Fabian Neuner - President

Manifesto Update

2010-05-26T22:21:00.015+01:00

Remember these pictures, slogans and ideas?

People keep mentioning that my year in office is nearing its end (well, I've still got some time) so I thought I'd give you a quick update on those good old policies:

Feedback:

Together with the VPEA I used all channels to make this a University priority. We have come a long way since last year, through persistent lobbying and various committee meetings the working group on exam feedback was set up and after a number of meetings it has made recommendations for minimum standards for exam feedback for the coming academic year. The proposals are now waiting for the final sign off which would ensure that we finally have exam feedback next year! In order to not tempt fate we will wait for the final sign off before we start shouting about the details.

Library provision:

After discussions the VPEA and I had with Library Services the opening hours for this year’s Easter vacation period were extended. We are currently reviewing the proposals for next year but as it stands there will be extended opening hours for 2010/2011. This will include a general increase in the time the library is open and staffed (both earlier in the morning and later at night) as well as increased provision at weekends and during vacation periods (full details to be announced later).

This year has also seen the library increase awareness of self service machines and the possibility of using these for short loan renews. In addition a second shortloan machine has been ordered which should arrive soon. Further we will be supporting the library in making sure that course leads know about the importance of providing the library with a copy of their reading list so that any additional books can be bought in. On that note, if you ever do feel that a book you need is not in the library then email notinthelibrary@contacts.bham.ac.uk to make them chase up which texts aren’t available and then buying them in.

Accreditation:

Haven’t personally done much on this but this year the Personal Skills Award has been enriched by the activities pathway option and the PSA has been recognised nationally for enhancing employability. The Guild is continuing to strongly support the initiative to increase awareness of the need for accreditation.

Improved interaction and student communication:

In welcome week we spoke to more students than ever before and have since carried on with a variety of communication techniques. We have used social media, email newsletters and the GoS in Print to reach beyond the traditional groups of students involved in the Guild.

I feel we have started working better with media groups and the recent addition of Sabbs discussing their work on Burn.fm has been enjoyable and has hopefully yet again reached a new audience. In addition we used open days to talk to hundreds of potential students about student unions and activities and participation thereby raising awareness of the Guild and creating a rapport before they even arrive in Birmingham.

Importantly, through the democratic structures review pioneered by the VPDR and the subsequent referendum we have laid the foundation for a more interactive and less bureaucratic Guild that facilitates discussion rather than patronises through inflexible 'standing order democracy'.

Interfaith and intercultural dialogue:

The VPSAD has been leading on this and I’m very excited that we’ll be electing our first ever Interfaith committee next week. This is the culmination of efforts to increase interfaith dialogue including partaking in the NUS interfaith forum, facilitating interfaith events last November and engaging the University on this issue through the good campus relations group where I have looked into ensuring that both campus community and freedom of speech are taken seriously at all levels in the University.

Moreover, together with the VPW I have been planning a multicultural festival to take place in November to coincide with national interfaith week which will facilitate and support students and student groups to put on a range of high profile events, workshops and discussions on the topic.

Halls fees & Halls security:

Together with the VPHC ensured that 15% of the portfolio of University owned halls remain frozen at the lowest price point. Received a commitment to add more rooms at the lower end of the price range and to bridge the gap between the lowest prices and the next category up. Reached an agreement on the extension of security provision in Pritchatts park for 24/7 security. All in all the Guild have this year gained access to vital discussions surrounding hall fees which will make the student voice a lot more influential. We are now also in conversations about maintenance schedules, out of term arrangements and future provision planning.

Wi-fi:

Wi-fi is coming as part of phase 3 of the building redevelopment project. Moreover we are currently looking into a more holistic Guild IT strategy and how to improve various aspects of our IT provision.

Edit: We have now finally joined the University's Wi-fi network so you access wi-fi in Joe's and in meeting rooms across the Guild.

Tuition Fees:

The tuition fees campaign has taken many guises this year: 24 hour notice flashmob with 400 students to raise awareness of student opinion on the Browne review; vote for students campaign to lobby MPs to vote against higher fees, Aldwych Group lobbying, town takeover campaigns and regional cooperation, condemnation of plans to break vote for students pledge, media campaigning and awareness raising both locally and nationally.

Most recently I went to London (with others from the Aldwych Group) to lobby the Russell Group to make its submission to the fees review public so we could have an honest debate. Our lobbying resulted in the submissions being published alongside great media attention. We are currently analysing this data and forming an argument around it.

Student focused campaigns:

Besides the tuition fees campaigning and the vote for students campaigning we have sought to reform structures to enable easier bottom-up campaign building through a less bureaucratic and procedural democratic participation structure in the Guild. We have worked tirelessly to engage with Redbrick and support student campaigns where possible. Our campaigns and events where mapped against the findings from student surveys and focus groups to ensure that we are genuinely working on issues that students care about and that students want us to be active on.

