Vice-President (Activities)
Priority Campaign: The
completion of the University commissioned feasibility study was completed
giving us some concept designs to shape how the buildings might look and work.
At this stage these are concepts and not architectural designs. We are
campaigning for University investment in student facilities not specifically
this design. Working closely with volunteers, staff and officers we have
jointly lobbied senior university staff and are working to campaign deadlines successfully.
My thanks go to everyone who supported the photoshoot outside the library. We aim
to have the postcards signed by as many students as possible to deliver to the
Vice Chancellor by Christmas. We are also investigating other sources of
funding for the building.
National Demo: I supported and attended the national demo
taking 2 coachloads of students from Medway and Canterbury to the march.
Although wet, people seemed to have an enjoyable time retuning on schedule with
no injuries or incidents.
Refreshers Fayre: I
have been working to arrange plans for the Refreshers’ fayre, date being February
7th being primarily based in the Eliot Dining Hall. I will be working
with marketing and the officers to draft a brief for future events to ensure
that student groups get the maximum benefit from Welcome and refreshers Fayres
given the targets for marketing sales at the events.
Worldfest: I’m
currently working with the international development office to develop worldfest
‘bitesize’ which will celebrate annual cultural, international events. I am
exploring the scope for student group involvement in this project and if anyone’s’
society has an annual event they celebrate please drop me an email at union-activities@kent.ac.uk The
Union’s contribution, to the main Worldfest Event in February (a celebration of
international culture) will be the international (talent) showcase. This will
be the 6th event I’ve been involved with being performed in the
Gulbenkian theatre with cash prizes awarded to the top performing groups.
International
Students: I’m working with staff and international development to implement
the ‘Go Global award’ a funding award given to the best student international/cultural
project proposed. My endeavours to have a regular international night on campus
are ongoing.
Gulbenkian: The second
feedback forum was 26th November where students are able to give
opinions on the running of the Gulbenkian and shows and films available.
Development in the last year at the complex has been excellent although we
still have a long way to go. Student attendance is at a record high this year and
there is greater increased student programming. I’m working with the Gulbenkian to pilot the technical,
front of house and marketing work placement project which is the final strand
of my Campaign to be completed.
.JPG)
Societies: Societies
have experienced massive growth over the last 18 months putting pressure on existing
systems and available staff and volunteer time. Other than the priority
campaign this has consumed the largest portion of my time and the activities
team are hard put to deal with queries in a timely manner. I firmly believe
that a significant investment in staff is needed, for sports and especially
societies, a point I shall be making strongly at board level up until my last
representational breath in June. Staff
and I have been developing a quality mark framework to help support society development
and this has included mine and the Students with disabilities officer’s work on
societies’ accessibility and inclusivity of disabled students. The societies
and SLVG storage facility is continuing to be delayed whilst waiting for other building
developments. I am assured the facility will be complete by Christmas but have
not been given a fixed build completion date. The original deadline hoped for
was April 2012. The Societies Stand-out Scheme has continued highly
successfully this year and has put an estimated £2K in student groups’ accounts
and developed approximately 200 students’ employability skills since May 2012. I’m
continuing to work with VP (Sports) to develop a workable transport option that
works for all our student groups although limited funding and staff changes
have caused delays in this. I am working to develop a technology strategy to
put our current paper systems online allowing for online viewing, allocating
and planning of groups’ accounts. The ongoing implementation of this strategy
will massively reduce paperwork, waiting time and free up more stafftime to
deal with student queries. Societies are currently breaking all time membership
figures for this time of year, so well done to all involved! Approximately £2k
of development funding has been allocated to societies since September by
societies federation committee..JPG)
Volunteering: Student
Led Volunteer Groups have experienced growth, totalling about 15 groups with funding
being allocated by volunteering committee. Employability and volunteering week
is being planned for February with training, lectures and many opportunities to
meet volunteer organisations. Approx
30,000 volunteering hours have been logged so far this year.
Media: CSR was
shortlisted for two National Student Radio Awards and although we didn’t win
the catagories, a great evening was had by all attendees at the awards
ceremony. Sadly CSRs conference bid was
unsuccessful but there is good chance we may win the bid next year as it was
University facilities not our own that seemingly let us down. CSR, Inquire and
KTV continue to output high quality work and are really building on their
foundations this year. CSR continues to seek investment as a matter of priority
as the project is expensive to run and may be at risk if an injection of
funding is not found.
Zones: I have
attended the zones, being impressed by the range of ideas and quality of
debate. It has been great to see so many students involved in Union Policy
making.
Medway: I have been spending considerable time at the
Medway campus, training and supporting Medway volunteering committee as well as
U.M.S.As Societies Council and Committee. Kent Medway students have elected their
Volunteering committee chair Harriet, who I am pleased to welcome to Union
council today.
.JPG)
Ents Forum: This
is ongoing and functional in its second year with useful feedback coming
through to licensed trade from a range of different students meeting twice
monthly.
Wifi: The
Completion of WIFI in Woolf, a campaign priority highlighted by 500 Postgrads in
my 2011 Survey ‘PG Tips’ has finally occurred. This has been extended to all colleges
by lobbying from the Union president. Congratulations to Tom and Claire Powell (Kent
Graduate Student Association chair) for their respective work in the lobbying
for this achievement. It wasn’t easy.
RAG: Engagement
numbers are great and I’m very
impressed with the team’s work which I know has not been without challenges
this year. More detail will be covered in Nick Shields’ report.
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