AGM Resolves

1. Cardiff University Students’ Union will publicly announce they maintain their stance as pro-choice and clearly state on the CUSU “Pregnancy Support” webpage and any other applicable webpages such as in the “Policy” webpage.

2. Maintaining the pregnancy and abortion related terminology throughout the Students’ Union to ensure it remains unbiased and medically accurate and add more information regarding miscarriage (support, policy, etc).

3. Retain the balanced links to up-to-date information regarding pregnancy and abortion on the CUSU website.

4. Up-to-date information on pregnancy, abortion and where to seek medical help on the back of the SU toilet stall doors to ensure students in abusive relationships can also access the information.

5. The VP of Welfare and Campaigns will remain responsible for ensuring that the Students’ Union campaigns and strategies support the pro-choice stance to provide an equal, safe, and inclusive environment for students.

6. The VP of Welfare and Campaigns, in collaboration with the Mental Health, Women’s and LGBT+ officers, will create an annual pro-choice awareness campaign that highlights the importance of access to safe and legal abortion using statistically and/or medically backed information.

7. The VP of Societies and Volunteering will remain responsible for ensuring that Students’ Union affiliated societies do not spread misinformation about abortion and pregnancy nor participate in activities against SU policy.

8. The Students’ Union and Cardiff University should work together to ensure that students understand their rights to bodily autonomy and abortion.

9. The Students’ Union will publicly condemn anti-choice organisations actively seeking to interfere in our democracy with the aim of oppressing students’ rights and pro-choice views, especially those that resort to bullying, harassment, and misinformation. The Students’ Union shall also keep up to date on and enforce regulations and laws that are applicable to stop external organisations from being able to access students on the public roads between the campus and display blown-up misleading graphic material.

10. The Students’ Union will thoroughly evaluate the support available to students who are targeted and threatened by external anti-choice organisations and individuals. The Students Union should increase support available in an aim to mitigate the harmful impact on students from the actions of these external parties.

11. The Students’ Union, especially the VP of Welfare and Campaigns, will build on the positive progress that this stance has had since 2019, not to simply maintain what has been changed but also to keep striving for an environment where there is clarity, information, support and unbiased options around pregnancy and abortion whilst fully respecting the individual’s right to choose.

Proposed by

Seconded by

Passed by AGM 06/12/2022

AGM Resolves

1. To incorporate sustainable development goals into Students Union decision making, in the mould of the 7 areas set out in the Well-Being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and with a particular focus on what can be done to minimise avoidable environmental harms.

2. To commit the Students Union to clear actions under four key headings, detailed below:

2.1. A commitment to renewable energy, sustainability, and biodiversity

2.1.1. That Cardiff SU must develop and implement a strategy to decarbonise its properties as soon as possible. Premises at Park Place have a non-domestic energy performance certificate (EPC) rating as low as D, with no provision for renewables (Appendix 1). Success will be measured by achieving an EPC rating of at least A for all of the SU’s premises. Achieving this could involve the use of renewables, energy storage technologies and measures to reduce energy demand such as insulation. This could also involve educating building users, including staff and students, to prevent energy waste. The time to act is now, not only to achieve Net Zero but also combat the SU’s vulnerability to rising energy unit costs in the non-domestic sector. A commitment to ethical investment, where investments and banking practices are conducted in an economically viable, environmentally responsible manner

2.1.2. Striving for sustainable food production, where food policy and procurement includes fair, ethical, and environmentally friendly items where possible – and achieving the Soil Association’s Food for Life Served Here award.

2.2. Ensuring Supply chains are fair, ethical, and sustainable.

2.2.1. Source only reused/recycled products where possible, such as paper, plastics, and other recyclables.

2.2.2. Publishing a detailed plan for working towards a zero-waste policy.

2.3. Ensuring services run by the Students Union have been assessed for their environmental impact.

2.3.1. Ensuring transport services see a transition to electric vehicles.

2.3.2. Promoting the use of Active Travel across university campuses.

2.4. Net zero accountability.

2.4.1. Lobby the university to create a specific job role responsible for net zero delivery.

2.4.2. Establish an Environmental Impact Committee, including Senior University Leadership, Students Union Representatives, and student groups to provide accountability for Net Zero promises.

