Me :)

Me :)

Monday 2 December 2013

Moustaches Abroad


Moustaches Abroad…
 
These last two months have been extremely exciting; I’ve even been busily undergoing preparation and completion of a collaborative Research project in Argentina. I had to move quickly in getting some USWSU work up to date and completed so that I could focus my time and efforts into the once in a lifetime Project.…

 
 


#KeepTabsOnTheSabbs

* We’ve been organizing a campaign for Fair Funding from the University. This has included us filming an exciting video that we hope to release soon, sending a letter to the VC, encouraging Students to petition, tweet, fb and e-mail the University. We’ve assessed and amended the Union’s finance and budgets and are awaiting a meeting with the directorate of the University to re-negotiate our subvention. It’s extremely exciting to see the students supporting the campaign and speaking up!! :D

* We’ve given information talks and sent out details to teams on how they can sign up for Saloufest – USW’s first ever tour.

* Outstanding trustee positions were advertised through the USWSU website. We recruited for the remaining three positions.

*We ran a poster campaign to guide students to the roles of an SVR/CR.

* We advertised and ran the tri-elections (student council elections). We managed to recruit for the Pontypridd region council, the Newport region council and the Cardiff region council.

* We’ve been working hard with the commercial team in offering alternate nights to students. We’ve decided to hand the reigns over to the students in designing their own nights.

* We’ve been lobbying students to sign a petition which lobbies the government to reject the plans to cut £65 of FE and HE funding. Sign the Petition here:


* We’ve delivered our second Go Out And Talk Campaign to Students at the Treforest Campus. We gave a survey out to students requiring feedback on the SU and have collated them and passed them on to the relevant departments.

* We’ve designed and prepared the Safety Campaign – alcohol awareness posters. The campaign will go live in January.

* We’ve encouraged Student Council to engage in the recent campaigns so that we can offer more as an SU.

  
#BusyBee   #LifeOnTheRoad

 
* Excitingly, I visited Argentina to compile research on the Territory Education System in Argentina. We had some great data and even took part in a student protest. Details of the exchange can be seen on my blog – Adventures in Buenos Aires. Keep your eyes peeled for the unraveling of our findings.

* I visited NUS London HQ to work on what we will do for the SLTA’s this year. We have decided to recruit 3 Research Change Agents who will carry forward the manifestations of our ‘University Students Want’ academic manifesto. We will look to be recruiting these in January.

* I’ve been liaising with the Newport region welsh council officer and the NUS Wales Welsh language officer to lobby the Union for a Welsh language Policy. We are currently working on this.

* I’ve been working closely with the Glyntaff Campus Officer and Glyntaff Committee on various issues regarding Glyntaff.

* The VP Pontypridd and I have been drawing up design plans for the SU’s new social space in Glyntaff Campus. We finally have movement in camp with the fridges being removed and re-allocated.

* I’ve collected and distributed the SU feedback cards  and disseminated them to the relevant staff in the SU. #GOAT campaign.

* I’ve been chasing the Art Department with regards to getting a room for the AMC to use.

* I liaised with both sports departments across Caerleon and Treforest to develop an equal opportunity agreement. Students and Staff who have paid for membership on their primary base campus can now use the same membership on the other campus.

* I’ve been working with Caerleon Sports Department closely in developing a Tennis Co-Ordinator Postgraduate Scholarship. I’m currently looking into funding opportunities for this initiative.

* I’ve advertised and recruited Student Adventure Leaders to lead a group of fundraisers to raise money for charity, working with Challenges Abroad and Student Adventures, by doing the following challenges:  Inca Trek, Kilimanjaro Trek, Mayhem To Marakesh. We’re also looking into recruitment for a London to Paris bicycle ride.

* I organized and distributed the Course Representative Hoodies.

* I have been working with the local schools engagement University staff member to develop an engagement initiative, which will see Union staff and local school students working together on a project.

