As it’s the halfway point in my tenure as Deputy President (Welfare), I wanted to take the time to share what an incredible year it has been and show my gratitude to all of you who have been part of this journey. While there are a lot of things I’m proud of achieving this past year, my standards for the upcoming year remain higher than ever.
My Proudest Achievement
Reviewing the College’s Student Disciplinary Procedures has been a top priority for me this year. Up to now, the procedure was not fit for purpose and left many vulnerable students feeling unsafe and left to fend for themselves. Over the course of the year, Lloyd and I worked together to bring the College and the Union onto the same page around what needs to change, and how. As of June 2022, we worked together with the College to produce a report to Senate (one of the highest decision-making bodies in the university) which proposed the following:
- The process needs to be trauma-informed and serve to protect the individuals that are directly involved, as well as the wider College community.
- Both responding parties and reporting parties have the right to know the outcome. This is an essential element of natural justice.
- There needs to be a route of mediation and conflict resolution that aligns with the principle of restorative justice, and that seeks to encourage learning and growth.
- Routes to support need to be integrated into the entire process, from beginning to end.
- Under no circumstances should a victim of bullying, harassment or sexual violence be made to sign a non-disclosure agreement which prohibits them to speak of their experiences. College has agreed to sign a pledge committing to this promise.
Senate responded positively to these recommendations and expressed its support for continuing the review in the coming year. Hayley and I will now work together to redraft the Student Disciplinary Procedure Ordinance, Student Code of Conduct, and Investigation Protocol to make sure these changes are set in stone.
Looking Inward
The previous year was spent focusing primarily on making changes within the College to improve the student experience. Now, I aim to shift my focus back onto the Union to lay the foundations for long-term cultural changes by doing the following:
- Writing an EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) Strategy for the Union to ensure that we are an organisation that is fit to represent all students of all backgrounds.
- Reviewing the Union’s own members’ disciplinary and complaints processes.
- Reviewing the culture of Clubs, Societies and Projects and co-creating an action plan with students to create spaces that feel welcoming and inclusive to all students.
- Completing the Review of Safety and Security in the Union Venues that was started in November of last year.
- Reviewing the Union’s Liberation and Community Networks and campaigns provision to empower students to change the world around them.
Thank You to everyone who has been a part of this journey so far. My time in this role may be limited, but I promise to make the most of it.