Relevant Guild:

This has been a theme throughout the year. Both on a strategic and on a front facing level this was a priority. This year we’ve seen evidence based decision-making and campaigns. Through student surveys, focus groups and discussions we have sought to understand needs of students and act upon those rather than just pursuing what we felt was right. We have engaged in strategic discussions and have been externally assessed by the Student Union Evaluation Initiative to ensure that we are being relevant to our members. Further through engaging proactively and constructively with the University we have ensured that student concerns are heard at every level of decision-making thus making us more effective in delivering on the issues that really matter to all students (feedback on exams, halls fees and halls security, better library provision etc.). Research from both ourselves, the University and external organisations (International Students Barometer, SUEI) shows that this approach is working and that the Guild is having a clear positive impact on the student experience and is delivering on relevant issues.

During my campaign I further made promises (i.e. about the autonomy of Redbrick, reforming Guild democratic structures, strengthening links with the University, getting a book exchange [was done before I took office] and providing better events in the Guild) which I feel I have upheld. Unfortunately I’ve not been able to spend a lot of time increasing bursary awareness, however, I have had some discussions around a national bursary scheme and will be planning around this for the year to come.

Apart from this I’ve been working on a range of other issues as well. I’ll be outlining some of my other work (i.e. University Strategic Framework, University IT Strategy, Aldwych Group stuff, VC Question time etc.) and specific activities at a later date.

Honourary Life Membership (N.B.: Deadline extended)

2010-05-26T15:01:00.004+01:00

Do you know someone who has made an outstanding contribution to life within Guild?

This is your chance to nominate them for the Guild of Students Honorary Life Membership. Previous recipients have included past students, university staff and members of the local community. Nominations close on Tuesday 1st June at 5pm. Please click here to download the application form and click here to download the guidance notes .

Important Dates

Friday 4th June (has been extended) – Nominations close at 5pm; all nominations need to be submitted via email to democracy@guild.bham.ac.uk. If this will be a problem please contact us on 0121 251 2408 to arrange an alternative method of submission.

Wednesday 14th June – Short listed nominations are considered and voted upon at Guild Council.

Any questions please email democracy@guild.bham.ac.uk

It's official! Leaders' Debate on Campus - Vote for Students Day of Action!

2010-04-28T22:25:00.001+01:00

Yes, it’s true, and we are finally allowed to talk about it - the third and final Prime Ministerial debate will be held at OUR UNIVERSITY in the Aston Webb Great Hall tomorrow night!!

Join the Guild of Students in showing that student DO care about politics, students WILL be voting in this election, and politicians SHOULD be listening! Pick up a Vote for Students t-shirt from the Guild tomorrow or simply wear pink whilst going about your daily tasks on campus! The BBC will have a big screen on the ruby pitches from 12pm, and we will be showing the debate live in Joe’s from 8.30pm! Sign up to the Vote for Students campaign at http://www.voteforstudents.co.uk to find out if your candidates have pledged to vote against a rise in tuition fees if voted into parliament. Expect lots of media attention about the student vote, and have a great day!

General Election Update - Vote for Students Day of Action

2010-04-28T08:58:00.002+01:00

This Thursday the Guild of Students will be asking you to use your vote to vote for a candidate who pledges to vote against a rise in fees in the General Election on May 6th. To show support for the campaign students can wear a ‘Vote for Students’ t-shirt (available from the Guild), or simply wear pink.

The NUS Vote for Students campaign aims to mobilise the student vote for the coming general election, and asks parliamentary candidates to pledge to vote against a rise in tuition fees if they are elected to Parliament. To find out if your candidate supports the campaign, click here. Students make up 15% of the electorate and in many seats up and down the country the student vote can make a decisive difference.

The Prime Ministerial Debate taking place in the Birmingham area on Thursday is to be shown on a big screen on the University campus and in Joe’s from 8:30pm – 10pm. The BBC are providing the screen which will be in place on the rugby pitch from 12noon onwards – so come and show your support!

The Guild is also holding an election results night on May 6^th, tickets are £3 and on sale in Joe’s Bar now!

Join University of Birmingham VOTES in the General Election facebook group for all the latest news and more information!

Back from NUS conference

2010-04-19T17:55:00.007+01:00

Hi all,

I'm currently writing my NUS conference report and will be uploading it once NUS has published the full conference resolutions document and the minutes so I can cross reference (should happen this week). In the meanwhile I want to thank everyone who supported me in my election for a Student place on the NUS Trustee Board (results to be announced on Wednesday). This, alongside my campaigning activity for some amazing candidates, meant that I wasn't able to spend as much time as I would have liked to with the delegation outside of conference floor and I'd like to apologise for that.

