Policy Book

Summary:

While filming a video for SUBU on campus, I came up with an idea that I think would be extremely popular with students, especially during the summer months. The idea is to create an outdoor pub garden space in collaboration with Dylan’s. The area would work perfectly for a relaxed social setting, with the existing van/hut serving as a bar offering a small selection of beers and ciders on tap, alongside canned and bottled drinks. There could also be snacks and light bites available.

I think there is huge potential to create a unique social space on campus that would really enhance student life and give people another place to relax and spend time together. I’ve spoken to a lot of people about the idea already, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. I genuinely believe it would become a great addition to campus and help bring students together in a new and exciting way.

Thought Process:

Of course, the financial aspect may initially seem like a challenge; however, by partnering with Dylan’s, funding and operation of the space could be far more achievable. I have also spoken with members of several student societies, including sports clubs and social societies, who expressed strong support for the idea and said they would likely use the space for socials, casual events, and end-of-term gatherings. Many students feel there is currently a lack of relaxed outdoor social spaces on campus, particularly during warmer months.

Research consistently shows that social spaces on university campuses improve student engagement, sense of belonging, and overall wellbeing. Creating a dedicated outdoor venue would encourage students to spend more time on campus outside of lectures, helping to strengthen the student community and improve the overall university experience. Similar outdoor student venues at other universities have proven popular, particularly in summer, as they provide a safe and convenient environment for students to socialise.

A “Dylan’s Pub Garden” would not only enhance what campus has to offer, but also create a unique social hub where students can come together, relax, and enjoy university life in a more connected and engaging way.

Student Consultation:

As mentioned previously, the space is there and there is clear student interest in the idea. I have spoken to over 30 students across different courses, societies, and friendship groups, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Several students mentioned that campus currently lacks an outdoor social space where people can relax during the warmer months. One student described the idea as “something campus has been missing,” while another said they would “spend far more time on campus if there was somewhere like this to sit with friends.”

I have also spoken directly with members of staff at Dylan’s about the concept, and the response was extremely encouraging. Staff members said, “I love this idea” and “there is definitely space for this to happen,” which gave me confidence that the idea could realistically work in partnership with them. My understanding regarding funding and feasibility comes from these conversations, as the proposal would build upon an already existing campus business rather than requiring a completely new independent venue. This could reduce costs for SUBU significantly, as existing facilities, staffing structures, and supplier relationships are already in place through Dylan’s.

After evaluating the popularity of outdoor seating areas locally, it is clear there is strong demand for outdoor social spaces, particularly during spring and summer. Venues such as The George Tapps and O'Neill's Bournemouth are consistently busiest in their outdoor seating areas during warm weather, demonstrating the appeal of this type of environment amongst students and young adults.

Through conversations with students, I also realised that many people were not fully aware of the available outdoor campus spaces, which further highlighted the opportunity to create something more visible, social, and engaging for students to enjoy regularly.

“A pub garden on campus sounds like a great way to socialise outside… and might attract more people to being on campus even if they don't have lectures and be willing to engage more with SUBU-led things.” This was expressed by a second-year student at our university and reflects a wider sentiment gathered through discussions with students. Across conversations with approximately 10 students from different courses and social groups, the response has been consistently positive, with many highlighting the value of having a more relaxed outdoor social space available on campus during warmer months.

I have also spoken with members of sports societies including Cricket and Tennis, who were supportive of the idea and said they would likely use such a space for informal socials and post-training gatherings. This suggests the proposal would not only appeal to general students but also to organised groups looking for accessible, on-campus social spaces.

Overall, the feedback indicates a clear and shared interest in improving campus social life, particularly by creating opportunities for students to stay on campus and engage with SUBU-led activity rather than going elsewhere in town.

Purpose:

The purpose of this idea is to create a stronger sense of community and increase student engagement with what SUBU offers, while making better use of existing campus space. Rather than sitting unused or underutilised, the area could be transformed into an active social hub that benefits both students and Dylan’s as a campus venue. This would help raise positive awareness of SUBU and encourage more students to engage with on-campus services and events.

The concept is not solely focused on alcohol consumption, but rather on providing a relaxed outdoor environment where students can spend time with friends, socialise between lectures, and unwind in the open air. This type of space would be particularly valuable during warmer months, when students are more likely to seek outdoor settings to socialise and study informally.

If successful, it could act as a central social point that brings together students from different courses, societies, and year groups, strengthening the wider university community.

