Issue 5// December 2015
ENO’S EDITORIAL Hi Guys, it’s been a great first academic term with a lot of positive changes happening within our Students’ Union and Coventry community. Listing a few: 1 - NUS Quality Students’ union award, as being VERY GOOD. The assessment report reads: “Coventry University Students Union is a very good Students’ union with many excellent aspects of particular note is the effectiveness of the course rep system, the work of the advice centre and the strength of the relationship with the University”. 2 – Successful Freshers’ Event 3 – All Students Meeting (ASM). We had over 500 students in attendance and still the biggest turn out in the country. We never cease to amaze NUS officers with our numbers. 4 – Good Motions passed and good attendance by our amazing students councillors. All our council meetings this term met quoracy. Well done Councillors. 5 – Your Students’ union played a key role towards winning of this year Times Higher Education awards – The University of the Year “Coventry University”. Well done to everyone who made this term a good one. Our amazing staff for their support, students for coming to us with their needs, trustees, student councillors and our awesome Executive team for being there for all. Thank you. On behalf of the team I am wishing you all a happy holiday.
New General Manager for CUSU The recruitment process for the General Manager of CUSU has just been completed. There was a strong field of applicants from across the country with applications from those in other universities, the NHS, other students unions and from senior positions in the third sector. Such a high level of candidates tells us that CUSU is in a good position to recruit the senior staff member. However, after the short listing and interviews and presentations a successful candidate emerged and has accepted the offer of the post. Our new General Manager is John Abell and he will start in April. He is currently the senior manager at Gloucestershire University Students’ Union and has been in that position for 4 years and developing the organisation from very basic beginnings. Before that John was at Warwick University Students Union as the Marketing and Communications Manager and was at WUSU for a total of 12 years. So John knows about students unions and he knows about the city of Coventry too. I am sure you will all give him a warm welcome.
Your newly elected Democracy & Campaigns Officer
My name is Akanimo Enime and I am about to finish a Master’s degree in Environmental Management. I was the former Provost of the Nigerian Society and in this capacity I worked as part of a team that hosted the largest gathering of Nigerian students in Coventry University to celebrate Nigeria’s independence. I am also a former student councillor, and in this role I worked with student’s from diverse backgrounds to put together various society events. I enjoy working with young people because of the creative ideas that can be birthed and this is what inspired me to get involved in the Students Union. In my spare time I love catching up with news from around the world and also love to play football- I’m a big fan of Chelsea FC.
`
A CLOSE UP LOOK AT THE MEMBERS OF STAFF THAT HELP MAKE IT ALL HAPPEN AT CUSU
Marketing & Communications
Stuart McCulloch Hi, I’m Stuart I oversee the Communications & Commercial Department that sits within Central Services. I lead in regards to strategic planning, embedding a structure in which the dept operates Aman Sidhu Hi, I’m Aman the Communications & Commercial Assistant Manager. I am responsible for managing the wonderful C&C Team to ensure the voice of CUSU is delivered through all our communication channels, overseeing all print and digital content. Equally I am responsible for maximising commercial activity to enhance and develop business growth. Andrew Stain Hi I’m Andrew and I’m the Graphic and Digital Media Designer at CUSU. I am responsible for creating all of our graphic and visual communications as well as management of the website. I’m basically here to make things look pretty.... like me.
Mustafa Hussein Hello! I’m Mustafa and I am the Junior Media and Graphic Designer here at CUSU. I work alongside Andrew in the Communications and Commercial department. My job is to develop and design concepts and artwork to be put forward to production for CUSU, covering all departments within the organisation. I studied here during my three year degree, so having a broad knowledge and understanding of the students and environment has helped me grow substantially within my role here.
