So here I am 364 days later and I’m about to finish one challenge and start a new one. Tomorrow I am President of the University of Salford Students' Union and I’m excited, really excited, and ready for the fantastic challenges that lie ahead.
It’s my last day as Vice President Support & Diversity (or more traditionally known as VP Welfare) and it’s been a truly amazing experience. Looking after 20,000 student’s welfare has been a challenge but it has made me realise many of the challenges some other students face and it's something that will stick by me for the next year.
I’ve also had the privilege of working with a fantastically kind and passionate president in Usman Ali this year and being his successor is a wonderful challenge in itself. Also all the team at different points throughout the year have delivered on projects and that is something they should be immensely proud of.
Personally I have been delighted with the challenges that I as a part of a bigger ‘we’ have met. When I say ‘we’ I’m not just talking about sabbatical officers, or Union or University staff but every other student who took part in even one of these things. The ‘Are you afraid of the Dark?’ Torchlit March, ‘Save our Pav’ campaign, Staff Cuts protests, the 24/7 library, taking part by voting/standing in the elections, the individual students who desperately needed are help and it worked, the first AGM in years, ‘You Decide’ where students had the opportunity to tell (and mandate) sabbatical officers as to what they needed to do, that bungee jump, the Community Reps project where we were quick to engage with the local community made up of students and non-students, events for mature, international, part-time and postgraduate students, the Activities Collective, the much more vibrantly designed Student Direct, working with other Students' Unions on big projects, the list goes on and on…
We now have amongst the many challenges and opportunities for the next year the pioneering of the first big change in sixty years for Students' Unions nationally with the move to faculty Vice-President’s rather than portfolio roles.
There’s plenty more I could write but I have a feeling it will be more appropriate after my second and final year in the job (sabbatical officers may only serve two years under Government regulations.) I believe I’ve learnt a lot this year but in one year’s time I would hope there will be a great deal more that the Students' Union and I will have learnt, delivered on and improved and that every single person at the University has had a part to play in that process.
Tuesday, 30 June 2009
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Where to start?
Where to start?
Firstly a quick apology for not blogging over the past few months. It’s not hard to do, trouble is I am (despite the poor grammar)an English graduate and thus a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to writing. I like to spend a good hour on writing a blog.
However today I have set myself fifteen minutes to write FAST!!!
So here goes:
You Decide:
We have had two meetings since the last blog… the main issue has been Staff Cuts and thanks to the work of many students and staff members at the University we haven’t gone down without a fight. My main issues have always been the lack of consultation with students by the University and then the lack of communication with staff and students throughout the process. They label students ‘customers’ but in this instance we have been nothing more than an afterthought which is damn right disgraceful.
AGM:
Went well, had 220 people at the event. The University’s Director of Finance Simon Atwell came to communicate about the staff cuts (which was a step in the right direction) and policy got passed on a few things including the wonderful plans for an eco mosque and a Students' Union Environmental policy.
Awards:
We have entered several awards, Sound Impact Awards for Environmental issues, Best Bar None for good practice and will be entering the NUS Annual awards for several categories in April. Who knows we might even win something?!
Elections:
Had to mention the ‘elephant in the room.’ Big thank you to everyone who voted even if it wasn’t for me! The main thing is we got a great turnout on votes and then we have a bigger mandate which transfers into getting more done for other students. We have a great and diverse team elected and I am proud to be leading as President next year. Emily Godfrey returns as VP again having been VP Activities this year, Ricky Chotai one of our most experienced SLR’s after years of threatening to run in the elections did and will be a Vice President as of July. Also Jim Dale who has worked tirelessly with sport clubs and sat on countless sport club committees as well as delivering several thousand Student Direct papers on time every Monday morning around the campus will also be part of the team next year. Finally there is Joe Kirwin who has chaired Debate Society this year and also a fantastic guy. I’m delighted with the team as well for the four trustees (all new to the role!) who are Ram Bende, Lorna Cole, Adeel Khan and current Vice President Communications officer Vickie Scullard. A really good set of people!
Community Reps:
All going very well, the reps have been appointed and started work on different projects. We are hoping to do a big community event at the end of May.
Disabled Collective & National Disabled Students Conference:
We had our first meeting last month which went very well, and have another one in half an hour hence while I am writing this fast. There is also a National Disabled Students Conference in Huddersfield on 16/17 April which has been co-organised by student officers at Huddersfield, Manchester, Sheffield and myself at Salford which should be great fun.
Sabb Gunging:
RAG organised the traditional annual event of let’s throw a bucket of the most disgusting things possible over the student officers. What they weren’t counting on was Usman (SU President) and I giving them big gungey hugs after we got gunged.
By the way the gunge recipe is gravy, tomato skins, egg, peas and custard and possibly a few other things. The event raised £240 for Red Nose Day.
Islamic Awareness Week:
Really enjoyed all the work Sara and the rest of the Islamic Society committee put into this. Great debate, fantastic musical and comic entertainment and pro evo soccer tournament. Can’t go wrong!
NUS:
I have annual conference next week where about 1000 delegates from different FE and HE institutions from across the country meet in Blackpool to discuss National policy for the next year. Particularly important considering recent feedback from the big cheeses at the Universities the Vice Chancellors who at least 2/3’s wish to put tuition fees up to a minimum of £5000. On their salary that might even be affordable, on ours absolute nonsense.