Proposed by

Seconded by

Passed by AGM 06/12/2022

AGM Resolves

1.To mandate the Sabbatical Officer Team to stand in solidarity with UCU and publish a public statement of support for 2022/23 Industrial Action within five working days of any Industrial Action being formally announced.

2. To mandate the Sabbatical Officer Team to work with UCU and lobby the University Executive Board to meet the demands of University Staff and Postgraduate Students who teach regarding the Four Fights and Pensions, whether or not Industrial Action is formalised via a member ballot.

3. To mandate the Elected Officers to give UCU a communication platform with students online via the SU Website and offline via space in the Union building, to raise awareness and inform students about any UCU Industrial Action.

4. To mandate Cardiff Students’ Union, particularly the Vice President Postgraduate Students, to openly encourage Postgraduate Research Students to join UCU, whether as a ‘student’ member or a ‘standard free’ member (eligibility depends on whether a PGR is carrying out teaching work).

5. To mandate the Sabbatical Officer Team to encourage eligible Postgraduate members of UCU to submit their ballots in any further balloting period within the academic year 2022/23.

6. Cardiff Students’ Union should work with UCU to facilitate and promote ‘Teach Out’ sessions for students should a strike period occur.

7. Cardiff Students' Union should offer wellbeing support to all students who have been affected by the strikes.

8. The Students’ Union Sabbatical Officers should lobby the University for fee reimbursements for any lost contact hours owing to potential Industrial Action in the Academic Year 2022/23.

9. The Vice President Postgraduate Students will encourage PGR students who teach, that want to support any Industrial Action, to join UCU and apply to any available hardship funds for those who have lost income resulting from participation.

10. The Vice President Postgraduate will encourage students to support and engage with staff at rallies and on the picket lines if and when these occur.

Proposed by

Seconded by

Passed by AGM 06/12/2022

AGM Resolves

1. To take a public stance on the World Cup 2022, making the thoughts of the Union and its members clear.

2. To call upon Sabbatical Officers and Union Trustees to donate/reallocate all the ‘profits’ from bar (and app) sales in the Taf and YPLAS during the games to CU Pride and CU TANGGS with the purpose of using funds to run campaigns in their interest.

i. By the term ‘Profits’ we are referring to Net Profits.

ii. ‘During the games’ defined as: Total sales taken during the time of each screening of the world cup and 30 minutes before match start and 30 minutes after match end.

3. For transparency, Cardiff University Students’ Union / Cardiff Union Services Limited should publicly release a statement detailing how much was donated and to which group(s). This statement should be released jointly with the group(s) receiving the donation(s). This statement should be released promptly after donations have been given.

4. Information regarding the negative treatment of workers and LGBTQ+ rights in Qatar should be clearly visible and freely available where matches are shown within CUSU.

5. Relevant campaign officers should be consulted in the creation of information regarding the negative treatment of workers and LGBTQ+ rights in Qatar.

6. To strengthen its work in promoting inclusion and equality in sports, especially for members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Proposed by

Seconded by

Passed by AGM 06/12/2022

AGM Resolves

1. Cardiff SU will publicly condemn police violence by South Wales Police, especially their brutality towards Black people and people of colour.

2. Cardiff SU will audit where it engages with the police, and following this audit, cut down on engagement with the police to the minimum without violating legal requirements and interfering with strictly essential operations of the SU, such as the operation of its trading venues and important large-scale events. Cardiff SU will work towards non-engagement with the police in the future, and work towards a position where our operation and income are not reliant on engagement with South Wales Police or any other policing organisations. The immediate priorities in cutting down engagement with the police include refusing, opposing, and resisting police presence on campus, especially to promote career opportunities (including voluntary) and to promote themselves as the sole legitimate protectors of our safety. Cardiff SU officers will also lobby Cardiff University to take the same stance and cut ties with the police as much as possible.

i. This will not stop the police, with warrants, from investigating crime on Cardiff SU premises, nor from arriving in response to calls from individual students who choose to call the police and seek justice through this system.

ii. Cardiff SU, especially its Advice service, will continue to support students who wish to pursue justice by reporting to and working with the police.