For now, I'll leave you with this video that was shown on conference floor showing a message to students from the leaders of the 3 main parties:

Further information:

Conference documents (NUS)
Photos from Conference (Drew Stearne; NUS)
Videos from Conference (NUS)
Also, check out the reports from other delegates: Ed Sparkes, Mark Ian Harrop,

Info on Guild build - services in term 3

2010-03-24T13:40:00.003Z

From the 29th March onwards Membership Services consisting of – the Advice & Representation Centre (ARC); Student Development; the Job Zone; and also Reception and Room Bookings/Reservations will be based new locations as the building work for Phase 3 of ‘Guild Build’ commences.

The Phase 3 works will create a new Membership Services area in the space formerly occupied by Joe’s Bar. The new area will house all of the Guild Membership Services, such as the Job Zone, ARC, Warden and Student Mentor Schemes etc. A new Reception area will also be created.

More info and maps can be found here

On Burn.fm this afternoon

2010-03-22T10:53:00.001Z

Hi All,

Just thought I'd let you know that I'll be discussing topical issues and what we're currently up to this afternoon at around 5.30 on Burn.fm

University Question Time with the VC

2010-02-23T17:46:00.003Z

University Question Time - YOUR issues - Free food

Following on from last years' Great Debate the Vice-Chancellor is returning to the Guild to discuss students' issues with the Guild President. This is your opportunity to have the VC debate topical issues that are relevant to students and answer your questions. Join us for refreshments afterwards.

Questions can be submitted to Guild Reception (postcards supplied at Reception) or by emailing questiontime@guild.bham.ac.uk by no later than midday on Tuesday 2nd March. There is the possibility for follow-up questions from the floor which will be facilitated by the student chair. Please be aware that due to time constraints not all questions may be discussed.

Wednesday 3rd March in the Guild Council Chambers. We hope to see you there.

See the facebook event here.

Reaching out to Satellite Site Students

2010-02-08T19:54:00.003Z

This year the Officer team have tried to engage with students studying outside of the Edgbaston campus or with part time students who only rarely come on campus. Our student union should be able to offer you just as much support as we offer on site in our building therefore we have visited Satellite Sites both as individual officers and with representatives of our services.

Recently we introduced a Satellite Site section to our website which explains how you can use our services remotely. It is a first step but we would like to know what further information we can put on the website and what is currently missing.

Your Opinion Matters! Brigid and Fabian's first Education Podcast

2010-02-08T19:21:00.007Z

Listen!

So why us?

2010-02-08T18:30:00.006Z

I spoke to Daniel on the News show on BurnFM today (hopefully I'll be able to upload a podcast of the show soon) and alongside other topics we discussed recent Government announcements (more info here) to significantly cut funding for Higher Education over the next years.

One underlying question we discussed was why Higher Education budgets seem to be hit harder by current spending cuts than other areas of the public sector. You may call me cynical but I wholeheartedly believe that elections in this country are not won on education issues. The best way to combat Government cutting university budgets is to ensure that university funding is a salient political issue. In the past student voices have been drowned out when it comes to election time. We can change this! Students make up 15% of the electorate and student votes can swing constituencies (as we witnessed in 2005). NUS developed a pledge earlier this year calling upon parliamentary candidates to 'come clean on fees' and clearly state where they stand on the tuition fees issue.

The Guild will, in the run-up to the General Election, be encouraging students to register to vote (more info) and will be supporting NUS' 'Vote for Students' campaign. On www.voteforstudents.co.uk students are able to pledge to support parliamentary candidates who are opposed to higher tuition fees and when the election comes around they will be told which candidates support their view and which do not. This time round students will vote and they will send the message that education is an issue on which elections can be won (and lost!).

Prospective Parliamentary candidates be aware: Edgbaston and Selly Oak are constituencies are home to thousands of students! They are students and they will vote for students!

The Guild and International Students

2010-01-11T12:36:00.001Z

We just received the results of the latest International Student Barometer (ISB – an external international survey) and I wanted to share some of the headline figures with you. The overall results were very good and we received some good feedback on familiarity of what the Guild could offer and only a very small proportion (less than 5%) indicating that they didn’t know where to find the Guild.

The Guild received the third highest satisfaction level for the Support Services at the University, behind Faith provision and IT. This satisfaction level was higher than for both the ISB average (across all institutions that took part), and the Russell Group average. Students were also asked about their level of satisfaction with Clubs and Societies. Just under 50% of respondents had used this service with 95% of respondents stating they were satisfied with the provision. The average satisfaction rating for these was slightly higher than the ISB average, but slightly lower than the Russell Group average. Halls Welfare, which relates to the Guild Mentor scheme was included in the survey. Once again over 90% of students reported being satisfied with the service, and the average satisfaction level was slightly higher than both the ISB and Russell Group averages.

Most importantly, of all services across the University the Guild and Clubs and Societies were rated as equal top for level of satisfaction. These results are really promising but we could be even better. We know that at the moment many International Students know how the Guild can help them if they have problem but we want to see the Guild being used more proactively for development and social interaction. In term 3 will be hosting a multicultural festival to showcase internationalism and to open your eyes to a breadth of activities you can get involved with which have an international outlook.

