Equality and Diversity Committee (3rd June 2015)

The minutes from 20 March 2015 were approved.

Luke Gosling  –LGBT Coordinator

Bruno Russell  - Faith & Religion Coordinator

Frazer Delves - Coordinator without portfolio

All other positions are vacant

Ed has spoken to Chris Gutteridge at the University. Estates and Facilities have a map of all toilets across campus. There are unfortunately 120 toilets across campus that are unknown whether they are gender specific or not.

Ed showed the Committee the Accessibility at Events Policy to be taken to Union Council on 8 June for ideas session and then for agreement as a Policy.  The Committee agreed that this was a worthy policy and support the policy.

Sam updated that there had been a subtitled film screening which was well attended.  The results from the survey completed after the film showed a higher amount of international students attended.  It was agreed that there is a need for subtitled films.  E&D Committee have an agreement with Union Films for subtitled films to be showed once a term or to support a popular film once a term.  The cost for subtitled films are approximately £300 per film and this will be costed into the E&D budget for the year.

This item was not discussed.  A Sexual Harrassment Update was given instead.

Beckie updated about the Soton Speak Up campaign. Further events and awareness are being planned for campus and city wide launch of this campaign with Solent Students’ Union. This will include pledge cards, on-line pledge wall and fabric wrist bands. The campaign in conjunction with the nationwide campaign a Good Night out, to end harassment on nights out across UK and Ireland will encourage clubs and bars to sign up and display their pledge to support students. Bars and Clubs’ staff will be given training so that they can support students appropriately.

Suggestion received to add Sports Participation Officer on E&D Committee so that both can work on joint projects.

Suggestion received for E&D’s LGBT officer to be referred to as “LGBT* Coordinator” in line with Sports By-Laws. There is also no description of roles in the E&D By-L:aws.

The budget for Equality & Diversity should be split over two central budgets, Sustainability and Student Communities.

Beckie and Sam will work out how to spend the budget and to attend forthcoming budget meetings. 

Suggestion received for a gender neutral fashion show as an idea for an event for the next academic year.

Equality Impact Assessment –   The process for implementing the EIA’s will be defined over the coming months. An EIA expert will be coming to talk to SUSU over the summer. The Committee asked to be invited to this meeting.

Beckie and Sam to arrange for all toilets to have clear and consistent signs on all gender neutral toilets in SUSU and to chase sanitary bins in male toilets.  

Sam asked for all E&D Committee members to look at the E&D Facebook page for updates and get involved in any requests for assistance.

As there was no other business the meeting closed at 3pm.