3. Cardiff SU will actively promote alternatives to policing and transformative justice practices, steering away from promoting the police and the carceral justice system as the only channel that survivors could pursue, while raising awareness of the police’s complicity in violence and sexual violence. Cardiff SU will broaden its definition of safety in its campaigns to acknowledge how policing perpetuates violence, and that students can feel unsafe around the police.

4. Cardiff SU will work with local and national organisations as well as student groups to raise awareness of police violence within our community, and to provide students with resources about resisting police violence, supporting victims of police brutality as a bystander, and knowing our rights when facing police violence.

5. Cardiff SU will publicly oppose and condemn the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022, especially its potential to suppress student protests, which are essential parts of students’ voice and democracy.

6. Cardiff SU will provide resources to facilitate transformative justice practices at Cardiff University as an alternative to policing in addressing student safety, focusing on education, bystander interventions, and community care.

Proposed by

Seconded by

Passed by AGM 06/12/2022

AGM Resolves

1. To call upon the trustees of the Students’ Union to amend articles 23.2 and 22.1 in the Union’s memorandum and articles of association in order to have 8 full-time officers instead of the current 7, thus ensuring the fullest possible representation of students. The eighth officer would be the Welsh Language Officer, who would also be the UMCC President.

2. When a full-time post of Welsh Language Officer is created, this officer will also become the President of UMCC.

Proposed by

Seconded by

Passed by AGM 25/11/2021

AGM Resolves

1. To permanently change the name of ‘Vice President Welfare and Campaigns’ to ‘Vice President Welfare’ from the beginning of the Officer cycle 2022/23.

2. To give the responsibility of taking on an unfilled Campaign Officer role to the Students’ Union President or a Sabbatical Officer nominated by the Students’ Union President.

3. To give the responsibility to the Students’ Union President or a Sabbatical Officer nominated by the Students’ Union President to support Campaign Officers alongside the further support provided by Union staff.

Proposed by

Seconded by

Passed by AGM 25/11/2021

AGM Resolves

1. To permanently adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism in full, as the definition of antisemitism.

2. To apply pressure on the University to listen to its Jewish students and adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism in full.

Proposed by

Seconded by

Passed by AGM 25/11/2021

AGM Resolves

1. Cardiff Students’ Union should adopt the TransActual definition of Transphobia8 to better represent a broad range of issues that have a detrimental impact on our trans students.

2. Cardiff Students’ Union should proactively lobby the University to adopt the TransActual definition of Transphobia8 to its Trans Policy, through the University’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Committee and other routes.

3. Cardiff Students’ Union should adopt mandatory training for its staff, Elected Officers, and contractors on trans identities, to enable better support of trans students.

4. Cardiff Students’ Union should review student-facing training at least annually, in partnership with its LGBTQ+ Officers and appropriate Sabbatical Officers, to ensure key groups of students (such as Sports Clubs and Society Wellbeing Officers) are appropriately and accurately informed on issues that impact the trans community. This training should include how to be an active bystander and how to call out and report transphobic incidents.

5. Cardiff Students’ Union should continue its work to ensure that sufficient gender neutral toilets are included as standard in all new University buildings, and should retain its new suite of toilets on the third floor as protected gender neutral spaces.

6. Cardiff Students’ Union should work on behalf of 1390 individuals who signed the opposition letter (referenced in Notes 5), by lobbying the University to challenge transphobia in reference to the outcome of the issues raised about Stonewall.

7. Cardiff Students’ Union should work with the LGBTQ+ Community to ensure fair representation of trans identities through its campaigns, ensuring accessibility for all students.

8. Cardiff Students’ Union should review all forms and paperwork used, both student-facing and otherwise, to ensure accessibility for trans and other identities. Key areas of focus to include the addition of prefixes (Mx. and others) and careful review of requesting information regarding sex and gender.