Hannah Albone Hi, I’m Hannah Albone, and I’m the Communication and Sales assistant for CUSU. I’m a Masters Student here at Coventry, studying Communication, Culture and Media, and I did my BA here too. I work alongside Zain, and together we work on news articles, social media content, campaigns and events happening here at the students union. I have a love of cats, books and gaming, especially all three! Zain Luke Ali Hi, I’m Zain! Working closely with Hannah, I support the successful implementation of CUSU’s communication strategy and you’ll usually find me managing the CUSU social media pages, or producing written content for our online channels. Essentially, it’s my job to make sure we are communicating effectively with our members and that they know exactly how to make the most of their Student’s Union.
Membership now stands at 1125 as @ 23rd October, which includes 499 who are on our Add+Vantage modules. Our first “Volunteering Get Involved Week” 12th – 16th October was huge success with several hundred students engaging with us during the week and around 300 students registering with us that week. Activities included: Volunteer Fair, Make a Difference Days, Skills Workshop and micro volunteering activities in The Hub. Team now very busy trying to process these 1125 volunteers with DBS, training, and supporting them to find a volunteering opportunity which meets their needs. Some of our own projects are now underway with 31 students trained on the Gen2 Gen project, 36 awaiting training on the Active Mind and Body project, and 12 volunteers are engaged in our schools “Harry Potter week” project in a local primary school supporting PE, Science and the Arts in fun and creative sessions with a Harry Potter theme. 100 students are on our general schools volunteering waiting list, we are preparing for another launch of our Post Grad project with Business and Law and working on recruiting for our language register. The Student Volunteer team have been great so far and helped at Fresher’s as well as leading on activities and stalls as part of the Get Involved Week
The Chair The Chair must be shown respect at all times Councillors must be silent when the Chair is speaking Councillors must abide by the process implemented by the Chair, including waiting for the Chair to signal to them before speaking Councillors’ behaviour: Councillors should be mindful of who they are representing Councillors must show mutual respect for each other’s views Councillors should listen and attempt to empathise with each other Councillors must be patient by allowing others to finish speaking before speaking themselves Councillors should never boo, shout, jeer or patronise each other Councillors should treat each other as they wish to be treated Councillors should exercise restraint if they disagree with each other Student Council meetings should contain: Factually accurate information Professional conduct (with particular regard to whispering, moving around the room whilst Council is in session and eating) to be regulated by the Chair Accessibility provisions to ensure that all Councillors can participate in all Council activities A positive regard for observers Accountability and credibility Debate between Councillors that serves the interests of the wider Council by seeking to inform the decision making process Student Council meetings should not contain: Disrespect Personal discussion between Councillors Mobile phone calls Deliberate disruption of Council proceedings by Councillors, or observers Threats, blackmail or otherwise aggressive language Digression from the subject of the agenda item The Chair will warn Councillors who break this code of conduct. Those who continue to break it will be excluded from the meeting. 1. Chair of Student Council shall: a) Prepare the agenda for and Chair all Student Council meetings, in accordance with the schedule for the organisation of CUSU meetings b) Ensure that all members, particularly non-Executive members, are able to participate fully in Council meetings c) Ensure that Student Council is informed by Executive members of CUSU business, the implementation of policy and that Student Council may question Executive members d) Report any breaches of the Constitution, regulations or policy by the Executive to Student Council and, where necessary, to the Board of Trustees
Staffing update Successful Staff Appointments: Student Community Coordinator – started on 09/11/2015 We held interviews for the following posts: Student Union Coordinator on 23/11/2015 Senior Finance Assistant on 24/11/2015 Societies Support Assistant on 27/11/2015 Student Representation Assistant on 01/12/2015
CUSU Calendar Executive Meetings: 17th December 2015 14th January 2016 28th January 2016 Zones Meetings: Academic 11th January 2016 Liberation & Sectional 12th January 2016 Community 14th January 2016 Student Council 26th January 2016 Select Committee 20th January 2016 Elections in a Nutshell 26th January 2016 You can find the yearly CUSU Democracy Calendar by following the link below: http://www.cusu.org/your-union/studentleaders/the-student-council/democracycalendar-and-attendance/
Useful Links CUSU 2020 Vision, Articles of Association, Impact Report and Consolidated Accounts http://www.cusu.org/yourunion/documents/