International Students Collective:
Over the past eight months it has become more and more apparent that many International students get treated appallingly by the University. I’m working with a friend of mine who is an International Student to set up a Collective for International Students. I envisage it to be both social and when needed or if wished for political in order that International Students get the best possible deal from the University.
Post Grad and Mature Student Events:
This weekend we have a Post-grad cinema event which has already been heavily booked for. Such interest is encouraging and it’s certainly something I would like to repeat. We are also doing a dinner for mature students next month, more info on that will be on the SU website soon.
Manifesto promises:
This should have gone in with elections but it’s important and kind of different. Just to let you know I’m working on my manifesto promises for next year already and hope to have some good news and updates for my next blog (which won’t be in four months time!!!)
Anyway my fifteen minutes are up, any questions/comments please come say hello (I’m in the Advice Centre) or email me at support-ussu@salford.ac.uk
Firstly a quick apology for not blogging over the past few months. It’s not hard to do, trouble is I am (despite the poor grammar)an English graduate and thus a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to writing. I like to spend a good hour on writing a blog.
However today I have set myself fifteen minutes to write FAST!!!
So here goes:
You Decide:
We have had two meetings since the last blog… the main issue has been Staff Cuts and thanks to the work of many students and staff members at the University we haven’t gone down without a fight. My main issues have always been the lack of consultation with students by the University and then the lack of communication with staff and students throughout the process. They label students ‘customers’ but in this instance we have been nothing more than an afterthought which is damn right disgraceful.
AGM:
Went well, had 220 people at the event. The University’s Director of Finance Simon Atwell came to communicate about the staff cuts (which was a step in the right direction) and policy got passed on a few things including the wonderful plans for an eco mosque and a Students' Union Environmental policy.
Awards:
We have entered several awards, Sound Impact Awards for Environmental issues, Best Bar None for good practice and will be entering the NUS Annual awards for several categories in April. Who knows we might even win something?!
Elections:
Had to mention the ‘elephant in the room.’ Big thank you to everyone who voted even if it wasn’t for me! The main thing is we got a great turnout on votes and then we have a bigger mandate which transfers into getting more done for other students. We have a great and diverse team elected and I am proud to be leading as President next year. Emily Godfrey returns as VP again having been VP Activities this year, Ricky Chotai one of our most experienced SLR’s after years of threatening to run in the elections did and will be a Vice President as of July. Also Jim Dale who has worked tirelessly with sport clubs and sat on countless sport club committees as well as delivering several thousand Student Direct papers on time every Monday morning around the campus will also be part of the team next year. Finally there is Joe Kirwin who has chaired Debate Society this year and also a fantastic guy. I’m delighted with the team as well for the four trustees (all new to the role!) who are Ram Bende, Lorna Cole, Adeel Khan and current Vice President Communications officer Vickie Scullard. A really good set of people!
Community Reps:
All going very well, the reps have been appointed and started work on different projects. We are hoping to do a big community event at the end of May.
Disabled Collective & National Disabled Students Conference:
We had our first meeting last month which went very well, and have another one in half an hour hence while I am writing this fast. There is also a National Disabled Students Conference in Huddersfield on 16/17 April which has been co-organised by student officers at Huddersfield, Manchester, Sheffield and myself at Salford which should be great fun.
Sabb Gunging:
RAG organised the traditional annual event of let’s throw a bucket of the most disgusting things possible over the student officers. What they weren’t counting on was Usman (SU President) and I giving them big gungey hugs after we got gunged.
By the way the gunge recipe is gravy, tomato skins, egg, peas and custard and possibly a few other things. The event raised £240 for Red Nose Day.
Islamic Awareness Week:
Really enjoyed all the work Sara and the rest of the Islamic Society committee put into this. Great debate, fantastic musical and comic entertainment and pro evo soccer tournament. Can’t go wrong!
NUS:
I have annual conference next week where about 1000 delegates from different FE and HE institutions from across the country meet in Blackpool to discuss National policy for the next year. Particularly important considering recent feedback from the big cheeses at the Universities the Vice Chancellors who at least 2/3’s wish to put tuition fees up to a minimum of £5000. On their salary that might even be affordable, on ours absolute nonsense.
International Students Collective:
Over the past eight months it has become more and more apparent that many International students get treated appallingly by the University. I’m working with a friend of mine who is an International Student to set up a Collective for International Students. I envisage it to be both social and when needed or if wished for political in order that International Students get the best possible deal from the University.
Post Grad and Mature Student Events:
This weekend we have a Post-grad cinema event which has already been heavily booked for. Such interest is encouraging and it’s certainly something I would like to repeat. We are also doing a dinner for mature students next month, more info on that will be on the SU website soon.
Manifesto promises:
This should have gone in with elections but it’s important and kind of different. Just to let you know I’m working on my manifesto promises for next year already and hope to have some good news and updates for my next blog (which won’t be in four months time!!!)
Anyway my fifteen minutes are up, any questions/comments please come say hello (I’m in the Advice Centre) or email me at support-ussu@salford.ac.uk
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