About

Hi,
I'm Roscoe and I am the Psychology Union Councillor for this academic year! I'm really glad to be representing you at Union Council again and I am always here to offer help, support and advice if you need it! Below are my objectives for the year!

1. *Assessment and Feedback* - This is what our Department does most poorly on in National Student Survey scores! But there are still things that can be made better! I want to make sure that the Department Roadmaps are improved and fully integrated at all levels. Ensure that feedback is given on time. Work with Department to ensure the University's new Feedback policy can work!

2. *Resources* - The MacLab is great and now that a new Smaller Computer room has opened for when the MacLab is booked (thanks to the SSC) I want to make sure that we keep on top of Resource provision and make the best accessible to all! Also making sure that student views are sought on the new plans for the movement of the Psychology Building

3. *PT Support* - This is one of my KEY objectives this year! At the moment PT meetings lack structure and cohesion, working with the Department and students i want to make sure this clarity is achieved!

4. *Employability* - We are a great department in terms of the employability advice that we get as students. I want to ensure that this continues and that the department provides support to students. Ensuring an increased presence of the BPS in the department.

5. *Communication with Students, the Department, Union and University* - Look into ways at how this can be majorly improved! Starting with the introduction of the Councillor e-Bulleting on a fortnightly basis!

Latest Updates

• Council received a list of all of the current policies of the Union and which officer will be responsible for looking after them.
• Council agreed to renew the Nestle policy until March and to send it to Referendum. Furthermore it was agreed to renew the Anti-Racism policy until March and a new one will be put to Referendum.
• Council received a list of the Officers individual and team objectives along with their manifesto’s. After a number of questions and scrutiny these were agreed.
• A series of elections took place which elected the new Chair and Vice Chair of Council as well as representatives for the Constitutional Change Com-mittee, Library Users Group and Elections Committee
• Council agreed the dates for the NUS Conference Elections and elected the returning officers for these elections.
• A proposal that suggested Council looks into an Entertainments Allowance for Councillors was rejected as it was felt that Departmental Societies and Representative Committees were better suited to look after this.
• A new Education Funding Policy was approved after discussion, this new policy allows for the recent changes to fees and University funding which left the previous policy very dated.
• A Remuneration Committee was established which will consider the conditons of employment for future Student Union Officers and will report to a later meeting,
• Following the Officers Roles Review that was held last year it was agreed to establish a Housing and Community Officer Select Committee to look at whether this should be established as a new offiver position. The Constitutional Review Committee will look at the changes of duties to the Sports Officers Role
• Sarah Charlesworth (Women's Officer) introduced a report regarding the Zero Tolerance to Sexual Harrasment Policy (http://shef.ac.uk/union/advice/safety-and-security/sexual-harassment.php) and answered questions from Councillors
• Councillors received a copy of the University's Internationalisation Strategy and were invited to take part in the consultation.
• Councillors gave feedback on the Ideas Forums.
• At the meeting of the 15th December there were 3 items of Members Business presented to council, members business requires 50 student signatures on a petition. Petitions can now be posted online via the Union Website (http://shef.ac.uk/union/petitions/):
• More Storage Space for Societies - This petition wanted the Union to look into the provision of storage space for societies. It was agreed that Harry Horton (Finance Officer) should be mandated to investigate further and report back to Council.
• Campaign for a Living Wage - This campaigns that the University should provide its workers with a living wage. It was decided that a Select Committee should be established to look into this.
• Disbanding the Pole Fitness Society - This petition wanted to disband the Pole Fitness Society. A paper was submitted by Societies Committee in defence of their decision to approve the society. There was a lengthy discussion. A secret ballot was taken and the petition was defeated.
• Jon Narcross (Education Officer) introduced a paper from Constitutional Review Committee, with the exception of having a directly elected Chair of Council the paper was approved.
• The Governance Working Group's paper was received and approved. This aims to review how the Union is governed. In particular they have been looking at the Trustee Board and how we can register with the Charity Commission.

The minutes are available here. The next Council meeting will take place on Wednesday 8th February.

Contact Information

RJHastings1@sheffield.ac.uk
www.facebook.com/psychologycouncillor
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