Student Assembly

The Student Assembly is the highest decision-making body at Greenwich Students’ Union (GSU) whose purpose is to reflect and represent the views of members. Assembly sets out a course of action for the organisation and its representatives through the decisions it makes.

Attending and participating in the Student Assembly is open to all students. Any student can also submit an agenda item to be discussed at the meeting. Find out more on this webpage.

 

Understanding Assembly

Assembly Actions

 

 

What goes on

The function of the assembly is to have reflective and informed discussion to lead to decision making that will:

• Improve a student/student’s university experience

• Address a disadvantage a group of students are facing

• Enforce what students expect/want from their Students’ Union and representation.

Student Assembly is conducted through Round table group deliberation. This means everyone has the opportunity to input their views and opinions through facilitated groups, working towards an agreed set of actions to address a particular issue affecting the student community. Therefore every single attendee is shaping proposals and policy through an engaging and accessible format. 

The action points drafted by the Student Assembly (all table groups) are taken to an online vote from which our student representatives have the opportunity to vote on. Those eligible to vote include:
 

  • Faculty Officers (x16 across the four faculties)
  • Exec Committee Members (x10 between the Sports and Society executive members) 
  • Programme reps (x2 for every programme, in each year group) 
  • Society group leaders (x2 committee members from each Society) 
  • Sport club leaders (x2 committee members from each Club)

 

I'm a representative that needs to register to vote on the Student Assembly?
Registration to vote is open all year round, simply fill in your details at https://bit.ly/2mfdMnB

 

Understand Assembly with the following guidance:

Document version or PDF visual version

 

 
 

Scrutiny Panel 2019/20

Scrutiny of the GSU Officers work is done through our Scrutiny Panel that meets five times a year. 

Our Scrutiny Panel is an essential part of our democratic system in holding our GSU Officers (Full-Time representatives & Student Trustees) accountable to students and ensuring they are working in the interest of our membership

 

Submit your question

Meeting Minutes & Actions

See the things discussed at each meeting below. You can also see all policy passed by GSU in the last three years here. 

 

 

 

 

Submit agenda item

If you would like to submit an agenda item you can through the form below. If you need any help with your submission, please do get in touch with Chiron Hooson, the Democracy and Engagement Coordinator by emailing C.Hooson@gre.ac.uk. 

It is at the discretion of the chair which agenda items are discussed at the Assembly. Items can also be submitted through the Feedback Mechanism and GSU outreach stalls. 

Agenda items need to submitted at least a week in advance of a meeting to be considered for the upcoming Student Assembly. 

 

Submit Agenda Item 

 
 

 

Upcoming meeting dates 2019/20

There are a minimum of four meetings a year. The dates for this year are:

  1. Thursday 17th October, 5-7.30pm in the Boardroom, Dreadnought Building (Greenwich Campus)

    View the agenda: HERE
    View minutes & actions: HERE 
    View voting results: HERE 
     
  2. Tuesday 3rd December, 5.30-7.30pm in the Atrium, Dreadnought Building (Greenwich Campus) 
    This will be after the Members Meeting which starts at 4.00pm. 

    View the agenda: HERE
    View the minutes, actions and voting results: HERE 
     
  3. Thursday 8th February, 5-7.00pm in the Deep End, GK Union (Medway)

    View the agenda: HERE 
     
  4. Thursday 26th March, 5-7.00pm in the Dome, Southwood (Avery Hill) *Provisional date

 

 
 

Actions from Assembly

Click to discover the submitted items, and their progress:

2nd Student Assembly: Tuesday 3 December 2019 (Greenwich Campus)

Action 1 (Passed): Mayo (GSU Officer) to include which bus times are most preferable (incl weekend times) to students and what method of payment they would like in her Medway Bus Campaign. Update to be given on 06/02

Action 2 (Passed): Explore the need for temporary accommodation in Medway. Update to be given on 06/02

Action 3 (Passed): Lobby the transport team for free buses to and from Medway. Update to be given on 06/02

Action 1 (Passed): Investigate the possibility of hiring minibuses for sports groups (along with what other ways it could be used, e.g Medway students). Update to be given on 06/02

Action 2 (Passed): Lobby the University for funding to subsidise membership costs and transport for sport teams. Update to be given on 06/02

Action 3 (Passed): Review membership fees for sport teams Update to be given on 06/02

Action 1 (Rejected): Full-Time Officers are not allowed to run in NUS Delegate Elections.

