Oxford University student union
impact
find out what we did for you this year
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how have we done this year? This impact report is our way of telling you what OUSU has been doing for you this academic year. The achievements you can read about here would never have been possible without the work of the numerous students and staff who get involved in what we do, whether delivering training, campaigning or attending OUSU Council. We hope that you like what we have done so far. Let us know what you think, and if you love ideas – submit them to us using our new online suggestions box: www.ousu.org
Louis Trup,
OUSU President 2014/2015
Highlights Voter Registration: ֯֯ Helped an additional 3,500 students to register to vote
Sexual consent workshops: ֯֯ Delivered in every JCR and 10 MCRs, reaching over 3,000 freshers; 99% found the session ‘helpful’
Academic representation: ֯֯ Trained over 150 Course Representatives ֯֯ Produced a Course Rep Handbook
Graduate Accommodation: ֯֯ Saved Castle Mill, preserving essential housing for graduates and student families
Living Wage: ֯֯ As the culmination of a 7-year campaign, got five colleges to join the University in accrediting as Living Wage employers
OUSU Student Advice Service: ֯֯ Supported 66% more students
Fossil Fuel Divestment: ֯֯ Got the University to pledge not to invest in coal and tar sands in the future
On Your Doorstep: ֯֯ Petition against the City Council’s plan to criminalise rough sleeping gathered over 70,000 signatures, meaning the plan was scrapped
Referenda: ֯֯ Achieved a turnout of 40.6% in referenda about sub fusc, gowns and elections; the highest recorded turnout in Oxford history
How we have been representing you OUSU representatives sat on nearly 100 University committees, representing students at all levels. This meant we: ֯֯ Worked with the Sports Federation to secure £170,000 additional funding for University sports clubs ֯֯ Worked with the Nominating Committee for the Vice-Chancellor, passing on the opinions of students and spoke to a number of candidates
֯֯ Gave out over £135,000 to 9 student projects through the Student IT Innovation Fund
֯֯ We have created an Education Vision by collaborating with over 1,000 students to produce a comprehensive lobbying tool that sets out our vision for an Oxford education
֯֯ Upheld the importance of student consultation during the proposed reorganisation of Humanities Libraries ֯֯ Produced the Annual Quality Report, highlighting areas where the University needs to improve teaching and learning ֯֯ Defended the importance of graduate funding in our submission to the Government on postgraduate loans
֯֯ Ensured an additional £200m is available for the Oxford Graduate Scholarship Matched Fund
We have introduced two new members of our Part-Time Executive to support ֯֯ Student Parents and Carers ֯֯ Graduate LGBTQ Students
PSST! STUDENTSplus will be coordinating another Universitywide orientation for new mature students in October 2015. This year the orientation grows to 250 students and will take place at Exam Schools.
How we have been supporting you Student Advice Service (SAS) ֯֯ Offered drop-in sessions three times a week, making it easier to see an adviser without an appointment ֯֯ Supported more complex cases, with Mental Health issues being mentioned in 64% of these
We have sold: over 4,000 welfare items, over 1,000 boxes of sanitary products and over 100 bike locks
֯֯ Increased the number of students the SAS has helped by 66%, with a 185% increase in case work as opposed to enquiries
֯֯ Built partnerships across the University in order to better support students
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Liberation OUSU’s four liberation campaigns – the Women’s Campaign, Oxford Students’ Disability Community (OSDC), the Campaign for Racial Awareness and Equality and the LGBTQ Campaign have been campaigning on issues their members care about. This has included: ֯֯ a week of events on reproductive justice ֯֯ a campaign challenging prejudice against bisexual people that reached the national press ֯֯ publication of CRAE's 100 Voices report which also reached the national press ֯֯ a huge increase in the membership of OSDC, which works to represent students with disabilities
֯֯ We have negotiated a 10% discount on 52-week city bus passes for all students ֯֯ We have set up a taxi scheme so that you can get home safely
֯֯ This year Mind Your Head has held testimonial events in several colleges.