9. Cardiff Students’ Union should liaise with the University for the creation of a Trans Working Group in partnership, to address widespread issues within the trans community. This should include, but will not be limited to:

i. The Students’ Union LGBTQ+ Officer(s)

ii. Appropriate representation from the Sabbatical Officer Team

iii. Representatives from ENFYS (The Staff/Postgraduate LGBT+ Network)

iv. Representatives from the University Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Committee

Proposed by

Seconded by

Passed by AGM 25/11/2021

AGM Resolves

1. To mandate the Sabbatical Officer Team to stand in solidarity with UCU and publish a public statement of support for 2021/22 Industrial Action within five working days of any Industrial Action being formally announced.

2. To mandate the Sabbatical Officer Team to work with UCU and lobby the University Executive Board to meet the demands of University Staff and Postgraduate Students who teach regarding the Four Fights and Pensions, whether or not Industrial Action is formalised via a member ballot.

3. To mandate the Elected Officers to give UCU a communication platform with students online via the SU Website and offline via space in the Union building, to raise awareness and inform students about any UCU Industrial Action.

4. To mandate Cardiff Students’ Union, particularly the Vice President Postgraduate Students, to openly encourage Postgraduate Research Students to join UCU, whether as a ‘student’ member or a ‘standard free’ member (eligibility depends on whether a PGR is carrying out teaching work).

5. To mandate the Sabbatical Officer Team to encourage eligible Postgraduate members of UCU to submit their ballots in any further balloting period within the academic year 2021/22.

6. Cardiff Students’ Union should work with UCU to facilitate, promote, and directly support ‘Teach Out’ sessions for students by means including but not limited to advertising on Cardiff Students’ Union websites and providing space, should a strike period occur.

7. The Students’ Union Sabbatical Officers should proactively lobby the University and seek staff support for fee reimbursements for any lost contact hours owing to any future Industrial Actions.

8. The Vice President Postgraduate Students will encourage PGR students who teach, that want to support any Industrial Action, to join UCU and apply to any available hardship funds for those who have lost income resulting from participation.

9. The Vice President Postgraduate will encourage students to support and engage with staff at rallies and on the picket lines if and when these occur.

Proposed by

Seconded by

Passed by AGM 25/11/2021

AGM Resolves

Where possible, all seminars, meetings and guests should at least be available broadcast live, via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, YouTube, Discord or any social media platforms supporting live streams/broadcasts, or any videotelephony software, AND in person via any rooms of Cardiff University. Using a computer (with a camera), laptop or smartphone.

Proposed by

Seconded by

Passed by AGM 25/11/2021

AGM Resolves

1. Cardiff Student Union, working alongside Cardiff University, should take some proactive steps to remove barriers to higher education for asylum-seekers and refugees.

2. As such, Cardiff Student Union should follow the example of other Universities and Student Unions including Cardiff Met, University of South Wales and Bristol University and get involved with the University of Sanctuary Campaign.

3. University of Sanctuary is a campaign seeking to make Universities an institution ‘where everyone feels safe, welcome and able to pursue their right to education’. This might involve hosting cultural awareness events as well as offering fee-waivers to sanctuary-seeking students.

4. By creating a welcoming environment for refugees and asylum-seekers this would enhance the student experience for all students and is consistent with previous motions including a commitment to tackling institutional racism.

5. Finally, this campaign could be led by a University of Sanctuary Working group. This would be led by students with a refugee background alongside the University, Student Union, and relevant student societies.

Proposed by

Seconded by

Passed by AGM 25/11/2021

AGM Resolves

1. To lobby the University to fulfil their commitment to Student safety.

2. Concentrating on improving communication and processes regarding:

i. Reporting of incidents and disclosures (including harassment, hate crime, sexual violence, relationship abuse and other forms of unacceptable behaviour).

ii. The University Complaints procedure to ensure appropriate/timely sanctions are in place to protect student wellbeing and academia.

iii. Existing safeguarding and student safety related policies

3. For VP Welfare to work with relevant Elected officers to develop Union initiatives to improve student safety alongside the University Commitment, focusing on prevention initiatives as well as reconciliation.

