Last Week / This Week

Welcome to your weekly round-up of who your elected officers have been meeting and what they have been doing to promote, defend and extend the rights of students.

The information below mainly focuses on meetings that your officers are attending with the University and external stakeholders.  If you are interested in finding out more about what they are working on check out their blogs or the Student Voice section of the website. You can also keep up to date by following UBU on twitter: @ubunews and #ubumeets.

• Sophie Bennett met with the Student Health Service & Student Counselling to discuss plans for Mental Wellbeing week.  Look out for more details soon...

• Gus Baker represented UBU at the NUS Strategic conversation in London. This key forum discusses major aspects of the NUS’ strategy.  For more information email ubu-president@bristol.ac.uk. 

• Josh Alford attended the University Committee on Technology Enhanced learning. He is ensuring that the use of technology at UoB is student (rather than gadget) focussed.  Focus groups are set up to gauge student opinion. Sign up for one here.
• Max Wakefield, Sophie Bennett and the Just Ask Advice team attended the University Housing Fair in the Hawthorns.  For the latest information on housing in Bristol visit www.ubu.org.uk/justask.
• Josh Alford met with the International Office and the International Foundation Centre to discuss support for international students. Study skills, support and realistic pre-arrival expectations will be promoted more in future and Josh is looking into the techniques used by other universities and students' union.

• Max Wakefield met with University staff to discuss anti-social student behaviour and welfare issues around alcohol abuse. Check out the Bristol Uni Police facebook page here.
• Max also met with Mark Burton and Sarah Forrester Wilson to discuss the Bristol Pound Project.
• Chris Ruff met with Professor David Clarke (Deputy Vice Chancellor) about the renaming of the Students’ Union building. The University have rejected "QRB" as a name and we are working on creative solutions whereby the Students’ Union will be very prominent.  Have your say in a MyBristol poll.

• Sophie Bennett caught up with the Heads of Student Services across the University to finalise plans for Mental Wellbeing Week. Look out for more details coming soon...
• Max Wakefield met with Neil Sapsworth (Director of Residences) for his regular 1-2-1 and caught up on the Manor Hall refurb, Unite contracts, the Hiatt Baker new build and changes to the rent banding for University accommodation.
• Gus Baker was live on BBC Points West discussing fair access to internships.

• Dom Oliver visited Bristol City Football Club for the announcement of the Women’s FA Cup final, which will be in Bristol this year.

• Gus Baker & Josh Alford are meeting Charles Martindale (Faculty Dean of Arts) and Vanda Zajko (Faculty Education Director) to discuss learning resources costs and provision of books, journals, study space and computer facilities. 
• Dom Oliver hosted  a meeting with UWESU to discuss this year’s Varsity Series. Details coming soon.
• Josh Alford attended a meeting on student induction and transition, looking at how the University can best equip new students before they arrive at Bristol and once they get here to make the most of their time at Bristol and to have an easy transition into university.

• Josh Alford & Gus Baker had a catch up with Nick Lieven (Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education) about an event they are holding jointly in March to inform students of how the expansion will affect them.  More info coming soon.
• Sophie Bennett met with the University to discuss the equality and diversity objectives and how they could be better focused on students.
• Max Wakefield & Gus Baker meet with senior staff in the University to discuss the student growth plans and how they plan to add extra capacity to vital University student resources. 

• Max Wakefield met staff from Careers & Security Services to discuss clear guidelines for protest at future fairs.

• Dom Oliver will be attending a meeting with University Sports, Exercise & Health to discuss further partnership work with the Students' Union.