AGM will have no motions to vote on as SU changes deadline on the day.
In an astonishing move this week, The University of Greenwich Student Union changed the submission deadline from 14th November to the 13th for AGM motions. This was only told to students at the submission desk on the 14th.This enabled them to reject 9 motions proposed by a students on that day. Overall they rejected 13 motions.
This decision was made after a 'Facebook' group was made which attempted to gain support for the 9 motions. One of the motions included was a proposal to bring The Greenwich Telescope Newspaper into the SU (while maintaining editorial independence), allowing the student run paper to end its financial crisis.
Other Motions included dropping the 22 wage difference, allowing fair pay for students under 22 in SU shops and bars, and allowing international students to work before gaining a national insurance number, in line with Home Office guidelines.
But on the 14th of November, as he was about to submit, it was told to Ben Wraith (the proposer of the motions) that the deadline had been changed.
Mr Wraith intendeds to make an official complaint to the President, Virender Choudhary.
The AGM (Annual General Meeting) will now have no motions.
Students will now have to wait for the elections in march to influence policy.
The Facebook Group for the motions
The 9 motions
1. That The Greenwich Telescope (GT) becomes part of SUUG, GT remains editorially independent of the Sabbaticals, VP Campaigns & Communications can veto only on grounds of libel, Social Society run GT until a Student Media Society is formed and that the Sarky Cutt budget is transferred to the relevant Society.
2. To scrap the age-based wage differential in the SU with immediate effect and to pay all part-time SUUG employees at least the highest rate (22 years +) of National Minimum Wage.
3. That full reciprocal membership, as laid out in the constitution, becomes operational policy. That steps are taken to promote this to local HE institutions including Goldsmiths College, Trinity School of Music and Greenwich Community College. That all SUUG staff are made aware of this revised policy.
4. The SUUG web-site states ‘It is VERY important that you have a valid National Insurance number. We are unable to process application forms without one.’ on its vacancies page. This is discriminatory and wrong. The VP Services should immediately change the statement in consultation with Student Affairs.
5. That prices for food and drink at Avery Hill and Greenwich SU outlets should be equalised by reverting to the lowest current price. That subsequent cumulative annual price increases for all food & drink should be kept low and agreed by a full quorate SRC prior to implementation.
6. To mandate the President and General Manager to take immediate steps to ensure that SUUG is able to send its full and correct delegate entitlement to NUS Annual Conference. To mandate the VPs Education and Campaigns & Communications to actively promote to members the opportunity to become NUS Delegates.
7. That 7.7 of the Bye-Laws be changed to: ‘The 8 SRC Officers shall be International Students Officer, Equal Opportunities Officer, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transsexual Officer, Part-Time Students Officer, Postgraduate Students Officer, Entertainment Officer, Accomodation Officer and Environment Officer’. And promoted as such at the next SRC election.
8. That all minutes for General Meetings, SRC, SRC Exec and F&GP meetings shall be made available at each SUUG reception and on the SUUG.co.uk web-site within 10 working days.
9. That the SU stops using polystyrene cups in all of its outlets and that it works urgently towards Fairtrade status.