4. To work in with University, Police, external organisations and Council to improve Student Safety. Concentrating on:

i. Empowering and supporting students to disclose

ii. Education and advice.

iii. Changes to the physical environment to promote safety.

iv. Implementing compulsory and universal training for all students within the induction period. This will make sure students understand behaviour expectations, are empowered to call out others and know the consequences for breaches.

5. To communicate actions taken by the Union effectively with members.

Proposed by Georgie East and Jude Pickett

Seconded by Polly Denny

Passed by AGM 27/04/2021

Submitted by

What is your idea?

1. To create a part-time campaign officer for Student Parents and Carers. This officer will represent students with children and those with caring responsibilities, working with relevant student groups, officers and Cardiff University departments to raise awareness about and combat issues faced specifically by student parents and carers. While also addressing the knowledge gap in the Student Carers' community of who is a carer therefore who is entitled to additional support.

2. For the Student Union to consult with Cardiff University to begin measuring intake of student parents and to produce statstics around student parents and their learning experience.

3. For the part-time campaign officer and Students' Union to work together to build resources for academic support, financial support, and mental health support for student parents and carers.

Passed by Senate 16/12/2021

Submitted by

What is your idea?

Rename these officers to LGBTQ+ Officers, and keep the placeholders; (Open) and (Trans) for use solely in the elections process, maintaining a space for a transgender student.

Passed by Senate 16/12/2021

Submitted by

What is your idea?

Push the Taf to serve beers from Brains Brewery, such as SA, SA Gold and Bayside to show Cardiff SU is produ of Cardiff and supports local businesses

Passed by Senate 08/02/2022

Submitted by Lucas Jakabovic

Across the entire university, we use the acronym LGBT+, but adding a Q to form LGBTQ+ is far more inclusive and relevant and shows that we, as a university, are not only inclusive but aware of changes within the community and up to date with our inclusion.

What is your idea?

Add the Q to LGBT+ to include students who are questioning or identify as Queer.

Passed by Senate 17/11/2020

Submitted by Julia Komar

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were set out as a universal call action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity by 2030. The SU is doing a lot towards those goals, for example for mental health, good quality education or climate action. But even more could be done to enhance the experience of every single student.

What is your idea?

Embedding SDGs into the working framework would ensure the SU can track and plan their actions allined with SDGs. Moreover, having a tracker on the website would make students more informed. Students would be able to submit their ideas and/or feedback about specific actions, ensuring we are working together towards SDGs.

Passed by Senate 15/12/2020

Submitted by Julia Komar

What is your idea?

The Climate Emergency status was passed through Senate last year, however, there is no mention of when the SU is to become carbon neutral by. This addition would ensure there is a clear goal to be working towards, that is both achievable and necessary, in accordance with the Welsh Government guidelines.

Passed by Senate 15/12/2020

Submitted by Samuel Tilley

An indicative Cardiff UCU ballot has shown support for strike action and for action short of a strike (ASOS) as a result of working conditions during the coronavirus pandemic. This may cause concern both for students who have already faced significant obstruction to teaching this year and for those Postgraduates who also teach.

What is your idea?

In previous years, the SU has had a clear stance on industrial action due to AGM motions. Considering the challenges in holding large scale meetings this year, an online referendum should instead be held in order to gauge student support for potential industrial action in this academic year. The question would be: “Should the Students’ Union support potential UCU industrial action in the academic year 2020/21?”

This was amended to ‘the Senate agrees to call an emergency meeting if a strike is called’.

Passed by Senate 04/02/21

Submitted by Nicholas Fox

USS stands for the Universities Superannuation Scheme and is one of the largest principal private pension schemes for universities & other higher education institutions in the UK. It currently has investments across a range of sectors including fossil fuels, tobacco, and armaments. Currently the USS proposed changes are part of the ongoing industrial action being undertaken by UCU as the scheme has valued itself with a deficit (shortcomings in its future value needed to cover future costs)

What is your idea?

