Impact Report 2010/11
Contents
3. Introduction 4. Democratic & accountable student leadership 8. Ethical & sustainable 10. Impact in images 12. Quality & continuous improvement 14. Inclusive & accessible 16. Partnership 18. Innovation
Our Vision: To have a positive impact on the lives of all our students Our Mission: Working together to make student life better
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Introduction During the 2010/11 academic year, we have made great steps forward in our quest to make life better for the students at the University of Huddersfield. The Students’ Union is committed to the continuous improvement of everything we do to make a positive impact on the lives of our students. To do this, we live by a number of values: • to ensure our leadership is democratic and accountable to students • to operate ethically and be sustainable • to be accessible and inclusive for all of our members • to work in partnership with the university and other organisations to make student life better
• to strive to improve and innovate in all that we offer. This year both students and staff have worked hard to make student life better and 78% of our members say we’ve had a positive impact on their time at Huddersfield. This Impact Report details how we have made student life better for those studying here. We have grouped our achievements according to our values, but a review of the document shows our work is not easily pigeon holed. Matt Christie Students’ Union President 2010/11
2010/2011 EXEC UTIVE TEAM
2010/2011 Executive team Matt Christie: President Natalie Wolstenhulme: Welfare Andy Blunt: Education Kieran Elsby: Activities Ben Hall: Comms
Democratic & accountable student leadership
All key decisions will have the input of our members and staff and will be open to scrutiny. All elections will be conducted fairly. Our campaigns work will be evidence led and reflect members priorities CRIM COLLECTIVE ARTWORK IN THE GRADUATE
15% turnout
48% increase
3,579 votes
Democratic Every year the Students’ Union holds elections for its members to decide who will lead the organisation. We want our members to have a say in the way we run their Union and actively encourage students to participate in our organisation through the Course Rep system, Union Council and General Meetings – to name but a few. • There were 3,579 votes cast in the March 2012 elections a 15% turnout and increase of 48% from the previous year • The five executive team positions contested by 16 candidates • Six forums were established, including: LGBT Forum, Women’s Forum and International Students’ Forum • 2 Motions were submitted to NUS Conference, one of which is now NUS policy (Students with Dependents) • Influencing some of the Olympics 2012 decisions, with one of our student officers sitting on the British Olympics Student Committee.
Accountable student leadership
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• Union Council membership has expanded, adding over 10 new representatives • Seven school reps have been elected to ensure array of voices in our key decisions • Support and training in accountability and report writing delivered to Council members. Course Reps At this University we have a fantastic relationship where our Course and School Reps champion the student voice and in return see real change for their students -making sure that your time here is the best that it can be. This includes: • restructuring the way a module is taught • improving the feedback loop on assessments to ensure that students are getting the best grades possible • organising the Freshers’ Ball in Human and Health Sciences (organised by their School Rep)
Evidence led Campaigning & Representation Fees and funding cuts We regularly survey our members who consistently tell us their top concerns are finance & debt and academic workload and achievement. Our response to the government proposals to reduce the public investment in Universities, which will project more costs on to students and put academic quality and contact time at risk, was clear opposition. • 200 students from Queensgate, Barnsley and Oldham campuses attended National Demonstrations • 50 students from University Campus Barnsley marched on their Town Hall • The President and Vice Chancellor issued a joint email urging staff and students to write to and lobby their MPs. • Executive members represented student views to our local MPs. Conservative MP Jason McCartney then voted against his party policy on raising fees. JASON MCCARTNEY BLOGS ABOUT TUITION FEES
Whilst the new fee regime was passed in Parliament, we have worked to influence the University to adopt a fair approach to fees in a challenging environment. An Executive Committee letter sent to the VC and University Council set out a range of principals focused on getting a fair deal for students. Whilst other Universities are charging the maximum, the University listened to our representations. The resulting fee of £7950 means a £3150 saving for each student over 3 years in contrast to Universities charging the maximum. For around 3000 English undergraduates who will join the University in Sept 2012 this amounts to a total student saving of £9.45million over the course of their studies.
HUGE SAVINGS FOR HUDDERSFIELD STUDENTS
estimated future fees
7 OPAL rent charges Our Student Accommodation Survey alerted us to the fact that OPAL Housings payment schedule was out of sync with Student Loan payments, putting students at risk of late payment penalties of £30 per week. Huddersfield Students’ Union led nationally in lobbying the accommodation provider to reverse late rent payment fees for students who were receiving their loans after the rent payment schedule.
of accommodation charges
OPAL agreed not to apply penalty charges to students with loans due and agreed to review their payment schedule for future years. We estimate in the current year this has saved the 729 students living in OPAL accommodation a total of £44,000
Ethical & Sustainable! We will conduct our affairs and make decisions based on the principles of recognised sound ethical practice for membership based Not For Profit organisations. We will manage our services in a financially sustainable manner.
