Sustainability Zone (22nd October 2018)

- 5 zone meetings throughout the year.

- All welcome, but only committee members are able to vote.

- We will be specifically inviting representatives from relevant clubs and societies.

- AOB = Any Other Business

See above.

As the results of the Open Place elections had not yet been released, those committee members were not able to attend this meeting.

In attendance: David Hendry, Ilona Bartlett (Student Life and Sustainability Coordinator)

See Officer Reports

LS (E&E Officer)

• Has been working with Mike Travers from the university’s Estates and Facilities team to produce marketing to raise student awareness of the recycling process.
  • DH – issue with high proportion of recycling bins o general waste bins.
  • Action: IC to find out how the trial of new bins has gone, and to ensure that other university staff also know the policy with regards to recycling and waste.
• Has organised increased waste collections in the library during exam periods.
• Is planning an event based around Air Quality, with Nicola Turvey and London Sustainability Exchange, to coincide with the Environmental Science Christmas lecture on the 12^th.
• Is planning to work with the Faculty of Environment and Life Sciences Faculty Officer to run a sustainability event in Valley Gardens.
• Is hoping to lobby the council to improve the recycling infrastructure.
• Will work on a sustainability page for the SUSU website.
• Will work with IC and the Widening Access to Participation team to provide a scholarship scheme for asylum seekers and refugees.
  • DH – Widening Access to Medicine Society (WAM Soc) may like to be involved with this.
  • Other societies who may be interested include STAR and Amnesty.
  • Action: Invite these societies to the next zone meeting.
  • Important to gauge student support for this – All Student Vote?
  • Action: FMI to liaise with Wessex Scene to see if they would be interested in writing an article on this topic.

FMI (E&D Officer)

• Has started researching the accessibility features on social media, with the aim to meet with societies to show them how to do this.
  • Action: FMI to work with IC and MarComms to produce a video explaining how to use accessibility features on social media, and to talk to AUC committee.

IC (VP Welfare)

• Has been working with the Widening Access to Participation team to provide a scholarship scheme for asylum seekers and refugees.
• Has been working with the university’s Estates and Facilities team to change the signage on self-contained toilet cubicles to be gender neutral. This should be in the standard specification for all new building works.
• Is producing posters for toilet etiquette.
• Action: IC to check that sanitary bins are in all toilets (including men’s).
• Is having conversations with the university and the union about providing free sanitary items.
• Will be getting pronoun badges to give away during Trans Awareness Week.
• Attended the Southern Unions Conference and discussed drug harm reduction.
• Intends to work with security on introducing a ‘blue light’ system on lampposts, to alert security if anyone feels threatened or in danger.
• Is working with Union Services with the aim of reducing food waste by donating left over food to homeless shelters.
• Is producing a weekly welfare podcast.

Next meeting: Monday 26th November 1-3pm

• IC will be making facebook pages for the student leaders to interact with students.
• IC will be making a facebook page for the sustainability zone societies.
  • ACTION: IC and FMI to add societies to facebook page.
  • Action: FMI and LS to make a Welfare Instagram and share login and responsibilities.
• Disability History Month (Disability and Music)
  • Concert /Open Mic Night showcasing those artists with disabilities, potentially in collaboration with CI societies and CI Coordinator.
  • Exploring music through other senses.
  • FemSoc discussion on December 6^th.
• Sustainability zone societies’ collaborative event.
  • Day event where each society has a slot. A timetable of events to network and reenergise members. Potentially in Freshers.
  • Action: LS to work with IC and IB to progress this.
• Action: IB and IC to meet with Open Place members
• Action: IB to work with Democracy coordinator to open nominations for a new Clubs and Societies Representative for the zone.