Goldsmiths SU Welcome Guide 2015

Your guide to Goldsmiths SU

Goldsmiths Students’ Union Handbook 2015–16 —

Welcome to Goldsmiths Students’ Union _

— Goldsmiths Students’ Union, Dixon Road, New Cross, London SE14 6NW goldsmithssu.org GoldsmithsSU 020 7717 2511

Students’ Union Handbook 2015–16 Contents —

Introduction 6

Officers and Representatives 8

Activities 16

Your voice 40

Advice and tips 52

Welcome Week 68

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Goldsmiths Students’ Union — Inspiring and empowering students to change the world

Hello and welcome. The Students’ Union is an organisation running alongside, but independent to, the College itself and we are here to represent and support every student at Goldsmiths. Whether it’s Sports, Societies, campaigns, entertainment, advice, supplies or just good company that you’re after, we can help you. And that’s our sole purpose.

The SU is run by full-time Sabbatical Officers, voted in by the student body, together with full-time Staff, about 20 part-time Officers and 50 Student Staff members. We act as the collective voice of all Goldsmiths students. As a body run by students, in the interest of students, we are a community who recognise that we can achieve the changes we want to see by working together.

As a student of Goldsmiths, you are automatically a member of the Students’ Union and are therefore entitled to our various services, as well as the opportunity to run for a position and vote in our annual Elections. Read on to find out more about your SU and how to get involved. We look forward to looking after you.

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Your Officers and Representatives at Gold SU Every academic year, students vote for fellow students to become Officers, who together with Staff are responsible for running the Students’ Union.

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Sabbatical Officers Part-time Officers Student Media Academic Representatives —

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Sabbatical Officers The Executive Officers of the Students’ Union are four full-time Sabbatical Officers, elected into their position to work for one year. They act as your representatives in College committees, as Trustees of the SU and as activists on behalf of the students campaigning on issues that you believe in.

Right by you, all for you

ADRIHANI RASHID President adrihani@goldsmithssu.org — Hani acts as the bridge between students and the College, representing your views on various College committees and acting as the Chair of the Students’ Union Trustee Board.

DANIEL NASR Education Officer daniel@goldsmithssu.org — Daniel provides support for academic related issues and enquiries, aiding and facilitating academic representation as well as coordinating campaigns throughout the year aimed at providing a wholly inclusive and accessible education.

BAHAR MUSTAFA Welfare & Diversity Officer bahar.mustafa@goldsmithssu.org — Bahar is responsible for representing the voice of the student body when it comes to issues surrounding welfare, liberation groups and facilitating campaigns that highlight these concerns.

ALEX ETCHES Activities & Campaigns Officer alex@goldsmithssu.org — Alex’s role involves facilitating campaigns students want to run, helping Sports and Societies to get the most out of their activities and to ensure more representation for students within departments.

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Part-time Officers Black and Minority Ethnic Officer • Disabled Students’ Officer • Ethic and Environmental Officer • Housing Officer • International Students’ Officer • LGBTQ Officer • Palestine Twinning Officer • Women’s Officer • Union Chair • Societies Officer • Campaigns Coordinator • Student Parents’ Officer • Mature Students’ Officer • Sports Officer • Student Trustees

Apart from the four full-time Sabbatical Officers, your voice is also represented by a total of 21 elected part-time Officers.

These Officers represent your views on a wide range of issues, such as those regarding liberation groups, housing, activities, postgraduate issues, as well as sitting on the Trustee Board of the Students’ Union.

If you are interested in becoming a part-time Officer, contact our Democracy, Engagement & Policy Coordinator to find out more. jamie.green@goldsmithssu.org

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Student Media — Student Media at Goldsmiths has three branches: Wired Radio, our in-house newspaper The Leopard and [smiths] Magazine. Like the Officers, the managers and editors are elected into their positions for a period of one year and their activities are run as a Society, therefore open for all students to join. Read more on page 36.

Academic Representatives — Departmental Student Coordinators (DSCs) and Student Representatives are recruited at the beginning of the academic year and represent your views within your acadamic courses and departments, facilitating student-led changes at a departmental level. Read more on page 48.

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Activities at Gold SU Whatever your fancy, at whatever level, there’s an opportunity here for you. Join a Society, play a Sport, get involved.

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The Activities team Sports Varsity Challenge Societies Activities Tour Awards Student-led Social Programme Community Action Student Media Facilities —

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The Activities team

CLAUDIA TURKINGTON Societies & Community Development Coordinator claudia.turkington@ goldsmithssu.org — Directly handles Societies, Community Action Groups and student-led volunteering. Get in touch to find out more or learn how to organise your own activity.

TOLU MAGBAGBEOLA Sports Development Coordinator tolu.magbagbeola@ goldsmithssu.org — Manages the competitive and recreational Sports teams.

