Students’ Union
Royal Holloway, University of London Guidebook 2013-2014 www.su.rhul.ac.uk
Students’ Union Guidebook 2013-2014
Welcome! “Our mission is to provide outstanding representation and services that promote active and constant participation”
Welcome to your Students’ Union! The main function of the Students’ Union is to be the voice of the students, so that we can work with the University to make sure that your time here is as enjoyable as possible. The Students’ Union is a place where you can come and get involved in a huge number of things, from campaigns around housing, to getting involved with sports and societies, or even becoming a course rep in your department, we do all this and much much more!
We pride ourselves on being a democratic organisation and every year we elect four full-time sabbatical officers who look after the various areas of the SU, alongside our student part-time officers. They’re available everyday between 10am and 6pm, so if you ever have any questions, feel free to pop in and ask any questions. We hope you enjoy your time at Royal Holloway and that we’ll have a truly postive impact on it. Have a great year!
Singh, Sidonie, Jamie and Ian Your sabbatical team 2013-2014
www.su.rhul.ac.uk
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Students’ Union Guidebook 2013-2014
Contents
Meet the Officers Your Students’ Union How Does the SU Work? General Meetings & Elections Liberation @ SURHUL Forums & Sub-Committees: Get Involved Affiliations
4-7 8 9 10-11 12-13 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
A Welcome to Education &Welfare Just ASC: Support & Advice @SURHUL Support & Advice + Safety Tips Education: How can we help? The SSHH Bus Service Post Graduate & International Students The Course Rep System Raising And Giving
Education & Welfare
Campaigns & Media 24 25 - 27 28 - 32 33
A welcome to Communications & Campaigns Student Media Campaigns @ SURHUL Ethics and Environmental Campaigning
Sport, Societies & Development 34 Student Activities Welcome 35-37 Sports & Societies we offer 38 How to sign up 39 Volunteering
43 44 45 46 48
Venues, Services & Welcome Week
Commercial & Central Services Venues: The SU Venues: Medicine Summer Ball Welcome Week 2013
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Meet your Full Time Amarbeer Singh Gill - President My main responsibility is to be the figurehead of the Union, working with students, the university and other organisations. Essentially what that means is that I sit on a lot of meetings with various different people, but when I’m not doing that, I’m looking into the entertainments we put on for you, the services we provide such as our bars, café and lettings agency, and seeing what we can do to make sure you enjoy your time here! So if you have any questions, feel free to pop in to the SU or give me a shout around campus!
surhul_pres /surhulpresident
President@su.rhul.ac.uk
Sidonie Bertrand-Shelton - Vice President (Education & Welfare) Got an issue with your course? Need help with an academic appeal? Confused about housing? Want some welfare advice and support, or to get involved with charity fundraising? Come and find me! Anything on your mind, anything at all and the very least I can do is point you in the right direction (but I can also do so much more!). You’ll see me out and about on campus, but I’ll also be trying to make you all more aware of what we get up to, so never hesitate to say hello! surhul_edwel
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/surhulvpedwel
vpedwelfare@su.rhul.ac.uk
Students’ Union Guidebook 2013-2014
Elected Officers Jamie Green - Vice President (Communications & Campaigns) Hi my name’s Jamie and my role at the SU does what it says on the tin! I convene the SU’s priority campaign (this year around housing) as well as running political and welfare campaigns alongside Sidonie. My other job is to communicate the SU’s work effectively to you and help come up with new ways to do so. I act as the editor-in-chief to our three brilliant media outlets and make sure they’re ticking along as best as they can be.
surhul_comcam
Lastly I head up the ethical and environmental work of the union, making sure the SU and Royal Holloway are being both sustainable and ethical!
