Personal Blogs

This was submitted to OU Plexus. I am now clear that OU Plexus sees 'campaigning' inside the OU's structure and purpose as outside its remit. Because I am a learner at OU (currently on MA in Art History) and an AL (I teach Psychology Introduction and Investing Mental Health) I cannot be a full member only an Associate or Friend of OU Plexus, which appears to mean nothing but receiving tweets. 

I have been referred to seek LGBTOU as the appropriate body. I'd look but couldn't find contact until I tweeted that fact publically when I received an apology for unanswered emails ands a warning that things take a long time. Contact having been achieved, it appears that LGBTOU has no website and no clarity about its role other than as a showcase so I'm pressing this motion again. We need to act not just self-congratulate, although I'm happy that 'pride' inb ourselves exists. 

So I'm pressing this motion here.

Motions to General Meetings if they exist

Title of motion

Academic Inclusion with regard to the Content of Courses of LTBQ Communities and issues

Name of proposer

Steve Bamlett 

AGM Notes:

That most, if not all academic disciplines and multi-disciplinary courses address the concerns of the LGBTQ

community and that there is an onus on educational course providers to reflect those issues in the curriculum in an

appropriate way with regard to contemporary, ethical and inclusive themes.

AGM Believes:

That inclusive and knowledgeable coverage of LGBTQ issues is a necessity in order that people who identify with

these communities, groups and / or persons are not marginalised by providers and their issues, even when hidden,

erased from awareness. It believes that all course content be reviewed annually in the light of known issues and that,

since ignorance of academic developments in this area should not be an excuse for courses not to address the

issues, ones not yet brought to light, ''Academic expert' and other interest groups could monitor courses in this regard. 

It is recognised however that these issues are often hidden for a number of reasons and that OULGBT has a role as a multi-

disciplinary academic community to facilitate development.

AGM Resolves:

1. That a commitment is made by all disciplines to review its content with regard to any fundamental or incidental

material (such as the biography of LGBTQ scientists and thinkers) that concerns the LGBT community within 2

academic years.

2. That this material and any other that may come to light in courses is reviewed by course teams annually and

that a report is submitted to a monitoring group, who will have the power to add to that report.

3. That LGBTOU (and OU Plexus if it wishes) and/or its expert delegates be considered the constituency of such a monitoring group.