Whether you want to play a sport competitively and join a team, or just set up a club for fun, Tolu can assist.

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Sports

50+ 100+ 25 Societies

ROANNA FAWCETT Student-led Social Programme Manager roanna.fawcett @goldsmithssu.org — Responsible for the day- and nighttime events held in Students’ Union spaces. She can help you facilitate your activity.

Events

Officers

65

DSCs

ISAAC ARMAH Part-time Activities Assistant activities@goldsmithssu.org — Supports the management of Sports teams and holds further information including competitive fixtures.

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Sports

Competitive — The Students’ Union facilitates the training and league fixtures of 15 competitive sports teams, who compete in the British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) League, the London University Sports Leagues (LUSL), Cheer League, amongst others.

Although these teams are competitive, most of the teams also welcome recreational members who pay a reduced membership fee.

Recreational —

Badminton Men’s Basketball Women’s Basketball Cheerleading Cricket Cycling Dance Men’s Football Women’s Football Hockey Jiu Jitsu Karate Muay Thai Netball Pilates Men’s Rugby Running Ski & Snow Taekwondo Ultimate Frisbee Volleyball Yoga

Besides the competitive teams, we also offer a wide variety of recreational teams.

To find out how you can start your own team, get in touch with our Sports Development Coordinator. tolu.magbagbeola@goldsmithssu. org

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Varsity Challenge — Every year, the competitive Sports teams are pitted against our rivals from University of Arts London in our Annual Arts Cup. Over the past seven years, Goldsmiths have won 4 times while UAL have won just twice (with a draw in 2014). This year, the challenge will be to reclaim the Cup, as UAL were the previous victors in 2015.

The tournament lasts 2 days, covering indoor and outdoor sports, and is followed by the Afterparty, usually hosted in The Stretch. Read more on page 30. Students can get involved by representing a team, reporting via The Leopard newspaper or Wired Radio, or simply showing your support as a spectator.

Let’s bring the Cup home!

‘07 UAL

‘08 UAL

‘09 Gold

‘10 Gold

‘11 Gold

‘12 UAL

‘13 Gold

‘14 Draw

‘15 UAL

‘16 22–23

Societies

African Caribbean Society • Anime Society • Bass Society • Chocolate Society • Christian Union • Comedy Society • Contact Improvisation Society • Counterfire Society • Creative Writing Society • Debating Society • Drama Society • English Society • Feminist Society • Filmmaking Society • Gaming Society • Hacksmiths • International Students Society • Islamic Society • Jewish Society • Korean Society • LGBTQ* Society • Music Society • Musical Theatre Society • Palestine Society • RAG Society • Re:Mind Society • Salsa Society • Visual Cultures Society

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Goldsmiths Students’ Union hosts a number of student-led academic, cultural, identity, and hobby based Societies, where like-minded individuals can get together, discuss, and participate in their interests. From film screenings to debates, pub socials to quiz nights, there’s always something going on.

Joining a Society is a great way to meet new people, make a difference in our community, and be active in the SU. Our selection of Societies is always changing; growing and evolving to meet your needs.

If the Society you want to join doesn’t exist yet, you can go ahead and set it up yourself!

Freshers’ Fayre on 21–22 September is the best way to learn what’s available directly from the Societies themselves. Otherwise, our Societies & Community Development Coordinator can advise you on how to get involved or even to start your own. claudia.turkington@goldsmithssu.org

Activities Tour —

Awards —

Every year all Society and Student Media members are invited on a holiday held during the Easter break. Last year saw our students enjoying a 4-day trip to Berlin, accompanied by the Campaigns & Activities Officer and the Societies & Community Development Coordinator. This year, the Activities Tour will be headed to Amsterdam!

The Activities Dinner is an annual event hosted by the Students’ Union in March.

There will be opportunities for sightseeing, a friendly tournament with Dutch universities for our Sports teams, a political meet up with Amsterdam students and plenty of nights out.

If your Society would like to organise their own trip abroad, exclusive to their members, please contact our Societies & Community Development Coordinator.

It celebrates the achievements of the Sports and Societies that have contributed to the success of the Students’ Union throughout the year, as well as acknowledging individuals and student leaders who have been most committed to the ethos of ‘inspiring and empowering students to change the world’.

As always, this year’s Activities Dinner will be planned by the Activities team Read more on page 18, but will take into consideration the feedback from you the students. A focus group will be held closer to the time so be sure to let us know what you’d like to see at this year’s event.

claudia.turkington@goldsmithssu. org

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Student-led Social Programme

This enables events or activities to be run by students, for students. Use spaces within the SU, including the bar or studio space in The Stretch or the Common Room, to organise your own.

