Welcome to our Study Abroad newsletter,

where we plan to give you insight and advice

from previous travelling students to help you

get organised for your time abroad – stress

free!

Click on the link below to read this month’s Student View – a newsletter written by students for students

http://www.endsleigh.co.uk/Travel/Documents/Study%20Abroad%20Newsletter.pdf

The awards recognise the environmental work of students’ unions around the country and this year had a record 105 unions competing for the 9 awards. The awards are part of the NUS Green Impact initiative which provides environmental accreditation for students’ unions, helping unions to showcase great environmental practice.

Dannie Grufferty, NUS Vice-President (Society and Citizenship), said:

“The quality of the entrants into this year’s awards was exceptional and all the winners should be very proud of themselves. They’ve set a great example for those around them and have made a real progress for environmental sustainability.

“Students unions have often long been at the forefront of environmental campaigning and since 2005 NUS Green Impact has been helping students’ unions to green themselves, their universities and their communities.”

Doors: 6pm

Entry: £3

Headliner: Gus Lymburn

Gus Lymburn burst onto the comedy scene in 2006 when he first performed at The Stands Red Raw night in Edinburgh. Since then he’s been charming and disturbing audiences in equal measure (don’t be fooled by the cheeky chappie demeanor, behind the puppy dog eyes lurks a sick, sick mind).

Never one to take a standard approach to his stand up, Gus’s act can – and has – incorporated a range of props ranging from noodles to a burka, and, on one occasion ¬ in a routine described by the Evening News as “the act of a desperate man” – a can of squirty cream.

Gus has performed in venues across Scotland and the rest of the UK and is not afraid to tackle his comedy head on.  He has even sustained a cracked rib on stage when a mock stage fight with a fellow comic got somewhat out of hand.

When he’s not risking life and limb in pursuit of a laugh Gus enjoys eating mayonnaise and is particularly proud of his ability to eat an entire jar of the stuff in a single evening.

Also: Ben Verth

Ben has been writing and performing comedy for about 5 years, starting out whilst at the University of Edinburgh when he co-founded and was President of The Edinburgh Revue, acting as not just a performer, head writer and producer of the regular term-time shows, but also of two sell-out and critically-acclaimed Edinburgh Fringe Revues – ‘Headlights’ in 2007 and ‘That Needs Cleaning’ in 2008.

From there Ben began contributing sketches to ‘Melting Pot’, a monthly new writing sketch show at The Stand, and to The Comedy Unit’s (Chewin’ the Fat, Rab C. Nesbitt) ‘Rough Cuts’ shows in both Glasgow and London, as well as supplying material for the Unit’s 2007 sell-out Fringe hit ‘Angry Puppy’. This quickly led to writing for BBC TV’s ‘The Karen Dunbar Show’.

In the last two years Ben has turned his hand to stand-up, cultivating a style which is a heady mix of smart gags, word-play and inventive anecdotes. He regularly gigs as an act or compere all over Scotland and has performed alongside names such as Dylan Moran, Phil Nicol, Patrick Monaghan and Kevin Bridges to name a few, as well as appearing in Dan Antopolski’s ‘Sandwich Rap’ music video.

Currently, Ben is one of the main writers and performers of ‘The Broken Windows Policy’, the Edinburgh Stand’s monthly sketch comedy night.

Universally splendid’ Scotsman

‘The evening’s star… firing off the most accomplished gags of the night’ Evening News

‘Delivers on all fronts’ Fresh Air

‘Economical, original and charmingly perceptive’ Three Weeks

‘Snappy and slow-burning, crude and classy’ Skinny

www.benverthcomedy.com

Queen Margaret University Students’ Union

Annual General Meeting

4^th April 2012 11.00am The SU Bar

The 2012 Annual General Meeting was chaired by the Student President, Michael Breckenridge (MB) and Co chaired by the Vice President, Melvin Henley (MH).

The AGM was not quorate, only 14 full members of the Students’ Union attended the meeting.

