Written by Jude Lince, translated by Iestyn Knox (scroll down for Welsh / Cymraeg)
February 21st, 2023 saw over 100 students attend the Annual General Meeting of Aberystwyth Students’ Union to debate and vote on a variety of key proposals.
The meeting began with a general presentation of annual performance measures. The SU reported performing highly on some key performance indicators, exceeding set targets in metrics such as student opinion polling, as well as in various social media-based communications figures. However, performance was reported to be below expectations in terms of representatives trained. In addition to this, reported SU election turnouts were lower than in the previous academic year, although Team Aber membership was reported to have increased.
This was followed by reporting of annual financial figures. The SU reported an annual budget of ~£61,000 after receiving ~£67,000 of Welsh government funding, while funding by the University is expected to increase by £50,000 for the coming academic year. Funds carried forward were reported as being up by ~£60,000 compared to the previous academic year. Notably, the Union’s expenditure on clubs and societies was reported to have exceeded its income from this source by ~£200,000. The Union’s Reserves Policy was reported to have been exceeded by ~£40,000.
The first issue of the night to be voted on was the SU’s list of affiliations, all of which were quickly approved to continue apart from its affiliation to NUS UK (National Union of Students), which was debated and ultimately approved to continue later in the evening. This was followed by a list of proposed constitutional changes, including the removal of the SU’s Executive Committee and clarification of the method by which an All Student Vote may be called both of which were approved with similar efficiency.
The evening’s first substantial debate was provoked by a proposal that the SU should abolish the voting process by which its trustees are elected and instead begin appointing trustees without the need to consult its membership. The rationale given for this proposal included reasons such as low election turnout and the failure of some elected trustees to properly fulfil their roles. However, the proposal was subject to heavy criticism from many in attendance and was not approved following a vote.
After this came a proposed motion that the Students’ Union should end its affiliation with the National Union of Students UK, proposed for several reasons including the £16,000 yearly cost of the affiliation and perceived neglect of Aberystwyth SU by NUS UK. The motion was perhaps the most debated of the evening with many arguing that the money saved would not be worth the potential loss of the SU’s national voice. Conversely, others contended that the Union could maintain its influence independently of national bodies. The motion was eventually rejected by a considerable majority of those in attendance.
A proposed motion that the SU should publicly support current UCU industrial action was discussed at length. However, much of the discussion was one-sided with virtually all speakers being in favour of the motion Reasons given for supporting strikes included showing solidarity with staff and a belief that better working conditions for lecturers would result in better learning conditions for students. When voted on, the motion was approved almost unanimously.
Following this came a motion proposing that the SU should trial its own weekly strength and conditioning sessions for use by University sports teams. This motion was ultimately approved after some deliberation. Reasons given for supporting the motion included the financial inability of some smaller societies to run such sessions of their own accord, although some questions were raised over the capacity of the SU to adequately support both small and large sports clubs in this way.
The final motion debated on the evening was a proposal that the SU should commit to the NUS-developed Green Impact Students’ Unions programme (GISU). The University was the target of criticism while the motion was discussed, with some attendees highlighting its current ranking of 111th in the UK for sustainability by People & Planet as evidence that not enough is being done to improve its environmental impact. When voted on the motion was approved by a considerable majority of those in attendance.
Three further proposed motions were present on the agenda for the evening, including a reduction in the number of Faculty officers employed by the SU. However, the meeting ended before there was time for these to be discussed. They will therefore be voted on at the next SU Senedd on the 24th of April.
Cyfieithiad gan Iestyn Knox
Ar Chwefror 21fed, 2023 fe gynnaliwyd Cyfarfod Cyffredinol Blynyddol Undeb y Myfyrwyr, ble ddaeth dros 100 o fyfyrwyr i ddadlau a pleidleiso ar sawl cynnig.
Dechreuodd y cyfarfod gyda chyflwyniad cyffredinol o fesurau perfformiad blynyddol. Adroddodd yr UM ei fod wedi perfformio'n uchel ar rai dangosyddion perfformiad allweddol, gan ragori ar y targedau a osodwyd mewn metrigau fel polau piniwn myfyrwyr, yn ogystal a ffigurau cyfathrebu amrywiol ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol. Fodd bynnag, adroddwyd bod perfformiad yn is na'r disgwyl o ran y nifer o gynrychiolwyr a hyfforddwyd. Yn ogystal â hyn, adroddwyd bod y nifer a bleidleisiodd mewn etholiadau UM yn is nag yn y flwyddyn academaidd flaenorol, er y datgelir bod aelodaeth Tîm Aber wedi cynyddu.
Yn sgil hyn, adroddwydd ar ffigurau ariannol blynyddol yr undeb. Adroddodd yr UM gyllideb flynyddol o ~£61,000 ar ôl derbyn ~£67,000 o gyllid gan lywodraeth Cymru, tra bod disgwyl i gyllid gan y Brifysgol gynyddu o £50,000 ar gyfer y flwyddyn academaidd i ddod. Adroddwyd bod y cronfeydd a gariwyd ymlaen wedi codi ~£60,000 o gymharu â'r flwyddyn academaidd flaenorol. Yn nodedig, adroddwyd bod gwariant yr Undeb ar glybiau a chymdeithasau wedi rhagori ar ei incwm o’r ffynhonnell hon o ~£200,000. Adroddwyd bod ~£40,000 wedi rhagori ar Bolisi Cronfeydd Wrth Gefn yr Undeb.