If you have any ideas, it’s the Student-led Social Programme Manager who you want to liaise with. roanna.fawcett@goldsmithssu.org

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The Stretch The Stretch is an awardwinning, 550-capacity bar and event space exclusive to Goldsmiths students.

Located on the 2nd floor of the SU building.The venue has recently undergone refurbishments for the new year, including a brand new sound system, lighting, bar decor and new furniture to accompany our popular pool table, foosball table and TV monitors. There are two balconies as well with lush views of the London skyline.

The Stretch is wheelchair accessible with step-free access from the pavement, elevator access to all floors of the building and ramps in all other areas. Toilets are located on ground and 2nd floor.

Downstairs has a separate disabled bathroom and upstairs there is a designated disabled cubicle as part of the genderneutral bathroom.

The Stretch has been recognised as a Bronze venue

by Attitude is Everything. This means our venue adheres to the following criteria to improve access for deaf and disabled staff, students and guests: • Accessible toilets • Level access • An emergency evacuation plan • An accessible booking system • ‘2 for 1’ carer ticket scheme • Viewing area • Staff can describe access • Accessible publicity and access information • Disability Equality Training for Staff Also brand new this year is our very own Goldsmiths SFG brew in collaboration with Brockley Brewery. Learn more about SFG as the year goes on.

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Activities Night every Thursday — For all those signed up to an SU activity — be it a Sports team or Society, Student Media or Community Action Group — your designated social night occurs every Thursday in The Stretch.

Every week there will be a free dinner at 7pm (attendance must be confirmed beforehand). It’s a safe space to gather with existing members and a chance to invite new members too. On a monthly basis we will also have a Staff representative in attendance to answer any questions or issues you may have regarding Activities.

The launch party is on Thursday 24 September during Welcome Week, tied in with Wired Radio’s first event. For further information and event invitations, Like The Stretch page on Facebook. Alternatively, our Student-led Social Programme Manager is the person to contact. roanna.fawcett@goldsmithssu.org

v

What’s on every week at The Stretch 8pm onwards _ MONDAYS OPEN MIC NIGHT TUESDAYS QUIZ NIGHT WEDNESDAYS CLUB SANDWICH THURSDAYS ACTIVITIES NIGHT MONDAYS OPEN MIC NIGHT TUESDAYS QUIZ NIGHT WEDNESDAYS CLUB SANDWICH THURSDAYS ACTIVITIES NIGHT MONDAYS OPEN MIC NIGHT TUESDAYS QUIZ NIGHT WEDNESDAYS CLUB SANDWICH THURSDAYS ACTIVITIES NIGHT _

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Community Action Groups Do you want to make a difference in the Goldsmiths or London community? Do you have a charitable project you want to launch locally, be it through campaigning, volunteering or fundraising? If so, you should set up a Community Action Group!

Community Action Groups are led by students for students who want to make a positive change. You might be fundraising for a specific project, volunteering with a local charity or just making a difference through campaigning to your fellow students and neighbours.

For more information on Community Action Groups and student-led volunteering, our Societies & Community Development Coordinator can help you best. claudia.turkington@goldsmithssu.org

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Wired Radio — lab.wiredradio.co.uk Wired Radio is managed by two elected Student Representatives, Sean O’Daly and Natasha Shehata, who work in this post part-time.

Besides managing the radio channel and its website, Wired Radio also hosts regular club nights at The Stretch, and provides live coverage of major SU events such as the Arts Cup, Elections Night and Awards Dinner amongst others.

There are many ways to get involved, from hosting your own radio show to working behind the scenes. Wired Radio is run as a Society and recruits new members throughout the year, so it’s never too late to join the team.

The Leopard —

[smiths] Magazine —

theleopard.co.uk

smithsmagazine.co.uk

This year’s elected editor of the newspaper is Sabrina Sharif.

The Leopard, while facilitated by the SU, is run independently and offers honest criticism of both the College and the SU, as well as providing coverage on issues that students hold close to heart.

[smiths] is Goldsmiths’ student magazine, both online and in print, run by elected editors, Autumn Chawner and Adam Morby. The magazine includes sections on Arts & Culture, Literary & Creative, Music, Politics, Food & Drink, Travel and Fashion.

All students are welcome to contribute to The Leopard and write about issues ranging from the lack of representation in College committees to the profound importance of Buzzfeed, as you see fit.

The magazine welcomes submissions from students all year round.

Student Media 36–37

Available on demand

CAFE NATURA on 1F Students’ Union — Serving artisan homemade vegetarian and vegan food, found in the Common Room.

SHOP in the Richard Hoggart Building — We have a shop in the main College building offering refreshments, magazines, stationery, art supplies and merchandise.

