Are officer reports working for you? I’m not sure they’re working, so this month I’ve decided to do something a little bit different. Instead of telling you everything I’ve done, I’ve picked a few things that I believe have had real impact on your life as a student.
A large proportion of my year so far (2015 I mean) has been spent acting in my role as a Trustee of the Students’ Union addressing the strategic progression of the Students’ Union in a dual campus environment by addressing such issues as staffing, funding and our new building!
This has all crossed across into my officer role as throughout all of the discussions I have been championing the best outcome for students and ensuring that students are, and remain, at the centre of our organisation and decision making.
Since Christmas I have secured the formation of a Union-University Partnership agreement working group, the idea being that we formalise, beyond the student charter, the relationship between the University and Union. The scope of the group and subsequent agreement will cover:
1. a work creation audit to outline where the officers work is directed from outside of their manifesto points
2. a partnership framework to define where the university and union can collaborate on campaigns, objectives and projects that benefit both organisations and ensure that the Students’ Union can expand, be inspirational, aspirational and award winning.
3. a Union development scoping exercise to implement a schedule of touch points with the University to review our partnership, the Unions progress and the strategic direction of the Students’ Union in line with the University.
4. a Union-University accountability process to ensure both organisations are fulfilling their purpose and obligations to the other.
5. a method to ensure collaborative working gets students the best representation possible.
I have also engaged the University in talks to address our financial situation in respect to the upcoming Bay Campus, the phased closure of Hendrefoelan Student Village Students’ Union run services (the Wonky Sheep, Spa and laundrette), the loss of student footfall to our Singleton based commercial services (Costcutter, Jcs, travel shop, the nursery, advice centre, Divas, 1920 and Fulton Outfitters) and the current lack of Union run commercial services on Bay Campus.
In addition I have been invited to feed into the University’s estates plan for the coming years, a process that I hope will result in the Students’ Union relocating to a more central, student facing, fit for purpose and accessible building!
From a more internal perspective we’ve been busy planning our new Students’ Union on the Bay Campus! We have a large space over two floors in one of the accommodation blocks and space for a Nursery! Inside the building we’re hoping to have reception facilities for you to find out everything you need to know about the SU, a cash desk for clubs and societies to bank their funds, an advice centre area, an area for Full Time Officers, Part time officers and subject reps to use, a bookable meeting/training room, smaller bookable multipurpose offices, one media suite and plenty of chill out and hot desking areas! However, we need your help, at forum we’ll be discussing some internal design plans and getting your feedback, the designs are also up in the SU reception for you to post it note on.
In addition I’ve been attending the Dual Campus Experience (DCEG) every other Monday, through which I’ve been invited to attend a campus communications meeting, a space management strategy meeting and from which I will also be requesting to attend the estates strategy programme board, the top decision making board for the University Estate, chaired by the Vice Chancellor. Through these meetings I have been pushing the University on several issues, faith facilities, transport, lecture spaces, sports and societies facilities and services on Bay campus to name a few. I’ve also been invited to attend meetings with the local community surrounding Bay campus with the head of Student Services Kevin Childs.
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The next most impactful project I’ve been working on is the situation in the School of Management. Last term Ilana and I addressed the situation on a student facing level, with the petition, and on a University level by addressing council. As a result we were able to get some of the most influential people in the University and the School to enter into a task and finish group to address the student experience issues raised by you, our students.
The group has met twice since Christmas to form an action plan, a group agreement and various statements and papers to improve the situation. We’ve also hosted a School of management rep forum since Christmas, a forum that received the action plan and fed back the impact that the changes were having. UCU have also worked with the Students’ Union in order to ensure wider issues in the school are addressed and the Students’ Union recently supported their rally for solidarity with Council to act to address the staff concerns.
The most recent group meeting agreed the publicity for the work we have done and what we’ve still got to do, so watch this space!!
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FTO Elections are NOW! My remit as President includes ensuring the democratic integrity of the Union, basically means I make sure we follow our rule book or constitution as it’s formally known! I’ve been helping prepare the election and ensuring that all candidates have the support and help they need to run a happy, fun and positive campaign. I’ve set up a campaigns clinic for every day of the campaign and I’ve been feeding into our promotional campaign for nominations. I’ve also written blogs and met the majority of the candidates and potential candidates to discuss what the role of an FTO is and how we work!
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The other pieces of work I’ve been focusing on this past month have included the General Election campaign, organising and manning a National Voter Registration Day, updating the website to include a general election tab, composing and sending an all student email and proposing the idea of employing a student staff member to help organise subsequent events! If you’ve not registered yet do so now: https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
Quinquennial review, the big review, the rule book review. We’re not sure what to call it yet but the Union as you know it is changing. By the time I leave in June everything you and I know are used to will have changed! We’re obligated every five years to re assess our constitution, our governing document, and at the moment we’re laying the ground work to propose changes we think are necessary to you. To give you a flavour the changes will cover everything, from officer accountability and disciplinary procedures, to the number of full and part time officers we have, to how student forums, motions, ideas and policies are worked, and even to look at putting student trustees on the trustee board! These are all hugely positive changes and will revive your Students’ Union, making it more accountable, student lead, transparent and effective!
In the past month I have also attended the opening of Faith Week, a phenomenal event bringing together different communities on our campus and encouraging, curiosity questions and integration! I also attended graduations and graduation lunches, a representational part of the role that I truly love, as far as I’m concerned graduation is what it’s all about, we’re all here to produce fantastic, well rounded, employable graduates and I cannot describe how proud sitting on the stage and delivering the alumni address makes me, something I will truly miss doing when I leave!
I have worked with two other groups this last month, I’ve been approached by the Discovery President to enter into discussions to formalise the relationship between discovery and the SU, an incredibly exciting prospect that will be mutually beneficial for both charities. I have also worked with SU Fashion Society to gain them financial and resource assistance for their upcoming WNDRLAND charity fashion show, supporting student led enterprise and activity.
In addition I also chaired the Union’s trustee board and personnel committee and most notably attended the University’s collaborative provision board, an amazing meeting that is working to set up links and opportunities for Swansea students to study across the globe.
On a personal note I attended in January an interview to study medicine in Swansea from September and I’m overwhelmingly happy to announce that I have recently accepted an unconditional offer to join the graduate entry programme next year to study for the next four years and qualify as a doctor! A huge huge thank you to the Full Time Officer team, staff and all of you for being patient when I took time off to study and for supporting me to achieve my dream!
That’s it for this month’s importants! If you like the new format, think it’s rubbish, or just want more info, get in touch – president@swansea-union.co.uk
Welsh Translation To Follow ASAP!