/surhulcomcam
vpcomcam@su.rhul.ac.uk
Ian Stewart - Vice President (Student Activities) My name is Ian and I get to look after all the fun stuff at the SU! If you’re interested in joining a society or playing a sport, I’m the one to see. We have around 60 societies and 30 sports clubs so you’re bound to find something you like, and if you don’t I can help you to start your own club or society! I can also help to find you volunteering opportunities and I’m always looking for way to provide Royal Holloway students with the chance to learn new skills and build their CV, outside of the classroom. surhul_vpsa
vpsa@su.rhul.ac.uk
/vp.studentactivities.1
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The Executive Committee As well as your 4 full-time sabbatical officers, the SU has part-time student officers who are elected annually to support the work of the sabbatical officers and their areas of focus. In addition the ‘exec’ carry out work from their own individual manifestos. Each member of the executive chairs a committee that you’ll see on page 12. In addition to the executive committee members, we elect 3 students to sit on the trustee board as well as deputies to the media and RAG heads. All of our officers are elected by an annual cross campus ballot and any student can run for a position on the executive committee, whether sabbatical or part-time.
Alex Cadier Union Chair chair@su.rhul.ac.uk
Hannah Strathern Democracy Officer democracy@su.rhul.ac.uk
Hannah Wilde Entertainments Officer entertainments@su.rhul.ac.uk
Zosia Edwards Communications Officer Victor E Mukete communications@su.rhul.ac.uk Andrew Mitchell International Students’ Campaigns Officer Officer Campaigns@su.rhul.ac.uk international@su.rhul.ac.uk
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Students’ Union Guidebook 2013-2014
Sarah-Jane Sewell Chris Wall Ethics & Environments Officer Academic Affairs Officer eande@su.rhul.ac.uk Theresa Feddersen academicaffairs@su.rhul.ac.uk Sports Officer sports@su.rhul.ac.uk
Brianna Middleton MacPherson Societies Officer societies@su.rhul.ac.uk
Simon Rawlings Publication Editor editor@theorbital.co.uk
Ashna Hurynag TV Station Manager manager@rhubarbtv.co.uk
Archie Macleod Radio Station Manager manager@insanityradio.com
Henry Morris RAG Chair ragchair@su.rhul.ac.uk
We’re also looking for a first year rep, a post graduate officer, RAG vice Chair to sit on our executive committee, plus 2 NUS conference delegate places. Elections to take place in October. Find out about our 4 liberation officers on page 10
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How does the SU work? The union is literally run for students, by students! Everything we do is decided by the SU’s general meeting where any member can attend, submit policy for consideration & vote. To help the work of our officers are committees made up of students as well as staff employed by
the union. We’re funded by an annual block grant from the university, plus any revenue raised by our bars and lettings agency. Below is a small diagram explaining how we work in a nutshell!
Referenda Cross campus ballots that decide union policy as and when is needed
Election Cross campus ballots that elect the full-time & part-time officers who run your union!
Trustee Board
General Meeting
Provides oversight, comprised of elected students, sabbatical officers & external members
Decides the SU’s policies 1 x Every 3 weeks Anyone can attend & vote!
Forums, Senates & Subcommittees Forums are open for all to attend. Senates & Sub-Committees are elected. All write policy to be debated at the general meeting
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Elected officers A mixture of full-time & parttime portfolio officers who carry out the work as mandated by the general meeting and their manifestos!
Students’ Union Guidebook 2013-2014
Union Staff Around 25 full-time staff & 150 part-time staff who help run the union’s services.
A guide to
Photo: Thomas Seal
General Meetings:
Your Choice, Your Voice!
General Meetings are how you decide what happens with your Students’ Union. They take place every three weeks and are the highest decision making body within the Union, so if there’s something you’d like to see happen or just want some more information, then get in touch with either Singh (president@su.rhul.ac.uk) or Alex (chair@su.rhul.ac.uk) and they’ll be able to help you out. #surhulgm
A guide to elections! All of your executive officers get their positions through cross campus elections of which there at least 2 annually. Any student can run for an officer position and it is your chance to create change within the Students’ Union, Royal Holloway and the world! Our next election is on the 18th of October, in which the positions of First Year Representative, PostSo Should You! graduate Officer, RAG Vice-Chair and NUS Conference Delegates are up for grabs!
I Voted
There are also elections for one of our many sub-committees or senates during the first General Meeting of the term, on the 1st of October.