(p.s.: an end of term report and term 2 plan are currently in the making)

NUS Town Takeover

2009-11-27T13:25:00.000Z

Sorry we haven't updated you on this recently but we are having some technical issues regarding the student action and so we can't confirm what our mobilisation next week will look like.

This is what is confirmed:

Town Hall Debate and Reception
Thursday 3 December 2009 | 7.00pm–9.00pm
Birmingham Council House, Victoria Square

Panel:

Jerry Evans, PPC, Lib Dems

Jo Barker, PPC, Consevatives

Pamela Taylor, Principal, Newman College

Salma Yaqoob, PPC, Respect

Wes Streeting, President, NUS

We are still in the process of confirming a Labour speaker.

We will also be holding student action and lobbying events on Thursday afternoon. Please watch this space and facebook for updates. On Friday morning we will be raising awareness and lobbying the general public.

MPs, Come clean on fees! (letter to the Guardian)

2009-11-13T00:10:00.002Z

I'm still reflecting on Tuesday's flashmob raising awareness about the HE funding review and ensuring that students' opposition to higher fees and the marketisation of higher education was heard loudly! I felt that the flashmob was a great success and I'd like to thank everyone who got involved! A round-up of the media coverage and the further campaign is soon to follow but at this stage I'd like to re-post the letter from Student Unionists across the country calling on both the Labour and Conservative parties to come clean on fees (see the Guardian):

"As student leaders we are appalled by Labour and Conservative attempts to duck difficult questions on student fees and finance at the next general election (Report, 10 November). We are in no doubt that a review panel dominated by business and university leaders is designed to stitch up students with yet another inflation-busting hike in tuition fees. Students will not stand for this. Opinion polls conducted for the National Union of Students and lecturers' union UCU consistently show that the overwhelming majority of the public are opposed to higher fees. Only 12% believe this review should even consider raising our fees; when students entering university this autumn are set to graduate with debts in excess of £23,500, it's not hard to see why.
Labour and Conservative leaders seem to believe they can maintain their cosy consensus of silence until the election and beyond. Today we are descending on parliament to demand that MPs come clean on their stance. Any parliamentary candidate that does not sign the NUS pledge to vote against an increase in fees and support our calls for a fairer funding system will be named and shamed. In 2005, the student vote made a significant difference in towns and cities across the UK. Our message is clear: candidates must vote with us, or students won't vote for them."

It is vital that students understand the power they posses as a collective. Make sure you are registered to vote well ahead of the general election and inform your local candidates that their position on student fees will be the issue which could mean the difference between winning or losing come the election!

A virtual Guild hub

2009-11-06T14:28:00.003Z

Following on from discussions I had on Satellite Sites about ways in which students who are not based on Edgbaston campus can interact with and benefit from the Guild I am looking in to the ways in which we can make better use of our website to increase the reach of our services. The idea is to create a 'virtual hub' which allows students to access services from off campus. We're trying to develop something to start with that can then evolve based on your needs. I'd like to hear more from students who don't normally get to come to the Guild about what sort of services they would like to see integrated better on the website.

Internships and widening participation

2009-11-05T18:42:00.003Z

I've had many discussions over the last couple of weeks on the topic of 'internships' and 'work experience'. Don't get me wrong I've done an internship and I had an amazing experience and I gained tremendous skills for life. However, more and more internships in this country are unpaid (expenses are normally covered) even if they go on for months. I' have a problem with this.

In many professions it is now seen as 'normal' that in order to progress on to good jobs it is necessary that applicants have gained experience through often unpaid internships. Simply being a university graduate will not make you stand out and that is why volunteering and society involvment have become such important parts of university life. However, while universities are trying to embrace an agenda of increasing access to higher education and widening participation these efforts are undermined by the proliferation of unpaid internships. Many students will not have the money (or the connections) which is needed to embark on an internship which means working for 3 months without getting paid.

This is a hastily written blog but I think this is an issue that we as student unions need to look in to if we take meaningful widening participation seriously! The Arts Group have flagged up this issue and I hope many other groups will follow (We have had discussions about this in the Aldwych Group already)!

What do you think? Is this an issue we should look in to? Check out this recent blogpost from the Arts Group and tell me what you think!

Remember the times.... when I used to blog

2009-11-05T18:30:00.004Z

Hi All,

Avid followers of this blog will have noticed that I haven't blogged for exactly a month. October was a really exciting but hectic month which is of course no excuse. I've not got the time now but i promise that I have a couple of very exciting blogposts in the pipeline.

In the meantime, you can have your say by filling out this Library Survey, or you could read about the recently launched 'Circles of influence' alumni campaign, or you could think about making a difference and run for your Residents Association (see Ed's blog for info).

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears

2009-10-05T20:44:00.005+01:00

Today I visited the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon. The institute houses UoB postgraduate students focusing on theatre studies and Shakespeare.

