The second full Union Council meeting of the year took place on Monday which included the election to co-opt a new member to council.

On the agenda were reports back from the Scrutiny and Support Panels for Exec Officers and Activity Reports from Union Council members about the work they have been doing so far.

In the election for School Rep (Computing and Engineering) there were eight candidates:

Syed Rizvi
Stephen Cullen
Gemma Evans
Onomen Ihenyen
Hirah Abbas
Absar Ahemd
Josh Flitcroft
Re Open Nominations

In the first round of voting there were 22 valid votes and the quota for victory was 12 votes.

The results were as follows:

Syed Rizvi received 1 vote
Stephen Cullen received 2 votes
Gemma Evans received 0 votes
Onomen Ihenyen received 0 votes
Hirah Abbas received 4 votes
Absar Ahemd received 3 votes
Josh Flitcroft received 12 votes
Re Open Nominations received 0 votes

Thus Josh Flitcroft was elected in the first round as School Rep (Computing and Engineering).

Other key decisions made by council included:

• A policy on publicising the Students’ Union Zero Tolerance Policy more around campus and in the local community. This includes in changing rooms, at partner venues and within student activity ratification packs.
• A policy on lobbying the University to publish a detailed policy on what happens with deadlines when UniLearn goes down. It was noted within the policy that this should be included in every module handbook.
• A policy on lobbying the University to install a minimum of two smoking shelters on campus so that students who smoke don’t have to stand out in the rain and so that they are away from doorways.   
• Council voted to create a policy working group to look at framework with the University for Escalating Concerns. This will be led by Nadine Rooney, School Rep for Human and Health Sciences.
• A policy on lobbying the University to create a campus safety zone where students can go if they feel unsafe when they are walking home.
• A policy on lobbying the University to create more scholarships for international students and to work with external partners to support more international students at Huddersfield.

Council also approved a new university trustee to sit on the Students’ Union Trustee Board, Prof. Mike Kagioglou.