Union General Meeting (28th Feb 2008)
Ensuring An Environmentally Sustainable Heslington East
Proposed by: Laura Murphy
Seconded by: Anne Clarke, Nick Underwood and Kate Evans
This union notes:
(i) Work has begun on the preparation of the site for the first phase of the Heslington East development.
(ii) Subject to a Planning Approval by the City of York Council, building work will start on the new 600-bed Goodricke College in May 2008.
(iii) When Heslington East is finished there will be 50% more students at the University of York.
(iv) That the University currently has an Energy Manager and an Energy Conservation Officer but, no Environment or Sustainability Manager.
(v) Active Union Policy “Private Finance Initiative / Public Partnership Schemes” and “Heslington East”.
This union believes:
(i) That Heslington East should be built to the highest environmental standards possible.
(ii) That the University should also be reducing the environmental impact of the existing campus.
(iii) The expansion of the University clearly justifies the employment of an Environment/Sustainability Manager.
(iv) The University has a responsibility to take into account the opinions of current students on the development.
(v) That the concerns of students, staff and local residents about the development’s impact on the environment should be taken into account.
(vi) That briefings given by the University about Heslington East should be better advertised to students.
This union resolves:
(i) To mandate the Union Executive, including the President, to pressure the University to ensure the following to cover both Heslington East and West campus:
a. The employment of an Environment/Sustainability Manager.
b. All new building aim to achieve BREEAM “excellent” standards.
c. Composting facilities
d. Adequate recycling facilities
e. Energy efficient building design and construction
f. Safeguarding of biodiversity
g. Use of sustainable sources of energy
(ii) To mandate the Union Executive, including the President, to take responsibility for advertising all subsequent Heslington East Briefings to students.
(iii) This policy replaces Union active policy “Heslington East.”
