ISSUE TWO Feb 2010
Welcome to the second edition of DiverseCity Magazine... Packed with all the latest on your campaigning, awareness raising and support groups.
Against Racism
Who do you think we are?
Hello all! So the Women’s Group are all feminists? Wrong. So the Women’s Group are all Women? Wrong again. What’s it all about then? It’s about achieving gender equality, which women still don’t have to this day. Some exciting things happened for the Women’s Group last semester; notably a campaign was run in December on “This is not an invitation to rape me” and we got over 200 surveys filled out! Shockingly, 25% of participants felt they had been forced or were unsure if they wanted sex in the first place.
Planned for this semester is a body image campaign at the end of April. Are you a talented model, love make up, can work photoshop or good with hair? Fancy showing off your talents? Please contact womensofficer@theunion.strath.ac.uk asap. More details to be released, so please join our group on Facebook or sign up to the mailing
list by e-mailing the Women’s Officer. Also, the 3rd of February brings elections for the National Union of Students (NUS) Scotland’s Women’s Conference, which takes place on Saturday the 20th March. If you’d like to be elected to go to this conference, please come along to the meeting in the Lounge on level 5 of the Union at 6pm. One of our committee is running for NUS Scotland’s Women’s Officer at the conference and we would like to wish her the best of luck.
Racism is not acceptable in our Union, our University, our communities or our lives and the Race Relations group exists to promote the harmony of people of different ethnicities and nationalities. My name is Nadia Ness, I study Journalism and Law and in October I was elected to be the Relations Convenor. Recently, Jack Duncan, a first year politics student, has been elected as the Deputy Race Relations Convenor after a highly contested election!
NIGHT TO REMEMBER: Strathclyde students and Exec attended the ’Reclaim The Night’ event!
More importantly, would you like to be the new Women’s Officer or fancy playing a part on the Women’s Committee? Our Annual General Meeting is on the 3rd of March at 4pm in the Lounge. Please come vote or stand in the election. And, as always, any questions- feel free to e-mail the Women’s Officer! Janel Muir (Women’s Officer 09/10) & the rest of the Women’s Committee at womensofficer@theunion.strath.ac.uk
We are a group of students who campaign for the equality and diversity of all disabled students at Strathclyde, and campaign to challenge the stigma attached to disability both within and out with the disability community. This group is open to anyone who self defines as disabled, is a carer or just wants to learn more about disability and/or would like support from the group. We meet up every 2nd Monday (odd weeks) for an informal chat and play a bit of pool. We have a lot of fun and enjoy excursions such as going to plays and watching films but we are always open to new suggestions!
Up and coming: THINK POSITIVE our Mental Health Week is taking place from Monday 8th February until Friday 12th February and is going be a great week filled with stalls in the Union foyer daily, self confidence workshops, challenging mental health stigmas workshops, getting your blood pressure taken for free and many more.
THE RACE IS ON: Jack and Nadia (above) campaign to prevent Racism at Strathclyde and beyond
For mental health week we are also running a competition called ‘EXPRESS YOURSELF -What Makes You Smile?’ where students get creative and send in a photograph/painting/ poem/story/song or whatever you choose of something that makes them smile and uplifts them. 1st prize will win an IPod, 2nd prize will be £40 Topshop/ Topman Vouchers and 3rd
The International Society in the Union are an exciting, diverse, vibrant group of students who represent the international students at Strathclyde and the goal of the Society is to make sure that International Students have a great experience during their time at Strathclyde. How do we do this? g Weekly social night on Fridays, which range from the popular speedmeeting event to movie nights and pub-crawls g Trips to other parts of Scotland g Campaigns about issues affecting International Students and providing advice.
Prize will be a ‘Treat Yourself’ pack. The winning entries and others will be displayed in the Union, if you don’t want your name displayed that is not a problem! If you want to get involved in the group, help out in THINK POSITIVE –Mental Health Week, enter the competition or just ask questions email Megan McClure the Students with Disabilities Convener on swdconvenor@theunion. strath.ac.uk.