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Liberation @ SURHUL To have equal opportunity and to be treated with the same respect – these are things that many of us take for granted. The systems around us don’t always grant each of this right, often indirectly discriminating against groups of people who are seen as ‘unconventional’. Our union recognises this, and works closely with our Liberation Officers to ensure that everything we do is as fair, accessible, engaging and exciting as possible. We are a union that takes
these issues seriously, forever aiming to improve and better ourselves, our attitudes and our services. Join us. These roles work on the premise of self-definition; creating events, raising awareness through campaigns and working together to be intersectional. This is the first year that we have four officers in such a role, so if you’d like to get involved at any point, then get in touch with these wonderful folks.
Women & Marginalised Genders Officer - Victoria Butcher This role tackles issues that affect women on campus whilst teaming up with other Officers to raise awareness of transphobia. Victoria is eager to draw attention to the importance of intersectionality and to help students gain a voice that they might not have had before. women@su.rhul.ac.uk
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LGBT+ Officer - Jack Saffery-Rowe Jack’s role is to represent and work with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender + (LGBT+) students. Jack will be raising awareness LGBT* student’s welfare and organising campaigns around LGBT+ issues. This year he’ll be focusing on trans* rights. lgbt+@su.rhul.ac.uk
Black and Minority Ethnicities (BME) -Luisa Violet Bardoli
Violet’s role encourages respect, knowledge & appreciation of each other's communities and individualities. Violet tackles indirect discrimination and represents students from all minorities at Royal Holloway by investigating and discussing issues, whilst finding solutions to promote equality. ethnicity@su.rhul.ac.uk
Disabled Students’ Officer - Matthew Reuben Whether your disability is physical, a learning difficulty or a mental health issue, Matthew works to ensure that our union, social events and services are as accessible for you as for everyone else. The same goes for your education, your course notes and more. disabled@su.rhul.ac.uk
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Senate, Sub-Committees and Forums Under each zone of work the SU executive officers do, there is a corresponding committee, senate or forum that carries out this work as well as coming up with ideas for policy to take to the executive committee or general meeting. Sub-Committees and Senates are made up of student members elected from the general meeting as well as executive officers. Forums are open for anyone to come along and have their say! Here are a list of all governing committees, the positions currently available and who to contact: The Inclusion and Representation Senate Positions available: First Year Representative, Mature and Part-Time Students Representative, NUS Delegates, Halls Representatives, Student Parents or Carers Representative, Off Campus Student Representatives (Egham and Englefield Green). E-mail: vpedwelfare@su.rhul.ac.uk Democracy and Policy Board 6 lay positions available Email: president@su.rhul.ac.uk Finance and Services Committee 2 lay positions available Email: president@su.rhul.ac.uk Scrutiny and Accountability Committee 4 lay positions available 1 Chair position available Email: president@su.rhul.ac.uk Student Activities Committee 1 RAG representative position available Email: VPSA@su.rhul.ac.uk
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Students’ Union Guidebook 2013-2014
Senate, Sub-Committees and Forums
Welfare and Community Forum Email: Vpedwelfare@su.rhul.ac.uk Society and Citizenship Forum Email:Vpcomcam@su.rhul.ac.uk Entertainments Forum Email: President@su.rhul.ac.uk Women and Marginalised Genders Forum Email: Women@su.rhul.ac.uk Black and Minority Ethnicities Forum Email: ethnicity@su.rhul.ac.uk LGBT+ Forum Email: lgbt+@su.rhul.ac.uk Disabled Students’ Forum Email: Disabled@su.rhul.ac.uk Postgraduate Students’ Forum Email: Vpedwelfare@su.rhul.ac.uk International Students’ Forum Email: Internationalstudents@su.rhul.ac.uk
www.su.rhul.ac.uk
To find out more about these committees or when they plan to meet check out www.su.rhul.ac.uk
Education Forum Email: Vpedwelfare@su.rhul.ac.uk
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Students’ Union Guidebook 2013-2014
Organisations that we’re affiliated to: NUS is the National Union of Students, who represent almost 600 Students’ Unions across the country, which is about 7 million students. They have a variety of campaigns running throughout the year, so watch the website for any updates on our work with them. www.nus.org.uk ULU is the University of London Union and works as a representative organisation for the University of London colleges. The Union is going into it’s final year this year but there are plans in the pipeline to bring out a new bigger and better Union that will encompass a much wider range of Unions from across London, so watch this space! www.ulu.co.uk The National Campaign Against Fees & Cuts is a network of student and education worker activists, founded in February 2010. Since then, the NCAFC has helped activists on campuses up and down the country organise radical direct action against tuition fees, education cuts and wider cuts to public services. Membership costs just £1 and can be bought at www.anticuts.com
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Education & Welfare Welcome!