ADVICE SERVICE at the Students’ Union — We run a confidential, independent, free service for all members of the SU. Our team offers academic advice about numerous issues including University policy, complaints about courses and University services, appeals against results, academic misconduct allegations, disciplinary offence accusations and issues with PHD supervision and upgrading. They can also help with enquiries about housing, money and general student life.We are unable to offer professional advice on debt or immigration.

If you would like to speak to our Advisers, email advice@goldsmithssu.org or telephone 020 7717 2511 and ask for Advice. Read more on page 52.

NURSERY on campus — The SU manages a nursery for children aged 3 months to 5 years right on campus that offers excellent care and learning provisions for children in a warm and nurturing environment. The nursery staff are highly qualified and extremely experienced in early years practice.

For more information, please visit goldsmithssu. org/services/nursery or telephone 020 7717 2511 and ask for Nursery.

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Your voice at Gold SU The platform is ready for you to speak, be heard and stand up for what’s right.

And we’re behind you all the way.

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Campaigns Liberation Officers Democracy & Governance Student Assembly Trustee Board Elections Academic representation —

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Campaigns The SU’s role is to facilitate our members to realise their collective power. If you have any ideas, we’re always happy to hear them and do everything in our power to bring our members to their fullest potential.

Your voice is the student voice

National campaigns —

Internal campaigns —

The Students’ Union does not exist in a bubble — we are very much affected by things that happen within the national political sphere. Besides running internal campaigns, we also show a great deal of support for and get involved with local and national level campaigns.

Internal campaigns refer to those that we run on campus.

Some of our recent success stories have been:

Some examples of how we have mobilised students in the past are through the Save Lewisham A&E campaign, as well as taking students to the Free Education demonstration.

Zero Tolerance for Sexual Harrassment

Stop Taxing Periods, Period Diversifying the Curriculum Safe(r) Spaces Policy

Fixed Fees for International Students

If there are campaigns that you feel passionately about, let us know by contacting the Sabbatical Officers to find out how we can translate this energy into action. Read more on page 10.

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Liberation Officers — We carry out a great deal of work to facilitate the work of our Liberation Officers and are always welcoming students to get involved with our campaigns.

We run a series of events themed around international celebrations, such as Black History Month, International Women’s Week, Pride, amongst various others.

Some of our recent projects include the student-led liberation mural that decorates the SU building and a new initiative to campaign for gender-neutral toilets across the College.

We also adhere to a strict Safe Space Policy within our building, on which you can find more information online.

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Democracy & Governance

Student Assembly — Student Assembly is a place to debate, discuss and pass policy on how the SU is run, what we do, what we stand for and, most importantly, acts as a safe space for discussions to take place on issues that affect students’ lives.

Trustee Board — The Students’ Union is a charity organisation and is governed by a board of Trustees. The role of the Trustees is to provide the organisation with direction on major issues, encompassing administrative, legal, and financial decisions.

The Trustee Board consists of the four full-time Sabbatical Officers, four elected Student Trustees and 4 further External Trustees. This year’s elected Student Trustees are:

The Trustee Board is essentially the decision maker of the SU and has end-line collective responsibility for all activities of the Students’ Union.

Elections — As a democratic organisation, our representatives are elected by the student body via a campus-wide Election.

Successful candidates take on the responsibilities of representing you, the 10,000 students of Goldsmiths.

Elections are an integral part of the SU. It makes us who we are and it gives you the opportunity to have your say on how we should be run. By participating in our annual Elections, you are not only showing an interest in your Union, but ensure that everyone understands the importance of democracy and that it should never be taken for granted. Everybody is invited to stand for a position or vote.

Ibrahim Abdille Amy-Louie Palesa Ball Luize Lazdane Cece Egan 46–47

Departmental Student Coordinators — As Departmental Student Coordinator, students act as a senior representative, representing the academic views of students to their Departments, the University and the Students’ Union, by attending committee meetings, producing reports and making presentations.

body of their Department, the SU and the College’s professional services.

The SU keeps DSCs informed and up to date with developments on a regular basis and hold a database of appointed DSCs. Coordinators are required to keep in contact with students and staff in their Department, as well as with the SU and the College’s Quality Office. We ensure that Coordinators are fully supported in their roles through close contact, training sessions and regular catch-ups.

A DSC is a student representative recruited by the College, SU and each Department to serve for one academic year, acting as a point of liaison between the student

Academic Representation

Recent DSC wins — • The Warden will now give an annual award for the best ideas to make the campus more accessible • Art psychotherapy and Dance psychotherapy will be offered to students to alleviate pressure from the counselling department • Discounted gym membership offered to students with disabilities • The booking system for rooms will also take into account the accessibility of rooms and ensure they are of a suitable standard • Timetables will now be available well before the beginning of term to help the likes the student parents or parttime students and they will also be individualised • A text message system will be rolled out to inform students when classes are cancelled or rescheduled • There will be a new ‘Tell Us’ part of the Goldsmiths website to make it easier for students to report faults or other issues • The new feedback policy ensures that all students will receive feedback on their assessments within 3–5 weeks • An app will be trialled for some students to give feedback on individual modules • Software will be made consistent across all Goldsmiths computers

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Student Reps — Student Representatives have a smaller remit than DSCs. They are responsible for gathering and reporting on feedback from students on their programme, whereas DSCs have a broader responsibility for all undergraduate students or all postgraduate students within their Department.

