Hello there,
Here’s a long overdue update on what I’ve been up to. I fully know how frustrating it must be for you to not know what your elected officers are up to, and I promise I will make more of an effort for you to know what I’m doing. You elected me into this role and you have a right to know what I’m working on.
It’s actually been a mad time over here. In such a short period of time, a general election was called, UCU passed a motion for the current industrial action, and the SU held a referendum on whether we should support the strikes. All of this, on top of everything else that goes on in this vibrant and active SU.
You can find a lot of information of the main wins we’ve been able to achieve together at my section of the SU Website, at www.thesubath.com/suofficers/activities.
Since then, here’s what’s been cooking:
Societies
- When running the Chair training some time ago, I was shocked and saddened at the number of people who expressed worries about how being part of a committee was impacting their academic performance. It made me think of just how much we need to accredit and recognise the work of you, our volunteers. While this is only the beginning and it means nothing if not followed by more action, I have started to plan a committee breakfast in the SU, including more casual drop-ins where committees can share their doubts/worries, so we can work together to solve them.
- A big part of my plan is to overhaul current handover processes. Way too many committees are slipping through the cracks because of faulty/inexistent handovers, which really make it difficult for a new committee to work well in the following year. The plans for this are:
- A new development plan format, which will include both a reflection from the old committee and a plan to be laid down by the new committee. This way, a written document will reflect tips and good ideas on what went well in the past so that the new committee can have some direction on running the group.
- The timeline of handover will change so that new committees won’t have to submit too many documents at different times – we want to streamline processes so that it becomes easy for you to prepare for the year ahead.
- We will provide clearer guidelines for your financial request forms, so that you don’t risk not getting a budget/rollover due to poor communication between you, the old committee, and the SU.
- Working with staff & students at the SU Awards Structure. For long, we have duplicated efforts in our awards and we are now working to concentrate them in one big night to celebrate the work of our amazing volunteers.
- Working on overhauling and recreating Refresh Week. This week is a massive chance for our groups to recruit new members, get people interested in running for committee positions, and just to have a good time! However, these chance has been underused in the past. We are talking to students to see what could improve Refresh Week so that it can be good for you as a student as well as a committee member.
- Continuing to work to ensure societies, and students in general, are a priority at the Edge, and particularly working with them to ensure that their upcoming strategy does not negatively affect student use of the building.
- Working to reform the Tier System,
- Looking at Faith & Cultural Societies and whether there should be any arbitrary membership threshold for them to be affiliated with the Students’ Union.
- Looking at the different requirements for societies of different Tiers and making sure that the ribbons are not so strict to be completed
- Looking at the roles within the Societies Executive to see whether they are effective and how we could change them to make them work better for societies.
- Continuing to encourage collaboration between different societies and, on suggestions from some of you, I will work to create a platform where collaboration can be facilitated.
- Looking at SU procedures for societies, and particularly the Event Planner, to see how we can become less bureaucratic as an organisation, to make your life (and ours!) easier.
Skills and Development
The work that you do as a committee member should be recognised beyond your time here. From what you have been telling me, when you’ll leave this campus and apply for jobs (some of you already doing so for placements/summer internships), you do mention the roles you’ve undertaken within the SU. When you graduate, you get a lot more than a degree in your subject – you get the entire educational experience of having being part of running a student group in a multi-million pound organisation. That should be recognised, and at the moment it isn’t enough. To boost your employability, I am creating a plan to present to Senior Management on ensuring that your contributions to the SU are properly accredited and recognised.
Particularly, I am looking into national schemes that integrate your extra-curricular involvements and achievements so that employers can have a certified document showing just how involved and incredible you’ve been beyond your academic studies.
Environment
- Along with a group of students from various societies, I presented a paper to CSSU (Council/Senate/Students’ Union) on the climate crisis, outlining a series of demands. Here are the key ones:
- For the University to pledge carbon neutrality by 2030
- For the University to review its investment practices and divest from holdings in Barclays
- For the University to include sustainability and the climate crisis as a core component in its new strategy.
- As the entirety of the paper was referred to the still-developing Climate Action Framework, I am going to meet with the leader of the framework to discuss how our demands will be incorporated in the work of the group.
- Have started identifying key areas of work within the Students’ Union in order to achieve the NUS Green Impact Award.
- I have been working with students from Enactus on a more regular Fruit & Veg Market.
- Worked on and successfully facilitated the first SUmmit, the topic of which was climate change, and looking at the key actions to be taken from there so that the students’ voice is heard.
- Working with students to demand an increased provision of water fountains on campus, particularly in key areas where, at the moment, they are lacking.
- Starting to look at the environmental practices of the SU, looking at how we can become more sustainable and improve our stance with the university and the local community.
Outside of my remit, a lot of my time has been taken over by the work on the industrial action, but particularly now, on the upcoming General Election. I’m co-leading the efforts on getting people registered to vote, organising events with the parliamentary candidates as well as our Politics & Activism Group.
Also, I’m so excited to say I’ll be chairing the candidate hustings this year! Come to University Hall at 18.15 on December 3rd to ask questions to your candidates, among which your future MP will be! Alternatively, you can also email me questions you want to be asked if you don’t want to yourself/will not be able to attend. Campus TV is also going to live-stream it, so you can watch it wherever!
Tied in with a lot of the work listed above is the overarching theme of student loneliness, one of our Top Ten Campaigns for this year. Along with the officer team, we’re working on ways to reduce it and bring people together. You, and the groups that you lead, are the key to solving this – don’t forget how important this is!
Lastly, along with the Sports Officer and SU staff, we have made decisions about the latest round of applications for the Alumni Fund. SO MANY GOOD APPLICATIONS! Results will be out soon so watch out for an email x
I promise you will hear another update from me soon. Time has been flying like mad and how the hell is it almost the end of November already? It’s already time to put up the Christmas decorations, to book holidays, to think about Officer Elections… could you be the next Activities Officer? Do you want to know more about what my role entails? Feel free to drop me an email and set up a meeting with me!
Working with you so far has been one of the biggest privileges yet. Seeing you shine, seeing the quality of the events that you create, seeing just how much you’re willing to give to shape your community for the better, makes me feel proud and honoured to be working with you. I know that the time ahead will be challenging, with deadlines, the industrial action, and the holidays coming up, but I’m sure you’ll come through like champions.
If you ever need anything, you know where to find me (lately, 99% chance I’ll be in the Plug on one of the couches).
Stay awesome,
Franci,
Your Activities Officer.
