Impact Review2011 - 2012

The Students’ Union

86% of students feel

that the Students’ Union

is important to them

87% of students had a

good overall experience of

the Students’ Union

91% of students felt it

was important the Students’

Union continues to work in

partnership with the

University

Results taken from the Student Opinion

Survey 2012

1

A Gold SUEI (Students’ Union EvaluationInitiative) Award was achieved for being oneof the best developed and well managedstudents’ unions in the UK. We are one of onlyfour students’ unions nationally to gain Gold.

A Gold Green Impact Award - an internalUniversity award - was achieved for havingexcellent systems for reducing impact on theenvironment.

The Investors in People standard wasre-accredited in recognition of our effortsto improve performance through themanagement and development of its people.

A total of 35,415 votes were cast in all thestudent elections this year.

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Our staff survey showed that 92% of staff feelthat their work ultimately benefits students.

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2

Being involved with the SU hasbeen fantastic: the people I’vemet, the work I’ve done and thefun I’ve had along the way. It’sbeen challenging, but the wayI’ve developed as an individualas a result has been enormous.Most of all, I have cherished theopportunity to make a genuinedifference for students, fightingfor their rights and representingthem on their issues - big andsmall.

David Howells -Students’ Union President

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2,133 students voted for

their Academic Representatives

in each department

1,789 students completed

the Students’ Union’s Student

Opinion Survey

5,426 students were

represented through the

Postgraduate Association

and over 3,800 through

the International Student

Association

3

Over 1000 surveys were distributed to studentswaiting for buses, which enabled us to workwith the bus companies to improve theirservices.

Responding to Union feedback, the Universityset up a pilot to enable students to access theirexam scripts.

Working in partnership with the University onhidden fee costs, it was agreed that labequipment would be free to students and fieldtrip costs reviewed.

B&NES council was lobbied over plans tointroduce ‘Article 4 Direction’ which will limit‘Houses of Multiple Occupancy’ and createproblems for students living in the local area.

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We continue to work with the University onenhancing student sport through the revenuegenerated by the Sports Pass.

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Representation &The Student Voice

4

Being an Academic Representativehas given me the opportunity towork with the University to try andimprove the quality of educationand general experience we get.Being able to liaise with thestudents on my course as well asacademics within the departmentto resolve any issues has been afantastic chance to really make adifference.

Alex Pool - Academic ExecutiveCommittee ChairFourth Year/Department of Biologyand Biochemistry

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Student Development & Employability

£1,133,844.00was earned by student staff

working on campus through

JobLink last year

1,500 students attended

139 SORTED training sessions

898 students in total have

registered for the Bath Award

5

Thirty-two teams entered Student Enterprise‘11 and the selected teams made £1,860 profitduring nine days of trading in a shop in the citycentre.

Over £7,400 was invested in new student start-ups during a Dragons’ Den session organisedthrough Student Enterprise.

The Bath Award scheme has 898undergraduate and postgraduate studentsenrolled on the programme.

JobLink is working with the local council tolook at ways to encourage Bath students tostay in the city after graduation.

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The Students’ Union Business Plan winnerdistributed 7,000 magazines to Londoncommuters at the launch of the company’sUnderground Book Club.

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6

Working in the Students’ Unionthrough JobLink has not onlyprovided me with valuableworking experience and theopportunity to develop skillssuch as time management andorganisation, but it also givenme an insight into how hard ourUnion works for us, all whilstmaking new friends and havinga laugh along the way.

Jonty Usborne -Students’ Union Web AssistantFirst Year/Department of MechanicalEngineering

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Advice and Support

3,265 students were

helped in the Advice &

Representation Centre

331 housing contracts

were checked

351students were involved

in seven Support & Diversity

Groups

7

Awareness raising on campus included: twoTHINK Weeks (with six individual campaignssuch as Healthy Living) as well as the safetycampaign “Don’t Make It A Night To Regret”.

Bath Nightline won two awards at the nationalNightline Awards, for “Best Leader” and“Regional Representative”. They were alsonominated for “Most Improved” service in thecountry.

An addition to the drop-in service was offeredto students with a new appointments systemon three afternoons a week, which resulted ina 75% take up.

Gender Equality and LGBT ran awarenesscampaigns on specific issues and raised fundsfor local organisations.

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Over 1,250 students were offered peer supportthrough 15 Peer Mentoring and Peer AssistedLearning schemes.

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8

Being involved in the Diversityand Support groups in theStudents’ Union during my fouryears as a student here has beeninvaluable. The facility to meetlike-minded people and get peersupport from other students -and offer support back - hasunderpinned everything I’vedone as a student.

Felix Slade -LGBT Campaigns OfficerFourth Year/Department of Politics,Languages & International Studies

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Entertainmentand Events

4,000 tickets to the

Summer Ball were sold in

under 90 minutes when

released on general sale

35,000 tickets to

Students’ Union events

were sold

257,000 drinks

were sold in The Plug and

The Tub, with the profits

used to fund Students’ Union

activities

9

Over 3,000 students enjoyed Freshers’ Weekwith entertainment including themed clubnights, quizzes and city tours.

Food sales have increased by over 50% fromthe previous year. New food deals complementweekly entertainment such as The Pub Quizand Open Mic Night.