Students have approached us on lobbying for this. Senate should balance the issues and give the Sabbatical officers a steer as to whether to also lobby for the University to push for the scheme to divest alongside pushing the University on the current goals of the UCU industrial action's 'Four Fights' in what could be seen by us as a politically complex period of time. I realise 500 characters isn't enough, so am happy to provide senators with a briefing note.

Passed by Senate 28/01/2020

Submitted by Christopher Dunne

Many Societies and Sports Clubs will charge a variety of fees to students, such as half year memberships. However, some societies will charge new member fees, or charge students by their year of study. This is manifestly unfair, and should change.

What is your idea?

Societies and sports clubs should no longer be allowed to charge membership fees by year of study, and those societies or sports clubs that wish to continue charging new members at a different rate than returning members, should show that these members incur some extra financial burden on the society, such as additional training or equipment costs, before being permitted or to continue charging these fees. VP Societies and Sports should be mandated to implement these changes by September 2020.

Passed by Senate 28/01/2020

Submitted by Luke Doherty

Women at University may find their studies disrupted by an unplanned pregnancy; and feel there is only one option to resolve the issue. Women who might want to keep their pregnancy are often ill-informed and poorly supported. Terminations are sometimes presented as inevitable to those women who are unaware of how they might emotionally and practically cope with pregnancy and motherhood alongside their studies. Women are well informed about terminations; but not always about an alternative.

What is your idea?

Whilst women are entirely free to choose a termination, they are equally free to keep their pregnancy. Thus, information and links to pro-life organisations who offer counselling and practical support to women in crisis pregnancies should be made available on CU's Pregnancy Support Page. Post-Abortion support should be made equally available, too. CU & CUSU should work to actively eradicate the stigma attached to pregnancies and motherhood whilst at University.

Passed by Senate 28/01/2020

Submitted by Ryan Alexander

The last couple of days before an exam are important ones and if they have to be split up between multiple exams it means sacrificing effort in one exam for another.

What is your idea?

Make it a priority when timetabling exams to ensure that the exams for a specific course are as spread out as possible.

Passed by Senate 22/04/2020

Submitted by Edel Anabwani

People especially family people find it difficult to air their issues in the drop-ins to someone much younger (inexperienced as it has been indicated to me).

What is your idea?

A need to identify and train persons who the more mature students will feel comfortable confiding to in matters relating to wellbeing.

Passed by Senate 22/04/2020

Submitted by Janet Williams

Carers and Parents Association has finally after a year has been activated. However, due to the fact it has taken so long and now due to covid-19 it is too late in the year to grow the association. There has been no chance to form a committee for next year, this will mean no representation for student carers and parents. It also means that the University will not be able to promote it to new students. Representation on Senate is needed this is explained in constitution.

What is your idea?

To ask The VP Welfare, VP Heath, VP Postgraduate with possible input from Student Advice (Jane Harding) Student support (Gareth Davies) to actively promote the association and get a committee started. To actively seek advice from outside people and organisations in this field. The constitution will be given to all these people in order for the structure of the association to be adhered to, especially in relation to representation on Senate. This is crucial to the support of these students.

Passed by Senate 22/04/2020

Submitted by Janet Williams

On 24/9/2018 Supporting Student Carers Motion (https://www.cardiffstudents.com/your-voice/policy) was passed. Whilst most of this is still valid there are concerns about the wording of Senate Resolves 1. It only refers to a Carers awareness week in Autumn Term 2018 or Spring Term 2019. However, it should of just stated the term not the year. It should specify VP Postgrad in point 1, 3, 6 and 7 of Senate resolves, due to the fact this is a different demographic from Undergraduate representation.

What is your idea?

To Make Sure there is a Carers Awareness week every year, of Which a Students family Day will be a part. This can be backed by the fact the University have started a recruitment programme for young carers. This will mean that the support is visible and consistent. To specify VP Postgrad in order to represent post grad carers and parents as well. This policy can become renewed every three years without specific dates.

Passed by Senate 22/04/2020