Student Reps liaise with DSCs where necessary to raise any higher level feedback or broader areas for attention by the department.

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Advice and tips from Gold SU We are here to help you.

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Checklist Housing Finance For Postgraduates For Mature students and student parents For International students For disabled students —

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Settling in Checklist — NHS REGISTRATION All local students are entitled to free primary healthcare and should register with a local doctor as soon as possible.

International students will have paid the NHS surcharge prior to arrival and are therefore similarly entitled. If you are caught in an emergency, dial 999 or make your way to the nearest hospital, where you will be given medical assistance free of charge.

BANK ACCOUNT You will want to sort out your bank account as soon as possible but try to do some research online before you do, especially with regards to transfer fees and exchange rates if you expect to be receiving funds from overseas.

Remember that you will need certain documents from the University to apply for a bank account, which you can get from Student Services in RHB, or online in your myGoldsmiths account. The easiest way

around this is to sign up at Santander on campus, also in RHB, as they will not require your verifying documents.

TRAVEL AND OYSTER CARD You will definitely need an Oyster card for your travel in London, and depending on what kind of travel you need, it may be wise to get an 18+ Student Oyster or a 16–25 Railcard. An 18+ Student Oyster will give you 30% off Travelcards, good for regular travellers. A 16–25 Railcard, connectable to your Oyster, gives you a third off all off-peak pay-as-you-go rates and offpeak daily caps, so if you mostly travel at off-peak hours then this will save you more money.

Download apps like Citymapper to help plan your journeys and save time. You may also want to consider cycling to keep active and save money.

HOUSING & SAFETY Before heading out, make sure you have a written copy of your address and figure out how you’ll be getting around. In case of emergencies, the College employs security staff who are trained to deal with all kinds of situations.

NATIONAL INSURANCE You will need your National Insurance number to apply for most jobs, so if you already have one you should bring it with you when moving to London. If you’re an International student, you can apply for an NI number online at gov.uk/apply-nationalinsurance-number. You can only do this once you’ve arrived in the UK but don’t worry, you can start working before you’ve received your NI number; just let your employer know that you’ve applied for one.

IT ACCOUNT The College IT services team is based in the Rutherford Building (the Library) and are always happy to help. We advise you to get your IT accounts set up during Welcome Week as you will need your account to connect to the internet, access the VLE system and use the onsite computers around campus.

NUS EXTRA CARD Although you will automatically get student discounts in some places with your University ID alone, it is worth considering an NUS Extra card too. You can sign up online on the NUS

website and it will cost you as little as £12 per year. Do check the list of applicable retailers first as it is only worth buying if you are likely to shop at the places where they offer a discount. Also see the Unidays website for more student discounts that don’t require an NUS Extra card. It’s free to register and once verified offers codes for a range of ongoing online students discounts via its site, including 10% off Dorothy Perkins, Waterstones and more.

FRESHERS’ FAYRE Visit our marquee on the College Green on 21–22 September to see all of the SU’s Societies, Sports and Student Media and find out how to get involved. It’s the best way to meet like-minded people, make new friends and to become a part of the Goldsmiths community. There just might be free snacks and opportunities to join taster sessions throughout the week too, so be sure to attend and discover what it means to be a Goldsmiths student.

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Housing tips — • Work out your budget Look at your income for the whole year, take out what you reasonably expect to spend on groceries, bills, books and other expenses and then see what remains for rent.

Bear in mind the average London rent is about £550 per month.

• Check what bursaries or scholarships you’re entitled to You can do this by contacting Student Services at the University.

• Join the Goldsmiths SU Housing group on Facebook There you’ll find potential housemates and advertised rooms.

Check this regularly for new posts.

• If you use letting agents, ask them what fees they charge before doing anything else They have to tell you this information. And remember, in some cases you can deal directly with the landlord and that usually works out cheaper.

• Properly view the house

• Ask for a detailed inventory

Write a list of questions beforehand and don’t be afraid to ask them. Look out for damp or mould, ask if the boiler works and what repairs have taken place recently.

This lists the items in your house and describes their condition.

Make sure to keep this updated, otherwise you could be charged for things that were already damaged when you moved in.

• Make sure all of the people you’re moving in with have the same expectations

• There’s no such thing as a stupid question

Have a good chat amongst each other about this and cover the basics like what rent you’re all willing to pay, but also ground rules about who is allowed in the house and noise levels, for example. It’s better to settle these first than to argue about it later.