I spoke to the new students about the Guild and how we can help them campaign on their issues and how they can get involved. They told me about their current issues including library provision, transport and housing and I discussed these issues and ways of addressing them with staff on site. They were interested in the work of the Satellite Sites Officer and how they could engage more with drama societies on main campus.

We also discussed the idea of a 'literary festival' which is a potential project I had come up with at a visit to Stratford earlier this year. This would be a day long event in Stratford comprising plays, recitals, workshops (i.e. from RSC actors) from both the Shakespeare Institute Players and from students involved in drama and arty societies from Edgbaston campus. The project's aim is not only to bring together students interested in drama but also to showcase out Stratford campus to the wider UoB community. If you are interested in this project then please get in touch on f.neuner@guild.bham.ac.uk. I will keep you posted.

New Redbrick Website launched!

2009-10-03T09:40:00.004+01:00

Redbrick launched its new website this week. The project is a very promising step away from a static news content page to an interactive web 2.0 presence. Alongside the print edition of the paper the website will focus on being a genuine news source for students. Whether important campus, local or even national news this website will hopefully be able to be a point of discussion for students at the University of Birmingham.

You can also follow Redbrick on twitter via @Redbrickpaper. Also check out the websites of Burnfm .com and G:TV for updates on student radio and television. This year looks to be a very promising year for the media groups and hopefully their messages will reach as many students as possible.

Just for the record, I had nothing to do with this rebrand and merely wanted to blog about it because I feel it is noteworthy and I wanted to wish the team at Redbrick all the best for the year.

October elections!

2009-10-01T13:22:00.002+01:00

Nomination packs are available at the Guild reception now for both the vacant Officer positions and all Guild Council positions. Here is the information from the Guild website:

Nominations have now opened for all positions being elected in our October Elections. The positions for election are:

Postgraduate and Mature Students’ Officer
International Students’ Officer
Satellite Sites Officer
Disabled Students’ Officer
First-year Guild Council positions
Postgraduate Guild Council Representatives
Guild Council positions left vacant after the March Elections

Nominations close by 10am on Monday 12th October. To get a nomination pack, either collect one from Guild Reception or download one from this webpage. For more information, email us at elections@guild.bham.ac.uk.

Press release on HE Funding

2009-10-01T13:07:00.003+01:00

Here is the press statement we relased in response to an article in the Guardian by Vice Chancellor David Eastwood:

Increase in student fees not the solution to funding issues in Higher Education

David Eastwood, Vice Chancellor of the University of Birmingham, has commented on the funding of Higher Education today. The University of Birmingham Guild of Students is fully supportive of the view that reducing funding in the Higher Education sector will inevitably reduce the quality of Higher Education.

The Guild of Students is in agreement with his view on the importance of investment in teaching and the learning environment. However, the Guild of Students warns against an increase in tuition fees to cover any shortfalls in public spending on Higher Education and would welcome a political debate on the issue.

President of the Guild of Students, Fabian Neuner, says, “We firmly believe that the current cap on tuition fees should not rise and that this is not a long-term sustainable solution to funding cuts. This will only serve to solve the short-term problem and not address the actual problem of HE funding.”

Our view is that fees and markets promote a consumer mentality that is damaging to higher education. If the cap on fees was abolished, fees would rise to a level where a market in higher education would emerge. Prospective students would be required to make their decision on which University to attend based on affordability alone; not the choice of course, the campus, learning environment, sporting facilities or other factors.

Weakest Link Auditions come to the Guild!

2009-09-30T09:44:00.002+01:00

Calling all potential TV stars! Open auditions for the next series of the Weakest Link are being held all day (9am – 6pm) in the Common Room at the Guild of Students on Wednesday 7 October. The auditions will be quick, fun and a great way to test your general knowledge. The Production Team for the Weakest Link are keen to see as many interested students and staff as possible, so don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity!

Chat with Nick about giving blood

2009-09-27T13:10:00.004+01:00

During Welcome Week I gave blood for the first time as part of Johnny's (VPW) campaign to get the National Blood Service (NBS) back on campus after a Guild ban which was imposed a few years ago due to the discriminatory policies the NBS has towards homosexual men.

Nick from Redbrick spoke to me shortly after I had given blood:

Listen!

For a background on the debate surrounding the National Blood Service and the LGBTQ campaigning activities check out Matt's blog and this article on Redbrick Online.

Where does your money go?

2009-09-27T11:13:00.003+01:00

I really like this image from the Membership handbook and our Welcome Week powerpoint presentations. It is important to explain to students that our bars and shops aren't just there to provide excellent frontline services but that we provide commercial services to strengthen all other areas of what we do.

Meet Chilly

2009-09-27T10:55:00.003+01:00

I just wanted to link to this video that the Welcome Weeks committee created to introduce Chilly the Chill out Bear. Chilly is a household name for most Freshers by now and most students who met the bear remember that 'Chill Out' is about welfare provisions such as condoms, Spikeys and the Night Bus.

