Hello! In response to the Democratic Review, I have submitted this proposal for Byelaw 6 (Liberation & Section Forums) to be discussed at the April Student Council and voted on by the Student Councillors! If anyone has any comments or questions, I will be hosting a live stream on Facebook on Thursday 16th April where you can ask about the Byelaw proposals I have submitted for Council! 

Byelaw 6

Liberation & Section Forums

 

Role and General Arrangements
 

Role

1. To promote the views and interests of, and organise activities and campaigns for, specific sections of the Full Members of the Students’ Association.

 

General Meetings

 

1. All Forums shall convene an Annual General Meeting (AGM), and may

convene other General Meetings as deemed appropriate by the Forum members.

1.  All members of the Students’ Association identifying and/or belonging with the relevant Forum shall be eligible to fully participate in General Meetings, which shall be convened in

accordance with clause 2 of this Byelaw.

 

Development Plan

1. All Forums shall produce a Development Plan to be submitted to Student Council within the first term of the academic year and which shall be available to students on request
2. The Development Plan shall outline:
   1. The Forum’s role, objectives and elected membership, as well as the responsibilities of each named member.
   2. Provisionally planned activities for the academic year ahead.
   3. All Forums shall produce a report on their work at by the end of the academic year.

Forum Rules

1.  All Forums shall operate in accordance with the Constitution, Byelaws, and policy of the Students’ Association.
2. Members of the Forum must maintain the confidentiality of all members protected by such regulations as may be recommended by the Students’ Association.

 

Minutes:

1.  Minutes shall be taken at all formal meetings.

 

 Finances

1.  The Equity Forum shall be used to discuss joint finances.

 

Elections

 

1. Any member of the Students’ Association belonging to the relevant group
2. represented by the Forum may stand and vote for an elected position within a Forum.
3. It is within the prerogative of the Forums to decide the manner of which they elect their elected positions, granted they are in accordance with the Constitution, Byelaws and Policies of the Students’ Association.
4. This may include an election during an Annual General Meeting, or an online ballot run by the Students’ Association.
5. All Forums are required to invite at least one Sabbatical Officer to be present in-attendance for the election of new Forum members during an election at an AGM. 
6. Notice of the election shall be published 14 days in advance and promoted prominently in the Students’ Union Building and in any regular publication of the Students’ Association and the Forums’ social media platforms stating that all members of the Students’ Association of the relevant group may vote and stand for a position.
7. The AGM shall be held prior to the end of term.
8. Each Forum Convener shall be responsible for ensuring both election and voting are conducted in an inclusive and fair manner.
9. Each Forum Convener shall be responsible for engaging with the Students’ Association to ensure the election is advertised appropriately and that students can access the election.
10. In the case of a Forum not having a Convener, the duties outlined in in 3.5.1 will be up to another member with support from the relevant Sabbatical Officer.

 

Equity Forum

 

1. The Equity Forum shall consist of all Forum members and all Sabbatical Officers.
2. The Equity Forum shall be a platform for members of the Liberation and Sections Forums to meet with the Sabbatical Officers regularly and discuss current and otherwise relevant issues.
3. This shall provide direction for the work of Sabbatical Officers and collaboration between the Forums and the Sabbatical Officers.
4. The Sabbatical Officers shall provide updates to the Liberation and Sections Forums on their work and on policies relevant to the attendees.
5. The Equity Forum shall meet at minimum once every six weeks.

 

 

Membership

 

1. Membership of each forum shall be as detailed below, with the exception of the Trans Students’ Forum.
2. The Forum Committee’s will consist of at least
   1. One Convener
      1. Shall chair all meetings and be spokesperson for the Forum.
      2. Shall attend Student Council.
      3. Shall be responsible to Students’ Association Council for the work of the Forum.
   2. One Secretary
      1. Shall be responsible for all matters relating to the organisation of meetings.
      2. Shall attend Student Council.
   3. One Treasurer
   4. One Liaison Officer
      1. Shall be responsible for liaising with other groups on campus such as, but not limited to, other Forums, Societies, and staff networks to organise collaborative projects for the benefit of both groups.
3. Each Forum shall be responsible for deciding which elected positions will make up their respective Forum.
4. Each elected Forum position available will need to be decided on prior to start of a Forum Election.
5. Other Officers may be elected by the Forum AGM, or from within the Forum, to
6. undertake specific duties.

 

Section Forums

 

International Students’ Forum

 

Role

1. To promote the views and interests, locally and nationally, of all students whose nationality is other than British.
2. To co-ordinate the activities of national societies

which have been established for specific national groups and for those interested in that region or country.

