Well we now have a Students' Union Council.
Thanks to everyone who stood and everyone who voted. We're pleased with how it all went but know there is room for improvement next year. However, now's the exciting bit where we get to start having debates on the issues and making decisions.
One thing I've been working on recently is getting more big name politicians and people engaged in current affairs to come and address students here. We do have some brilliant events organised by societies but I'm aware from being on the debating committee that it's hard work trying to get people in. Getting the Union working on it provides more resources and hopefully there will be the opportunity to collaborate with the University on the idea. I've been meeting with the politics society and the debating committee who are both enthusiastic about how we can work together.
We've thrown a few ideas of who we could get in. Henry Kissinger is slightly out of our price bracket given that he apparently charges £50k per speech(!) but David Blunkett's already agreed to come. If you have any other ideas for who you'd like to see addressing an audience and potentially taking a few quesions then please let me know.
Hopefully we'll have an exciting programme of engaging speeches/lectures coming together very soon.
Any ideas let me know.
Cheers,
Pete
Student Media
When you log into this thing it advertises a lot of other blogs that people are doing. Many people clearly like writing their thoughts on the web. Reminds me of an NUS document I read a while ago that suggested engagement with student politics could be increased by officers writing a column in student media entitled 'my two pence' where we went off on one with our opinions about the big issues of the day. I guess this blog would count as my 'my two pence' article but it is worthy of note that the relations between student media and officers are, on the whole, very good, even whilst a healthy journalistic distance and scepticism is maintained. We're now having fortnightly media briefings whereby members of student media and any members of the Union can come and here about the big things going on with the officers and ask questions.
The next media briefing is on Tuesday the 30th from 5 until 5.30 in the media hub on level 4 of the Union building.
Our desire is to be open with students as to what's going on. If you can't make the briefings but have questions then feel free to drop any of the officers an email. We're here to represent students, which is easier to do if students let us know what's on their minds!
If media is your thing make sure you come to the student media day tomorrow. I realise this is late notice but hopefully you'll have seen advertising elsewhere. It coincides with the official opening of our media hub which was built over the summer by virtue of Union funds and as well as significant support from the alumni fund, convocation and other generous donors. The hub seeks to bring together the creativity of students working on various print, radio, internet, tv and other projects and make our media even stronger.
If you want to get involved in student media but can't make tomorrow (or have read this after the event) then pop into the hub and speak to our member of staff Rob Ellerington who works to empower students to bring their ideas into being.
Till next week,
Pete
The next media briefing is on Tuesday the 30th from 5 until 5.30 in the media hub on level 4 of the Union building.
Our desire is to be open with students as to what's going on. If you can't make the briefings but have questions then feel free to drop any of the officers an email. We're here to represent students, which is easier to do if students let us know what's on their minds!
If media is your thing make sure you come to the student media day tomorrow. I realise this is late notice but hopefully you'll have seen advertising elsewhere. It coincides with the official opening of our media hub which was built over the summer by virtue of Union funds and as well as significant support from the alumni fund, convocation and other generous donors. The hub seeks to bring together the creativity of students working on various print, radio, internet, tv and other projects and make our media even stronger.
If you want to get involved in student media but can't make tomorrow (or have read this after the event) then pop into the hub and speak to our member of staff Rob Ellerington who works to empower students to bring their ideas into being.
Till next week,
Pete
Students' Union Council
Afternoon.
As the deadline for Students' Union Council nominations gets closer the anticipation in the sabb office grows. These elections genuinely are a big deal and Council will be the body that makes the big Union decisions (oversees student officer work, debates Union policy [e.g. the boycott of Nestle] and a big say on a budget of £2.8m).
If that sounds interesting to you, and it should, then you need to get onto nominating yourself quickly. The deadline is Monday 12pm and it's very strict.
Thanks to the person who left a snickers in my office. I'll be pretty happy if this trend of coming back to an office where anonymous gifts of chocolate have been left continues. If you want to get in on the action then my office is above Coffee Revolution!
As the deadline for Students' Union Council nominations gets closer the anticipation in the sabb office grows. These elections genuinely are a big deal and Council will be the body that makes the big Union decisions (oversees student officer work, debates Union policy [e.g. the boycott of Nestle] and a big say on a budget of £2.8m).
If that sounds interesting to you, and it should, then you need to get onto nominating yourself quickly. The deadline is Monday 12pm and it's very strict.
Thanks to the person who left a snickers in my office. I'll be pretty happy if this trend of coming back to an office where anonymous gifts of chocolate have been left continues. If you want to get in on the action then my office is above Coffee Revolution!
A week in the life...
Afternoon,
I haven't received any suggestions for my blog this week so I'll take you through a snapshot of what I've been up to.
Monday - went to a meeting about the new building project that will create an amazing new Union building beginning from the tail end of next year. Haven't got too far along in the process yet but the initial ideas are exciting.
Tuesday - had a meeting on the Sound Impact Awards which I've mentioned previously. We've now been through all the criteria and are in the process of seeing what measures we can put in place to improve our environmental performance.
Wednesday - went to see the Edge the central reception/restaurant/cafe/bar in the Endcliffe site. I hadn't seen it before and it was impressive. The development continues to get all the accomodation on the site up and running.
Today - catching up with a couple of Union managers and have a meeting later about what the Union could do in terms of online retail. It may well take a while for anything to come online, but it's good to be looking into the possibilities.
Friday - meeting with the Union auditors for them to clear last year's accounts.
The moment of my week was when I returned to my office to find a bar of chocolate wrapped up with an encouraging bible verse. Thanks to the thoughtful person/people who gave it to me. It was much appreciated.
One final thing: hopefully you'll have noticed promotion for Students' Union Council. I say get involved. It means you'll get to spend every other Thursday evening in my company!
If you need a more substantive reason to stand then you'll get to debate Union policy, scrutinise the officers work and whole load of other exciting stuff. The Union really is shaped by students and this is your chance to play a significant part in that. If you've any questions be in touch with any officers, myself included (pete.johnston@shef.ac.uk).
I haven't received any suggestions for my blog this week so I'll take you through a snapshot of what I've been up to.
Monday - went to a meeting about the new building project that will create an amazing new Union building beginning from the tail end of next year. Haven't got too far along in the process yet but the initial ideas are exciting.
Tuesday - had a meeting on the Sound Impact Awards which I've mentioned previously. We've now been through all the criteria and are in the process of seeing what measures we can put in place to improve our environmental performance.
Wednesday - went to see the Edge the central reception/restaurant/cafe/bar in the Endcliffe site. I hadn't seen it before and it was impressive. The development continues to get all the accomodation on the site up and running.
Today - catching up with a couple of Union managers and have a meeting later about what the Union could do in terms of online retail. It may well take a while for anything to come online, but it's good to be looking into the possibilities.
Friday - meeting with the Union auditors for them to clear last year's accounts.
The moment of my week was when I returned to my office to find a bar of chocolate wrapped up with an encouraging bible verse. Thanks to the thoughtful person/people who gave it to me. It was much appreciated.
One final thing: hopefully you'll have noticed promotion for Students' Union Council. I say get involved. It means you'll get to spend every other Thursday evening in my company!
If you need a more substantive reason to stand then you'll get to debate Union policy, scrutinise the officers work and whole load of other exciting stuff. The Union really is shaped by students and this is your chance to play a significant part in that. If you've any questions be in touch with any officers, myself included (pete.johnston@shef.ac.uk).
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