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Passed Policies and Progress

Find out what Students' Union policies have been passed by students, and more importantly, what is being done about them.

Here you can find a list of all the policies which have been passed by student council. We're working on a live tracker so you can check the progress of each policy, but until we've got that up and running please contact your student president team to ask for an update on policies. You can also check out current ideas and rejected ideas.

Policy Idea

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  • 10 score
    12 voters

    A Helpline On Student cards. - POLICY LAPSE

    Submitted 4 years ago by Anonymous
    Passed
      2comments
      Council Notes: 1. UWS is one of the few institutions in the west of Scotland to have no helpline or emergency number at the back of their studentcards. 2. It is in the Student Association’s and the University’s best interest to keep students safe. 3. Students are more likely to suffer from stress and other types of mental illnesses. 4. Students in some social groups can be more unsafe than others, such as students who are woman, disabled, BME, LGBT and so on. 5. Strathclyde and Glasgow Caledonia University both have a contact number on the back of their studentcards ran by nightline. 6. Nightline is a confidential telephone and online listening and information service ran by trained students for the students of Glasgow Caledonian and Strathclyde Universities. 7. On nightline you can discuss private issues, if you are stressed, in danger, if you are not coping or even just want a gab. 8. The City of Glasgow College is also looking at becoming part of nightline. Council Resolves: 1. For SAUWS to discuss with the people who run nightline, to see if it is possible for the University of the West of Scotland to use their number. 2. For SAUWS to lobby the University of the West of Scotland to change the back of studentcards to have an emergency phone number or helpline, such as nightline or the contact details for the police or something similar.

      Why you think it is important

      Council Believes: 1. Students’ time spent at university is supposed to be some of the best years in a student’s life, not the worst. 2. By having a helpline or emergency number it will allow students to voice their problems. 3. Any helpline or emergency number at the back of a students’ card is better than no number at all. 4. A helpline or an emergency number at the back of a studentcard will benefit ALL students. 5. All new studentcards should have an emergency number or helpline such as something like nightline, the police or an equivalent.

      Is there anything else you think we should know?

      This is an old policy due to lapse. It can be renewed or allowed to lapse.
    Gordon Lawrie
    11:39pm on 8 Jan 21 There are proposals for the Union to establish a NightLine dating back as far as the 2015-16 academic session. Students need support now more than ever. We need to make this happen.
    Sarah Anderson
    8:56am on 10 Jan 21 I fully support this motion. Ive been open and honest that my mental health significantly suffered during the first lockdown. So much so I formed a support bubble with my parents. I have CPTSD and although im lucky to have friends in different time zones who I can call on there are barriers to this. As a trained mental health listener I know first hand how much helplines like this are needed. Our current mental health policies and practices are being worked on by some of our saabs however this policy is relatively easy to implement with massive outcomes for all students. I also understand universities which run nightlines dont ask which university you attend but again there are barries with many feeling uncomfortable utilising services from another institution. This policy utilises a suggestion I made but doesnt go far enough though im looking forward to seeing what comes out of work being done by the mental health action group. Just one side request however to not include the police phone number. We are fortunate in Scotland to have many support organisations however many marginalised groups do not want police involvement. This stems from a history of inaction and potentially harmful action although currently they are definitely trying to improve.