In terms of delivery, the proposal would function as an extension of Dylan’s Bar Bournemouth under SUBU management, meaning it would operate within an existing structure rather than requiring a completely new setup. This makes the idea more financially realistic, as existing staffing, licensing, and supply chains could be adapted rather than built from scratch, reducing overall setup costs and operational complexity.

While there would still be considerations around staffing and seasonal setup, the model would likely be more cost-effective than creating a new standalone venue, particularly if it operates primarily during peak warmer months. Similar outdoor hospitality spaces locally demonstrate strong seasonal demand, suggesting that a campus-based version could also attract consistent usage when weather permits.

Ultimately, this idea aligns with SUBU’s goal of strengthening student community and engagement by creating a more vibrant, social, and inclusive campus environment that encourages students to spend more time together on site.

Actions

• SUBU will launch an outdoor pub garden on campus with targeted promotion to drive student engagement.

• SUBU will partner with Dylan's Bar Bournemouth to expand its existing campus offering.

• SUBU will use existing resources to deliver a cost-effective setup aligned with student engagement goals.

• SUBU will include this within its rebrand to increase visibility and student involvement.

Summary:

SUBU should make amendments to elections policy to allow faith and belief societies to have an additional requirement in order to run for committee positions. This should take the form of agreeing to the given faith of the society. The definition of this faith would be outlined in each society’s constitution. This is in order to ensure a safe space for students of faith, reduce risk of conflict, prevent religious discrimination and protect the aims and objectives of the society. As far as we understand this proposal is consistent with the Byelaws of SUBU concerning committee membership (see 8.3, 8.5, 8.6)

Thought Process:

The current policy states:

“11.2. Any Club/Society member may stand for election to the Committee of the Club/Society, subject to eligibility outlined below.

11.2.1 The President, Treasurer and Secretary must be Full Members of SUBU (i.e not Affiliate Members, past member, Life Member, or current BU student who has ‘opted out’ of SUBU membership) and the candidates must hold valid Standard membership to be eligible.

11.2.2 Affiliate members may stand for election for additional roles but will not be eligible to become a signatory on the club or society’s accounts (the signatories are President, Treasurer or Secretary).”

Current policy means a student of any or no faith could run for a position in a faith-based society. This means they may not be aligned with the society’s goals and aims (and are therefore in conflict with other parts of the constitution).

This also means that the society may not be a safe-space for members of the faith in question and members may not feel able to express themselves freely. In turn, there is also a risk of the committee member who is not of the relevant faith causing distress to other members and spreading views or ideas not in line with the beliefs of the given society. We propose a change to allow faith societies to ensure all candidates are of the relevant faith. This is also commonplace for other Christian Unions across Great Britain. Many of them have this requirement within their constitution already.

The Equality Act 2010, European Convention on Human Rights and the Human Rights Acts 1998 supports this amendment.

The Equality Act 2010 Paragraph 2 states “A difference in treatment may be lawful in situations outside the workplace such as if:

• A faith school is using religious criteria to give priority in admissions to children from a particular religion.
• A religious or belief organisation is restricting its membership or participation in its activities, or the provision of goods, facilities and services to persons of a particular religion or belief. This only applies to organisations whose purpose is to practice, promote or teach a religion or belief, whose sole or main purpose is not commercial. A restriction can only be imposed:
  • If the purpose of the organisation is to provide services to one religion or belief
  • If it is necessary to avoid causing offence to persons with the same religion or belief as the organisation”

We believe that SUBU faith societies fulfil the criteria of “organisations whose purpose is to practice, promote or teach a religion or belief” and “the purpose of the organisation is to provide services to one religion or belief”. Though the Equality Act 2010 deems it lawful to apply this to members, we seek only to apply this to leadership in order for the society to remain as open and inclusive as possible.

This would help support SUBU’s strategic themes of Togetherness (belonging and community) and Identity.

Student Consultation:

Christian Union has raised this issue and the committee feels that it is a significant problem for the operation of the society and safety of its members. We consulted other faith-based societies as well and asked for their feedback. The feedback from some of the faith-based societies is seen below.

Pensa Society: “We think the proposal is a wonderful idea as it allows faith societies to stay true to their beliefs and values and it ensures that all committee members agree with the values therefore stopping potential future issues.”

Catholic Society: “We support this amendment because we are strongly committed to our faith and are totally opposed to any watering down or subversion of our identity which is currently possible without this amendment.”

We also met with the Islamic society, and they were for the idea we are proposing. After consultation with these groups, we feel that the proposal is warranted and will have a positive effect on students of faith.