This remit is responsible for supporting you through your studies. We offer advice on everything from housing to your course, from sexual health information to community work. Not only that, but we work to provide academic representation through a whole host of committees that guide your education and through running the course rep system. Alongside the VP Communications and Campaigns, we run campaigns on issues that affect you personally, collectively and even on a national level. Everything from the extortionate rise in tuition fees to the cuts to NHS services – we fight for the things that matter to you. The next few pages cover some of the basic welfare and educational services we run at the SU and who to contact if you need help.
Sidonie Bertrand Shelton Vice President (Education and Welfare) vpedwelfare@su.rhul.ac.uk 16
Students’ Union Guidebook 2013-2014
Just ASC: Support and Advice Centre This student only centre supplies advice and support on issues that affect you during your time here. We provide information, advice and assistance on issues ranging from finance matters to legal rights, from accommodation to safety. Our range of support even stretches to academic issues, health concerns and employment. You can find us on the first floor of the Students’ Union, Monday to Friday from 10am to 5pm. Your main contacts for this service are: Sidonie Bertrand-Shelton, Vice President Education & Welfare vpedwelfare@su.rhul.ac.uk, @SURHUL_EdWel Tina Rainer, Welfare Adviser tina@su.rhul.ac.uk RHUL Support & Advisory Services supportandadvisory@rhul.ac.uk @rhulsuppadv www.su.rhul.ac.uk/support We’re also officially affiliated with Nightline, an organisation run by students that you can speak to in confidence whilst SURHUL is closed. They are open from 6pm to 8am every single night of the term. Call them on – 02076310101 Outside of term time you can call the Samartians on 08457 909090
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Support & Advisory Services On Founder’s West 1st Floor, you’ll find a friendly team who will do everything they can to make your time here more enjoyable. They’ll point you in the right direction for everything from counselling to educational support, from finances to community liasons. They’re here to support you, as students, during your entire time here. Find out more here: http://www.rhul.ac.uk/ecampus/documents/pdf/support/sasbooklet.pdf
supportandadvisory@rhul.ac.uk
Safety Tips
While getting used to the area, make sure you are being safe and sensible. Figure out how you’re going to get home before you leave, let people know where you’re going and going in pairs are all great ideas. Royal Holloway has Campus Watch security on campus 24/7 that regularly go out on patrols – you can find them at the Hub or at Founders Reception in the evening, and just at Founders during the day. You can pick up personal safety alarms, gadgets and more information from Support & Advisory Services in Founders Building.
SecurityRHUL@rhul.ac.uk 18
01784 443063
Students’ Union Guidebook 2013-2014
Education How can we help? What you learn and how you learn it is very important whilst at university, and it should be. Unfortunately cuts by the government lead to cuts to your courses and resources, despite the outrageous increase in your fees. This Union is fighting against this culture, as we believe that a free and democratic higher education is a right for all, not just those who can afford it. We also believe that you should be getting the best you can out of your course, in every respect. We work with
and train course reps from every year group and course, making sure that you have the contact time, the resources and the feedback that you need and that your learning style is catered for. If it’s not, then we need to be doing something about it. Contact Sid, your VP Education & Welfare for more information on how to get involved in defending your education, how to improve the quality of your course or even how to become a course rep.