• Don’t be rushed into signing anything Get your contract looked over by the University of London Housing Service.

And there are plenty of people who can answer them for you.

For more information, read the full Housing 101 on our website at goldsmithssu.org, or contact the University of London Housing Service by email to housing @lon.ac.uk or telephone on 020 7862 8880.

For individual advice, visit housing.london.ac.uk or pop into the SU and we’ll help you.

Good luck. It does get easier after the first time!

• All deposits must be ‘protected’ This is to keep your money safe and you legally have to get notification of this within 30 days of paying the deposit. Good landlords won’t need reminding.

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Finance tips — Most students fund their studies through a combination of maintenance grants and loans, bursaries, part-time work and contributions from family members. It is important to check whether you will have enough income to meet your needs.

Consider your rent bill, whether your gas, electricity and water bills are included in your rent, how much you spend on food, travel costs and socialising. It can be useful to complete a budget and review it on a regular basis. Budgeting tools like studentcalculator.org can be useful as well. Be realistic about what you spend.

Collecting receipts for a month can help give you a better idea too. Overleaf are some of our tips to save money.

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COUNCIL TAX Students are exempt from council tax when living in halls, or if everyone in a privately rented house is a student. If living with nonstudents, although the council tax bill may be reduced, you are still required to pay. The local council will hold more information about this.

TV LICENSE Legally you must have a TV Licence, which costs £145.50 per year, in order to watch terrestrial TV or to stream a live broadcast online, but if you are only watching programmes on demand, via catch-up services for example, you are not liable to pay. If you are not going to be in your accommodation over the summer you can also get a part refund.

HEALTH COSTS Students can get help with health costs such as free prescriptions, dental treatment and eye tests.

STUDENT RAILCARD This gives you a third off rail travel across the UK and can save you hundreds of pounds over the course of a degree.

It costs £70 for three years,

making it a real money-saver for regular travellers.

NIGHTS OUT Students are always going to party — and there’s nothing wrong with that. The key is to anticipate how much it will cost and to plan ahead. Only spend cash and don’t take too much of it. When the night is going well, it’s easy to keep spending so by having a limited amount of cash to hand, you will not have the ability to overspend.

BOOKS Wherever possible, use books from the library to save money and if a book’s in high demand, order it in advance or photocopy the pages you need — it will generally work out cheaper than buying it.

Keep an eye on notice boards for second-hand book sales and also sell your own as this is a great way to make some money back. Don’t return library books late and if you happen to miss a return deadline, pay your fine immediately as unpaid fines will add up further.

COOKING Stock up on a few basic recipes.

You will save money when you shop if you know the

ingredients you need to buy rather than wandering the aisles and putting anything and everything into your trolley. It’s also a good idea to limit your takeaways and restaurant visits per month. Also consider to cook in groups. It’s less work, it saves cash and it’s a good way to get to know the people you live with. Making meals in bulk and using the freezer also helps.

DISCOUNTS AND VOUCHERS Find online vouchers or participate in surveys for cash on sites such as Student Beans.

But when using vouchers, avoid the temptation of spending on things you don’t need. The Student Room hosts student forums where people often share money-saving tips. Flubit offers individual discounts on Amazon products.

GET A PART-TIME JOB Although studying and having a great time is the first priority, these days many students will work to supplement their income. At Goldsmiths SU, there are many opportunities to work, for example in the Shop or at The Stretch. Babysitting, supermarkets and the library are handy places to start, but so are agencies for extras’ parts

in TV or voiceover work. See studentjob.co.uk for more. The earlier in the year you try to get work, the better your chances, so try to arrive before other students. Contact the ACAS helpline for advice on your rights in the workplace.

FINANCIAL EMERGENCY Discretionary loans and grants are distributed by the Student Centre. The main funds available are the Student Support fund, the Annual Fund and the College Support Fund. There are also funds available which can help with accommodation costs and with childcare costs. Further information is available online at gold.ac.uk/student-services/ student-funding or email studentcentre@gold.ac.uk. The SU’s own Advice Service can help you if you have difficulty in accessing this support. There is also some limited funding available from the charity sector such as at grants-search. turn2us.org.uk. Debt advice is available from the National Debtline by telephone 0808 808 4000 and Stepchange debt charity by telephone 0800 138 1111.

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Postgraduate students — POSTGRADUATE RESEARCH ASSOCIATION We are currently in the process of setting up a Postgraduate Research Association that will act as a central network for Postgraduate students to discuss their needs and concerns within the College, as well as acting as a social space for our PG students. We are always looking for new ways to cater to the specific needs of our growing PG student body, so please do get in touch with suggestions and ideas.

