Introduction:
The charitable objectives of DUSA that this motion relates to are:
→ 1. The prevention or relief of poverty
→ 2. The advancement of education
3. The advancement of health
→ 4. The advancement of citizenship or community development
5. The advancement of the arts, heritage, culture or science
6. The advancement of public participation in sport
7. The provision of recreational facilities, or the organisation of recreational
activities, with the object of improving the conditions of life for the persons
for whom the facilities or activities are primarily intended
→ 8. The promotion of equality and diversity
→ 9. The relief of those in need by reason of age, ill health, disability,
financial hardship or other disadvantage.
1) Restore the campus pantry and free breakfast now!
The crisis in leadership at the University threatens to cut courses, staff and the reputation of the University. On the basis of dubious claims of financial ruin, a series of cuts are being proposed. This will have a negative effect on current and future student experience.
On 10th January, the University through DUSA announced the removal of all funding for the campus pantry and the free breakfast. This is approximately £140,000 a year. For comparison, the former Principal’s salary was about £300,000. This a tiny spend compared to the overall expenditure of approximately 1/3 of a billion pounds the university spends annually. It is clear that the University leadership think it is acceptable for students to pay the price for a crisis we are not responsible for.
The pantry is overwhelmingly used by international students who face barriers to part-time work in the city. Those barriers include visa restrictions and employers choosing not to employ international students. By cutting this service, the University is putting more hardship on some of the most vulnerable in our community and putting additional pressure on food banks in the city.
The over 300 student volunteers, who are a lifeblood of the community, have been effectively sacked at no notice. The university gave no thought to this. This runs entirely contrary to the University’s professed values.
This decision on defunding the pantry and breakfast must be reversed immediately. We should use all mechanisms available to us, including public pressure, to get the university to properly fund the pantry and breakfast. This is an achievable goal that can be obtained quickly if we organise.
We do not know what the recovery subcommittee of the University will propose to solve their financial crisis but they are already making students pay the price. The sooner we organise in defence of our own education standards the more likely the university will think twice before cutting support for students.
General Information:
Specific: Mandates DUSA to take a specific action; calling for the restoration of funding is specific.
Measurable: The aim is clear.
Attainable: This is a cut that can be reversed.
Relevant: Self-evidently relevant.
Time-based: This is actionable immediately.
Strengths: An extremely current issue with high profile on campus of immediate interest to students.
Weaknesses: We might lose.
Opportunities: Winning for students and reducing hunger.
Threats: Losing may disappoint people.
Further information:
Dundee University cuts support for free breakfasts and food pantry
An article about the cut with quotes from a student, one of our MSPs and from the uni.
The University professes to have certain values and missions. Do you think they are demonstration these values and achieving their goals?
Conclusion:
1) SRC calls on the University to immediately restore full funding to the campus pantry and free breakfasts; SRC calls on DUSA to publicly call for this; SRC supports students organising to restore the funding, including circulation of the attached survey. [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeQF2JTbRyNzBXFYT9EU-_5fGoHrNFqeV6RNcubiEVp6k84hg/viewform?usp=dialog]