1. To organise activities for all students whose nationality is other than British and to promote the integration between international and home students.
2. To advise and support national societies, jointly with the Societies’ Union Committee.
3. To introduce new international students to the Students’ Association and the University.
4. To promote the importance of international students within the University and the wider community.
5. To liaise with other organisations interested in, or representing, international students.
6. To promote multi-culturalism within the Students’ Association and the University.

 

Membership

1.  All member of the Student Association that identify as an International Student.

 

Women and Non-Binary Forum

 

Role

1. To promote the views and interests of, and organise activities for, women and non-binary students.
2. To work within the broader feminist movement to increase awareness among students on issues that are important to women and non-binary people and of the problems that women and non-binary people can face due to gender inequality.
3. To counter discrimination and prejudice against women and non-binary students and promote equality.
4. To promote services which enhance women and non-binary individuals' welfare and safety

 

Membership

1. All members of the Student Association that identify as a Women and/or non-binary student

 

Mature Students’ Forum

 

Role

1. To promote the views and interests of, and organise activities for, mature students.

 

Membership

1.  All members of the Student Association that has been classed as a Mature Student.

 

Part-time Students’ Forum

 

Role

1. To promote the views and interests of, and organise activities for, part-time students.
2. To work with the relevant Sabbatical Officers to ensure that all materials and activities can be made available to part-time students wherever possible.
    

Membership

1. All members of the Student Association that is classed as a Part-Time Student.

 

Postgraduate Students’ Forum
 

Role

1.  To promote the views and interests of, and organise activities for, postgraduate students.

 

Membership

1. All members of the Students Association that is classed as a Postgraduate Student.

 

In-attendance membership

1. Vice-President for Education

 

Liberation Forums
 

Black and Minority Ethnic Students’ Forum

 

Role

1. To promote the views, and interests of, and organise activities for all students who identify as being of African, Middle Eastern, Afro-Caribbean, Asian, South/Latin American and/or Romani descent; and/or descended from the Indigenous populations of the Americas and/or the South Pacific.
2. To counter prejudice and discrimination against minority ethnic students, as per the definition above.
3. To work within the broader BME movement, to forge links based on shared aims, objectives and ideas.
4. To promote services which enhance and safeguard minority ethnic individuals’ welfare and safety during their years of study.

 

Membership

1.  All members of the Students Association who identify as being of African, Middle Eastern, Afro-Caribbean, Asian, South/Latin American and/or Romani descent; and/or descended from the Indigenous populations of the Americas and/or the South Pacific.

Disabled Students’ Forum
 

Role

1.  To promote the views and interests of, and organise activities for, students who

are disabled.
 

Membership

1. All members of the Students’ Association who is a disabled student.

LGBTQ+ Students' Forum
 

Role

1. To promote the views and interests of, and organise activities for, LGBTQ+ students.
2. To provide support and advice for students who identify as LGBTQ+ on a self-determining basis, or who are questioning aspects of their sexual or gender identity.
3. To counter prejudice and discrimination against LGBTQ+ students.
4. To co-ordinate the activities of recognised groups representing LGBTQ+ students.

 

Membership

1. All members of the Students’ Association who identify as LGBTQ+ on a self-determining basis, or who are questioning aspects of their sexual or gender identity.
2. The confidentiality of all members standing, and voting, shall be protected by such regulations as may be recommended by the Students’ Association.

 

Trans Students’ Forum

Role

1. To promote the views and interests of, campaign on behalf of, and organise activities for, trans students.
2. To work within the broader trans movement in Scotland, the UK, and in general, to campaign for all trans people and to raise awareness among students on issues that are important to the trans community and of the problems that trans individuals face due to structural oppression.
3. To counter discrimination and prejudice against trans students and promote trans liberation and equality.
4. To take special interest with respect to campaigning against transmisogyny in all its forms, with reference to the especially marginalised position of trans women within society.
5. To promote and provide access to services which enhance trans people’s welfare and safety, with special reference to access to healthcare.
6. To provide support and advice to trans and gender questioning students.

 

 

Membership
 

1. All full members of the Student’s Association who identify as trans on a self-defining basis, the definition of ‘trans’ taken to encompass all trans, non-binary, genderqueer, and non-cisgender identities, as well as those questioning their gender identity.
2. Elected positions
   1. Two reserved places for students affected by transmisogyny (‘transmisogyny confined’, assigned male at birth [including coercively assigned] transfeminine or trans woman students)
   2. Two reserved places for non-binary individuals
   3. One reserved place for a trans student of colour (open)
   4. One reserved place for a trans student of colour affected by transmisogyny (‘transmisogyny confined’, assigned male at birth [including coercively assigned] transfeminine or trans woman students).