Rhifyn cyntaf y noson y pleidleisiwyd arno oedd rhestr cysylltiadau Undeb y Myfyrwyr, a chymeradwywyd pob un ohonynt yn gyflym i barhau ar wahân i'w gysylltiad ag UCM DU (Undeb Cenedlaethol y Myfyrwyr), a drafodwyd ac yn y pen draw cymeradwywyd i barhau yn ddiweddarach yn y noswaith. Dilynwyd hyn gan restr o newidiadau cyfansoddiadol arfaethedig, gan gynnwys dileu Pwyllgor Gwaith UM ac eglurhad o’r dull o alw Pleidlais Pob Myfyriwr, a chymeradwywyd y ddau ohonynt gyda’r un effeithlonrwydd.
Ysgogwyd dadl sylweddol gyntaf y noson gan gynnig y dylai’r UM ddileu’r broses bleidleisio a ddefnyddir i ethol ei hymddiriedolwyr a dechrau penodi ymddiriedolwyr yn lle hynny heb fod angen ymgynghori â’i aelodaeth. Roedd y rhesymeg a roddwyd dros y cynnig hwn yn cynnwys rhesymau megis y nifer isel a bleidleisiodd yn yr etholiad a methiant rhai ymddiriedolwyr etholedig i gyflawni eu rolau'n briodol. Fodd bynnag, roedd y cynnig yn destun beirniadaeth lem gan lawer a oedd yn bresennol ac ni chafodd ei gymeradwyo yn dilyn pleidlais.
Ar ôl hyn daeth cynnig arfaethedig y dylai Undeb y Myfyrwyr ddod â’i gysylltiad ag Undeb Cenedlaethol Myfyrwyr y DU i ben, a gynigiwyd am nifer o resymau gan gynnwys y gost flynyddol o £16,000 am ymlyniad ac esgeulustod canfyddedig UM Aberystwyth gan UCM DU. Efallai mai’r cynnig oedd y mwyaf o ddadlau gyda’r noson gyda llawer yn dadlau na fyddai’r arian a arbedwyd yn werth y golled bosibl i lais cenedlaethol UM. I'r gwrthwyneb, roedd eraill yn dadlau y gallai'r Undeb gynnal ei ddylanwad yn annibynnol ar gyrff cenedlaethol. Yn y pen draw, gwrthodwyd y cynnig gan fwyafrif sylweddol o’r rhai a oedd yn bresennol.
Trafodwyd cynnig arfaethedig y dylai UM yn gyhoeddus gefnogi gweithredu diwydiannol cyfredol UCU yn fanwl. Fodd bynnag, roedd llawer o’r drafodaeth yn unochrog gyda bron pob un o’r siaradwyr o blaid y cynnig Roedd y rhesymau a roddwyd dros gefnogi streiciau’n cynnwys dangos undod â staff a’r gred y byddai amodau gwaith gwell i ddarlithwyr yn arwain at amodau dysgu gwell i fyfyrwyr. Pan bleidleisiwyd arno, cymeradwywyd y cynnig bron yn unfrydol.
I ddilyn hyn daeth cynnig yn cynnig y dylai’r UM dreialu ei sesiynau cryfder a chyflyru wythnosol ei hun i’w defnyddio gan dimau chwaraeon y Brifysgol. Cymeradwywyd y cynnig hwn yn y pen draw ar ôl rhywfaint o drafod. Roedd y rhesymau a roddwyd dros gefnogi’r cynnig yn cynnwys anallu ariannol rhai cymdeithasau llai i gynnal sesiynau o’r fath eu hunain, er y codwyd rhai cwestiynau ynghylch gallu’r UM i gefnogi clybiau chwaraeon bach a mawr yn ddigonol yn y modd hwn.
Y cynnig olaf a drafodwyd ar y noson oedd cynnig y dylai UM ymrwymo i raglen Undebau Myfyrwyr Effaith Werdd (GISU) a ddatblygwyd gan UCM. Roedd y Brifysgol yn darged i feirniadaeth tra bod y cynnig yn cael ei drafod, gyda rhai mynychwyr yn tynnu sylw at ei safle presennol o safle 111 yn y DU am gynaliadwyedd gan People & Planet fel tystiolaeth nad oes digon yn cael ei wneud i wella ei heffaith amgylcheddol. Pan bleidleisiwyd ar y cynnig, cafodd ei gymeradwyo gan fwyafrif sylweddol o’r rhai a oedd yn bresennol.
Roedd tri chynnig arall yn bresennol ar yr agenda ar gyfer y noson, gan gynnwys gostyngiad yn nifer y swyddogion Cyfadran a gyflogir gan UM. Fodd bynnag, daeth y cyfarfod i ben cyn bod amser i'r rhain gael eu trafod. Bydd pleidlais arnynt felly yn Senedd nesaf UM ar y 24ain o Ebrill.