Bungees, Fire and Radio

Wow, what an amazing couple of months!

Back in August we started planning the ‘Are you afraid of the Dark?’ campaign. We made posters, we bought lanterns and torches and we started a petition that we are on course for one out of every twenty students who attends the university to have signed.

We had the Rec Night at the Pav where many students in societies and clubs dressed as what they are afraid of in the dark and the ‘Get your Torch Out!’ stand at the Health and Well Being Expo, a Torchlit Yours Bar and of course the big march with fire dancing!

We met with councillors and continue to do so to make sure we get the lighting in the park where so many students are subject to attacks and verbal harassment.

It doesn’t stop there though!

We will continue to meet with the council till they give us students what we need, which is a safe park.

Watch the video of the march at this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-pjvPUsRxA

So what else have we been up to?

You Decide: This Thursday we meet in Yours Café so that you decide what we campaign on next. There’s a lot to choose from. The staff cuts in ILS, Business and Health faculties. The maintenance loans fiasco. Assessment and Feedback. Whatever you want, tell us and we can start a campaign on it if necessary. You Decide is this Thursday at 4pm in Yours Café with free food.

Hate Crime Awareness Day: Based in the Lowry Conference Suite, there was a fair of different stands offering support and guidance for anyone who has gone through or knows someone who has been subjected to a Hate Crime. Both the Students' Union and it’s society the Islamic Society were there with stands. I also gave a speech about how the Students' Union viewed those who subject others to Hate Crime as being ‘idiots and evil.’ It was a really interesting event and I was proud to represent the Students' Union there.

Health and Well Being Expo: We handed out free torches on our stand for the ‘Are you afraid of the Dark?’ campaign, aptly entitled “Get your Torch Out!” Loads of people signed the petitions to ask the council to put in the lighting too. It was a great event and I loved the free smoothies our RAG society did (charitable contributions were encouraged) as well as the Wii Tournament and even the good news I received on the blood pressure front from the Allerton nurse! The event was on for three days and I reckon over 1000 students turned up, a really good event by the University.

Shock Radio: Union Air or Uni on Air is the name of our show depending on whether you like puns or not. We are online on www.shockradio.co.uk on Fridays 3-4pm every week. The show is designed to tell you a bit about what we’re doing and for you to email/SMS us with any questions you may have. I got to run the show last week and it was fun playing around with all the switches and playing DJ whilst answering some questions about what we are doing.

Charity Events: There have been loads of these recently and there great fun. A few weeks ago Usman (the SU President) co-organised an evening aptly called ‘Charity Night’ at Allerton Cafeteria. Aiming to raise £10,000 it made an eventual £12,000 which was great. Vickie (our comms officer), Usman and I were auctioned as sabbatical slaves for a day and between us made over £500 for charity. A great evening!
We also did a bungee jump from outside University House from 180ft which was awesome once you fell -though terrifying beforehand- and at some point soon I believe the five sabbs are going to be gunged at ‘The Pav’ for Children in Need. Can’t wait!

Widening Participation: 55% of students at this uni are recognised as mature students. One of the goals that I have this year is to do more activities and events for mature students, for part time, for post grads, for disabled students, for international students as well as improving stuff for everyone else. We are in the process of getting access to everyone’s student webmail email address so that we can get in contact with other students more easily. Once we can do this (which I hope we will have done by the end of 2008) we can then start organising more events. If you have any ideas for events or think I’ve missed out something then let me know, I’m here to do as much as I can while I’m an officer.

NSS Results in Health and Social Care Faculty: As the representative in the Students' Union for other students in HSC faculty I needed to look at the NSS Results (National Student Survey that all final year students are asked to fill in) and see what areas needed improvement. The main ones were quality and timing of feedback, organisation of course and any communications of alterations to courses. I will be asking the SLR’s of HSC to ask other students about these concerns and also speaking to the faculty administrator for Health and Social Care this month about anything they may be doing to resolve any potential challenges.

Community Reps: Finally this scheme should be up and running for recruitment in December. I have got the funding, now the structure of it just needs to be finalised and then we can go out into the community and get involved in exciting projects in Salford.

RUCLEAR?: ‘RUCLEAR?’ came to Uni House to do limited STD testing. If you missed them and want to get tested we have kits in the Advice Centre which you can take away or you can meet them in Uni House foyer on the 9th of December during the day. There really simple tests to have done, you get a text to either let you know you’re clear or that you’re not and what action you need to take. It sounds a bit daunting but is easier to do once you’ve had a few pints particularly as all you do is urinate in a cup.

On that icky note I shall leave it there but please as always get in contact if there’s anything you feel your Students' Union should be doing for you. Ring 0161 736 7811 or email me at support-ussu@salford.ac.uk or come in and see me in University House.