Date: 24/08/2026
Time: 17:00 - 18:00
In Attendance: Kamva Gcaza (KG), Students’ Union President, Maneeka Bhujun (MB), Vice-President Student Voice, Lydia Offei (LO), Vice-President Student Communities, Geremy Miller (GM), Faculty of Computing, Law and Psychology Liaison Officer, Joseph Munday (JM), Faculty of Business, Humanities and Social Sciences Liaison Officer, Sangmin Lee (SL), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Liaison Officer, Christiana Ngochindo (CN), Women’s Network Lead Officer, Thisaga Dewjan Kadupitya (TDK), International Network Officer, Ahmad Sindhu (AS), Sustainability Network Lead Officer, Nathan De Sa (NDS) – Vice President Student Voice 2027, Morgan Camp (MC) – Faculty of Business, Humanities and Social Sciences Liaison Officer 2027, Omar Elmallah (OE) – Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Liaison Officer 2027, Matilda Dowdeswell (MD)– Sustainability Network Lead Officer 2027, Asseemveer Singh Bath (ASB)– Men’s Network Lead Officer 2027
Apologies: Blaise Bokor (BB), Postgraduate Research Liaison Officer, Megan Gray (MG), Mature Student Network Lead Officer, Samuel Evans-Adeluka (SEA), Inclusion Network Lead Officer, Charlotte Carry (CC) – Postgraduate Research Liaison Officer 2027, Ashley Chihaka (AC) – Mature Students Network Lead Officer 2027
Absent: Pierre Scrase (PS) – Student’s Union President 2027, Owami Nxasana (ON)– Women’s Network Lead Officer 2027, Param Roop Kaur (PRC)– International Network Lead Officer 2027
Vacant Roles: LGBTQ+ Network Lead Officer, Men’s Network Lead Officer
Matters for Discussion
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| Welcome and introduction to newly elected team KG welcomed the newly elected sabbatical officers, faculty liaisons and network leads for 2027. Encouragement for current and incoming execs to meet with each other over coming months. | KG
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| Previous Meeting Actions Sabbs to circulate strategy report with executives – LO sent via email to all |
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| SU President Updates - SU Elections have now concluded, and newly elected officers will start in January 2027
- Crewe campus complaint updates – lack of resources (IT, Library, student life etc), apology from university has been received and students are receiving compensation
- Recently met with Vice Chancellor to discuss issues on campus, scaffolding on VB and bridge repairs.
- Inclusion Committee Meeting – working to add pronouns to student ID card, meeting in the next few weeks to discuss with relevant teams
- Freshers Assistance – would love to have some assistance with this, great to meet with new students and hit the ground running
| KG |
| VP Student Voice Updates - Previous meetings actions- set up a meeting with Harin to discuss and will update
- Sitting on policy change for the med faculty -> potential gateway to request SL opinion
- Hospital visits in the coming weeks for sabbs to visit phase 2 students
- Feedback on last meeting’s question – feedback is collected over two terms so this is difficult for our university format, will work on this and the recording of lectures
| MB |
| VP Student Communities Updates - Girls Night In + Guys Night In in last few weeks which were successful
- All sabbs attended Southern Union Conference last week, was great to connect with other sabbs in the south and was very educational
- Upcoming Events – Women’s Network Roundtable, hospital visits, welcome week
- SU Survey has gone live – encouragement to complete + peers
| LO |
| Faculty Liaison Updates BB- URC Updates, In-person vs online Vivas, the default position remains that Vivas are held on Teams. However, it was confirmed that students CAN request an in-person viva by making a case (via the intention-to-submit). This option exists but has not been well communicated and there is currently no published criteria for how these requests are assessed. The committee has agreed this needs clarifying and it will be picked up as part of a wider review of the viva process this term (led by Emma Barnard). I raised the internet connectivity complaints directly and another committee member shared a case where a Teams viva nearly failed for the same reason, so this is being taken seriously. If any students want to make a case for an in-person viva, they should do so via the intention-to-submit form and can flag it to their supervisor or research officer in the meantime.
Conference funding / refund process: The old online system (via SharePoint) broke down after the previous URC chair left and IT is still working on a fix with no confirmed date yet. Interim process agreed: Students should contact their Dean before attending the conference to request approval. Once the Dean has approved, the URC chair (Juan Castaneda) should be copied in and will approve the funding. As before, reimbursement is only paid after the conference, against receipts (travel, accommodation, etc.). That part has not changed. This is a temporary workaround until the online system is restored. I will keep you posted as this develops. GM- discussed changes to role in last few years to SALT meetings, worked to push the NSS survey and encouraged incoming liaisons to do this too next year. Target in the role is to leave university better than he started. JM- also had SALT meetings cancelled, replaced by faculty meetings, working closely with SU. Had 4 complaint (from class of around 30/40) that there’s a lack of disabled toilets round campus, up with regulation? Especially with Mason’s Building, students being told to go to library. Student with injuries in wheelchair informed faculty but still placed class in MB2 which is not accessible. Complaints about length of business simulation module, 10-4pm and students feel could be a better use of time. KG asked GM and JM about formality of faculty meetings, GM noted that they’re far less formal now in terms of agenda, and that Rosie is an important contact. SL- manual check-ins for group work and no recorded attendance for lecturers (had a meeting with Jacqueline about this, one for first years and second years, recorded too, plus an email about this), attendance for structured activities and some important lecturers. Scrubs with university logos on it which is positive. First years have been told that structured activities will not take place next year, instead will be combined with group work in a slightly longer session. Some confusion on this but clarification should be sent to students soon. Lecture slides not being released on time, told 4 days in advance but still receiving late. (KG + ASB noted law receive nearly whole term slides in 1 go. It was noted that this rarely happens by FBHSS students) Few negatives but still overall a lot of positive changes. Executive faculty meetings replacing SALT – MB to check on SL receiving invite for future meetings – was positive and were willing to listen to what he had to say. Concerns around UKMLA exam fail rate, along with first years QE JM- asked about the early access of lecture slides, not received despite access arrangements stating 1 week in advance. | BB, GM, JM, SL |
| Network Lead Updates CN- this year has worked on women’s aid cup, International Women’s Day event, girls nights in, has a roundtable event this Wednesday, 2-4pm – changes people would like to see etc. MG- absent SEA- absent TDK- pop-up event on 3rd September 1pm Verney park AS- charity clothes donation event taking place this term, 9th September OTM bar area | CN, MG, SEA, TDK, AS |
| AOB ASB asked about network lead termly budgets |
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Matters for Report |
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| Date of the next meeting TBC – next term |
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