Tuesday 08-02-2022 - 15:47

Background 

The Annual Members’ Meeting (AMM) is the Students' Union's largest democratic event. Any student can attend and vote! AMM takes place once a year in second term and like Student Council, this meeting is an opportunity to pass policy and hold the Full-time Officers to account. Any items (motions) that pass become active SU policy for three years. 

 

What even is an AMM?  

AMM is Bristol SU’s Annual Members’ Meeting. This is your chance to decide the direction of policy in the SU, and also hold the current full-time SU officers to account!  

 

How does it work?  

Every year students put forward suggestions (called motions), which are designed to improve students’ lives. All Bristol students can then attend the Annual Members Meeting (AMM) and vote for the ones they would like to see happen at Bristol SU! Any motions that are passed will become Bristol SU policy for three years.  

 

What does it achieve?  

In previous AMMs, students have passed policy to introduce a full time International Students’ Officer, support the student rent strikes, to save students money on bus passes, declare a climate emergency, and so much more!  

 

When is it?  

This year's AMM is on Tuesday 15 February at 16:00 and will be taking place online. Contact bristolsu-council@bristol.ac.uk to register or join the session here. 

 

So, what’s up for debate this year?  

Students have submitted five different motions ready to be debated at this year’s AMM.

You can vote on which of these motions you want to discuss now in our priority ballot, which will close on Friday 11 February.

 

1. Bristol SU to oppose the University’s unsustainable expansion 

This motion proposes that Bristol SU oppose the University’s unsustainable expansion. This would allow Bristol SU to lobby the University to reduce student numbers. This would protect student wellbeing, community, housing and more.

 

2. Protecting students in nightclubs and bars 

This motion seeks to ensure that the safety of students is prioritised, both in SU spaced and in popular student bars and clubs. Bristol SU would collaborate with the night-time economy to eliminate sexual harassment and assault from Bristol student life. 

 

3. Mandatory Network Committee Positions and Byelaw 7 Changes 

The intention of this motion is to reform the Student Networks Committees to help make them work for all students. This will help to promote students interests and welfare, as well as develop forums for discussions, with more evenly distributed organisational labour amongst Union Networks. 

*TRIGGER WARNING* *The following motion deals with sensitive issues regarding Mental Health* 

 

4. Install R;pple on all University IT infrastructure to help prevent suicides 

This motion asks the University to install R;pple on all University IT infrastructure to help prevent suicides. R;pple is an interceptive tool designed to present a visual prompt when a person searches for harmful keywords or phrases relating to the topic of self-harm or suicide. R;pple would help to prevent students from ending their own life by offering them resources for support when they search for harmful content online, such as “how to end my own life”. 

 

5. Update Bye-Law Section 9 

This motion asks Bristol SU to update Bye-Law section 9 to increase clarity, reduce bureaucracy, and ensure all groups remain truly student led. Put simply, this motion would stream-line existing processes. This root and branch review was asked for by Trustees and aims to bring this section of the byelaws fully up to date.  

 

Policies Proposed for Renewal 

There will also be four old policies, which were passed in previous Councils/AMMs, which will be brought to AMM for renewal. This allows attendees to challenge the policy’s renewal and trigger a debate. If this happens, whoever submitted the policy for renewal will have to speak ‘for’ it- if there is a debate. These are:

Boycott Barclays

Boycott the Border Industry on Campus

Support for the Movement Against Immigration Detention and the Hostil Environment

Divesting from Israel's Illegal Occupation of the West Bank

 

What happens next?  

Vote in the priority ballot for the motions you want to discuss.  

AMM will be taking place online on Tuesday 15 February at 16:00. Make sure you register in advance to secure your place, you can find out more here. 

Voting will take place after the meeting is completed, from 16 - 18 February- all students who attend will be contacted with details on how to vote.