In the Race Relations group, we have decided that our aims for the year are to do an Anti-British National Party campaign in time for the General Election in 2010, gathering student accounts of racism and producing a ‘know your rights against racism’ card for students. We kicked off the
Our plans this semester include: More trips to Jordanhill to reach more Jordanhill students g Canvassing during Refreshers week (look out for us!) g Designing and making the ‘know your rights’ cards g Actively campaigning against the BNP before and during the election g Submitting an official constitution to the Student Representative Council. g
If you are interested in finding out more about the group, want to get involved or just have some questions please email Nadia on racerelations@theunion.strath.ac.uk.
Better Together
What is SWD?
SWD stands for Students with Disabilities!
group with a Rubix Cube themed welcome party where we got about 30 sign ups to the group!
Representing International Students at SRC (Student Rep. Council) g
Previously we have organised: g g g g g g
Ben Lomond / Loch Lomond Trip Speed-Meeting Nights Out Stirling Trip SiS Xmas Party Weekly Socials
Upcoming Events Weekly Socials including: g g g g
Speed-Meeting Nights Out Pub Crawl Movie Nights
g g g g g g g
Aviemore (skiing) Trip Glasgow Treasure Hunt Loch Ness Trip Ben Nevis Trip Eurovision Night Paintball Annual General Meeting
The Society is open to anyone, so if you’re interested... Get Involved! Do you want to attend, or even organise, events and meet people from all over the world? Go to: www.strathstudents. com/international or email international@theunion.strath.ac.uk for more info and contact details.
Out and About FRIENDLY FACES: Strathclyde International Society provide advice and events for all students
Together we can cure the 3 biggest mental health problems: Prejudice. Ignorance. Fear.
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Society at Strathclyde University exists to serve as a safe, social space for students who self define into the LGBT community and those that support it. In our first short semester we have had a welcome night, movie night, Halloween night and a bowling night. In addition to these nights, we have run several successful campaigns. We were nominated for LGBT Society of the Year in Scotland for the National Union of Students LGBT Campaign and although unfortunately we didn’t win, we had a great time at the Glow Ball for it in Edinburgh.
We also go to different conferences and are always looking for more volunteers to join the group and help raise awareness of issues that students might face in the way of disabilities.
RAINBOW WARRIORS: Rhona and James (above) help Strathclyde LGBT run campaigns to prevent homophobia and provide help, support and social events for students of all sexualities
We have recently been involved in a campaign to promote same-sex marriages and we will be running a new campaign called “a day in hand”. This new campaign is the first in Scotland to be run. Essentially, it is the drive to cut out the social stigma and prejudice against same sex couples holding hands in public and asks that all people of all sexual orientation hold hands with a member of the same sex in solidarity with the LGBT community. Plans so far for second semester include our re-welcome night on Wednesday 3rd
February, Level 5 (ASK lounge) of the Union and our Valentine’s event. This was highly successful last year with Glasgow and St Andrew Universities turning up. Look out for our upcoming campaigns! We hope to see a lot of you there, the LGBT is a safe space for all LGBT students which always begins in the Union building so everyone can attend this section of the evening. The Committee is: James Beattie - Convenor Andrew Marshall - Deputy Convenor g Rhona Coutts - Treasurer g Susan Donnelly - Social Officer g g
We are accessible at any time feel free to contact us by email on LGBT@theunion.strath.ac.uk !
Your groups, your magazine!
JUST ASK! The Students’ Union provides students with advice and support during their time at Strathclyde. Pop in to the Advice Support and Knowledge (ASK) service which is located on Level 5 of the Union building in the newly refurbished Lounge. We have two very friendly advisors who support students with any issues they may be having whether that be financial, personal, academic or accommodation problems, to name a few. ASK also provides free condoms and contraception advice to students throughout the year from 9am until 5pm Monday to Friday. If you would like to make an appointment please email Nicola or Alison on ask@theunion.strath.ac.uk or pop in during the times listed above.
JUST PHONE!
The Union also provides a listening night time service called Nightline, which is a confidential, anonymous, non judgemental listening service staffed by student volunteers throughout term time. Sometimes if you are having a difficult time it can help to talk to someone about it, especially if you do not want to talk to someone you know and Nightline allows you to share your problems with someone who has no way of finding out who you are. Nightline is also an information service if you need a telephone number for a pizza, cinema listings or even a cheeky answer to a pub quiz! Nightline is open from Monday until Thursday from 7pm to 7am and the number is 0141 55 22 555 and is also on the back of your student matriculation card. If you would be interested in volunteering for either of these services please contact vpsc@theunion.strath.ac.uk.
