March 2023 Student Panel

Policies Discussed

The Policy Proposals discussed at the March Student Panel were:

1. SHOULD THE LSESU LOBBY LSE TO CREATE AN EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCE SPECIFICALLY REGARDING MENSTRUAL PAIN AND PERIOD CONDITIONS?

Proposer: Anna Rita Pennacchi

Issue:

• Students whose periods cause them extreme pain but do not feel they can qualify for exam extenuating circumstances.
• Students whose period causes them psychological distress to the point of being unable to complete an exam or meet a deadline.

Solution:

• To solve the issue the SU should lobby LSE to widen the health issues that are considered as serious enough to be given an extension.
• The SU should lobby LSE to lower the standard of evidence for health issues that are considered as serious enough to be given an extension.
• The SU should lobby LSE to give students the option of a female assessor to check extenuating circumstances.

2. SHOULD THE LSESU WORK TO MAKE AVAILABILITY OF FREE DRINKS COVERS AND STOPPERS MANDATORY AT ALL ON AND OFF CAMPUS EVENTS RUN BY THE SU AND LSE?

Proposer: Tito Molokwu

Issue:

• Spiking
• Sexual abuse and misconduct

Solution: 

• Making sure all on and off campus events with drinks offer drinks covers and stoppers to students 
• Starting a campaign to raise awareness of their existence 
• LSESU to produce a list of preferred venues that provide drinks covers or stoppers
• LSESU to lobby LSE to supply a reusable drinks cover in welcome kits

3. SHOULD THE LSESU CAMPAIGN FOR FURTHER SUPPORT FOR LGBTQ+ STUDENTS ON CAMPUS, STARTING WITH A DEDICATED SPACE AS A SUPPORT CENTRE?

Proposer: Cal Brantley, Khushi Bajaj

Issue:

• Given the recent disaffiliation with Stonewall and disheartening state of transphobia in the UK, LSE needs to provide further support and safety for its LGBTQ+ students on campus.
• LGBTQ+ students take on emotional labour to constantly have to make sure that they feel secure on campus when they literally just want to study somewhere.
• LGBTQ+ students face additional barriers to support including increased need for mental health support and would benefit from peer support spaces, listening circles, and guidance in a safe, queer/ trans only space.
• LGBTQ+ populations are at increased risk of substance use and disordered drinking and need a sober space to connect with LGBTQ+ peers on campus.
• LGBTQ+ populations need access to professional resources for employment and LGBTQ+ friendly networking events.
• LGBTQ+ populations are more likely to be neurodiverse and access to a safe, quiet study space with sensory items would benefit students.
• There are no spaces on LSE's campus for drop in access to safer sex supplies like condoms, dental dams, internal condoms, and resources on accessing LGBTQ+ friendly health services in London.
• Trans students particularly on campus need help accessing support, meeting other trans peers, and finding a place they can safely change, access gender neutral bathrooms, and swap/leave binders, packers, gaffs, etc, and signpost resources for surgery funds and trans London healthcare services.

Solution: 

• The LSESU should explore all options to provide a dedicated LGBTQ+ safe space on campus as a physical space. This could be provided by the SU or the LSE but should be advertised and visible to the campus community.
• The LGBTQ+ Centre on campus should have gender neutral bathrooms, changing areas, and a shower.
• The LGBTQ+ Centre should offer, in conjunction with the SU, LGBTQ+ Society and Spectrum, event opportunities such as career networking, peer support, sober mixers, game nights, coffee chats, drag nights, fundraisers, and a trans support circle.
• The LGBTQ+ Centre should also offer a safe space to sign post for LGBTQ+ community resources, have a free wardrobe/ clothing exchange, and space to take free safer sex supplies and exchange/donate gender affirming supplies to peers like old binders, trans tape, prosthetic glue or post op supplies. Increased funding to the LGBTQ+ Society and Spectrum in this LGBTQ+ space to provide food, coffee, and items such as sensory items, beanbag chairs, places to study and do work during designated quiet parts of the center or drop in times.

 

4. SHOULD THE LSESU LOBBY LSE TO IMMEDIATELY INVESTIGATE AND IMPLEMENT TANGIBLE ACTION TO IMPROVE THE EXPERIENCES OF BLACK STUDENTS, TACKLE RACISM BOTH ON AND OUTSIDE CAMPUS AND HAVE A WORKING EXPANSIVE EDI TEAM?

Proposer: Sarah Onifade

Issue:

