SEANUS Exec Meeting

21st July 2006 Reading University Students’ Union

Present: Nick Smith, Reading (Chair); Greg Scott, Surrey; Emily Beardsmore, Reading; Katie Curtis, Winchester; Mike Haw and Mark Leach, Kent; Stephen Brown, NEC.

Apologies: Becci Heard, Canterbury Christchurch University

1. The group made a list of their main aims for the year. These included the campaigns for South East Weighting and Housing, a high level of communication and involvement, further support for FE Colleges, a Eurovision Party, a unified RAGs event and strong united campaigns for liberation groups.

2. Meeting dates for Winter Council and Further SEANUS Executive meetings were set.

They are as following:

Tuesday 29th August – SEANUS Executive meeting, Kent University

Saturday 14th October – SEANUS Exec/ Nickers’ Birthday, Reading

Friday 8th December – SEANUS Winter Council – Venue TBA

19th January –SEANUS Exec meeting, Winchester

3. Stephen Brown introduced the early plans for the National Demonstration, outlining its aims and describing how the NEC planned to build support by attending Freshers’ Fairs and other events. The group discussed ideas of transport and supporting FE colleges in attending and suggested that NUS produced some kind of ‘Demo Toolkit’. The group would discuss the demo further once more information from the NEC was available. Katie Curtis would contact Steve Coole (NUS staff) about supporting FEs in the region.

4. The discussion moved to the SE Weighting campaign’s presence at the demo. All promotion and support would be in the Area’s Sky Blue for unity. Mark would co-ordinate a Banner for the area and Mike would produce literature about SE Weighting for each Union in the area, with input from the Area’s Liberation Officers and Greg Scott for specific information on LGBT, Women, Mature, International, Black and Disabled Students. Nick would contact Unions about the plans and provide logos to be used on T-shirts etc. if individual Unions wished.

5. To aid communication within the Area A Jiscmail discussion list would be set up, with e-mails being taken at the demonstration so that student groups and officers could discuss their events and campaigns. Nick would take responsibility for this.

6. The SEANUS Website needs development to help support the Area’s campaigns. Mark will have discussions with website companies that provide for Students Unions about an Area site.

7. Following on from the mandate to support Unions in the area facing problems with their accommodation and backing the NUS’ campaigns on housing, there was a discussion about the types of landlord accreditation schemes in the region and elsewhere such as Manchester and Liverpool. Nick will contact Unions to ask about their schemes and offer suggestions at the next SEANUS Executive about how to carry the campaign forward, as well as writing a statement of beliefs on Housing.

8. It was noted that the Executive needs to do some work on the NUSSL beer deal and raising awareness particularly of Coors in time for National Conference. It was agreed the group could postpone this work until a later date in view of the demo and other campaigns.

9. In other business Nick reminded others that affiliation fees were due and invoices would be generated soon. The Exec agreed to look at the Which? Campaign on banking charges in conjunction with the Money Doctors scheme that has recently been set up in many Unions. Nick would take a lead on this.

Next Meeting – Tuesday 29th August in Kent University Students’ Union