Purpose:

We propose an amendment to SUBU Clubs and Societies Elections policy to include an additional requirement for faith societies (who can choose to adopt it if they wish).

This should sit under section 11.2 as additional clause 11.2.3 of the constitution and would be as below or similar:

“All committee members and leaders must agree and adhere to the faith/religion/belief system (and denomination(s) where applicable) the society professes”

Within the constitution, there would be a definition of the given faith. This constitution would be reviewed and agreed annually by the committee of the society and the Student Opportunities Team.

Practically this would be implemented via the addition of a check box upon self-nomination to confirm they are of the relevant faith.

This would mean that faith-based societies can ensure that they are a safe space for students of that faith and that the society will be able to fulfil their purpose and goals. IT would also reduce the risk of any conflict within the society.

This is crucial for faith societies to have in place to ensure that elected officials are earnest in their wish to run for committee and to reduce the risk of religious discrimination.

Additionally, in the event that a committee member is no longer of the given faith, we believe there are adequate processes and protections within the model constitution (7:8-10) that provide grounds for their removal from leadership.

Actions

• SUBU will amend clubs and societies election policy to include proposed clause 11.2.3.

• SUBU will amend any other policy or byelaw currently in place that would prevent the above proposed clauses being implemented to allow for their addition.

Summary:

The project is expected to deliver significant wellbeing and engagement benefits to thousands of BU students by providing a space for neurodivergent and overwhelmed students to decompress, which could help reduce stress and anxiety and improve focus for the over 33% of student population who have declared a neurodiversity.

Thought Process:

Mental Health and Learning disability have been on a rapid increase since covid-19 within the UK. This is not different within universities as polling by WonkHE polling revealed a worsening picture of students' physical and mental health, undermining their academic success. Within Bournemouth University, there are over 33% of students (about 4000) who have declared a neurodiversity (ADHD/Autism). As a result of the growing cases, speak week surveys since 2022 has shown a corresponding students’ request for SUBU to focus works on things that support mental health. This has been identified as the top priority for students.

Upon research, I have identified that most universities have now introduced sensory enabling spaces for students as a way to support their mental wellbeing. For e.g., University of Bath, Kingston University, University of York, Canterbury Christchurch, University of Cambridge – Christ College, Southampton University etc.

A sensory room within Bournemouth University is further critical when thinking about the number of its student vs. available campus facility, being named the sixth smallest campus in England. This further exacerbates the need of quiet spaces on campus.

Student Consultation:

A. Executive Committee: The Executive committee (made of main student representatives across faculties, liberation networks, and also fulltime officers) noted this was an incredibly needed addition to campus as there is currently nothing available that offers what this sensory room would. This would be beneficial to students who are neurodiverse and wider students who needs the space. However, concerns were raised on the operations of the room to ensure that there are no barriers to access and use of the space.

B. Disability and Neuro-Diverse (DAND) Officer: The DAND officer noted that they “entirely support this project, and think it is currently something BU is lacking, and would greatly benefit students with additional needs”. They recommended that the design should be student-focused, which should be achieved by developing the design in collaboration with students and ALS Team.

C. SU VP Welfare and Community: The SU VP Welfare and community noted that “While the project carries some financial and logistical challenges, the long-term wellbeing, inclusivity, and engagement benefits clearly outweigh the risks.

D. Student Reps with ALS or who would benefit from the room were contacted with overwhelming support for the idea given.

Purpose:

The purpose of this idea is the construction of a fully equipped sensory room/s within the student’s centre. The completion of this construction output will enable the following outcomes:

 I. Students would have access to environments where they can relax, receive sensory stimulation, and have their individual needs met within the busy campus environment.

II. Students would have access to a quiet, calming space within the Student Centre where they can decompress, practice mindfulness, and recover from sensory or emotional overload.

 III. It would create a safe, judgment-free environment for students with autism, ADHD, PTSD, or sensory processing differences.

 IV. Students can use the space to self-regulate during short breaks (before or after lectures) in a space that can help them reset mentally, regain concentration, and return to studying/lecture with renewed energy, leading to increased productivity and reducing burnout.

Actions

• SUBU should pprove and fully fund the Sensory Room project.

• Delegate authority for the execution of the project and any other related documentation that may be required to the Chief Executive Officer and the Head of Operations.

• SUBU will consult students on the design of the sensory room.

Problem:

• The current coffee sold in SUBU is Starbucks and they have been challenged in the past on their approach to coffee growers, US staffing and corporation tax. Other similar organisations (Costa etc) have had similar challenges.
• SUBU chose a coffee supplier based on student popularity, quality, competitive price and sustainability (at the time Fairtrade).
• SUBU has not fully reviewed its coffee supply agreements against these criteria, it has only considered aspects of them subsequently.