To find out more about Chill Out out check out the Freshers Fest website or add Chilly on facebook. Also keep up to date with welfare campaigns on Johnny's blog.

Welcome Week chats

2009-09-27T10:37:00.004+01:00

For me the most interesting aspect of Welcome Week was the chance to speak to thousands of students. This ranged from intense 1 on 1 discussions about standing in elections and running campaigns to standing on the stage of the deb hall in neon attire trying to condense the Guild's message into a few sentences to partying Freshers. I found both of these extremes and everything in between (speaking to small groups of students on a stall or giving a talk to around 400 medical students) really useful.

It's not just about spreading the word about the Guild and making sure that if students have questions or problems they know that the Guild is there to help. Whilst communicating our message is crucial it is also important to fulfill the feedback loop and listen to the views of as many students as possible. I've had some great discussions over the last week and hope that this trend continues throughout year!

Our new Membership Handbook is now available online

2009-09-18T08:26:00.004+01:00

Check out our new Membership Handbook!

In addition this year we have also produced guides for Welcome Week (including a pocket plan), our Support Services and the Your Voice guide. Happy reading!

Spreading the word - Open Day fun

2009-09-17T21:12:00.000+01:00

Saturday, sunshine, a brand new retail area to show off, a water spouting Mermaid fountain and masses of prospective students and their parents can only mean one thing: Open Day fun!

Back in June, Ed and I noticed that we as a Guild were missing a trick when it came to open days. We had a stall in the great hall in Aston Webb but didn't really do anything in and around the Guild. We thought that open days would be a great opportunity to speak to prospective students thus raising the profile of student representation. Therefore last Saturday all of the Sabbs got involved and we spoke to hundreds of prospective students and parents throughout the day and really enjoyed engaging with a variety of people over the day! It was a great success and I hope that the Guild will continue to proactively use Open Days to lay the foundations of student enthusiasm in the future.

Students in the recession: a survey and a tip

2009-09-17T20:46:00.005+01:00

The British Youth Council (BYC) is doing some research into young people and their experiences with the recession. It would be really good if you could fill this out to help them make their case! You could even win a subscription for your favourite magazine! Also, check out their website for updates on campaigns such as their campaign for an 'Equal National Minimal Wage'

Fill out the BYC survey here

Then, if thinking about the recession has made you worry about your uni lifestyle and shopping then here is a personal tip: Get yourself an NUS extra card and start saving (I particularly like the 5% off offers for both Amazon and play).

What I've been up to - Interview with Redbrick

2009-09-07T15:45:00.002+01:00

Nick from Redbrick just popped by to discuss a few ideas for the year ahead but we also got the chance to have a quick interview:

Listen!

If you want to stay updated with student and campus news then follow @rebrickpaper on Twitter.

Book Exchange - over to you!

2009-09-06T13:03:00.003+01:00

Book Exchange was a project of last years VPEA which launched towards the end of the last academic year. Brigid and I have been very keen on looking at improving and promoting the site as it will hopefully help students buy and sell textbooks which can sometimes cost fortunes.

You can now go to the Book Exchange and list your books in time for Freshers as 'adverts' will stay up until your books have been sold or alternatively they expire after a year. At the moment the site is quite empty but hopefully you guys can change that! I know I've got a few books I can put up there!

We hope you find the site useful!

Why 10:10 is more than just a good PR stunt

2009-09-03T21:32:00.013+01:00

Recently I've become quite excited by a campaign called 10:10 which I blogged about earlier. It was all a bit of a secret and it came as a surprise to many. We did a press release, Tom wrote a blog post on it and our involvement received a great reception from all parts of the Guild.

Siobhan, a former Guild Non-Sabbatical and good friend of mine, wrote an interesting blog entitled 10:10 - a realistic goal or just another PR stunt? outlining a few critical observations with the campaign. For instance whether people can reduce carbon emissions by 10% without knowing their current carbon footprint, whether it's all just an effort to put pressure on China and India in the run-up to the Copenhagen summit and whether another ice age is inevitable anyway?

I am no scientist and in no way qualified to blog about the science behind climate change and the prospect of another ice age. I don't think 10:10 is a conspiracy to put pressure on China and India but if the campaign gains the momentum it deserves then it may well have leverage on the people and organizations of other countries to rethink their lifestyles and reduce their emissions. And while some of the goals and ways to achieve 10:10 on a practical level may sound vague I believe that 10:10 means far more than meets the eye in the first instance.

Ultimately, 10:10 is about much more than individuals, companies and organizations pledging to reduce their carbon footprint by 10% in 2010. It's about creating a momentum for a cultural and societal shift. It's about explaining to individuals and organizations that small changes to our wasteful lifestyles can have a great positive impact with regards to tackling climate change. Just as Rome wasn't built in a day climate change will not be tackled in a year. What can happen in a year though is that people start understanding that we have the power to start shifting societal perceptions. The perception that our efforts don't matter because they would be overshadowed by what happens in other areas of the world must be challenged!