100% of the tea, coffee, hot chocolate & sugar served in The Graduate, Coffee Bean and Shop is Fair Trade
9 Environmental Impact We work hard to ensure minimal environmental impact, focussing closely on our energy consumption and wastage. Our reduced carbon emissions contribute to the Universities carbon reduction targets and we have been able to not only reduce the amount of rubbish we produce, but also reduce our operating costs.
This year we have decreased our electricity consumption by 2,145 kilowatts
That’s enough to power a student flat for 5 months!
Examples of our improved environmental impact include: • None of our waste goes to landfill. This year 15.44 tonnes of waste from the Students’ Union was recycled, with 13.66 tonnes being recycled locally. • Installing restrictors on our washbasin taps has reduced our water consumption by 30% this year, saving 737 cubic metres of water.
• Continued efforts to reduce our electricity consumption, has led to a 2,145 kilowatts decrease in usage. Ethical Impact Our commitment to ethical products can be highlighted with our exclusive use of Fair Trade tea, coffee, sugar and Hot Chocolate in the Coffee Bean, Shop and Graduate. The Students’ Union Shop stocks over 60 different Fair Trade products giving students ethical choices in food and clothing. Accreditation In March 2011 we received a Silver Award as part of the NUS Green Impact accreditation scheme reflecting our hard work and success in improving our environmental impact and movement towards sustainability.
LOSE THE LABELS First campaign of the year focussed on celebrating diversity and encouraging a friendly campus
CHINESE NEW YEAR The SU was proud to host a Chinese celebration with food, music, dances, displays TUITION FEES 200 Huddersfield students attended the NUS demo in London against Tuition Fees. The Exec convinced local Conservative MP Jason McCartney to vote against the increase, and also worked with the University to ensure a fair fee was established.
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
BATTLE OF THE BANDS Revive, a graduate business venture supported by the University Business Mine, held a BotB event, spanning five nights. Using student designers, photographers & musicians, this event was more than just a great gig!
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
CLEGGERON MASKMOB A visual quick dig at the Coalition Governments policies affecting students.
CREATING SPACE The Coffee Bean was treated to a facelift, creating a social space for students to eat, work, chat & relax. FRESHERS Bigger than ever, the Freshers Marquee was the place to be Freshers week. Providing info & showcasing the activities and opportunities for students to get involved in, not only on campus but around Huddersfield!
FUNFAYRE Another opportunity for the Students’ Union to highlight the varied activities students can be involved with on campus, with some additional encouragement in the form of candy floss & hook-a-duck!
11 FUTURE We have many exciting plans for the year ahead. These include a brand new online TV station and a community green campaign, which will supply food for local homeless charities.
ELECTIONS Democracy on campus: a record number of votes as 16 candidates fought it out for the five executive team positions. CELEBRATING SUCCESS in all areas of student life - at the Annual SU Awards evening, on Results Day and during Graduation week.
MARCH
APRIL
RAG WEEK A student led week of fund raising, involving University bigwigs and students leaping off the side of tall buildings and lecturers being submerged in a bath of cold mushy peas. All for chari-dee baby!
MAY VARSITY Revenge is a dish best served cold. After last years heart breaking defeat, it was time for Huddersfield to win it back on home soil. HUDDERSFIELD 13 V 8 BRADFORD
JUNE
INTO THE FUTURE
NEW BRAND The Students’ Union launches its’ new branding in the summer of 2011. The new brand combines simplicity, bright visuals, strong values and encourages a consistant presence on campus and online
Quality & Continuous Improvement... Providing a quality experience will underpin all our planning and be our principal focus when interacting with our members. We will be nationally recognised for improving student life through quality and effective representation.
Does the Students’ Union have a positive impact on your life at University?
78%
of Huddersfield students said yes!
Students’ Union Evaluation Initiative In October 2010 we collected our Students Union Evaluation Initiative Bronze Award. This award recognised 2 years of working towards external standards and demonstrated our commitment to continuous improvement. We are now working towards SUEI 2 and aim to improve our accreditation level. An element of the SUEI evaluation, known as the SUEI “killer question”, asks students “Does the Students’ Union have a positive impact on your life at University?” In March 2011, of the students who answered the annual Students’ Union survey, 78% answered this “killer question” positively. Recognising the change and improvement made, Huddersfield Students’ Union was asked to present a challenging session at the SUEI national conference with the title “getting 100% better”. Best Bar None The Graduate was recognised nationally as a Best Bar None. The Home Office supported scheme ensures that all winners work closely with local authorities to ensure a safe environment Rebrand The new Students’ Union brand launching in Summer 2011 will simplify the identity of services offered to students, clearly communicating what we stand for and what we do. There will be no blurry memories of the SU just being the place where they partied, but an organisation that made a real positive impact on many aspects of their student life.
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Recognising our quality and continuous improvement...