Helpful contacts: Chris Wall, Academic Affairs Officer: academicaffairs@su.rhul.ac.uk Sidonie Bertrand-Shelton, VP Education & Welfare vpedwelfare@su.rhul.ac.uk Caston Matewu, Representation & Engagement Coordinator caston@su.rhul.ac.uk
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Students’ Union Guidebook 2013-2014
Postgraduate Students Sometimes it can feel like the university and union are geared towards undergraduates only. As a Students’ Union, we are actively trying to represent and engage post graduate taught and research students as much as possible. We have a Post Graduate Officer whose position is elected in the first term, but we also want to know what issues are affecting you. Are you being paid enough for the work you are marking? Are there enough social events that interest you in and around campus? If not, then get involved and let us know how we can improve. postgraduate@su.rhul.ac.uk
International Students When you’re in a foreign country, everything takes some getting used to. You want to meet new people, especially those who come from a different country like yourself. The International Students’ Officer, Victor Ekoko is responsible for representing you in your Students’ Union, and for creating events that you want to engage with. He chairs a subcommittee which anyone can run for, and is always open to new ideas. We’re also here to point you in the right direction if you have any trouble with your Visas or any other aspect of life in the UK. Get in touch! international@su.rhul.ac.uk
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Course Reps represent their classmates to get the views of students heard by the lecturers on everything from library resources to study spaces to hours in lectures. They work with Sidonie (Vice President Education & Welfare), Chris (Academic Affairs Officer) and Caston (Representation & Engagement Coordinator). From the course reps, faculty and departmental reps are elected – a position which earns you more passport points and more responsibility. Anyone can be a Course Rep and you all earn passport points, just sign up in your department during the first weeks of term 1. No experience is necessary and training will be given!
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Students’ Union Guidebook 2013-2014
Raising And Giving RAG This branch of the Students’ Union raises money for a variety of charities, doing everything from climbing mountains, to a pantomime! Three main charities are chosen every year, but you and your society can fundraise for any charity you want! We fundraise for a variety of different charities: big ones and small ones, local ones and even international ones. Also check out our annual ‘Jail Break’ event where teams of students have to get as far away from Royal Holloway as possible with no money at all! Get involved to meet new people and do something for a good cause! You can run for a position on our board and we’ll be electing a Vice-Chair in our October elections! For more information follow us on @RAGSURHUL or email Henry ragchair@su.rhul.ac.uk
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Communications & Campaigns Hello and Welcome to communications and campaigns at SURHUL! This area of the SU generally covers all our external communication initiatives, student media, welfare campaigns, social justice and sustainability. Communications This year we’ve overhauled our website, brought in a campus ‘app’, amped up our social media efforts and will hopefully be bringing you a regular e-newsletter, but if there’s any more that you think we can do to keep you in the loop let us know! Within this area of work there are also three media outlets who are always looking for new talent, so do get involved! Campaigns Students’ Unions were originally set up as a platform for students to campaign for a better world and at SURHUL we still hold this value closely. This year we have a whole host of campaigns based on issues that affect you, but if there’s something you think we should be tackling please email myself of Andrew, our parttime campaigns officer, on campaigns@su.rhul.ac.uk. If you’re interested in getting involved in any ethical or environmental work, email myself or our ethics and environment officer, Sarah-Jane, on eande@ su.rhul.ac.uk
Jamie Green Vice President (Communications and Campaigns) vpcomcam@su.rhul.ac.uk 24
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Students’ Union Guidebook 2013-2014
www.su.rhul.ac.uk
Campaigns Get Involved Campaigning is one of the core activities of the union and whether it’s about creating cohesion in the community, or tackling the bigger issues in society like fees or cuts, we want you involved! Last year we ran successful campaigns around student rights at work, reform to higher education, the NHS and lobbied Royal Holloway’s local MP in a protest that gained international news coverage! This year we want to continue this momentum and keep our finger on the pulse of the issues that affect you, the local community and the rest of society. We’ll also be running campaigns based on student welfare, co-convened by the VP Education & Welfare and VP Communications & Campaigns. Over the next few pages you’ll see what some of our priority campaigns for the year and if you want to take part, or encourage the SU’s support for another cause, then come along to one of our regular open society and citizenship forums where all our campaigns are planned democratically.