ADVICE We understand that undertaking a PG degree can be extremely challenging. Our Advice Service team can give you support if you are experiencing difficulties with PhD supervision, require an academic appeal, or are experiencing general stress and anxiety throughout your time at Goldsmiths. Read more on page 39.

Mature students and student parents — MATURE STUDENT AND STUDENT CARER ASSOCIATION The Mature & Student Parents’ Society is a core Society. This means that there is protected funding for the Society and that it has the option not to charge for membership if they choose to do so.

Currently the Society has no leadership but if you are interested in running the Society, please contact our Societies & Community Development Coordinator.

REPRESENTATION We still have positions available for a Student Parents’ Officer and a Mature Students’ Officer, both of which are set to be elected via a by-election in our Student Assembly.

If you are interested in acting as a part-time representative for either of the groups, please contact our Democracy, Engagement & Policy Coordinator to find out more. jamie.green@goldsmithssu.org

claudia.turkington@goldsmithssu. org

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International students — Starting university can be a challenging experience, especially when you’re moving to a whole new country and being so far away from home. Fear not, however, as the Students’ Union is always ready to help you settle and enjoy. There are always people available if you need any advice or help if homesickness kicks in!

REPRESENTATION Your International Students’ Officer at the SU this year is Divya Rao. Divya’s role is to represent and support all International students in Goldsmiths and to ensure that your rights and opinions are reflected within the work of the SU. If you are experiencing any difficulties with settling in, understanding the local culture or are just confused about how Goldsmiths works, Divya is the person to go to.

STUDENT SERVICES Located in RHB, Student Services provides advice on

enrolments, fees and collection, funding, administration of bursaries, assessments and results. For example, if you require a letter of proof of study for opening a bank account or exemption from council tax, head to their office with your student ID to receive it in just a few minutes.

CHAPLAINCY Goldsmiths practices a policy of tolerance and understanding of all beliefs and faiths. With the wide diversity of students attending our institution, the College has an established mutli-faith chaplaincy as well as a mutli-faith prayer room to cater to everyone’s needs.

COUNSELLING SERVICE The Counselling Service, located at St James’ Hall, provides free and confidential counselling to all students and there is no issue considered unacceptable to bring to a counselling session. If at any point you feel that you are struggling and require help, the Counselling Service is available to you by first filling out an assessment form for the service, to assign you a counsellor.

CELAW Department (Centre

for English Language and Academic Writing) The CELAW Deptartment provides assistance to both native and non-native speakers of English, helping you to improve your academic writing style and exam techniques.

Some Departments have their own courses, but for others feel free to use their drop-in advice service.

IMMIGRATION ADVICE Immigration advice is available from the team at the College, contactable by email to immigration@gold.ac.uk.

Drop-in sessions are also available at the Student Centre in RHB 117 every Thursday 2–3pm.

FOOD There is a wide variety of restaurants and pubs around New Cross, ranging from Thai food to Chinese takeaway as well as kebab and burger shops.

However, try not to get carried away with eating out as it can get expensive. There are local speciality stores for Oriental, Halal, Eastern European and many other types of foods and groceries within New Cross, Deptford and Lewisham. Fresh

markets selling fruits and vegetables are usually open weekly and you should try to get a Nectar Card at Sainsbury’s or Clubcard at Tesco to collect points every time you shop.

JOBS Whether you’re starting a career or looking for part-time work, the College’s Career Services team has great advice and support for you. Make sure to check your visa for your work eligibility and restrictions.

ACTIVITIES AT THE SU We have a wide range of activities specific to International Students, but be sure to join in with the general student activities as it’s a great way to experience life at Goldsmiths!

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Disabled students — DISABLED STUDENTS ALLOWANCE (DSA) If you have a disability, you may be entitled to claim extra financial help as a student.

This is allocated on top of any standard student finance you may receive. Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is a grant to help meet the extra costs of studying that students face as a direct result of a disability.

Students with disabilities may be assessed to see what help they might need. The allowance is designed to help disabled students study on an equal basis with other students.

The amount of funds a student receives does not depend on your household income. You do not have to repay this help.

Undergraduate, Postgraduate, full-time and part-time students (if studying 25% of a full-time course) with disabilities may be entitled to the following support through DSA:

• Specialist Equipment Allowance eg. computer software, laptops (students would usually be expected to pay the first £200 of laptop costs themselves) • Non-Medical Helpers Allowance eg. note-taker, study skills tutor • General Allowance eg. photocopying costs • Travel Allowance eg. extra costs you have to pay due to your disability International, EU & FE students are not eligible for the DSA. However the Disability Team may be able to offer advice and guidance about other means of support.

REPRESENTATION If you are interested in running a campaign, or if there are issues that you believe should be raised in the interest of disabled students, feel free to contact one of the Sabbatical Officers or our part-time Disabled Students’ Officer, Eliane Edmond.