Solution:

• SUBU to carry out an assessment for coffee supply options that considers the supplying companies performance on price, quality, popularity and in particular the ethics & sustainability.

Problem:

• Currently only the U3 bus runs on weekends meaning students travelling from different locations, such as Lansdowne Campus must rely on public bus transport which is often unreliable and runs at inconsistent timings.
• This also presents a cost implication to students as they must pay for a more expensive bus ticket on weekends to access campus, whilst running a U1 bus service on weekends would allow students to save more money.
• Students wanting to access services such as libraries, gyms and other facilities on either campus are limited in doing so due to accessible transport.

Solution:

• SUBU to lobby BU to explore introducing a U1 bus service on weekends for students to access.
• U1 bus service to run one or two busses per hour on weekends to accommodate students but factor in lower levels of usage between the hours of 9am and 5pm.
• Explore the introduction of a shorted U1 route from BGB to Talbot Campus
• BU to possibly explore expanding the U3 bus route to include Lansdowne Campus if the introduction of the U1 bus route on weekends is unachievable or work with local bus providers to accept student rates on weekends.

Problem:

• BU has not currently adopted a clear definition of Islamophobia, including how Islamophobia manifests on campus. BU has adopted an established working definition of antisemitism, the process of which included consultation with the student community affected. This situation means there is a disparity in the support and recognition for students who experience anti-Islamic discrimination and hate.
• The Friends of Palestine Society and the Islamic Society have received anti-Muslim hatred emails using Islamophobic and discriminatory language, reinforcing stereotypes about Muslim people.
• There is no clear guidance from BU on how Islamophobic attacks have been and should be approached and addressed.

Solution:

• SUBU to lobby BU to clearly define Islamophobia, including how it might manifest on campus, after consultation with the relevant student community.
• SUBU to lobby BU to consult Muslim students and Islamic Student Communities before making any policy changes or implementations to the prayer room.
• SUBU to lobby BU to clarify their disciplinary processes to indicate how Islamophobic incidents are dealt with.

Problem:

• Many students experience feelings of being overwhelmed, stemming from factors such as Additional Learning Needs (ALN), anxiety, other mental health conditions, or simply feeling overstimulated.
• The library has a designated quiet area that is often unmonitored, lacks privacy and does not provide the level of isolation needed for students who require a distraction-free space.
• Conducted research shows that certain individuals benefit greatly from private learning environments free from external sounds or distractions. This is particularly relevant to the 25% of students at BU that have declared ALN, which is higher than the national average.
• Students would benefit from individual, private spaces where they can retreat to avoid distractions or overstimulation which has a significant impact on a student’s ability to focus and thrive.

Solution:

• SUBU to support the implementation of individual, private spaces known as ‘Zen Pods’ on campus.
• SUBU to explore and consider financial contribution to the implementation of Zen Pods

Problem:

• Not all courses have a recognised reading week period in the academic year whilst some courses do giving certain students an advantage over others in their studies.

• Reading weeks provide an opportunity for students to read up on crucial information around their course.

• Many students have commitments outside of regular timetabled hours such as care duties or part-time work and the lack of reading weeks puts further strain on them. 

Solution:

• SUBU to lobby BU to allow al lcourses and departments to have a formally recognised reading week in the academic year.. 

• SUBU to lobby BU to introduce a reading week in Semester One and Semester Two, with one being in graduation week and another in Semester Two to allow students with exams or dissertations focused time to study.. 

• SUBU to lobby BU to communicate reading weeks to students clearly in advance of them happening and to state why courses may not be able to hold reading weeks (due to course regulations) and to provide assistance/direct students on current support available. 

Problem:

• Currently there are a number of students with concerns and anxieties about travelling at night, which includes coming to and from campus during darker hours of the day. 

• There is increased concern about coming too and from the Lansdowne campus, specifically BGB due to the proximity of the homeless shelter. Focus is put on safety in the building with little concern seemingly shown for students once they depart the building. 

• There is a lack of campaigns and information available to students regarding student safety and how to remain safe, particularly at night. 

Solution:

• SUBU to explore work and campaign options to promote strategies on student safety and to implement specific guidance to further protect Students. 

• SUBU to work with BU to increase their focus on Student Safety and the promotion of this across their staff/lectures/social media. 

• SUBU to lobby BU to implement strategies around student accommodation and BGB to make travel and the areas safer for students. 

