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| Cumbria's students are looking for imaginative, energetic friends | Cumbria's students are looking for imaginative, energetic friends |
| (12 months later) | |
| It was Woody Allen who famously said that "the world is run by those who show up". | It was Woody Allen who famously said that "the world is run by those who show up". |
| So, some three years ago, when I saw that my local university's Students' Union was looking for external trustees, I took that as my cue to dip my toe into the world of trustee boards. I'd spent the best part of 20 years working with non-executive directors and elected members, so I felt I had a lot of experience of how high-level boards should operate. Also, I liked the idea of being in at the start of a brand new board. | So, some three years ago, when I saw that my local university's Students' Union was looking for external trustees, I took that as my cue to dip my toe into the world of trustee boards. I'd spent the best part of 20 years working with non-executive directors and elected members, so I felt I had a lot of experience of how high-level boards should operate. Also, I liked the idea of being in at the start of a brand new board. |
| The University of Cumbria is one of the UK's newest universities, formed some four years ago by the merger of St Martin's College in Lancaster and the Carlisle Institute of Arts. It also encompasses the former Charlotte Mason College in Ambleside and Newton Rigg at Penrith, as well as campuses at Energus in Workington and also Tower Hamlets, a legacy of the links with St Martin's College. It has a total of around 10,000 students. | The University of Cumbria is one of the UK's newest universities, formed some four years ago by the merger of St Martin's College in Lancaster and the Carlisle Institute of Arts. It also encompasses the former Charlotte Mason College in Ambleside and Newton Rigg at Penrith, as well as campuses at Energus in Workington and also Tower Hamlets, a legacy of the links with St Martin's College. It has a total of around 10,000 students. |
| It is not your typical university. The student average age is 31, due to the high number of mature students on vocational courses. It has particular niche courses in health and education. At his recent inauguration, the Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Strike remarked that the University is training more student teachers than Finland! | It is not your typical university. The student average age is 31, due to the high number of mature students on vocational courses. It has particular niche courses in health and education. At his recent inauguration, the Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Peter Strike remarked that the University is training more student teachers than Finland! |
| I don't need to spell out here the issues which are currently vexing students and their representatives. The consequence of increased tuition fees from this year throws light upon the whole 'student experience' and the value added by students' unions is part of this. | I don't need to spell out here the issues which are currently vexing students and their representatives. The consequence of increased tuition fees from this year throws light upon the whole 'student experience' and the value added by students' unions is part of this. |
| When I was an undergraduate in the 1980s, the SU was the place where I collected my post, drank too much on Friday nights and went to noisy general meetings every now and then. And yes, the social aspect is still very much part of what the students' unions is about, through promotional nights at local nightclubs and pub tours. | When I was an undergraduate in the 1980s, the SU was the place where I collected my post, drank too much on Friday nights and went to noisy general meetings every now and then. And yes, the social aspect is still very much part of what the students' unions is about, through promotional nights at local nightclubs and pub tours. |
| Cumbria's SU provides an amazing range of services, including advice and support for all students. It is the campaigning body for a better education for everyone, through its promotion of the SU's 'Top Ten', a list of requirements for the University which were compiled by listening to its membership and reflecting back their own concerns. | Cumbria's SU provides an amazing range of services, including advice and support for all students. It is the campaigning body for a better education for everyone, through its promotion of the SU's 'Top Ten', a list of requirements for the University which were compiled by listening to its membership and reflecting back their own concerns. |
| From a student point of view, the Union has made great strides in its own governance and regulations, with the support of its board, to become student-led. Its community projects are imaginative and creative, such as the community allotment, computing lessons for older people, and art classes for local residents. This is the sort of thing that is going some way to dispel the image of students as 'bad neighbours' and not being involved in the communities they live in. | From a student point of view, the Union has made great strides in its own governance and regulations, with the support of its board, to become student-led. Its community projects are imaginative and creative, such as the community allotment, computing lessons for older people, and art classes for local residents. This is the sort of thing that is going some way to dispel the image of students as 'bad neighbours' and not being involved in the communities they live in. |
| And the Union celebrated success at the recent Awards Night held at Rheged in Penrith, where awards were made to community leaders, lecturers, staff members and, most importantly, students, all nominated by their peers. | And the Union celebrated success at the recent Awards Night held at Rheged in Penrith, where awards were made to community leaders, lecturers, staff members and, most importantly, students, all nominated by their peers. |
| So what's this got to do with you? Well, we're on the look-out for new trustees. | So what's this got to do with you? Well, we're on the look-out for new trustees. |
| Through the Northerner, I want to invite anyone who thinks that they have something to offer to apply, or tell someone who you think would be a great SU trustee – details are now on the UCSU website - and you have until 16th May to apply. | Through the Northerner, I want to invite anyone who thinks that they have something to offer to apply, or tell someone who you think would be a great SU trustee – details are now on the UCSU website - and you have until 16th May to apply. |
| This is not a complacent Union. It's already been awarded a Bronze level for the Students' Union Evaluation Initiative (SUEI), and we've set our sights higher for the next round. The SU managers and staff team is focused on delivering the SU's plans. And we've got a record number of candidates currently standing for election to one-year sabbatical positions, which blows the myth that students are apathetic out of the water. | This is not a complacent Union. It's already been awarded a Bronze level for the Students' Union Evaluation Initiative (SUEI), and we've set our sights higher for the next round. The SU managers and staff team is focused on delivering the SU's plans. And we've got a record number of candidates currently standing for election to one-year sabbatical positions, which blows the myth that students are apathetic out of the water. |
| So I look forward to future meetings with our new trustees! Come on, what are you waiting for? It's time for you to show up! | So I look forward to future meetings with our new trustees! Come on, what are you waiting for? It's time for you to show up! |
| Laura Davies is an external trustee for the University of Cumbria Students' Union and Vice Chair of its Trustee Board. The views expressed in this article are entirely her own. Twitter @lauradavies24 | Laura Davies is an external trustee for the University of Cumbria Students' Union and Vice Chair of its Trustee Board. The views expressed in this article are entirely her own. Twitter @lauradavies24 |
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