With our three most recent councils done and dusted, it's time to have a look back over what went down last week.
Last week played host to our three democratic councils – Education, Equalities, and Student Opportunities. With dozens of students in attendance, we saw discussions on everything from Black History Month to the academic restructure, as students gave their input on recent events. So the big question is, what went down?
Education Council
Chaired by your VP Education, Jack O’Neill, the focus for this council was very much on the academic restructure. To bring some expertise to the room, Deputy Principal (Academic) Professor Katie Normington was present, and spoke at length about the details of the restructure before answering questions from students. Of course, Education Council wouldn’t be complete without a discussion topic, and this time assessment methods took a turn in the hot seat. Last but not least, the council elected a brand new PGT Rep, Charlotte Gautheir, creating a full committee! More detail can be found in Jack's blog from last week.
Equalities Council
This year we’re handing over more and more autonomy to our elected reps, which is why this Equalities Council was a chance for some of our reps to show off their great work. Renée Landell, BME Rep, James Sullivan, Mental Health Network Chair, and Lucy Simpson, Mental Health Network Vice Chair, took the reins of the second half of the council, where they each gave presentations on the great work they’ve been doing this term, and looked forward to upcoming projects. James and Lucy recapped Mental Health Awareness Week and outlined some exciting plans for a lecture series next term, while Renée took a look back on Black History Month before giving details about upcoming events, including the Gospel Showcase, and Windrush Generation Tribute.
Student Opportunities Council
Our clubs, societies, and media outlets took centre stage at our Student Opportunities Council, as VP Sport, Dom Brown, and VP Societies and Media, Holly Hughes told the crowd about the variety of upcoming events – Varsity, Socs and Colours Balls, and peer to peer training all featured as they took on board the feedback presented by the student groups. To close up the meeting we heard about all the fab events that societies will be putting on over the coming weeks, from a Capture the Flag game to a Big Sleep Out.
Want to learn more about Councils? You can check out their page here, as well as read the full minutes for each. Keep an eye out for next term’s meetings, and if you have any questions about the wonders of democracy, feel free to drop us an email.