Over the past months, the University and the Students’ Union have been meeting to see how we can provide better support for our students and staff.
Working together, Queen Mary University and Queen Mary Students’ Union will continue to support students and staff affected by distressing events within the UK and across the globe.
In particular, we recognise the profound and ongoing impact on members of our community who have family and friends in Palestine, Israel, and the surrounding region. We also recognise the diverse range of views held amongst members of our community and the need to ensure that our University is a safe, respectful and inclusive space that encourages dialogue and thoughtful reflection.
Over the past months, the University and the Students’ Union have been meeting to discuss these issues to see how we can provide better support in this area for our students and staff. We have aimed to do this in an open and collaborative manner, engaging with student societies and staff teams from across Queen Mary.
These meetings have also provided a space for the Students’ Union and the University to discuss motions raised through the QMSU’s democratic routes and engage with other ways our community has made their voices heard. Today, we are writing to let you know of two new co-created structures that we have been working on to enable this important work to take place.
Good Campus Relations Group
The first of these structures is a new Good Campus Relations group, where members of the University’s Senior Executive Team (SET) and representatives from the equality, diversity and inclusion staff network meet with the Students’ Union’s Executive Officers and senior staff members, to discuss ways in which relationships amongst groups with different views on sensitive topics can be fostered with both respect and within the bounds of free speech. This group continues to actively listen to feedback from our community and is working to create appropriate channels for new work on topics such as hate crime, investments, and campus event procedures.
Ethical & Sustainable Investments: Student Forum
The second structure responds to questions received about the University’s approach to financial investment. The Students’ Union recently announced the creation of an Ethical and Sustainable Investments Student Forum, an initiative of the Students’ Union CEO, in collaboration with the University and supported by the Good Campus Relations group.
The forum will aim to gather a wide range of views on ethical and sustainable investments. This feedback will then be used to support consideration of key policies and decisions which will then be appropriately taken through the respective existing governance routes, such as the University’s Finance & Investment Committee and the Students’ Union’s Board of Trustees. This forum will be co-chaired by a member of SET and the Students’ Union President.
Applications to join this forum have now closed, and we look forward to the first meeting at the end of the month. More details about the forum can be found on this webpage.
We are committed to regularly sharing updates on our work with you and our respective governing bodies through the structures outlined today, as appropriate. If you have any feedback or would like to share your thoughts, please do contact the Students’ Union by emailing su-representation@qmul.ac.uk or via @QMSU.
Your University and Students' Union are here for you, we encourage you to reach out to our support services if you are affected by any of the issues raised in this update, which you can find below.
From,
Sharon Ellis
Chief Operations Officer and Chair of the Good Campus Relations Group, Queen Mary University of London
Tahmid Khan
President and Chair of the Board of Trustees, Queen Mary Students’ Union
Mike Wojcik
Chief Executive Officer, Queen Mary Students’ Union
SUPPORT LINKS:
Students affected by financial, immigration and practical matters or those who require mental health and wellbeing support can access the University’s Advice and Counselling Service:
https://www.qmul.ac.uk/welfare/
The Students’ Union can provide additional independent support via the Academic Advice Service:
https://www.qmsu.org/advice/academic/
Support for staff is available through the Staff Wellbeing Hub, including the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).
If you or someone else have experienced bullying, harassment, or any other hate incidents, you can report it to the University’s Report and Support service:
https://reportandsupport.qmul.ac.uk/