We’re excited to promote Pulse, the University of Southampton’s LGBT+ Network. Pulse is an inclusive community open to both staff and postgraduate researchers (PGRs), dedicated to creating a safe, inclusive, and diverse environment that fosters respect and equality for all.
Why Join the Pulse Committee?
Joining the Pulse committee is a fantastic opportunity to make a meaningful impact on our community, develop leadership skills, and help our network thrive.
Our Recent Activities
Here’s a glimpse of what we’ve been up to over the past couple of years:
- Flag Raising: Celebrating and recognising key dates in the LGBTQ+ calendar.
- Southampton Pride Parade: Representing the University of Southampton with pride.
- Safe Listening Spaces: Providing confidential support and discussion forums for LGBTQ+ staff and PGRs.
- Coffee Mornings / Lunchtime Socials: Offering informal networking opportunities.
- Reviewing University Policies: Contributing to the development of inclusive policies such as the Family Leave policy.
- IDAHOBIT Collaboration: Partnering with the School of Electronics and Computer Science for the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia.
Why ‘Pulse’?
Names like Terrence Higgins and Stonewall reflect struggles and injustices in LGBTQ+ history. In 2016, the Pulse nightclub in Orlando was the site of a horrific massacre, highlighting the ongoing need for change in attitudes. In solidarity with the global LGBTQ+ community, we chose to rename our network to Pulse.
Committee Roles
We’re looking for enthusiastic and committed individuals to join our committee. The posts up for nomination are:
- Co-chair & staff group lead: This post is only open to staff
- Co-chair & PGR sub-group lead: This post is only open to PGR students
- Secretary & Treasurer: Responsible for minute-taking at meetings and liaising with the Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (ED&I) team for budget approvals
- Communications Officer: Responsible for SharePoint, social media channels & emails
- Events Officer: Responsible for organising all Network events
- Ordinary Member: Committee member without portfolio (x3)
A Message from Our Outgoing Chair
Andrew, the chair of the Pulse network, is stepping down after over five years of dedicated service. Here’s a quote from him:
“It has been an honour and a privilege to chair the Pulse network over the last five years and I’m very proud of all the things we have accomplished in that time. I feel it is now time for someone else to take over the reins and bring in some fresh ideas, and so I will be stepping down as chair at this AGM. I wish the new committee every success and look forward to seeing where Pulse goes into the future.”
How to Get Involved
We invite all interested staff and PGR students to attend our next Annual General Meeting (AGM) at 13:00-14:00 25 July, where you can express your interest in joining the committee. Here’s the link to the online AGM.
To streamline the process, we encourage you to express your interest in specific committee roles before the AGM. Please fill out the Pulse Committee Role Interest Form with the role you are interested in by 22 July. If you have any questions about the roles, please contact us at [email protected].
During the AGM, we will present the list of candidates for each role. Voting will then take place to elect the new committee members.
Additionally, Pulse has an annual budget of £1000 to spend on events, allowing us to create meaningful and impactful activities for our community.
For further details about Pulse and our initiatives, please visit the Pulse SharePoint site.
Join us and help shape the future of the University of Southampton’s LGBTQ+ community.