The Students’ Union sabbatical officers (sabbs) are looking to drop the controversial proposal that the SU should campaign for a ban on students bringing private lawyers to University disciplinary hearings, Varsity has learned.

Sabbs will suggest a revised policy on having lawyers at hearings, to be voted on at student council, this Monday (10/10).

The initial proposal, to ban lawyers, was drafted by the SU’s discrimination reform action group last term as part of a campaign to reform the Office for Student Complaints and Appeals (OSCAA).

Yet following consultations — and a substantial backlash — sabbs are planning to drop it.

Instead, new proposals are likely to demand that OSCCA make clear that the “supporters” students bring to disciplinary meetings don’t act as legal representatives, other than in “exceptional circumstances”.

Sabbs are also likely to suggest that the SU campaign for both the accused and accuser to submit questions to the hearing in advance. Nor would accusers have to give evidence more than once to avoid reliving traumatic events.

However, even though sabbs no longer support the ban, they must submit an amendment to Council and cannot withdraw the motion unilaterally.

Therefore, the ban might not be dropped, depending on how council members vote.

Hearing about the amendment, Sam Carling, University councillor and student council member, said: “I’m heartened that the Sabbatical Officers are planning to drop the demand around lawyers in hearings, following consistent student backlash.

“We all agree that there’s a real issue here — but we need to solve it not by taking away the experienced representation in disciplinary hearings that some students are able to access, but by ensuring all students have access to that instead.

“I look forward to discussing ways we can achieve that goal at the Council meeting on Monday evening, and strongly encourage JCR and MCR reps to attend so we can ensure this clause doesn’t make a comeback.”

The SU does not have any direct jurisdiction over OSCCA. Instead proposals voted on at council bind the SU to lobby OSCCA to enact certain policies. OSCCA is not obliged to listen to or act on the SU’s suggestions.

All students are welcome to attend council, which is taking place in-person for the first time this Monday, in the Hick’s Room of the University Centre at 7pm. But only JCR and MCR representatives, undergraduate and postgraduate representatives of the University’s Schools, and the chairs of SU campaigns, can vote.