1. 1.    Introduction to the Students’ Union by the Chair

Chair MB opened the AGM and welcomed all attendants.

The 2011 Students’ Union AGM Minutes were presented to attendants. None of the attendants had any amendments.

MB presented the agenda of the AGM and asked members if they had AOCB to bring to the meeting. There was no AOCB.

1. 2.    Officers Report

MB informed students that this year had been a busy year. Sabbatical Officers contributed to raise the profile of QMUSU by going to conferences, workshops and networks across the UK and by working more closely with NUS.

Freshers Week was a big success although some events were less successful than others. There will be a review for next year’s Freshers Week.

Representation continued to grow with an increase in the number of students involved in national campaigns. Elections had also been a success and overseen by an Elections Committee made up of student representatives.

The Events Officer, Amy Mancini, implemented good events throughout the year. The Students’ Union has also seen its commitment towards environment improving thanks to a new policy implemented and awareness raising events run by the Environment and Ethics Officer Fergus Boden.

MH continued outlining that sport and societies, which contribute an important part of the student experience, had seen a membership increase of 15%.

This year Students’ Union QMedia launched SO magazine which was well received by students.

Finally, Sabbatical Officers reminded that they had started their term of office with repainting Maggie’s Bar and reinventing the corporate identity.

Elin Norberg (EN) asked officers how they were monitoring the success. MB informed that a survey will be done soon to measure this years successes. MH added that he was speaking with students every day and he could feel students were acknowledging the improvements within the SU.

Willy NJoya (WN) highlighted that events were only targeting students living in Halls and there was a need for diversifying events e.g. developing day events so that students not living in Halls joined Maggie’s Events. MB and MH informed students that the SU had implemented day time events e.g. Maggies’ Unplugged early in the year but this had not been attended by students and this despite a review of time and day to get more students.

1. 3.    Students’ Union accounts and Strategic Plan

MB presented the SU accounts. Students had no questions.

Thorben Grosser asked officers how many staff the SU had. MB informed students that there were 5 full time permanent member of staff and 1 full time term time member of staff.

MB introduced progresses done this year towards the Strategic Plan.

Governance:

The trustee board, now in its second year, has been showing its effectiveness.

Representation:

Student Parliament was quorate at all meetings for the first year and members demonstrated a high engagement leading debates during the meetings and taking part in national campaigns

Officers have also been very active this year. Fergus Boden, Environment and Ethics Officer, is organising the first QMU March on 20^th April to denunciate arms trade.

Willy Njoya was recently elected as member of the NUS Scotland Black Student Committee.

Welfare:

The Welfare Point saw a visitor increase of 40% on last year. The increase is mainly due to a higher demand for welfare advice (accommodation, finance, health) whilst advice on academic matters slightly increased too.

The new elected Advice, Support and Equalities Officer will be focusing on Mental Health Campaign over the next year.

Community:

As mentioned earlier in the meeting, the number of students involved in Sport and Societies has increased this year. The Students’ Union is now looking at developing support provided to student volunteers with a new programme, Club Excellence, and more funding.

Space:

Maggie’s Bar has been redecorated this year making the space friendlier. With the launch of the hatch (Café and snack service), the bar has made a slight increase in sales this year.

1. 4.    Student Parliament Elections

MB announced candidates in the elections and informed that since there was no contested candidate, the following students were duly co-opted as per the SU Constitution.

1. 5.    Motions

As the AGM was not quorate, motions could not be submitted to a vote.

Vice President – Education and Welfare

MB presented the motion. There was no question or comment.

Part Time Officers

MB presented the motion. There was no question or comment.

1. 6.    Officers Handover

MB announced new elected officers and invited Leila Shroufi, Advice, Support and Equalities Officer to present her plans for next year.

LS informed that she will be running a Mental Health campaign for which she has applied for external funding. She will also help Liberation Groups to develop their activities.

MH added that over next year weekly and monthly events implemented this year will continue. Maggie’s menu and the Wild Card will be reviewed.

