Question to Chair of Steering.
Q. Could you please clarify which DSU meetings are open to ordinary members, how this is affected by reserve business, which committees can go in to reserve and whether University Committees upon which DSU representatives sit are also open to ordinary members.
A.
- All DSU meetings, except Steering Committee, are open to all members to attend as Observers (SO 11.3.4). The meeting days and times of the major committees are given on the Steering noticeboard.
- During Reserved business, the meeting goes into closed session and all people not on the Committee, or not specifically invited to attend, must leave. These people are then bound by a confidentiality agreement (SO 11.3.5)
- The following may go into Reserved Business: Executive, Finance and Services Committees (SO 11.3.5)
- Only the DSU representatives may attend the University Committee to which they were elected.
Question to Chair of Executive
Q. Given the debate about Reserved Business in DSU Committee meetings, would the Chair please make clear, in broad terms, what Executive Committee regards as Reserved Business.
A. In accordance with standing orders, reserved business is anything that is deemed so by the Executive Committee. However, in discussion of the function of reserved business, there was a considerable variety of opinion.
The Executive Committee is considering the function of reserved business and the use of it, with a view to adopting a more coherent position. Should it be thought that standing orders are too vague about the function and interpretation of reserved business, Executive Committee would be happy to discuss this.