• LSE has continually failed its black students. https://info.lse.ac.uk/staff/education/Assets/ Documents/ Inclusive-Education-Action-Plan-2019/BAME-Student-Experiences-at-LSE.pdf
• Year after Year there have been attainment inequalities in which LSE has not tackled adequately https:// www.lse.ac.uk/study-at-lse/Undergraduate/Prospective-Students/OfS-Transparency-Return
• LSE has not done enough to provide institutional support for its black students despite promising to do so in the wake of George Floyd murder. Additionally they have not held themselves accountable for its racial equity goals https://info.lse.ac.uk/staff/divisions/equity-diversity-and-inclusion/EDI-at-LSE/ Race-Equity- at-LSE/race-equity-framework/Race-Equity-Framework
• LSE race equity framework has been made redundant with both the social media and real-life present being non-existent with the last update to the social media page being in 2021. LSE EDI twitter page has not tweeted anything since 2021 https://twitter.com/EDI_LSE
• LSE has perpetuated a culture in which black students depend on external organisations and other students to support their wellbeing and academic studies. In a google form conducted by me over 70% of responses felt that LSE did not support their wellbeing, with only 10% feeling LSE did. This poll was aimed at the Afro Caribbean society at the LSESU.
• These are issues that are well known within the black community at LSE. However, there is a lack of formal recognition and accountability from LSE themselves. They have made data obscure by making their EDI and student population data report to just white and BAME students. https://info.lse.ac.uk/ staff/divisions/ equity-diversity-and-inclusion/Assets/Documents/PDFs/Public-Sector-Equality-Duty- report- for-2019-20.pdf

Solution: 

• To lobby LSE to implement the following:
• LSE must explicitly make sure that prospective and current students know that LSE has a zero- tolerance policy towards any racism
• LSE must make sure that subwardens and wardens promote an anti-racist culture. They must add a racism and microaggression section to the halls code of conduct
• LSE must make sure that there is guaranteed institutional funding for racial based wellbeing workshops LSE must start and implement a racism and discrimination workshop mandatory to both student and staff in the next 2 academic years
• LSE must completely restructure its EDI team and make sure that the student body has full transparency towards its reformation
• LSE must not use BAME in any student data and show student data by ethnic group as per pre-2018 LSE must hire a black student staff lead like SOAS
• LSE should introduce pre-course icebreakers to break down ethnic barriers
• LSE should provide more information and transparency on complaint procedures and actions taken regarding racism at LSE
• LSESU should explore the option of implementing anti-racism workshops for students

5. SHOULD LSESU LOBBY THE LSE TO IMPLEMENT INCLUSIVE TOILET/ WASHROOM FACILITIES FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS?

Proposer: Mallika Kumar

Issue:

• Almost every LSE building's bathroom only has toilet paper
• Student Union building used to have one washroom with jet spray, but that particular stall has become temporarily unavailable
• While there is diversity in LSE cafes, canteens and food items for international cuisines, there is not cultural diversity in bathroom facilities
• International students have to spend extra money to purchase electronic portable bidets

Solution: 

To lobby LSE to install at least one jet-spray/connected bidet, accounting for gender segregated bathrooms, in each LSE building including halls of accommodation and new buildings. With accessible signage and appropriate communication to the student body.

 

6. SHOULD THE LSESU CAMPAIGN FOR LSE TO IMPROVE THE OPPORTUNITIES AND SUPPORT AVAILABLE FOR DISABLED AND NEURODIVERGENT STUDENTS?

Proposer: Luca Loggia

Issue: 

• Disabled and Neurodivergent students have experienced difficulties in engaging, and receiving satisfactory support from, the university’s Disability and Wellbeing Service (DWS).
• Student’s My Adjustment Plans, that outline Reasonable Adjustments to the teaching, learning and assessment to which a Disabled and/or Neurodivergent student should receive, are often non-tailored to a student’s specific needs, and receive inconsistent levels of adoption across the school.
• Disabled and Neurodivergent students experience challenges with participation within the wider school community, in part, due to a systemic lack of understanding by other Students and Staff on how to appropriately accommodate them.

Solution:

• LSESU should campaign to the university’s Student Wellbeing division (SWS), which operates the Disability and Wellbeing Service (DWS), to implement effective avenues for students to provide honest feedback on their experience with the service. This should include continuing current efforts to establish a Student Service Users Group.
• LSESU should campaign to LSE, to ensure that Reasonable Adjustments that are provided to Disabled and Neurodivergent Students and Staff, are beneficial to their individual accessibility needs; with effective strategies agreed to ensure school-wide compliance with these required adjustments.
• LSESU should improve available resources, including training, to promote a broader understanding and accommodation of Disabled and Neurodivergent members, to its wider membership base. It should be campaigned for similar resources to be provided by LSE.
• LSESU should lobby LSE to:
• Ensure that student stakeholders are involved and heard in decision-making at the EDI team. Ensure that there is greater communication about resources available to ensure student accessibility

Voting Outcomes

1. Should the LSESU lobby LSE to create an extenuating circumstance specifically regarding menstrual pain and period conditions? PASSED
2. Should the LSESU work to make availability of free drinks covers and stoppers mandatory at all on and off campus events run by the SU and LSE? Pushed to Town Hall and all-student vote in Summer Term
3. Should the LSESU campaign for further support for LGBTQ+ students on campus, starting with a dedicated space as a support centre? PASSED
4. Should the LSESU lobby LSE to immediately investigate and implement tangible action to improve the experiences of black students, tackle racism both on and outside campus and have a working expansive EDI team? PASSED
5. Should LSESU lobby the LSE to implement inclusive toilet/washroom facilities for international students? PASSED
6. Should the LSESU campaign for LSE to improve the opportunities and support available for disabled and neurodivergent students? PASSED

 

To follow along with the SU's progress on these proposals, take a look at our Passed Policies page.

If you have any questions or concerns about the policies passed above, please get in touch at su.democracy@lse.ac.uk

Find out more about the Policy Proposal and Student Panel process here.