Students have responded well to the refurbishedand rebranded “The Plug” bar and “The Tub”night club, by regularly filling the 1,200 capacityvenues on two weekly club nights.

The Plug bar has become the place to be forlive sport on campus, showing events such asthe Premier League, the Super Bowl and theBoat Race.

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Refresh Week included daily studentperformances in the Student Centre and 50stallholders attending the end of week fair.

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10

The SU is a great place to chillout with friends and where youcan enjoy a pizza and live music.Also, with great drinks deals, theopportunity to dress up in fancydress and seeing everyone youknow, the Students’ Union’s clubnights Score and Fuzzy Ducksare always a brilliant laugh.

Sofia FernandezFirst Year/Department of Politics,Languages & International Studies

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Sports

4,000 students were

members of 47 student

sports clubs

13 clubs played at

premier league level

36 sports clubs were

involved in BUCS with

71 teams being entered

in over 30 tournaments

11

Working with the University’s SportsDepartment we have introduced the 3:ThirtyClub, increasing participation in social,recreational and intramural sport.

This year at the 38th University of Bath BluesAwards there were 120 award winners.

Over 3,000 spectators watched Bath win the‘Best of the South West’ Varsity competitionagainst Exeter.

Bath is currently third* in the BUCS (BritishUniversities and Colleges Sport) Championships.

* As of May 2012 - the final result will be announcedin July.

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Over 1,500 tickets were sold for the Snow Ball,with profits raised going towards new sportsequipment for clubs.

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12

Being a part of a sports club,I have had the opportunity tomeet people from all differentwalks of life and make friends forlife. It also gives you the chanceto grow both socially andpersonally, with opportunities torun for elected roles and gainqualifications.

Janine Comerford -Netball Club ChairSecond Year/Learning PartnershipsCity of Bath College

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Societies andStudent Media

3,500 students were

members of 81 societies

24,000 copies of

bathimpact were produced

by students for students

180 events were held by

societies and student groups

on and off campus

13

Annual Carnival day saw 21 societiesentertaining thousands of students andshowcasing the opportunities on offer throughthe Students’ Union.

The juggling and circus skills society “GravityVomit” hosted their fourth national conventionproviding entertainment and workshops forhundreds of students and members of thepublic.

URB Radio has played over 125,000 songsacross campus and online.

Backstage technical crew supported over 96events in town and on campus, includingFreshers’ Week, the Summer Ball andFireworks Night.

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The arts societies have produced over 30performances on and off campus with manyshows selling out.

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14

I joined two societies - theyhave been a great way tomeet people who sharesimilar interests. Over theyear you develop closefriendships and have lots offun with a wide range ofpeople that you wouldn’tnormally have met.

Rikki Tooley - VegetarianSociety Publicity OfficerSecond Year/Department ofComputer Science

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Volunteering

£100,000 was raised

by RAG, supporting local and

national charities

60 volunteer events and

projects were delivered

900 students volunteered

through the Volunteer Centre

and gave over 5,000 hours

of their time

15

The Students’ Union’s commitment torecruiting and supporting volunteers wasrecognised nationally by achieving theInvesting in Volunteers Award.

Organised by Raise and Give (RAG), over8,000 spectators enjoyed Fireworks Night,with £28,000 raised for local charities.

Twenty-eight students participated inexpeditions as part of gaining their Duke ofEdinburgh’s Award.

Twenty-five students volunteered to work for amonth in orphanages in Romania and Bulgaria.

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Other RAG fund-raising activities included asleep-out, a fashion show and a sponsoredhitch-hike to Paris.

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16

Volunteering has really been thehighlight of my time at university.I’ve acquired so many skillswhich you just can’t learn inlectures, whilst giving back tothe local community.Volunteering has not only helpedme to develop my interpersonalskills, from meetings withprofessionals to leadingother volunteers, but has alsogiven me confidence in myorganisational, management andmarketing abilities.

Hanna Wade - RAG Chair Fourth Year/Department of Politics,Languages & International Studies

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Local & CampusCommunity

250 Good Neighbour

booklets were printed and

distributed to students

300 students attended

eight Discover Trips

including London and

Longleat Safari Park

420 hours were

volunteered by 35 tutors

and mentors in six primary

and secondary schools

in Bath

17

Over 330 volunteer ‘Captains’ and ‘Crew’helped 3,000 new students settle in to campuscommunity during Freshers’ Week.

Student Community Action (SCA) worked with13 projects with local organisations such asAge UK, Mencap and Julian House.

Members from the Students’ Union and the localCouncil went door to door in Oldfield Parkwelcoming students, giving neighbourly adviceand distributing over 400 community leaflets.

Festival on the Hill saw seven arts andcultural societies entertaining students withthe International Student Association (ISA)running a festival of films over the week.

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The Student Centre had over 100 bookingsfrom student groups, clubs and societiesranging from the Latin and Ballroom Club tothe Table Top Games Society.

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18

I had loads of fun and gainedreally useful teamwork andmanagement skills. I am proudof being a part of a team helpingcreate a really strong, vibrantsense of community acrosscampus. The events like theinter-hall competitions, groupactivities and support we gaveFreshers really helped them findtheir feet and settle in.

Neisha Jobanputra - Freshers’Week Captain Third Year/Department of Biologyand Biochemistry

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Tel: 01225 384391Email: sumarketing@bath.ac.ukWeb: www.BathStudent.com