So, 10:10 is about changing peoples' attitudes and then getting those people to change other peoples' attitudes. We will all try to reduce our carbon footprints by different means (i.e. less driving, less meat, less flying, less standby etc.) but collectively we should all try and do the same: inspire others to follow suit. Tell your parents, your friends; tell anyone that the more individuals commit to doing a little bit, the easier it will be for us to collectively make a difference!

That is why we are doing 10:10! Alan Rickman and No10 recently signed up! Are you next?

We are a Guild of Students! A response

2009-09-02T21:03:00.006+01:00

After reading Ed's (Guild EEO) blogpost arguing that students are excluded from the democratic processes and the campaigns in the Guild I want to start having an open discussion on the topic. In brief, Ed raises two distinct points I want to address. Firstly, that students are excluded as engines of change and, secondly, that the Guild gives students a lower platform than Sabbs to share their views. I will now address these points:

Firstly, I stood on a manifesto of student led, bottom-up campaigns that involve students at every level. Being a Sabbatical is not about leading every campaign but about facilitating campaigns and empowering students to lead their on campaigns. Guild campaigns can only have credibility when the momentum comes from students. At the moment I am looking into ways of how to make this pledge a reality and any ideas are welcome. In the meanwhile, I can only facilitate the campaigns of those students that raise issues with me! Guild Council is the Guild’s policy making organ. Sabbatical officers, while working to achieve their manifesto pledges (on a basis of which they were elected), can be mandated by the students and every student can hold us to account. I agree with Ed that for too long we have allowed students to be disengaged and I hope that this year we can work together to change this!

Secondly, have I been given a platform which is disproportionately superior to fellow student bloggers? Well, according to my google analytics statistics only very few visitors to my blog have come via the Guild website so hence many people have come through word of mouth and my own advertising via facebook and twitter. I do not understand the point that students are being given less of a platform than me. The example Ed cites is Nick Petrie (whose blog I avidly follow). He promotes his blog well through twitter just the way I do. More importantly though he is the editor of Redbrick which gives him a platform of which I can only dream of. What is more any student can write for Redbrick or blog and as I stood on a manifesto pledging that Redbrick should be an uncensored and critical newspaper I fully believe that we are giving students a good platform.

And to all the student bloggers, tweeters and town-criers I have one simple request: share your ideas with me and make me aware of your issues and desires! I read blogs and tweets from students every day. Actually, right now I am working on a blog post on the topic of the 10:10 campaign after I saw tweets and blogs from different students being both inquisitive and constructively critical.

I am confused by the essence of the accusations of the Guild excluding students and would invite anyone to take the time and discuss this with me. I will leave you with this quote:

‘Realise that if you have time to whine and complain about something, you have time to do something about it’

In that spirit, if students feel passionately about an issue then they shouldn’t waste any time radically tiptoeing around the issue but come and see the officers and discuss how together we can actually go about achieving that change.

2009-08-31T16:17:00.005+01:00

Brigid and I attended our second Aldwych meeting on Friday and Saturday. Brigid blogged an introduction to what the Aldwych group is and why we benefit from it here and I would like to follow on from her post by talking about the issues we discussed and how we will work together over the coming year.

As unions traditionally send their Education Officers and Presidents to the meetings the focus is mainly on academic issues. The major discussions were around HE funding, postgraduate students, internationalisation, the relationship between research and teaching and widening participation. We discussed how the Aldwych group can play a proactive role in the tuition fee review and ensure that widening participation and fair access are on the top of the agenda. Over the two days we exchanged a lot of best practice and campaigning know-how which will undoubtedly come in useful over the course of the year. For example, we discussed the results of the recent National Student Survey seeking to find common problems that we can address as a collective. Here, I am especially keen to explore how excellent research can best feed into the teaching process.

Additionally, there were sessions looking at the future of the group and the operational aspects of the year ahead including how to best interact with the Russell Group and the media. There was an interesting presentation and debate on the topic of internships, linking them to the widening participation agenda and how to ensure that employers do not exploit students and recent graduates.

If you want to keep up-to-date with the activities of the Aldwych group then you can follow them on Twitter.

What are you doing tomorrow?

2009-08-31T13:48:00.008+01:00

Tomorrow the Guild will be at the launch of 10:10, a new exciting campaign aimed at tackling climate change. We cannot divulge too much information at this point (we will blog in detail after the launch) but encourage all of you who are based in or around London to join us at the Tate Modern tomorrow (September 1st) from 4pm onwards. Here is the official 10:10 teaser:

We will be tweeting live from the event and will keep you informed about the campaign throughout the year. For more information check out @tentenuk on twitter and their website. We know that the event is tomorrow but if you are free then we would encourage you to come along and be part of something big!