MH and MB concluded the AGM outlining that they will keep supporting student led initiatives and will work to raising the profile of QMUSU.

Yasha Bergman highlighted that most students are not aware of most SU events and there is a need for more marketing.

MB said that the SU was using all medium of communication to market its events. Next year’s Marketing and Communication Officer will work on the promotion of all the SU Officers and services and not just events.

WN added that there was a need for face to face communication and that the SU should not be afraid of using freebies.

Eilidh Daniels concluded saying that a couple of years ago, the new campus was used to brand the University and the SU events. However now all students in their studies have not known the previous campus and the “new” sparkle no longer works.

MB thanked all members in attendance and closed the AGM at 12.00pm

          The Students’ Union

Annual General Meeting

Wednesday 4^th April

11.00 am Maggies’ Bar

Chair: Michael Breckenridge

Co-Chair: Melvin Henley

Find all the information you need in AGM Papers 2012.

Tuesday 27th March 2012

Doors: 6pm

Entry: £3

Headliner: Stuart Mitchell

 Stuart is one of the most exciting new comedians around regularly performing all over the UK. Now based in London he has performed alongside some of comedy’s biggest stars at Jongleurs, Highlight, The Comedy Store, The Glee Club, The Stand and other major comedy clubs. Stuart recently beat off hundreds of applicants to appear in Hackney Empire New Act of the Year 2012 Final.

Stuart is due to perform his first show at this year’s Glasgow Comedy Festival and will support Stewart Francis on tour. He also appears as a regular guest on BBC Radio Scotland.

8^th March 2012

Present:

Michael Breckenridge (MB) – Acting Chair, Melvin Henley (MH) – Acting Co Chair, Fergus Boden (FB), Amy Mancini (AM), Willy Njoya (WN), Sarah Watson (SW), Lily Sze (LS), Dene Walker (DW), Laura Timperley (LT), Raina O’Mahony (ROM), Jessica Da Costa (JDC), Elin Nordberg (EN), Frederike Egerer (FE), Constant Thiollier (CT), Mary Shannon (MS), Gemma Hunter (GH), Ciara Steedman (CS), Masharof Amhed (MA)

Apologies:

Maciej Czajka (MC), Michelle Rush (MR), Jordan Hepburn (JH), Magdalena Wroblewska (MW), Gintare Vosyliute (GV), Bogdan Gligor (BG), Jordan Forbes (JF), Jessica Knapper (JK),

In Attendance:

Cecile Guilloteau (CG), Stephanie Da Costa (SDC), Daniel Vogel (DV)

1. 1.    Introduction

Michael Breckenridge (MB), acting Chair opened the fourth Student Parliament Meeting of the academic year 2011-2012, welcomed all MSPs in attendance and presented apologies for MSPs not able to attend.

The minutes from the previous meeting were approved.

Although 18 MSPs attended the meeting in total, due to late arrivals and early departures, at no time was the meeting quorate. Therefore no decision could be made.

1. 2.    Warm up debate: Students’ Union Officers Committee

MB launched the debate about the role and effectiveness of Officers. He asked MSPs if they knew what officers do and their thought on a third sabbatical officer.

EN asked MB what the different positions were.

MB informed that the officers committee was made up of seven officers:

-       2 Sabbaticals officers:

• Student President
• Vice President

-       5 part time officers:

• Advice, Support and Equalities
• Environment and Ethics
• Events
• Marketing and Communications
• Sport and Societies

MH outlined that both sabbatical officers have broad roles and they needed to be more defined.

MB announced that the forthcoming Students’ Union Block Grant application will make a request for additional funding to create a third sabbatical officer position.  The new sabbatical officer would have a specific remit for Education and Welfare covering SLTA, NSS, ELIR, Class Reps and participating to Universities committees (e.g. Student Experience Committee).

FB added that most Unions have more than two sabbatical officers and that Vice Presidents have specific attributions. He completed saying that QMUSU did not have the current resources to run campaigns and this is something the Union should focus on.