Action 2 (Passed): President goes to NUS conference automatically. Update to be given on 06/02

Action 3 (Passed): Cap NUS Delegate places to one GSU Officer. Update to be given on 06/02

Action 4: Cap NUS Delegate places to 2 GSU Officers. Update to be given on 06/02

Action 1 (Passed): Lobby University to review the presence of security teams/staff and resources across all campuses. Update to be given on 06/02

Action 2 (Passed): GSU to investigate organising group walks from the Lower Deck to halls of residences/train stations after major club nights. Update to be given on 06/02

Action 3 (Passed): Get an GSU accredited taxi service from the Lower Deck. Update to be given on 06/02

1st Student Assembly: Thursday 17 October 2019 (Greenwich Campus)

Action 1 (Passed): An GSU Officer will lead at pulling students together to work on communication between groups and the Students’ Union. Update to be provided soon.

Action 1 (Passed): Society funding structure to be reviewed. Survey done with Society members and two consultation dates to discuss the process of Society funding. We have identified issues which we can now work on to progress. Societies coordinator will be starting in Jan to alleviate some concerns. Bilal can be contacted if people have any further questions.

Action 2 (Passed): Review of guidance and transparency around funding. Survey done with Society members and two consultation dates to discuss the process of Society funding. We have identified issues which we can now work on to progress. Societies coordinator will be starting in Jan to alleviate some concerns. Bilal can be contacted if people have any further questions.

Action 3 (Passed): Research into the specific needs of academic Societies. Survey done with Society members and two consultation dates to discuss the process of Society funding. We have identified issues which we can now work on to progress. Societies coordinator will be starting in Jan to alleviate some concerns. Bilal can be contacted if people have any further questions.

Action 1 (Passed): A climate change emergency should be declared by the University. President currently working with the Eco Team Greenwich on this.

Action 2 (Passed): Awareness needs to be raised around the issue by the SU and University. President currently working with the Eco Team Greenwich on this.

Action 3 (Passed): Single-use plastics need to be reduced across the University and Students’ Union. President currently working with the Eco Team Greenwich on this.

Action 4 (Passed): The University Eco-Team needs to be utilised to form a sustainability action plan for the foreseeable future. President currently working with the Eco Team Greenwich on this.

Action 5 (Passed): A campus-wide approach needs to be taken to address the climate change emergency. President currently working with the Eco Team Greenwich on this.

Action 1 (Passed): Review of student experience at the Lower Deck. Conversations had with students to start gathering feedback. Some changes have been made including: improvements in kitchen to reduce waiting times; staff training to improve bar skills; amended menu in January.

Action 1 (Passed): Lobby the University to have water fountains accessible in every building at the University on all campuses. This is going to be raised at estates meeting to raise this and action.

Action 1 (Rejected): Action sent to vote as listed agenda item stated. Update to be provided.

Action 1 (Passed): Action sent to vote as listed agenda item stated. Tables in the Lower Deck to be added soon.

Action 1 (Passed): Action sent to vote as listed agenda item stated. Layout of Dreadnought space changed as of 24/01/2020 to utilize more tables in the space.

Action 2 (Passed): GSU to investigate organising group walks from the Lower Deck to halls of residences/train stations after major club nights. Update to be given on 06/02

Action 3 (Passed): Get an GSU accredited taxi service from the Lower Deck. Update to be given on 06/02