Keep up to date with all our campaigns on www.su.rhul.ac.uk/campaigns 28
Students’ Union Guidebook 2013-2014
Priority Campaign: Housing
The
Royal Holloway
Housing Campaign
Housing is an issue that affects nearly all students both locally and nationally. This is one of the reasons why we’ve made it our priority campaign for the year! With student rents soaring, quality of housing often low, and tenant exploitation rife, we’ve put together a campaign that will hopefully empower you to take these issues on. We’ll be making the public argument for decent & affordable housing as well as targeting bad practice by landlords and agents alike. Keep your eyes open for the Royal Holloway tenants’ unions that we hope to set up in the first term, which aims to create a hub for students to organise around the issue of housing. We’ll also be releasing information to keep you informed of your rights as a tenant! Important Housing contacts www.facebook.com/surhulhousingcampaign - For updates on our campaign www.su.rhul.ac.uk/support/accommodation/ - For our guide to housing www.shelter.org.uk - For general know-your-rights advice & guidance www.citizensadvice.org.uk/advice4me/youth_housing_advice.htm - For advice and guidance for under 25s www.ulu.co.uk/content/915673/your_union/campaigns/ulu_housing_campaign/ - For ULU’s London-wide campaign
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University Democracy Campaign The Students’ Union has a commitment to working in partnership with the University and with student life becoming harder than ever before, it’s important that the students have a say in how their education is run. With an on-going review of Royal Holloway’s governance structures, the SU will be campaigning alongside staff for a stronger voice and to make the University a better place to work and study. After extensive work on this project in 2012-2013, this year we’ll be looking to build on success and research what RHUL students think about how their university should be governed.
Campaigns Network With such a diverse student population at Royal Holloway, sadly it’s impossible for us to campaign on all the issues that you care about. Because of this we want to give you a platform to run these campaigns yourselves in the next academic year. Though not a complete idea yet, our campaigns network aims to give our members a chance to link up with local, regional and national organisations, contribute to causes close to them, and bring those back to campus for others to get involved too! It’s an exciting new project with a look into giving students a chance to widen their perspective on the world around them. If you’re interested in helping build this brand new venture, please email Jamie Green, VP Communications and Campaigns. 30
Students’ Union Guidebook 2013-2014
Sexual Health Sexual Health Awareness and Guidance is a campaign dedicated to all things sex related, from promoting safe sex and the prevention of STIs, to accepting one another’s sexuality and gender identity. The campaign will include a themed quiz, a Rainbow Rave organised by LGBT, and free trips to a local sexual health clinic amongst many other exciting things!
SHAG Sexual Health Awareness & Guidance
Check out or annual SHAG week on 24th November - December 1st!
Love Your Neighbour The main aim of this campaign is to build and promote a positive relationship between students and the community. It’s a two way street, so the campaign is aimed at local residents and students living on campus and in the surrounding area. The campaign will include, amongst other things, community social events and volunteering projects within Egham and Englefield Green. Come to our community tea parties on 27th October & 16th February!
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Mental Health Campaign The welfare of our students is one of our top priorities and mental illness can affect anyone at any time – in fact, 1 and 4 people are likely to suffer from some form of mental illness in a year. With the stress of University life often contributing to this, the SU wants to create awareness of mental health issues and encourage healthy discussion around it. Not only will we be holding various events and talks on matters like depression, but during exam time we’ll be hosting our annual stressbuster events which aim to take your mind off revision! Mental Health Awareness week: 29th -26th January Love Holloway, Hate Fascism The rise of far right groups like the English Defence League is a threat to us all – they threaten minorities groups, harmony in our communities and safe spaces on-and-off our campuses. Love Holloway Hate Fascism is a campaign dedicated raising awareness of the problems these groups cause, as well as organising students at Royal Holloway to take a stand and say no to all forms of racism and fascism! Keep an eye out for talks, film nights and much more to raise awareness for this campaign.
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Students’ Union Guidebook 2013-2014
Ethics & Environment Campaign At SURHUL we pride ourselves on holding high ethical and environmental standards. In recent years, we’ve attained silver in the national students’ union sustainability scheme, ‘Green Impact’, winning gold for the first time ever in 20122013, making us one of the most green SUs in the country! In 2013-2014, we want to go above and beyond everything we’ve done before and we need your help! Throughout the term we’ll be holding regular ‘Society and Citizenship’ forums where you can get involved in our E & E campaigns and help us do even better in the Green Impact Scheme. As well as making our SU sustainable, we’ll be working to change environmental behaviour in halls, working alongside the NUS’ ‘Student Switch Off’ scheme. This scheme encourages students to save energy in their halls in a fun and engaging way. To find out more, simply type in ‘Royal Holloway Student Switch Off’ into Facebook! One of our big pushes this year will be to encourage biodiversity on our already beautiful campus. As part of this we’ll expanding Royal Holloway’s community garden, as well as continuing to run ‘Bird Song’ – a bird feeding project based in this garden. To find out more about any of these projects, email Jamie on vpcomcam@su.ac.uk or Sarah-Jane on eande@su.rhul.ac.uk Our annual Go Green Week will take place on 10th - 16th February 2014!