Digby Jacks, a Tale of two Cities and why Education?

2009-08-20T22:32:00.000+01:00

The summer highlight for many Sabbatical Officers across the country is Active Political Leadership (APL), an NUS training course, that is meant to not only provide you with invaluable skills for the year in office but also to challenge your views on education and the role of student unions. In total there were around 25 sessions ranging from tutor groups to workshops and lectures. The training consists of courses on theoretical leadership and teamwork; workshops on campaigning and dealing with the media; and a simulation event called 'Fibchester' to round off the event.

While I could go into lots of detail regarding many of these sessions (i.e. the difference between political and administrative rationality, the public sphere etc.) I want to reflect on three experiences that reinforced my beliefs in what we, as elected Guild Officers, are here to do. In 1974, then NUS President Digby Jacks asserted that:

“Representation must never be seen, except in
strategic and practical terms, as an end in itself.
Too many union officers see it as a question of
communication and merely sitting on the
appropriate committee.
The purpose of representation is to secure
educational and social change”

So, in a nutshell everything we do, should, in some shape or form, be part of a quest for positive change that will affect not only our members but wider society. Acknowledging this as the rationale of student representation is the first step to being effective as a collective student movement. The problem we are trying to tackle was highlighted by two excellent presentations entitled Why Politics? A tale of two Cities and Education, Diversity and Ideology. The presentations, through a narrative based on statistical enquiry, challenged my perceptions regarding education, class and social solidarity. I do not want to go into too much detail because I could never do justice to the presentations but suffice to say that we seem to have forgotten the link between education and social wellbeing. Education, from infant over primary to secondary, tertiary and lifelong learning is not only the recipe for personal welfare but also the foundation for a progressive society.

What? I don’t care how cheesy it sounds but education is the key to a better society. You probably have heard that today a record number of young people received A-level results that we can all be proud of. University will, nonetheless, not be on the cards for many of them. The academic year ahead will be crucial for the student movement, not only because we are uniting to stand against any increase in tuition fees in order to give as many people access to learning as possible but more importantly because we need to fight to change the culture our society has towards education. Only if we remember that education is more than just a means to an end, we can start to tackle the wider problems in society such as poverty. People should not be having debates on dumbing-down or whether some courses are mickey-mouse. Rather people should be having debates as to how education can benefit society and why it matters now more than ever. Let’s use this year to getting one step closer to securing that change.

A slightly different Welcome Week

2009-08-09T16:13:00.001+01:00

As the first weekend since starting our roles is coming to an end, I'd like to update you on what I've been up to over the past few days. Firstly, yes, I am doing Guild stuff on a Sunday. Sort of.

This week's highlights included moving into my office and figuring out how to answer emails from my blackberry. Fun and games aside it was enjoyable week and there is definitely something to be said for the summer months which see the Guild building close just after 5pm.

Over the last couple of days (amongst other things)...

I spent a lot of time discussing the Guild's ideas for the Birmingham Town Takeover which will be taking place in early December. The Guild will be part of a large scale NUS campaign to raise awareness of the problems caused by the marketisation of higher education. I will blog in detail about this shortly.
I represented students more directly by assisting with an appeal which included a lot of preparation and research.
We welcomed some of Cardiff's new Sabbs with whom we discussed the building redevelopment, union democratic structures, housing agencies and much more.
Got up to scratch with reports on feedback, quality assurance, trusteeship, governance, the National Student Survey, the Student Satisfaction Survey and our own market research.

This coming week I'll be off to Sheffield on Tuesday for four days of NUS Active Political Leadership training. I'll let you know how it goes and I'm sure that my blackberry will buzz every now and then with updates from the Guild.

What will tomorrow hold?

2009-08-02T15:00:00.000+01:00

July 2009 was an exciting month.

I turned 22, graduated, got hooked on the West Wing, mastered a go-ape course, moved house, spent a few days in the Lake district with my parents, bought a lawn mower, built a tower out of lego blocks (ask Tom for details), watched England play India at hockey, went to the Barber for the first time, got opinionated about alcohol, fell asleep during my own bbq, went to Newcastle...

Most of the time, however, I spent preparing for the adventure that lies ahead. Together with Brigid, Katie, Emma, Tom, Johnny and Ed I got inducted and trained in all matters related to the Guild. There were ups and downs, and there exist plenty of flip chart sheets that document the journey. Then, on a final night out on Friday, as the Sabb team of 08/09 celebrated the end of their year I suddenly noticed that when I enter the office on Monday it'll be the real thing. According to Jen I'm ready, tomorrow I will find out for myself.

July was awesome and I know that the next 12 months have a lot to live up to. This blog will allow you to follow the challenges and the successes that lie ahead. I hope you will enjoy the ride and please feel free to comment or email me anytime at f.neuner@guild.bham.ac.uk