* I’ve been looking into the finances of May Ball and looking for sponsorship opportunities that will cover the shortfall from previous years. I’ve analysed the datasheets and am currently waiting on the supporting documents to go through those and to cross-reference. I’ve also been looking at alternative events if the financial situation deems the event impossible to host.

* I set up the Movember University of South Wales Network. I also raised over £100 for charity and as promised will be getting a moustache tattooed to my finger over the Christmas period.

* The Newport VP and I have been in talks with the deputy VC’s and estates to solution the accessibility issues there have been at City Campus SU.

* I’ve analyzed the NSS scores and highlighted hey focus areas for the year going forward. I’ve linked these in with points on the Academic Manifesto, which our change agents will carry forward into their research and implementation.

* I created a diagram informing students of where to go if they are in need of assistance, this can be viewed on the USWSU website.

* I wrote a news article for USW Rag informing students of the opportunities to fundraise and raise money for charity by going on a Trek to Inca.

* I totaled the RAG totals from last year which came out at £39,582.95. We hope to raise this and the profile of RAG this year.

* I’ve been working with Cardiff and The Vale Colleges to set up an SU at their institution. Hopefully we’ll be able to set one up for the next academic year.

* I've uploaded and updated the meeting minutes on the USWSU website from previous years. 
 

Apart from that I’ve fought a number of student cases, replied to millions of e-mails and attended millions of conferences, talks and events (slight exaggeration, but you get the picture).

Keep Peeled for more developments and the next update :).


For more frequent updates, follow me on twitter @USWSU_Pres and add me on Facebook - Carys Rhiannon USWSU.


Carys Rhiannon Thomas :D xx

P.s. A list of meetings I've attended since the last blogg...
 

#Representation #StickItToTheMan

 

OCTOBER 2013

23.10.2013 SU Site Visits, Caerleon & City Campus
23.10.2013 Health and Safety Committee Meeting, Treforest Campus
24.10.2013 Trustee Board Meeting, Treforest Campus
24.10.2013 Graduation Operational Committee Meeting, Treforest Campus
24.10.2013 Student Opportunities and Developments Meeting, Glyntaff Campus
25.10.2013 Argentina Research Meeting, Atrium Campus
28.10.2013 Review of Academic Practice and Peer Observation Schemes, Treforest Campus
28.10.2013 Belladonna’s SU Refurbishment Meeting, Glyntaff Campus
29.10.2013 Course Representative Training, City Campus
29.10.2013 Dakar Ralley Opportunities Meeting, Treforest Campus
30.10.2013 OIA Network Forum, Cardiff Met
31.10.2013 Emergency Planning Meeting, Atrium Campus
31.10.2013 Trustee Sub-Group Meeting, Atrium Campus

November 2013
04.11.2013                           Merthyr Tydfil College Board, Merthyr Tydfil
05.11.2013                           Team Sabb Meeting, Atrium Campus
05.11.2013                           Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama Board, RWCMD
05.11.2013                           Student Council Meeting Newport Region, Caerleon Campus
07.11.2013                           Equality Diversity and Sub-group Committee meeting, Treforest Campus
07.11.2013                           Student Council Meeting Pontypridd Region, Treforest Campus
09.11.2013-24.11.2013     Argentina NUS Territory Education Research Project
09.11.2013-24.11.2013     UBA School of Law, Teatro Colon, FUBA Faculty of Economics & Faculty of
Medicine, Faculdad De Derrecho Meetings/Interviews, Argentina
26.11.2013                           Cause and Effect Fair Funding Campaign Filming, Eglwys Ilan
27.11.2013                           Images Design, Print and Embroidery CR Hoodie Meeting, Pontypridd
27.11.2013                           Score, Treforest Campus
28.11.2013                           NUS Wales 40th Celebration Awards Dinner, Cardiff
29.11.2013                           SLTA NUS Away Day, London
30.11.2013                           Student Adventure Awards, London

December 2013

01.11.2013                           Student Adventure Awards, London

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