MS asked what the duties of the Student President would be.

MB informed that the role of the Student President was to be the chief representative of the full student body and that the Student President activities should be focus on engaging with students and to support activism.

FB sought clarification on both Vice President titles, should a third sabbatical be created.

MB informed there would be a Vice President – Sport and Student Activities and a Vice President – Education and Welfare.

MH added that details of the remits and titles still needed to be clarified.

MH asked MSPs what their thoughts were regarding Part Time Officers.

EN said that some Part Time Officers were not taking their role seriously and were not doing much doing the year. She asked the sabbatical officers if there were systems and processes in place to better encourage Part-Time Officers to be active and to sanction those who weren’t.

MB answered that it was very difficult to sanction non-active Part Time Officers since they are volunteers. However Members of the Student Parliament are here to hold them to account and they can potentially sanction them if it is felt necessary.

LT outlined that there was a real need to better support the CR structures and she asked if this would fit in in the restructuring of officers.

MB informed that this would be one of the attributions of the third sabbatical officer.

MH refocused the discussion around Part Time Officers.

SDC asked to have more information on the remits of the Marketing and Communications Officer.

MB informed that this position had been created four years ago and it was aiming at improving communication between the Students’ Union and Students.

MS questioned the impact of a third sabbatical officer on the role of the Part Time Officers. She expressed her concerns about a decrease about the Part Time Officers relevance.

MH and MB outlined that the new sabbatical officer would look after remits that are not covered by any officer at the moment.

FE asked if Part Time Officers were told precisely what they should do and if they received training.

MB said that all officers received training. They set their own targets however Student Parliament can mandate them to do a specific project.

FB added that there is a job description for each officer but it may need to be more specific.

1. 3.    Officers report

MH informed that Sport Teams would be having games up until the end of March and societies were being very active.

MH announced that the Grand Ball will be on the 19^th April and SP was welcome to book a table.

At several occasions he met with officers from other Unions which had been good opportunities to share ideas and good practice.

MH concluded saying that there had been a good attendance in events in February.

MB informed MSPs that he had been working on the SLTA. The objective for this first year of SLTA was to receive 50 nominations and this was reached with 52 nominations.

The Judges Panel will meet later in March 2012 to select the winners and a ceremony will be held late March 2012.

He added that he had been involved in National Conferences and the Edinburgh Student Forum. This last forum aims at colleges and Universities of Edinburgh to work more closely.

MH finished the officer report outlining that they had been working on the Our Future, Our Fight Campaign against the announced budget cut for Colleges.

MB announced the new Elected Officers:

Student President: Michael Breckenridge

Vice President: Melvin Henley

Advice, Support and Equalities Officer: Leila Shroufi

Environment and Ethics Officer: Fergus Boden

Events Officer: Ewan Sanderson

Marketing and Communications Officer: Rebekah Waugh

Sport and Societies Officer: Sarah O’Brien

Officers will take office on 10^th June 2012.

4. National Student Movement

FB reported on the NUS Scottish Conference held the 3^rd and 4^th March. He explained this was a two days conference of debates, motions and elections.

Next year, NUS Scotland will focus its work on Widening Access, Retention, Post Graduate Support and Transition from College to Universities. The forthcoming Scottish Referendum and increased universities tuition fees were also debated.

Melvin Henley announced the new Elected Scottish Executive Committee

Full-time sabbatical positions

President: Robin Parker – University of Aberdeen

Vice President (Eduction): Graeme Kirkpatrick – Aberdeen College (this position replaces the Depute President role)

Non-sabbatical positions

Vice President (Communities): Gordon Maloney – University of Aberdeen

Priority Campaign Convenor: Emma Iwanow – City Of Glasgow College

Priority Campaign Convenor: William Mohieddeen – University of Abertay, Dundee

Education Campaign Convenor: Conor Murray-Gauld – Heriot-Watt University

Education Campaign Convenor: Robert Foster – James Watt College

Community Campaign Convenor: Kat Bateson – Inverness College

Community Campaign Convenor: Jamie Kinlochan – University of the West of Scotland

MB informed MSPs that there will be NUS Scotland Womens’ Conference. Any female MSPs ands female student wishing to go should contact him.

