Wins for Students
Below is just a selection of positive changes made by your current officer team in just the last six months. Take a look to see what you could do. You can see our 2013/14 wins here.
Area of Change
What it means
Engineering travel costs reimbursed.
When Engineering students were moved from Stafford to Stoke to study, the Union lobbied the University to ensure that any travel costs, outside of what they did initially, would be reimbursed.
Reinstate law course that was originally cancelled.
International students affected were able to start the course as emergency meetings were set up to get the course reinstated.
Kept 15% discount for postgraduate courses for existing students.
The 15% student discount for post-graduate study that was nearly pulled for students on PGCE courses was secured and the discounted price for the duration of the course was still available.
Harnessing student talent at Introducing nights.
New student DJs were secured at the new club night Refresh. Introducing nights were also held on Thursday’s which gave students the chance to showcase their talent to a live audience.
Rochelle appointed to the NUS HE zones committee. (National Union of Students Higher Education Zones Committee)
The committee looks at shaping higher education provisions across the nations and directing the working campaigns of NUS. This gave students a chance to bring forward learning and teaching issues or areas of focus that they have to face to the table.
No further changes to ticket prices or dates of graduation.
Representatives from the Union sit on the awards ceremony planning group. This year made sure that ticket prices for graduation remained fixed for 2013/14 and put forward student views around the time of year that graduation is held.
This gave students the chance to participate in a minute of silence for those lost. There was a really good turn out and there was also a poem received from Mel Ramsay which was beautiful and heartfelt.
BME students were given work placements, none last year.
Many BME students have been in touch with the opportunity to go on a work placement. Again this shows the university and union are in partnership to giving students the best opportunities possible.
OMG on the homepage of the website to increase listeners.
OMG now have a listen/play button on the front page. This means they can now promote information through the radio and more students will hear them. Also it gives students a better course experience, promoting their radio shows and events at our venues.
‘Ratemash’ forced to ask students permission.
The change to their policy has stopped Ratemash from featuring any student or staff in the University without their consent. The students and staff of the University are now protected and their personal lives cannot be publicised so easily.
Shrewsbury nurses getting improved common room.
This has created a more appropriately sized and furnished communal space that puts students at the heart of what the University do, not secondary.
The Computer Systems Security module assignment has had its deadline extended after a number of students from networking awards came forward requesting that they needed the time leading up to Christmas to revise for exams.
With the reduction in Gym Prices at the Stoke campus from £12 to £10 per month for students, it was identified by the Officer Team that the price for Stafford campus of £22.70 per month was too high for the students, even with the difference in the equipment. Working together with the new Head of Sports Development & Active Lifestyles and Director of Campus & Commercial Services the price was lowered to £15 per month.
Working closely with the council, the Students’ Union has managed to acquire a polling booth, where students at the Stoke accommodation can go an vote in the General Election in May 2015.
There is now an opportunity for Staffordshire University students to perform at graduation. If this is something that you think you would be great at, please email Mel.Ramsay@staffs.ac.uk
It was an attempt to raise the awareness of Black History within the institution. By creating a banner we wanted something that was mobile, straight to the point and obvious. This was a success as the Union marketing team put out pictures of different groups during welcome week holding up the banner creating awareness for the next month.
During October the Equality and Diversity team put on different events that we promoted and competitions to get students and staff members thinking why is black history important? University allowed us to display the banner outside Cadman library giving it full visibility.
All students from different backgrounds were aware of the month, which is why I think it was successful. For next year we hope to continue this awareness and spread it even further gaining local recognition and eventually national.
Working with the Retail and Hospitality Manger from the University, we have been able to get vending provision in the Student Space at the Stafford campus to allow for distress purchases when the Student Shop closes at 6pm.
The implementation of the Student Rovers to monitor the libraries during the night has helped in the reduction of student behaviour problems during the night at the library, as well as developing student’s employability.
The Officer team identified that the proposed increase from £20 to £50 was too much of an increase for students. This issue was discussed with the Director of Campus and Commercial Services who agreed, and took forward the proposal that the students pay £35.
Transport for Stafford students to Gobble
To improve the cohesion of the two campuses, it was decided that Stafford students should have the opportunity to experience events at the Leek Road Venue at the Stoke campus. Transport was therefore arranged for the Stafford students.
Post graduate Engineering exams
Staff member and students approached the office with the fear of majority of the class would fail as there is not time for revision during week Not all of the areas would have been covered and staff feared for the performance of their students. This came to our attention and we discussed the issue with my General Manager as overall feedback to move exams to the end of first semester majority students were in favour. But we took on the student voice to university level and were able to get Postgrad Engineering exam timetable moved back to January to give more students time to prepare.
The Union has been representing the student voice to the Executive and the Faculty about the recent announcement of consultation to the staff at the Art Shop. We are still working on maintaining the provision of the Art Shop until a suitable replacement service is in place. We are therefore working with the students we are identifying mandatory items that they need for their course, thus looking into the option of stocking them within the College Road Students’ Union Shop.