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Student Activities At SURHUL we are committed to adding as much value as we can to your time as a student, so in the Student Activities department we provide many opportunities for you to have fun and develop through co-curricular activities. Sports We have over thirty different Sports Clubs that give you the chance to compete in high level national leagues and events, or more recreational local competitions, either in individual sports, or in one of our 70 teams. If you are interested in sport, contact myself or our Sports Officer, Theresa Feddersen, on sports@ su.rhul.ac.uk. Societies SURHUL also boasts around 60 societies all based around the interests of our students, from performing arts to academic societies, and whatever you're into we’ll probably have a society to cater for it and if we don’t, it’s really easy to start your own one. If you are interested in societies contact me or our Societies Officer, Brianna Middleton-MacPherson, on societies@su.rhul.ac.uk. We also do work around development and volunteering which you’ll find over the next few pages. Ian Stewart Vice President (Student Activities) vpsa@su.rhul.ac.uk 34 Students’ Union Guidebook 2013-2014
Societies @ SURHUL Absolute Harmony (Acapella Choir)
Debating
Afro Caribbean Society
Drama
Amnesty International
Economics
Anime & Manga
Enactus
Art
Feminism
Ballroom
Film Festival
Bhangra
Fitness
Biological Sciences
French
Bulgarian
Games
Catholic
German
Chinese
Harry Potter
Christians Union
Hindu
Classics
Historical Re-Enactment
Comedy
History
Computer Science
Humans Vs. Zombies
Dance
Institute for Impure Science
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Societies @ SURHUL Investment
Photography
Islamic
Politics and International
Italian
Psychology
Japanese
Royal Holloway Entrepreneurs
Jazz Labour and Cooperative Law
RH Gospel Choir Rock Savoy
LGBT
Shakespeare
Marketing
Sikh
Mathematics
Spanish
Medicine
Taiwanese
Middle East Musical Theatre (MTS) New Lyell (Geology)
Voices of Holloway (Show Choir) Writing
Can’t find a society or club that interests you? We’ll help you set up your own! 36
Students’ Union Guidebook 2013-2014
Sports @ SURHUL American Football
Netball
Badminton
Ninjutsu
Basketball
Polo
Boat
Riding
Cheer
Snow
Cricket
Squash
Cycling
Surf
Fencing
Swimming
Handball
Table Tennis
Hockey
Tennis
Judo
Thai Boxing
Karate
Trampolining
Lacrosse
Ultimate Frisbee
Mountaineering & Climbing
Volleyball
Men's Football
Women's Football
Men's Rugby
Women's Rugby
MMA
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Signing Up for a sport or society To become a member of a student’s union sports club or society you have to register and take out a yearly Student Activities membership. Once you have this membership you can join as many clubs and societies as you wish, although we advise not to rush into joining too many before knowing your timetable. How much is Student Activities membership? £10 What do I get for that? Allows you to join as many clubs and societies as you wish Free insurance cover from Endsleigh (platinum 2 level) Your membership fee is used to support your club and society activities How is the membership used to support clubs and societies? - Equipment purchasing where applicable - Administration support - Room/facility bookings - Fixture and league management - Competition affiliations (BUCS) - Club and society development planning - Staff resource to support communities - Health and safety provision Cost to join a club or society £7 per society £10 per club (clubs may charge additional Tier fees How to join a club? Visit the activities page on the student union website www.su.rhul.ac.uk/ studentactivities. Navigate to the club or society page you want to join Press the join button and follow the instructions through the online shop. 38
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Volunteering
Royal Holloway’s Community Action volunteering is your opportunity to get involved in hundreds of different activities, develop your skills, make new friends and build your CV, all while helping people in the local community. Community Action provides support for student-led projects; coordinates events such as Transferable Skills workshops & ‘Getting Into’ sessions; and supports your ongoing volunteering endeavours. They organise initiatives such as Make A Difference Day, Christmas Volunteering Fortnight, Good Deed Day, Student Volunteering Week and National Volunteers’ Week. The Volunteering Fair gives you chance to engage directly with charities and community organisations, followed by Get Involved week which hosts partner introduction sessions.
