Hello!
Welcome to Reading University Students’ Union (RUSU). You’re about to begin the best years of your life so far and RUSU will be at the heart of your experience while you’re at Reading.
For Fresher specific news, updates, events & advice check out rusu.co.uk/freshers and facebook.com/ RUSUFreshers
RUSU is led by students for students and it exists solely to help you make the most of your student experience. The Union is led by five democratically elected Student Officers (it could be you one day!) and supported by an excellent team of permanent staff who are all committed to making your Union the best it can be.
This leaflet will give you a taste of how we represent you, campaign for you and suggests ways you can get involved too. From attending our democracy meetings, taking part in sports clubs and societies or standing up for minority groups, you can help us make experiences better. As an award winning organisation, we are arguably one of the best Students’ Unions in the country. We have won awards in the Students’ Union Evaluation Initiative, Green Impact and the coveted Investors in People Gold Award. All these awards demonstrate our commitment to making students’ lives better at Reading. To be at the heart of your student experience, we need you to get involved! Find us in and around RUSU in the first weeks of term and we’ll help you make your time at Reading the best time of your life. James Fletcher RUSU President
Your Student Officer Team (from left to right) Ceri Jones - VP Democracy & Campaigns, James Fletcher - President, Kara Swift - VP Academic Affairs, Sophie Davies - VP Welfare & Representation, Nick Cook - VP Student Activities
All the fun of
the Fayre!
The best plac e to meet ou r Student Offi Trustees and cers, Part-time Offi cers and find about our club out s, societies, vo lunteering an student media d groups. As if that’s not en reason to pop ough along a whole heap of comm companies an ercial d charities w ill be giving aw goodies and fr ay loads of eebies. Check out who’ll be rusu.co.uk/fr there at eshersfayre
Get Extra! Can you afford not to? You are automatically a member of the Students’ Union and able to purchase an NUS Extra card and access loads of great discounts in shops on the high street and online. To avoid the queues sign up online before you come, or visit us during Freshers’ Week! rusu.co.uk/nusextra
In Need Of An Angel?
UNTIL 5AM
We’re OPEN for Lunch!
RUSU Shopping Mall The Students’ Union building plays host to Blackwell bookshop, CerealWorks, Uni-Cuts hairdressers, Mail Boxes Etc., Seoul Plaza oriental food store, free ATM/cash machine, Job Shop and the RUSU Lettings Agency (coming soon). rusu.co.uk/inthebuilding
Freshers’ Angels are volunteers recruited in order to make your transition into this University as easy and enjoyable as possible. onto campus, giving you This could be by welcoming you get a taxi after a night directions, making sure you can r questions or out and generally answering you to make sure you t concerns. Freshers’ Angels exis shers’ Week, Fre are safe and happy throughout of them one any so don’t hesitate to approach happy, se the for at any time. Keep an eye out with irts t-sh smiley volunteers, sporting red also can You the “Freshers’ Angels” logo. find them online at rusu.co.uk/freshersangels
DELIVERY
Our 270 square foot store, stocks all your day to day basics so there’s no need to leave campus. From fresh meat and dairy products, fruit and vegetables, frozen goods and groceries to newspapers and greeting cards, University merchandise and stationery. rusu.co.uk/campuscentral
s, Comfy sofas, TV iFi: W d an s er ap newsp e Café Mondial is th s ck place for a Starbu ht lig coffee break or bite over lunch. d Opening times an e menus onlin rusu.co.uk/ cafemondial
Lunch Deal One
Lunch Deal Two
A Personal 7’’ Pizza with 1 topping for only
A Large 13.5’’ Pizza with 1 topping for only
£1.99
£5.99
Collection only
Add extra toppings for only 50p each
Collection only
Add extra toppings for only £1 each
Lunch deals now available online. Valid 11am – 4pm. Our club has been recognise d for its achievem ents in co rp orate social resp onsibility with a Silver B est Bar None Awa rd rusu.co.u k/ awards
We’re OPEN for Dinner! BUY ONE GET ONE
BUY ONE GET ONE
Collection or Delivery. Available on large or medium pizzas only. Expires: 31/05/13.
Collection or Delivery. Available on large or medium pizzas only. Expires: 31/05/13.
Valid at Reading store only. Please mention when ordering. Not valid with any other offer. Not available online. Minimum delivery order £9.99. Please hand coupon to delivery driver. *Free pizza must be of lesser or equal value to the first.
Valid at Reading store only. Please mention when ordering. Not valid with any other offer. Not available online. Minimum delivery order £9.99. Please hand coupon to delivery driver. *Free pizza must be of lesser or equal value to the first.
FREE
3sixt y majo hosts all r eve our n and t he le ts, gigs gend We Satu dnesday ary rday a club nd rusu n ights .co.u . k/3s ixty
*
The home of acoust nights, pu ic b games, quizzes and karao ke accom panied by a grea t menu w ith great stud ent offers . rusu.co.u k/mojosb ar
FREE
*
50
% 25% OFF OFF
ONLINE DISCOUNT Enter: QCBQLMFF. Expires: 31/05/13.
