Explaining what the All Student Meeting vote means and why it matters

Most people think student politics is pretty dead in the water.  More people could name all the members One Direction than correctly identify any of our SABs. But the All Student Meeting vote that closes midday Friday 12^th of Feb is surprisingly relevant and important. Plus it takes maximum four minutes to vote, I’d say you could do it in less than a minute if you were super speedy. Here’s why it matters.

A Study Space Crisis

The first motion is simple: do you want a second library? Apparently 4 out of 5 students can’t find study space on campus during exam times (which is really quite bad if you think about it) and voting for a second library would make the SU lobby the university for a second library as well as the creation of emergency study space during term three. It’s pretty simple, do you want space to study? Yes. Then vote for it.

Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions for Peace

Second ones a little bit more controversial, might actually have to think about this one unfortunately. Do you want the university to boycott companies and organisations on campus that gain advantage from the occupation of Palestine? The debate is on whether this would help Palestine or not and I’m not going to go into the efficiency of boycotts now but if you have a strong opinion vote, if you have a weak opinion vote anyway, it literally takes a click.

Menstrual Product Availability

The third goes out to all you period havers reading; do you want free menstrual products (pads, tampons ect.) available on campus? I mean obviously yes. The phrase “menstrual products” may make your skin crawl but the actual motion is a really good one. Who doesn’t want free tampons and other stuff! If you don’t have a period please still vote, and please vote for the motion when you do, because periods are actually quite expensive (women spend an average of 18k on their periods during their lifetime) and this motion could make a serious impact on the lives of many students on campus.

Improving Warwick SU’s Institutional Memory

Did you know the SU building took a seven year campaign to be secured? Or that the SU successfully managed to lobby the University to sell off apartheid-linked shares? Me neither but we actually have a really great past of activism and passing this motion would entail better upkeep and improvement of the student archives and dedicating sections of the website and freshers welcome book to the history of the SU.

Review of University’s Health Services

Fifth, is again an obvious yes vote. The motion is for a full review of the University Health Centre which will hopefully lead to postgrads being able to register if they live off campus (which they currently can’t do), better facilities and hopefully better access as well. Ultimately a review can only benefit the standards of the Health Centre so why haven’t you voted for that yet?

Consent Culture at the University of Warwick

Do you like consent? If so, vote in favour of more support for rape survivors, an increased awareness of consent, and an implantation of sex-positive attitudes and consent education at Warwick.

Click here to vote by midday on Friday 12th February.