Policy

Listed below is current Students' Union policy. All policy passed by the General Meeting stays in force for three years, and has to be followed by the Executive committee.

Our policy is all submitted and voted on by students. Have you got a bright idea that you think the Union should be working on? Share it here.

In Solidarity With Freedom In The Middle East and North Africa (valid until 11/5/14)

This policy expresses UMSU's support for and solidarity with those protesting against repressive regimes in the Middle East and North Africa. We renamed one of our meeting rooms to the Khaled Said room as a result of this policy, in order to recognise the impact of Khaled Said's untimely death on the Egyptian Revolution of 2011. The policy also asks the Union to raise awareness of the impact of these uprisings on University of Manchester students from these locations, through inviting speakers and publishing an article in the Mancunion; and calls for the University to support any students from these areas who may lose their sponsorship as a result of the uprisings.

Zero Tolerance To Sexual Harassment (valid until 11/5/14)

This policy led to us becoming a NUS-accredited zero tolerance union in 2011. The policy outlines a range of behaviour which we will not tolerate, requires the Women's Officer to run a publicity campaign about the policy, and ensures that all Union staff are appropriately trained to respond effectively to behaviour that we feel constitutes sexual harassment. It bans images that objectify, fetishise or stereotype people; and calls on the Union to lobby the University to change its sexual harassment policy.

Going Green (valid until 11/5/14)

This policy sets out a range of practices for the Union to lobby the University to change for environmental reasons, including increasing the amount of recycling; providing free drinking water on campus; supporting greener travel and promoting ethical investment. It also requires the Union to become greener, through switching to electricity from renewable sources; providing more seasonal and locally-produced food; introducing Meat-Free Mondays in our cafe and many other methods. The policy states that the Union will run a Going Green campaign week every year, as well as promoting sustainable living to students.

Fighting The Cuts - The Next Steps (valid until 11/5/14)

This policy passed as a response to the University's decision to raise undergraduate tuition fees to £9,000, and states our continued opposition to cuts to higher education in the UK. It outlines our opposition to all cuts at the University of Manchester, and our support for striking members of UCU and other unions, as well as containing a public statement opposing broader government cuts to public services.

Winning For International Students: Representation (valid until 20/10/13)

This policy creates guaranteed positions for international students on Students' Union Council, and requires the Executive to work with the University to identify committees where an international student perspective would be valuable.

Unite Against Fascism - Stop The BNP and EDL (valid until 20/10/13)

This policy reiterates our strong opposition to racism, fascism and Islamophobia, and commits the Union to support and fund travel to the Unite Against Fascism demonstration in London on 6th November 2010.

Students In Charge Of The Union?! (valid until 20/10/13)

This policy aimed to change the way decisions are made in the Union, by calling a referendum to decide whether General Meetings should be moved online. The policy required a majority of voters at a General Meeting to call the referendum, which it gained, but the referendum required 3000 students to take part for the decision-making structures to change. This did not occur, so the changes outlined in the policy were not implemented. 

Staying Ethical (valid until 20/10/13)

This policy establishes a code on sustainable and ethical business that the Union must adhere to in its commercial decisions. It states that any company that the Union does business with must meet certain ethical standards, such as being free of child, forced or slave labour; not damaging people's lives through its actions or products; and not contributing to climate change. This policy outlines the harmful practices conducted by companies we boycott in our shop, such as Coca Cola and Nestle, and requires the Union to lobby external organisations such as NUS and the University to adopt similar sustainable and ethical business codes.

Peace Through Education (valid until 20/10/13)

This policy reaffirms the Union's decision to twin with An-Najah University in Palestine, and encourages a more active relationship between the two organisations. It states our opposition to violation of Palestinian human rights, particularly concerning students' free access to their education. It also states that the Union will hold an annual Right to Education Week, working with a range of student societies to raise awareness of the academic needs of An-Najah students, as well as promoting and facilitating a speaking tour of Palestinian students on our campus.

The Higher Education Funding Crisis (valid until 20/10/13)

This policy states our opposition to government cuts to higher education budgets, placing them in the context of broader public service cuts and outlining our support for university and other public sector workers in fighting these cuts, including supporting strike action. It pledges the Union's active support for students at Manchester using various methods to oppose cuts within the University, as well as stating that we will promote the issue to students and mobilise them to campaign against cuts. The policy also commits the Union to supporting the NUS-UCU march of 10th November 2010 (to which we sent 14 coachloads of Manchester students) and the Right to Work demonstration in Manchester on October 23rd 2010.

Gaza Crisis (valid until 11/2/12)

This policy was passed in response to the Israeli bombing of the Gaza strip in early 2009, against which many of our students occupied a University building. Similar occupations occurred in other UK universities, and the policy expresses our support for all these occupations and our solidarity with the people of Gaza. It also committed us to holding a fundraising day for humanitarian relief in Gaza; condemning the BBC for refusing to air a Distasters Emergency Committee advert about Gaza; lobbying the University to send surplus academic supplies to Gaza and provide Palestinian students with full scholarships. The policy affiliates the Union to the BDS (Boycott, Divest & Sanctions) movement, which boycotts companies that support or benefit from the Israeli occupation, and calls for the University to divest from arms companies and cease its weapons research.

Beat the BNP (valid until 19/11/11)

This policy commits the Union to a strong antifascist position, including refusing members of fascist organisations such as the British National Party (BNP) a platform to speak. It affiliates us to national antifascist organisations including Hope Not Hate, Unite Against Fascism, Love Music Hate Racism and Searchlight. It also committed us to campaign to encourage students to vote in the European Parliament elections in 2009, in which BNP leader Nick Griffin stood as a candidate in Manchester.

Would you like to change any of these policies, or have you got a bright idea that you think the Union should be working on? Share it here.