Inclusive & accessible We will take positive action to make all our activities, services and opportunities for involvement open to all our members
Womens Football at Varsity 2011
Our values set out “we should be open and accessible to all of our members”, and we really take that to the heart of everything we do. That’s why this year, we have: • 986 members of Union sports teams or societies • 104 active community volunteers • 380 course reps trained and supported • 5 Elected students who lead the organisations democratic and social activities. But in addition to these formal roles and activities it is the informal work of clubs, societies and student groups that support an inclusive and accessible student experience. Providing a Great Welcome Over 3,000 new students were addressed during welcome talks delivered throughout the year in partnership with the University. The Freshers Fayre in September and the Fun Fayre in January brought marquees onto campus and gave new and returning students an opportunity to find out more about what they can get involved with and sign up there and then!
Varsity 2011
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Huddersfield hosted the Annual Varsity Challenge against Bradford, involving 15 different sports and over 1000 participants. Not only was this event bigger and better than in previous years, on home turf Huddersfield secured Varsity victory. RAG (Raise and Give) RAG’s success this year is primarily owed to the 1100 hours put in by core volunteers and committee members, enabling the group to raise over £20,000 which is fantastic compared to the previous years total of approximately £3,500, which was a considerable financial donation to RAG charities. Student skills All our student activity leaders gain the skills and knowledge needed to organise and deliver large events whilst being supported within a professional work environment. The activities and events held brought together students, staff and members of the local community, making a positive and enjoyable atmosphere on campus.
Partnership We will develop partnership working with University departments and external organisations where this will benefit our members and customers. Elected Officers, Students’ Union departments and staff will work together as a unified team at all times.
UNIVERSITY CAMPUS AT DUSK
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS CELEBRATE THE 2010 FOOTBALL WORLD CUP IN THE GRADUATE
University Partnerships: Working closely with the University of Huddersfield ensures student concerns are addressed by those who are in a position to make changes and improve student life.
International Office. International students arriving at UK airports are greeted with a warm welcome by Students’ Union Ambassadors. International Office colleagues commented “We were enthused about how brilliant the Alongside the University we oppose the Governments Higher Ambassadors were at the Education reforms. The SU was airport.” The Students’ Union worked with the Chinese Society praised for its involvement in and the International Office to highlighting the impact these celebrate the Chinese New Year changes would have on future on campus. students. I would like to pay tribute to the Students’ Union for the way in which they have lobbied on the issue and behaved with utmost respect. They have been an example for other SUs to follow. Vice Chancellor Bob Cryan
Schools The Students’ Union supports student led events, School Rep Laura McIntyre worked with her Dean to create a summer ball. Estates Department 3,000 students a day visited our Fresher’s’ Fayre marquee; and our first Fun Fayre in January was visited by over 1,100 students.
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Local Partnerships Building a relationship with local Athletics team, Longwood Harriers, we started a Athletics Club, where students can enjoy the benefits of track and field for only £15 per year, saving £135!
Huddersfield Giants joined forces with the Students’ Union offering discount entry to Super League matches, whilst player Jamahl Lolesi trained our Rugby League team. The Giants also gave access for students from Radiohudd and Huddersfield Student to interview players and commentate on matches, gaining valuable media experience. Huddersfield Town and the Students’ Union welcomed students by giving away 500 match day tickets to games throughout the season.
Innovation! We will be creative in all our work and will seek out new and innovative ways of delivering services, activities and opportunities for members
“ASK TIM” QUESTION & ANSWERS WITH PRO VICE CHANCELLOR PROFESSOR TIM THORNTON
Ask Tim Innovation doesn’t always need to be about technology, sometimes you have to go back to basics and the Ask Tim events were about making a key member of University management - Tim Thornton the Pro Vice Chancellor Teaching and Learning - available for students to ask questions and get answers & results quickly. Some examples of changes for members include:
Mobile SU The MSU came from a need to reach out to students that may not step into the SU building, or interact with us on our online sites. After consultation and dummy runs we realised it would need to be multifunctional & physically adaptable and use cutting edge technology.
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Smartphone Apps Another of our innovative University Partnerships was working with a student in the School of Computing & Engineering. The brief was to design a SmartPhone App for our annual Varsity event. The app provided simple, fast and reliable coverage; with an interactive map of venues, A financial commitment to the Mobile SU has been made and it fixture times & live scores, transport arrangements and upwill launch at Storthes Hall to-date news throughout the day. during welcome weekend.
• Oldham students getting access to Guest Lectures at Queensgate via Unitube • Many teaching and learning matters were resolved in under 48 hours. • Issuing University timetables early so students can plan their study and home life. USING IPADS TO RECORD STUDENT OPINION & VARSITY APP IN ACTION
v1.2 July 2011
Huddersfield Students’ Union Queensgate. Huddersfield. HD1 3DH • 01484 538156 students.union@hud.ac.uk • www.huddersfield.su Huddersfield Students’ Union is a Registered Charity 1137401
Join us online @huddersfieldSU
Environmental information: This report is printed on 80% recycled paper, using vegetable ink.