5. AOCB

FB announced that there was a Fairtrade wine tasting session on this Thursday 8^th March in FFT.

He informed MSPs that he was going to organise an anti- child soldiers campaign “Kony 2012” in QMU.

6. Principal Petra      Wend

The principal informed MSPs of what QMU was doing well:

-       Research outcomes had been better than average;

-       QMU is the third Scottish Universities in for the rate of applications (7 applications for 1 place)

-       There was an increase in applications from the RUK;

-       International Partnerships are effective;

-       QMU is doing well financially;

-       A research evidenced that QMU was at the top of all new University.

However QMU still need to improve on some areas:

-       NSS results needs to improve

-       QMU needs to be more visible and known

-       The campus needs to be more lively

FB outlined that students were not well informed on possibilities to do part of their studies abroad. EN added that there was a lot of information for international students to encourage them to come to study at QMU but that little was done to encourage QMU students to go to study abroad. LS also reported that there was a need to inform students of the benefits offered by studying abroad.

PW took note of this and said she would ensure that there is more information provided to QMU Students.

WN expressed his concern regarding the lack of social space for students at QMU, especially for students living in Halls.  He outlined there was a general lack of activities, poor transport to town in the evenings and that access to facilities such as sport rooms, were restricted.

The Principal said that she acknowledge this may be difficult for international students to settle in a culture where binge drinking was the core social activity in society. She added that QMU was ranked 1^st in the UK and 1^st in the work for student life experience.

MH asked the Principal how she was going to improve QMU’s visibility.

PW informed that this should be done by word of mouth. She added that it was up to everybody from senior staff, to lay-members and students to promote QMU.

MH finally questioned the principal on the lack of communication channels outside e-mails.

PW was pleased to inform students that a notice board will soon be in FFT for both students and staff use.

MB closed the meeting and reminded that the AGM will be on 4^th April 2012.

In the election for President 507 valid ballot papers were received (3 were spoilt) which made the quota required for victory 254.5

I therefore declare that Michael Breckenridge is elected to serve as President for 2012 – 2013

Vice President

In the election for Vice President 485 valid ballot papers were received (4 were spoilt) which made the quota required for victory 243.5

I therefore declare that Melvyn Henley is elected to serve as Vice President for 2012 – 2013

Environment and Ethics Officer

In the election for Environment and Ethics Officer 473 valid ballot papers were received (8 were spoilt) which made the quota required for victory 237.5

I therefore declare that Fergus Boden is elected to serve as Environment and Ethics Officer for 2012 – 2013

Marketing and Communications Officer

In the election for Marketing and Communications Officer  473 valid ballot papers were received (10 were spoilt) which made the quota required for victory 237.5

I therefore declare that Rebekah Waugh is elected to serve as Marketing and Communications Officer for 2012 – 2013

Advice, Support and Equalities Officer

In the election for Advice, Support and Equalities Officer 472 valid ballot papers were received (11 were spoilt) which made the quota required for victory 237

I therefore declare that Leila Shroufi is elected to serve as Advice, Support and Equalities Officer for 2012 – 2013

Sports and Societies Officer

In the election for Sports and Societies Officer 477 valid ballot papers were received (5 were spoilt) which made the quota required for victory 237

I therefore declare that Sarah O’Brien is elected to serve as Sports and Societies Officer for 2012 – 2013

Events Officer

In the election for Events Officer 505 valid ballot papers were received (5 were spoilt) which made the quota required for victory 253.5. No candidate reached the quota at the first round and so we redistributed the votes of RON (5) and Nordberg (131) at the final stage Sanderson had reached the quota and was elected

I therefore declare that Ewan Sanderson is elected to serve as Events Officer for 2012 – 2013

Mike Day

Returning Officer on behalf of Elections Committee

6 March 2012