Y’all, in between the Insta fortnightly update and the VC breakfasts, I completely let this slip between the cracks. So much so that when I started writing this, it was the end of February, and now it is APRIL.
Woops ?
Anyway, I will save you the long interest and bring you February in 5 !
ONE – So many meetings !
February was just absolutely FULL of meetings – SUmmit, University Finance, Senate, and Council just to name a few. A lot of these are high up, University based governance bits and bobs, but if I can point you in the way of anything, it has to be SUmmit. We are going through a rework, but the sentiment stays the same – you propose what you want the SU to focus on, fellow students vote, and we carry that into every meeting we go to.
You can find out more about SUmmit and see our standpoints here !
TWO – Sensory room !
If the sensory room has 100 fans, I am one of them. If the sensory room has 1 fan, I am that. If the sensory room has 0 fans, I am gone. This month, me and super DAG chair Jess were interviewed, filmed, and otherwise recorded talking about the sensory room. It is one of the few places on campus that can be considered truly quiet, and with your support, we can gain more !
Check out Anangsha’s article on it here !
THREE – Refresh Week !
Y’all, it is no secret that Fresher’s Week absolutely obliterated me. Between working all odd hours, keeping up with everyone and remembering a million names, and having a sleep schedule best described as diabolical, it is not for the weak of heart, and dear reader – I always cry when Lee Scoresby dies (that book is from 1997 do I still need to call for spoilers??).
Refresh week was lovely though, so low-key in comparison, and all about making everyone comfy in returning to University after the (if you were like me, completely coursework packed) holidays.
FOUR – OFSTED
Yeah, I had the same question too. Why on earth does a University need Ofsted ? Well, because of our apprenticeships ! The University has some burgeoning apprenticeships for postgrads, including CompSci and ClinPsy, and these fall under Ofsted’s realm.
I got to represent both the SU – talking all about how we help create a sense of community for students, as well as in capacity as a Council member, memorising safeguarding with a sheer passion for revision I haven’t touched since my A-Levels.
FIVE – LGBT+ HISTORY MONTH !
CW: paedophilia
Last and definitely not least is that it was LGBT+ history month ! My highlight event definitely had to be the talk by the newly re-opening Beckford’s tower. I had no knowledge of Beckford nor his tower until some time in final year, when on a tree walk (cooler than it sounds I swear) a tour guide pointed out that you could see said tower from a certain point in the city, and a fellow touree (totally making that a word) said in an amazing outburst “he was a paedophile, lets not forget that”. What a way to be introduced.
Now, what has that got to do with it all ? Well, the team over at Beckford’s tower is calling for input from all of the community, and this includes making sure the voices of those who feel uncomfortable with Beckford’s tower being reinstated are heard and actually, properly, considered. This has already included the voices of LGBT+ people who want to ensure that Beckford being contemporarily considered LGBT+ is not muddied with his scandal, but also extends to the fact that the tower was made with money from the slave trade, and intended to be a place of isolation.
All their work is incredibly nuanced, and details on both its history and how to get involved yourself can be found over on their web page !
PLAIN LINKS
SUmmit webpage - https://www.thesubath.com/voice/summit/
Sensory Room Article - https://unibathtime.co.uk/2024/02/17/need-a-breather-the-universitys-brand-new-sensory-room-might-be-the-place-for-you/
Beckford’s tower history - https://beckfordstower.org.uk/history/
Beckford’s tower get involved - https://beckfordstower.org.uk/get-involved/