skills and talents to serve the wider community. The SU Community Spirit Cup is presented annually as recognition for excellent service to the community. Volunteers can receive recognition through the Get Recognised accreditation scheme, the RHUL Passport award, V awards, and completion of the Duke of Edinburgh Award. All achievements are celebrated at the annual Volunteering Awards. Sign up at www.rhul.ac.uk/volunteering or email volunteering@rhul.ac.uk Facebook Group: ‘RHUL Community Action’
Clubs and Societies regularly get involved with volunteering; as it is a great opportunity to work as a team and a really practical way to use their special
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Students’ Union Guidebook 2013-2014
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Our venues have policy against this harassment, with reasonable but automatic penalty for any act of sexual harassment. We aim to create a culture with respect for one another’s bodies and with consent for sexual activity. Sexual harassment is any sexual behaviour that makes you feel uncomfortable, including but not limited to: - - -
Unwanted sexual comments Innappropriate touching or groping Someone exposing their sexual organs to you without your consent.
The repercussions include being banned from the SU for varying amounts of time. For discrimination against sex or gender the bans are a minimum of 6 months. We are launching Hollaback this year, an app that helps you report sexual harassment anonymously. Watch our website to find out more.
See www.su.rhul.ac.uk/campaigns/zerotolerance to find out more Students’ Union Guidebook 2013-2014
Commercial & Central Services
Venue Hire
As well as providing bars, food and entertainments at SU and Medicine venues, the SU also offers the opportunity for venue hire to help you celebrate birthdays, organise club socials, and hold fundraising events. Whatever your event, the Venues team is here to help you make it a success and no problem is too big, or query too small.
Print Shop
The SU can offer poster print services up to A0 in size as well as options for clothing and merchandise printing – you design it, we’ll print it.
Market Day
Every Tuesday sees the SU filled with fresh fruit and veg, Chinese foodstuffs, organic breads and other speciality stalls as it hosts the weekly market day from 9am until 5pm.
Jobs
The BIGGEST student employer on campus. Click on the go to www.su.rhul.ac.uk to check out all options available and remember, if you can’t find what you’re looking for then simply let us know. The venues team are always looking for new challenges and opportunities to help.
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The SU Venue
Wednesday and Friday are the SU main student club nights on campus offering great acts, giveaways and theme nights as well as fantastic value for money. The venues team are always looking for the best in current and upcoming acts to perform at the SU with recent artists including Labyrinth, Lethal Bizzle, Miss Dynamite, Beatamaxx, and Bassclef as well as events from the likes of Ministry of Sound. We also run events on other nights such as comedy events or dubstep nights. The SU offers a friendly and safe environment to party and the venues team is always close at hand to provide great entertainment and great service. If you’re around and the day and feeling more hungry, pop upstairs to the Rialto Café and grab some pasta or a packed lunch from the best priced food outlet on campus. It does a great barista coffee too!
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Summer Ball 2014
2014
SURHUL’s biggest event the Annual Summer Ball, a unique event held within the two quadrangles of the iconic Founder’s building, running from 8pm all the way through to the Survivors Photograph at 6am! It’s something you have to experience in your time at Royal Holloway.
A variety of acts on the main stage, a silent disco tent and a last year a hugely popular Gramaphone disco tent, add in Dodgems, Ferris Wheels, Circus Games, Cocktail Bars, Pimm’s Bars, Food stalls, Walkabout Acts, Photographers and 2200 people ready to party in their best Dresses and Dinner Jackets and you have a truly memorable night!
Tickets go on sale 27th March 2014! 46
Students’ Union Guidebook 2013-2014
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Students’ Union Guidebook 2013-2014
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Students’ Union Guidebook 2013-2014