Student Voice
Your chance to make a difference
Student Voice is the most regular democratic meeting held by RUSU. All students are welcome and are encouraged to take part in changing and developing the way the Union is run ensuring it is led by students, for students.
-
Ask Student Officers your questions
-
Vote on the RUSU priority campaign and motions
-
Have your say on how the Union is run.
At the next meeting
The next meeting takes place on the 21st February in Cafe Mondial at 6.00pm.
The main areas of discussion will be:
Time For A New Library
Join the discussion on the short and long term proposals with the Deputy Vice Chancellor
NUS Week of Action
Come along to Student Voice to find out more about the following events:
Week of action: Monday 12th - Friday 16th March
To take place on campuses across the country to demonstrate to VCs and principals that high fees, hidden course costs and a lack of bursaries are pricing students out of education, that postgraduate students need a better deal, and that students will not stand by and let the coalition government press ahead with its destructive plans to sell off and privatise our universities and colleges.
National walkout: Wednesday 14th March
In the middle of the week of action a national walkout will take place on campuses across the country
Lobby of parliament: 18 April
Come along to the next Student Voice to find out more!
Attendees will include:
Karl Hobley RUSU President
Tony Downes Deputy Vice Chancellor
Gavin Brooks Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning)
Julia Munroe University Librarian
Tessa Birley President of Aberdeen Students’ Union
Previously at Student Voice
The first Student Voice meeting of the second term was held in Cafe Mondial at 6.00pm on Tuesday 24th January. 46 students were present at the meeting and Hannah Hayes, Student Trustee was the chair of the meeting. Students heard two campaign proposals, “Passing on the Plastic” and “Better provision of Performance Spaces on Campus”. There was discussion about Student Safety on and off campus and an update from the Student Officers on the last Student Chosen Campaign, “Your Uni, Your SportsPark” as well as promotion of future events and activities.
Read the minutes from the meeting. (To be confirmed shortly)
If you have any questions or comments please get in touch with campaigns.
Student Chosen Campaign
Voting was open for a week for all students to vote on what campaign they think should be the priority for the second term. With 202 votes the “Better Performance space on Campus” has been voted the winning campaign. A meeting with the proposer and seconder will be arranged with the Student officer team to plan the camapign. If you would like to get more involved with this campaign please email camapigns@rusu.co.uk or ask a Student Officer.
An update for this campaign will be discussed at Student Voice and information will be here after the planning.
If you'd like to nominate a campaign for next term, please head to our Student Chosen Campaign page. Better provision of Performance Spaces on Campus
Better provision of Performance Spaces on Campus
Proposer: Luke Elliot
Seconder: Jack Thompson
It is an unfortunate fact that here at Reading we do not have a purpose designed performance space which seems a staple at universities across the UK. That is why we feel it is time to lobby the university to use their current rehearsal and performance spaces to full effect. Performing arts society can be some of the most enriching to current students and most attractive to prospective students and we believe that the university should have some hand in enabling these groups. That is why we are calling for RUSU to help enable performing arts societies at Reading achieve their full potential.
The Aim
The main objective of a campaign would be for increased availability of performance spaces on campus in particular a wider use of current university resources for example the Van Emden Theatre (currently condemned) and the Minghella building. These venues which are currently not being used to their full potential could have a huge positive impact on students from a wide variety of societies. With an increase in availability of performance spaces across campus the university has an opportunity to become an even more exciting and culturally enriching experience for not only the students but also the local community. Also for the union to lobby the importance of performance groups as a staple for any successful university and that in turn the university should be encouraged to help enable such groups on campus.
-
For RUSU to lobby the university to increase the availability of performance spaces on campus available specifically to RUSU societies and student groups.
-
For RUSU to actively & constructively engage with the university facilitates management directorate and the Film, Theatre and Television department in establishing appropriate access for student groups to performance and rehearsal spaces including, but not limited to, the Minghella building.
-
For RUSU to make the universities senior management, marketing, recruitment & events departments aware that should they wish to use performance based societies’ such as RUDS in their promotional materials to the extent that they do that such societies need to be better supported by the wider university structure such as Estates and Facilities management.
Background
From talking to university drama societies across the UK but particularly in the 1994 group of which Reading is a member it is clear that provision of performance spaces for student groups are lacking in quality, quantity and cost.
RUSU has performance spaces which are vital for student groups. Unfortunately as they are not actual theatre spaces they are not always appropriate.
One of the main reasons is that the Van Emden Theatre space located in the HumSS building which used to be used regularly by a wide range of societies was condemned for use as a theatre space and never replaced.
An exciting opportunity has arose with the building of a new theatre space (Minghella building) on campus which currently is unused out of academic time a good proportion of the time. It would be a very exciting possibility for student groups to be allowed to use this space but would have to be a careful balance between not having any detrimental effect on the students studying there.
Campaign Statement
For a university that prides itself on its prestigious rankings it seems unbelievable that the only licensed performance spaces available on campus for student groups to perform in are either RUSU bars or nightclubs. These are provided by the union because no adequate provision is made at all at present by the university.
This campaign rings a chord with any performing arts society who are struggling to book available dates, afford hire costs or that simply find current venues unsuitable. Those involved with student group know how hard their committees and members work to achieve a high standard which currently can be let down by our choice of performance venues. The opening of the Minghella Building on Whiteknights provides a perfect opportunity to remedy some of these issues.
We believe that if RUSU are mandated to lobby the university over these spaces we could make a real change for our student groups in years to come.