• SUBU to work with BU to lobby purpose-built student accommodation providers to review and update resident security processes. 

Problem:

• Currently there are a number of transgender students at BU who experience feelings of dysphoria around the use of their deadnames. 

• The BU Student ID card only includes a student’s legal name, which in the case of transgender students, means that they have to carry a card advertising their deadname each time they come onto campus. 

• There is no option or pathway for these students to have the name on the card changed to reflect their preferred name instead of their deadname. 

Solution:

• SUBU to lobby BU to allow for the option for students to update the names on their ID cards to be reflective of their preferred names and not their deadnames. 

• SUBU to lobby BU to allow these changes to be made and for new cards to be requested without any cost being placed on the student. 

Problem:

• Currently there is a lack of Gluten Free food options at Fusion canteen, resulting in students requiring this for their diet being left discouraged to eat from this venue. 

• The only consistent gluten free option provided at the Fusion Building canteen is a Baked potato which is often lacking in flavour, nutrition and appeal. 

• There is also a lack of consistency and range of gluten free sandwiches and other food and snack items available provided by Chartwells via their sandwich fridge or hot counter, ensuring that students with a gluten free diet are left with little to no option on what to eat. This displays an inequality between students with a gluten free diet and other students who often have the entire range of food to choose from. 

Solution:

• SUBU to lobby BU and Chartwells to increase the range and consideration of gluten free food options, the same as they do with other dietary requirements. This should include vegan and vegetarian gluten free options. 

• SUBU to lobby BU and Chartwells to introduce or enhance food safety techniques to ensure gluten free food is not cross contaminated. 

• SUBU to lobby BU and to commit to themselves to increase the pre-packaged range of gluten free items available in fridges or shops on campus. 

Problem:

• Currently BU has decommissioned the Laptop Loaning scheme due to perceived low usage of this scheme alongside the growing cost to purchase newer laptops as the laptops that were in use were seven years old. 

• This means students without laptops, who may benefit from this scheme, no longer can, and may be disadvantaged academically. 

Solution:

• SUBU to work with BU to identify students most impacted by the removal of this scheme or without easy technological access and lobby BU to support them. 

• SUBU to lobby BU to reintroduce the scheme to make access to learning more accessible for those without laptops or electronic equipment. 

• SUBU to lobby BU to either distribute old laptops to students most affected by this schemes removal or recycle sustainably. 

• SUBU to pilot a scheme to assess demand on a small scale. To implement them in both libraries at Talbot and Lansdowne. 

• SUBU to promote the scheme to raise awareness. 

Problem:

• Currently the cost of ordering a sunflower lanyard online is not cost-friendly to students and works out at roughly £10, which is not suitable for students who may need one but also need to consider budgeting. 
• Currently lanyards are not sold anywhere on campus either by SUBU or BU which removes a degree of accessibility for students who may want this. 
• Currently many students are not aware of what a sunflower lanyard is, what it means or where they could obtain one if they felt that they need one indicating there is a lack of awareness around the item. 

Solution:

• SUBU to lobby BU to make lanyards available either for free or at a greatly reduced cost through the Additional Learning Support (ALS) services. 
• SUBU to explore providing sunflower lanyards either through the Union shop, SUBU website or another location including SUBU Advice, either for free or at the cost of purchase. 
• SUBU to conduct work around raising awareness and highlighting the importance and meaning of the sunflower lanyard scheme. 

Problem:

• BU’s approach to student conduct and breaches of such and the way BU tackles student disciplinary matters is outdated and not supportive of all parties involved, particularly where police may need to be involved. 
• BU do not have a clear approach or process to how they deal with reported incidents of stalking, harassment or other criminal matters, that supports all parties involved. 
• BU’s student conduct and disciplinary procedures does not have any definitions for the terms used, ensuring a lack of clarity to students who may need to use or rely on these policies. 

Solution:

• SUBU to lobby BU to update their Student Disciplinary procedure, Student Agreement and Student Code of Conduct to be clearer and more concise, particularly on definitions and the process the university takes when dealing with reported breaches. 
• SUBU to lobby BU to revise processes for supporting students and upholding a duty of care when a student reports another student for wrongful behaviour.
• SUBU to lobby BU to introduce a code of conduct style session that every incoming student must attend as part of their induction to the University. This would cover topics such as stalking, harassment, code of conduct, bullying, consent and how to report and receive support if you experience any of this. In line with OfS guidelines, this will also require a yearly refresher.
• To be included in Programme Seminars as a reminder for people. They often remind people of the advice and support available so could it be included in that.