When your order is £30 or over. Collection or Delivery. Expires: 31/05/13. Valid at Reading store only. Please mention when ordering. Not valid with any other offer. Not available online. 50% Off excludes ice cream. Minimum delivery order £9.99. Please hand coupon to delivery driver.
Order today from your local Domino’s 95 Wokingham Road, Reading RG6 1LH Opening Hours: 11am - 5am, 7 days a week.
When you spend over £25.
Not valid with any other offer. See website for full T&C’s
FOLLOW US ON @DominosPizzaSK Find us at:
Domino’s Pizza Reading
(0118) 9351777
ted Our team of Student Advisors, loca l ntia fide con free r offe , in The Hub t advice, information and suppor l, about your academic, educationa ey mon and al tion rna inte , housing concerns. Visit our website for information about appointments and drop-in sessions rusu.co.uk/advice
Taxi Scheme
Make sure you ge t hold of your essential ‘P ay Later’ Taxi Card! This w ay no matter where you are or how empty your wallet, you’ ll always have a safe way to get home! rusu.co.uk/payla tertaxi
Campaigning
rted, in order to help ’ campaigns are suppo nts de stu e sur ke ma prove your student RUSU is here to doing this we aim to im By us. mp ca on ge an students. Feel free make active ch e here and for future experience while you’r ideas to the Student to bring any issues or that YOU are Officers to make sure . directing YOUR Union rusu.co.uk/campaigns
One pass to 7 huge events! Save money & guarantee entry to the following sell-out events: 1 Welcome Mash Up Sunday 30th September 2 flirt! featuring Greg James Wednesday 3rd October 3 Adam F Friday 5th October 4 Saturday Union featuring Neg’s Urban Sports Saturday 6th October 5 Live comedy featuring Charlie Baker + Seann Walsh Tuesday 9th October 6 Flirt! Show Your Colours Wednesday 10th October 7 Casino Royal Freshers’ Ball featuring Professor Green, Kids in Glass Houses + I AM TICH Thursday 11th October
Early Bird Price just £30! Save money and guarantee entry to sell out events REGISTER ONLINE at rusu.co.uk/guest BUY YOUR PASS before you arrive at RUSU.CO.UK/ULTIMATEEXPERIENCE
Lead your Union
RED The Reading Experience & Development (RED) Award is run in partnership with the University. It is University is as much an accredited about life outside award that of lectures as it is your goes on degree. To help make your University your degree experience richer, RUSU runs over and shows one hundred and fifty different sports employers clubs and non-sporting societies. Each that you are is run by elected student committees more than just who meet regularly to compete, train and an academic. It socialise. Whether you have been involved with an activity rewards students before or simply want to try something new, our clubs are who participate in always happy to welcome new members. If you can’t volunteering, activities find the group for you, we can help you set up your and paid work whilst own based around the activity that you love. at university. Don’t miss rusu.co.uk/studentactivities out on having your nonacademic achievements recognised on your degree rusu.co.uk/ redaward
Sports and Societies
Student Media RUSU’s student media is the way voices and views are he ard on campus, as well as being a gre at place for entertainment and tra ining. Our three media streams strive to be creative, active, accurate and alw ays relevant to the students of Read ing. Spark*, the newspaper, Junctio n 11, the radio station and RU:ON, the TV station are all run by student volun teers. Check out what they do and get involved by visiting rusu.co.uk/stu dentmedia
Volunteering at Reading has a huge range of fun and exciting projects you can get involved in, from tea parties for local elderly residents and vegetable growing on campus to fundraising for charity, running after school clubs for children and everything in between! You’ll find one-off and flexible opportunities as well as longer term options – all a great way to fill your spare time, make new friends and learn new skills. Check out our website for details: rusu.co.uk/volunteering
Your Students’ Union is here to support you in any changes you want to make, locally, nationally, within RUSU or the University. We make these changes and progress as a Union by holding meetings where students can vote to campaign on issues important to them. Your Student Officers are here to help make these changes take place so we can really have a Union that is run by students for students. For more information visit www.rusu.co.uk/democracy
Course Reps are the first line of representation within the University. That means we are already looking for our first year Course Reps! Anyone can volunteer, so if you want to speak up for your course and ensure that student’s views are being heard, then go to rusu.co.uk/coursereps or find us at Freshers’ Fayre to nominate yourself.
Part Time Officers Alongside the five full-time Student Officers, RUSU also has seven Part-time Officers. Each of these enthusiastic and passionate students have been elected to support, represent and campaign on behalf of the students they represent. Find out more about your Part-time Officers and their roles by visiting rusu.co.uk/parttimeofficers
Faculty Reps are fellow students who ensure the feedback from the Course Reps is being communicated effectively at a faculty level via the University academic boards and Senate. There are two Reps per faculty and they are already waiting to hear from you. So to find out who your Faculty Rep is go to rusu.co.uk/facultyreps
to Reading University Students’ Union Led by students for students, RUSU is a registered charity where every penny spent in the Union goes right back to our members. That’s you!
• Women’s Officer • LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Trans) Officer • Disabled Student’s Officer • International Student’s Officer • Environment and Ethics Officer
facebook /RUSUnews twitter /RUSUtweets website rusu.co.uk/freshers
• BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) Officer
telephone 0118 378 4100 email enquiries@rusu.co.uk
• Postgraduate Officer