Hello, my name is Kelley Temple and I was elected back in March to be your Vice President Support and Campaigns and work full time for you as a student representative. Nazia Iqbal is the Equal Opportunities Officer for the Union and we are the elected Executive officers who work together with the groups featured in DiverseCity. Nazia is a part time Executive officer who is a full time student and we work on a lot of campaigns, Liberation issues and ensuring equal opportunities are given to all students. DiverseCity is about us celebrating the work of groups in the Students’ Union and student movement as a whole. The groups featured in this magazine are some of the most active, passionate and dedicated groups which exist to campaign, lobby, support, organise events for and represent specific groups of students in our Union. Nazia and I have a lot of fun working with these groups and we have had a busy semester last semester; however this one should be even better! Campaigning - What is it? You may think that campaigning is just standing outside holding placards and protesting… well it can be but it’s much, much more than that! A campaign is something that runs in order to achieve change in our University, Union, communities, society and countries. If you do not agree that something is right and think things could be better then the best thing to do about it, rather than just complain is to try and change it! Campaigning is something which allows you to have a great deal of fun, get to know people, socialise, and take part in something very
Want to have fun & make new friends? Be a Buddy!
Kelley (above) and Nazia (below) work with student groups featured in DiverseCity Magazine
meaningful, and influence a result/decision which makes life better for other people. The job market is tough out there for graduates now and campaigning can be something that helps you build your skills and self confidence as a person, as well as be proud of what you can achieve! We have already had a successful launch of DiverseCity during Freshers’ Week: our Womens Group ran their ‘This Is Not An Invitation To Rape Me’ campaign, got a motion passed at the Union’s Annual General Meeting on beauty pageants. Nazia lead the campaign for Muslim women to be allowed to sit on the committee in the Glasgow Central Mosque. The LGBT society was up for Society of the year nationally and the International Society organised more events and trips for international students than has ever been done in a semester at Strathclyde... and much more! Coming up this semester is a THINK POSITIVE-Mental Health week with SWD, Voting Registration campaign to get students registered to vote in the general election with Race Relations leading the way on the anti BNP campaign, another Sexual Health Week (get yourself signed up for C Card and get free condoms forever!) and the Halls committee are going to do a Crime and Safety week. There is much more than just this going on so please do get involved - it is never too late to get started. For more information or to get involved please contact Nazia on equalops@theunion. strath.ac.uk or myself on vpsc@theunion. strath.ac.uk.
Join the Buddy System and:
g
g Meet new friends
g Learn about a new language/culture/country
Meet someone who can help you with your English if it is not your first language or Support international students for whom English is not their first language g Build your CV g To give students who do not speak English as a first language confidence in their work and in their speaking skills g Get the best experience as a student at Strathclyde! g
The Buddy System pairs up students who are studying the same/ a similar course in order to break down language barriers and allow students to help each other with studying and coursework International Students g Most International Students come to Scotland for the first time with no friends, family and little, if any knowledge of Glasgow
g
Most international students say they would like more orientation of the city and the culture in Glasgow There are some courses which are mostly made up of students from the same country and this makes it harder to meet students from different countries
What you have to do! g
It is recommended that buddies meet up about every two weeks, even if this is just for a coffee and chat for an hour, to find out how you are both getting on and keep in contact
g It is meant to be informal and fun! g You will both be provided with support from
the Vice President Support and Campaigns
If you would like more information or if you would like to get involved then email Kelley Temple, Vice President Support and Campaigns on vpsc@theunion.strath.ac.uk with the Subject title ‘Buddy System’.
Pr Print are delighted to be producing this newsletter and to make it a Carbon Neutral Publication. In 2008 Pr Print and it’s clients offset 140 tonnes of Carbon and have saved approx 350 trees by using 50 % and 100 % re-cycled papers as standard. If you would like us to reduce your organisations footprint call 0141 556 5414 or email phil@prprint.net for more information. USSA 90 John Street, Glasgow, G1 1JH The University of Strathclyde Students’ Association is a charity registered in Scotland, No:SC005914
I would like to extend a big thank you to the Strathclyde Telegraph in their cooperation with this project and would like to clarify that the autonomy of the Telegraph from the Student Executive is in no way affected by the publication of this newsletter.