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It Happens Here OUSU’s campaign to raise awareness of sexual violence has: ֯֯ Run a major ‘Anti-Violence Valentine’s’ conference, headlined by Staceyann Chin. ֯֯ Collaborated with Code4Rights to create a First Response App to help survivors and supporters of survivors of sexual violence, coded by women.
How we have provided you with opportunities We have delivered training for over 400 students on: ֯֯ how to implement the new ֯֯ campaigning and negotiation harassment policy ֯֯ liberation training for College reps ֯֯ developing women in leadership roles
RAG ֯֯ Ran 55 events to fundraise for 13 different charities ֯֯ Raised over £80,000 ֯֯ Provided a positive insight into the third sector for 93% of RAG committee members
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Student Media ֯֯ Produced 24 Issues of The Oxford Student ֯֯ Trained over 20 of our student journalists in media law, provided by the Press Association
How we have been talking to you ֯֯ The President’s weekly email was opened by up to 43% of Oxford students; that’s 8,900 students ֯֯ There was a 39% increase in Twitter followers ֯֯ We produced 15 videos this year, viewed over 8,000 times ֯֯ 11,000 Careers Guides were produced with the Careers Service and were used by 65% of finalists ֯֯ Fresh! Magazine was sent out to over 6,000 Freshers
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We had a 54% increase in Facebook page likes
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How we helped to improve access ֯֯ Equipped 25 students as access leaders ֯֯ Held an African-Caribbean shadowing day in Hilary Term, attended by 30 Year 12 students ֯֯ Hosted ask-a-grad panels in sciences to encourage applications, particularly from women
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_ ֯֯ Organised 10 Target Schools shadowing days for over 350 school children
How we worked with the Community ֯֯ 8 Community Wardens spent 960 hours this year knocking on doors and attending community meetings to improve town/gown relationships
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֯֯ 21 Colleges collected for the Community Emergency Foodbank, with other collections for the British Heart Foundation and a local women’s refuge planned for the end of term ֯֯ Supported 8 local charities ֯֯ Hosted 75 students at a panel event discussing how students can usefully engage with Oxford’s Housing Crisis
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How we celebrated with you Student Awards – celebrating Oxford students’ excellence in the world outside academia ֯֯ Received over 100 nominations for 8 awards ֯֯ Hosted 150 people Teaching Awards – celebrating excellence in teaching ֯֯ Received 538 nominations ֯֯ 57 members of University and College staff shortlisted in four categories, including support staff
Women’s Garden Party – celebrating women at Oxford ֯֯ Run collaboratively by 10 different women’s societies and campaigns ֯֯ The family-friendly party was attended by over 300 students Women in Leadership Drinks – celebrating the OUSU Women’s Leadership Development Programme ֯֯ Brought together the participants with women in leadership from across the collegiate University, including Common Room Presidents, Women’s Officers, OUSU Part-Time Executive and Sabbatical Officers
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How we will improve your experience
This year, our six sabbatical officers have interacted with the University in many ways. Drawing on your and our experiences, we have recommended to the University that:
֯֯ Clear policies should establish standards for college life including teaching time for undergraduates, harassment, suspended status students, mental health and student welfare. The disparity in the student experience between different Colleges is the most significant challenge facing the Collegiate University ֯֯ This should be the last time students are not formally involved in selecting the Vice-Chancellor of the University ֯֯ Improving access to the learning and research experience at Oxford, including graduate access, must be a key priority
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֯֯ The graduate student experience needs to improve, including more teaching opportunities for our researchers, and higher quality taught courses ֯֯ The experience of women, LGBTQ, BME and disabled students at Oxford must improve, both inside and outside of the academic context. Curricula reviews, better representation in senior roles, and a continuation of the focus given to harassment must be key tools in making change happen If you have an idea or there are things you want to change then head over to www.ousu.org and submit your suggestion.
Have a lovely and relaxing summer
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