On Thursday, 16 October, the first Student Union Assembly of the academic year was held, giving students the chance to vote on Union policies that will shape the next three years.
The assembly began with an overview of the elapsing policies this academic year. Policies on cops on campus (Cops Out) and transport concessions had already elapsed, while seven others are due to expire before June 2026, a full list of which can be found on the draft agenda.
Following this came an update regarding the work being undertaken by the new Students’ Union executive team. Elliot, the City and Community officer, confirmed he has two priorities for this year.
His first priority is supporting the conditions of students, such as supporting an increasing number who work part-time. The second is Palestine, which will mean advocating for ties between the University of Manchester and Israel to be reduced or cut, as well as pushing the National Union of Students UK (NUS) to take a stronger position on the situation.
It was also announced that work by Lexie, the Union Affairs officer, will lead to a basic needs centre called Essentials, in order to tackle the cost of living crisis facing students. Located in Thorncliffe House on Oxford Road, this will be open from 29 October 2025. This will operate on a ‘no questions’ basis providing essential items, including food and hygiene products, financial wellbeing and literacy workshops, kitchen and seating spaces, community events and drop ins.
It was also announced that the University is signing up to the Greater Manchester Good Landlord Charter. As discussed by the executives, every metric of the charter is significantly above the law and this also means those with complaints about University accommodation will have more routes for dispute. It is hoped this will increase the likelihood of non-University (private) accommodation signing up to this charter as well.
Finally, it was confirmed that the annual Reclaim the Night march (an annual campaign against sexual harassment and gender-based violence) is likely to take place in February.
The three officers representing the faculties of the University announced their desire to improve students’ ‘material conditions’, in addition to continuing their work on ‘decolonising the curriculum’.
The two policies opened for discussion was a proposal suggesting the severing of ties between the University of Manchester and Tel Aviv University, as well as ‘Cops Out’ (in the same form as the aforementioned elapsed policy). Attending members were sat on tables of around eight people, with whom they were to discuss the proposed policies.
The policy ‘University of Manchester Should End Partnership with Tel Aviv University’ focused on Tel Aviv University (TAU)’s involvement in Israeli military action, through it’s alleged involvement in the development of weapons. The proposal stated this made TAU complicit “in ethnic cleansing and genocide”.
The University of Manchester has maintained a research partnership with TAU since 2021, which includes up to eight joint projects each year. The policy proposal asserted that the University has awarded £89,248 in grants on the partnership between 2021 and 2023, with £52,622 spent as of 15 October. Over 65% of the assembly supported the policy, so it will now be put to an all-student vote.
The ‘Cops Out’ policy was re-proposed in exactly the same wording as in October 2022, as policies automatically elapse after three years.
The policy focused on the “history of racism, sexism, transphobia and ableist behaviour” by Greater Manchester Police (GMP) as the reason for proposing a ban on the police or the armed forces entering Students’ Union property unless required of them for their job.
Additionally, the policy calls for a campaign for the University to take a similar stance and block all nonessential police and armed forces activity on campus. Following deliberation and discussion, this policy was also supported by a majority of the assembly.
These proposals will go to an all-student vote.
