator@durham.ac.ukCharly Burnell- Theatre Coordinator:

theatre.coordinator@durham.ac.ukLucinda Thompson - Student Fundraising Coordinator

dsu.fundraise@durham.ac.uk

Democracy & ProcedureDaniel Morgan-Thomas – Assembly Chair

d.h.morgan-thomas@durham.ac.ukDan Slavin – Union PresidentAndy Speed- Academic Representation Coordinator :

dsu.ard@durham.ac.uk

Admin or Unsure??? (room bookings etc.)dsu.reception@durham.ac.uk

To make a difference and change something…Krystina Warrington – Activities Officer dsu.activities@durham.ac.ukChris Pocock – Development Officer

dsu.development@durham.ac.ukGrace Abel – Community Officer

dsu.community@durham.ac.ukDavid Morris – Academic Officer

dsu.academic@durham.ac.ukDan Slavin – President

dsu.president@durham.ac.uk

A reminder…

“Representation must never be seen, except in strategic and practical terms, as an end in itself. Too many union officers see it as a question of communication and merely sitting on the appropriate committee. The purpose of representation is to secure educational and social change.”

-Digby Jacks, NUS President 1971-1973

Apathy Staircase

40%

10%

20%

• We can all be shook out of our apathy at any moment

• Most people learn to love their limitations.

• We don’t like to think that we go through life trying to negotiate a load of problems.

• We aren’t asked to reflect on our experience enough – it’s really powerful.

• You’ve got to dig for experiences.

30%

If you push someone down the steps, you

break their legs!!!