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Welcome Week 2015 at Gold SU

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Welcome Week schedule Finding the SU —

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Welcome to Welcome Week 2015. Here is the full schedule of events put together by the Students’ Union to help ease you in to your time here at Goldsmiths.

17 Thursday International airport pick-up 1 — International Meet & Greet The Stretch 6pm — 18 Friday International airport pick-up 1 — Halls move-in 1 — Meet & Greet The Stretch 6pm — 19 Saturday Halls move-in 1 —

Liberation Mural unveiling SU 6pm — 47 SOUL G The Stretch 8pm £3 — 20 Sunday International boat trip 1 Meet at Main Entrance 1pm — Comedy Gold G The Stretch 8pm £5 — 21 Monday Freshers’ Fayre Marquee 10am–4pm — Meet your Officers Café Natura 12–1pm — Mature cheese and wine G Upper refectory 5–6pm £1 — Cheese and wine G Upper refectory 6–8pm £1 — Open Mic The Stretch 8pm — 22 Tuesday Freshers’ Fayre Marquee 10am–4pm —

Meet your Officers Café Natura 12–1pm — Milkshake Social Café Natura 6–8pm — Quiz Night G The Stretch 8pm £2 — 23 Wednesday IKEA trip 2 Meet at SU 11am £10 — Meet your Officers Café Natura 12–1pm — Day tour to Greenwich 2 Meet at SU 2pm £10 — Independent student meet-up The Stretch 2pm — Outdoor cinema College green 7pm — Club Sandwich G The Stretch 8pm £3/£5 3 — 24 Thursday IKEA trip 2 Meet at SU 11am £10 — Street Eats 1 Main Entrance 11am–3pm —

Meet your Officers Café Natura 12–1pm — Day tour to Greenwich 2 Meet at SU 2pm £10 — Human Gloop spoken word G Café Natura 6pm £2 — Activities Night G presents Wired The Stretch 8pm £4 — 25 Friday Zine making workshop The Stretch 12–2pm — Coffee crawl New Cross 11am and 2pm — Meet your Officers Café Natura 12–1pm — Peckham Night Meet at SU 6pm — 26 Saturday Welcome Ball G Great Hall 7.30pm £15 — G. Event is free for Gold Pass holders.

Welcome Ball tickets are £10 for Gold Pass holders. Visit SU Reception to learn more.

1. Event organised by the College.

2. Book in advance at bookings. prosceniumtours.com/goldsmiths 3. Club Sandwich entry costs £3 before 11pm, £5 thereafter.

Events and details subject to change.

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Finding the SU — Our building is located along the bend of Dixon Road, the street beside the main College building.

At the SU On G SU Reception Social space Officers’ Offices Toilets On 1F Café Natura Common Room On 2F The Stretch Gender-neutral Toilets Staff Offices

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INDEX — Navigate the Handbook the old-fashioned way Academic Representation 15, 48, 49, 63 Activities 16, 17, 18, 19 Activities Awards 27 Activities Nights 32 Activities Tour 27 Advice Service 39, 62 Awards See Activities Bank accounts 54 Café Natura 39 Campaigns 42, 43 Chaplaincy 64 Childcare See Nursery Clubs See Societies Community Action 18, 35 Council Tax 60 Counselling Service 64 Democracy 46, 47 Departmental Student Coordinators 48, 49 Disabled students 31, 67 Elections 47

Events 22, 27, 29, 32, 33, 70, 71 Facilities 31, 39, 73 Finance 59, 60, 61 Freshers’ Fayre 55 Health 54, 60 Housing 54, 56, 57 Immigration 65 International students 64, 65 IT 55 The Leopard 37 Liberation 44 Magazine See Smiths Map 72 Mature Students 63 National Insurance 55 Newspaper See The Leopard NHS registration 54 Nursery 39 NUS Extra card 55 Officers 10, 11, 12, 13, 63 Oyster Card See Travel Postgraduates 62 Radio See Wired Railcard See Travel

Sabbatical Officers 10, 11 Safety 44 Shop 39 Societies 18, 24, 25, 26 Sports 18, 20, 21, 22 Smiths Magazine 37 Staff 8, 18 The Stretch 30, 31, 33 Student Assembly 47 Student Media 15, 36, 37 Student Representatives 50 Student-led Social Programme 19, 28, 29 Tour See Activities Travel 55, 60 Trustees 47 TV License 60 Varsity 22 Voice 40, 41 Volunteering 18, 35 Welcome Week 68, 69, 70, 71 Wired Radio 36 —

Goldsmiths Students’ Union, Dixon Road, New Cross, London SE14 6NW GoldsmithsSU | #GoldSU | goldsmithssu.org