Local Council Elections and the Union- 20 March 2006: Ratified 14 June 2010, Union Council (Ref: 0506P20)

Union Notes

1. The local council elections taking place across the country and in Southampton on May 4^th, 2006
2. The recent CUBE license decision and subsequent appeal
3. At least three current Union members will be standing in the local elections – representing all three major political parties.

Union Believes

1. Southampton City Council has a large impact upon students’ wellbeing, welfare and quality of life
2. The University of Southampton, and its members, has a positive impact upon the city of Southampton (economically, socially and culturally)
3. These positive impacts are often over shadowed by stereotypes and problems caused by a small minority of the University’s members
4. The current Southampton City Council appear not to take the problems and opinions of the student population as a matter of high importance
5. The Council have a negative attitude towards students because we don’t pay tax and appear not to take an interest in local politics.

Union further believes

1. Actively promoting local politics and increasing voting turnout amongst the Union’s members may persuade the City Council to take the opinions and problems of students more seriously.

Union Resolves

1. To promote the importance of voting in the local elections to the student body
2. To provide students with information on which ward they live in; where and when they can vote; and how they can learn more about the elections
3. To mandate the Executive to lobby the University to provide information about this matter via the email system.

Anonymity in Assessment- 6 March 2006: Ratified 14 June 2010, Union Council (Ref: 0506P17)

Union Notes

1. All students at their time at university are assessed throughout their course, via a variety of methods
2. On-going discussion in the University at Senate level regarding anonymity issues

Union Believes

1. Every student at Southampton University should be treated equally
2. The introduction of anonymous marking will not only benefit students but lecturers too. It will reduce the scope for complaints, as well as potentially lead to better lecture/ student relations as you know everyone is being treated equally
3. In many subject areas, discrepancies in the levels of involvement and interaction between staff and their students lead to incidents of “favouritism” and inconsistent marking
4. The quality of feedback is ultimately and significantly not affected by anonymity. Present feedback does not justify the use of non-blind marking
5. There is scope for anonymity to be introduced in many more areas than it is at present
6. It is recognised that in some types of assessment (for example group work) it is not      possible to have total anonymity in the assessment process.

Union Resolves

1. To promote to the university the idea of making anonymous marking the norm across the Schools and in as many areas of assessment as possible
2. To push this issue in all relevant discussions, meetings and other forums