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Showing posts with label Queen Mary Students' Union. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Queen Mary Students' Union. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
The more things stay the same...
The following advert was found in an old Queen Mary College student handbook from 1951:
Monday, July 31, 2006
Thoughts on the end of my time with Queen Mary Students' Union
Over the past three years I've served as an Executive Officer of Queen Mary Students' Union and today my final term of office comes to an end. I'd like to make public the email I sent to all those who served as Executive members alongside me:
To all those I have served with over the years,
Although terms of office last until the end of July, with the Mile End term ending tomorrow (sorry medics!) now seems an opportune moment to write some "finishing remarks".
The last three years on the Executive have been a roller coaster of a time, with spectacular highs and lows. There have been the high profile events, such as the collapse of the Chemistry department, the fight against top-up fees, the attempted College take-over and many more. There have also been the lower key matters, no less important in the grand scheme of things. And there have been the routine things, some of which can seem so mundane but are crucial to an organisation being able to function for the purpose it is there for.
There has been fun too, whether the intentional such as the parties, the unintentionally hilarious moments or the spectacles of academic meetings. Sometimes I believe Henry Kissinger was right when he said, "University politics are vicious precisely because the stakes are so small." My Philosophy lecturer once told how when he was an undergraduate course rep he attended a department meeting with two of the biggest names in British philosophy of their generation. During the course of the meeting (meant to be primarily about logistics), the two highly educated academics got into such a row about the validity of each other's strand of the discipline that they ended the meeting have turned their chairs so as to have their backs to each other!
Disagreements often exist in students' unions too. Many have argued strongly, not because they wish to cause trouble or because of some obscure stricture, but because they passionately believe that the course of action they support is best. Often disagreements can get intense when different people approach the matter differently. But ultimately they have the same basic goal. There is so much more that people agree on than disagree and it is shocking when arguments over small matters get out of all proportion. It is never possible to please all of the people all of the time, but one can seek to understand motivations genuinely and seek to address concerns. At the end of the day people are all human beings, all needing help and safety, feeling pain, seeking understanding and are all still individuals. Many make mistakes - I know I have and am sorry for them - but that does not diminish them in value. To quote one of the best things I have ever heard said on this:
But at the end of the day, your Union is comprised of individuals - not of offices, not of positions, not of titles, not of money, not of committees - but of people. Try and remember that when you deal with them.
There are also frustrations, both at the seeming lack of action and the belief that serious errors are being made. In the case of the former, always remember that Union officers are not all-powerful beings. Much of the work involves negotiations with the College, University, Council and other bodies and the Union and its representatives do not always have the final say. It is very hard to change some things, especially when one also has to provide existing services. As for the latter, sometimes communications fail, even in an error of the internet and mobile phones, and information is not sufficiently disseminated or is misinterpreted, leading to confusion and concern. Also many will take a concern about an issue not because it affects them in the slightest - indeed to ignore it might be to their personal benefit, especially in regards time - but because they are concerned for the effects it can have on the Union and the ability to improve the student experience.
The "student experience" is an ever more diverse thing these days. When I was an undergraduate the first chapel service of each year saw the Chaplain deliver the same sermon about this, comparing it to the way that the way Lyons Restaurants have been succeeded by a plethora of different places with different cuisines offering one the chance to have a meal while in town. There was a time when most degrees were identical but now they are modular. Students used to be by and large drawn from the same narrow band of society - now they are far more diverse in many different regards. They used to primarily live in university accommodation - nowadays many commute great distances and an ever-growing proportion live with their parents. There are far more mature students studying, whereas in the old days the traditions of a single career for life resulted in universities being almost exclusively dominated by the recent school leavers. Globalisation has led to far more students than ever before being able to study overseas. And changes in qualifications and demands have led to a phenomenal expansion in postgraduate education, with far reaching consequences.
It is a changing world and the Union, like all students' unions, has to keep pace with changes in the nature of the student population if it is to successfully support and represent its members. For those facing reviews in the near future, I would this advice - try to ensure that the nature of a problem is identified and do not apply the wrong solution. One can divide the problems facing students' unions in their governance structures into a number of broad areas:
*Physical geography - i.e. things like whether the institution has a single campus or many sites miles apart, whether places are easy to get to, whether the bulk of the student population lives within spitting distance or spread out across the entire region and so forth. Such things are almost impossible to change.
*Building structures - such as where a facility is located on a campus or the capacity of rooms available. The opportunity to make these changes comes along probably much less than once in a generation.
*Technological developments - sometimes technology changes so fast and changes the way in which people interact that it is a struggle to keep pace.
*Constitutional and regulations - these can sometimes feel a pain but they are drafted the way they are for a reason. Sometimes they do need modification, but do not assume that all problems can be solved by a constitutional amendment.
*Cultural - not only changes in society, but very specific cultures exist in each university, with different emphases and expectations.
*Individual - you do sometimes get problems from particular individuals that make you feel things need to change. However, problem individuals happen all the time no matter what.
Food for thought for the future. If any of you are facing changes, I am willing to offer whatever help I can.
Finally I would like to thank all those that I have worked with. During my three years, there have been no less than forty-four other people serving on the Executive, all of whom I thank now:
Aran, Charis, Charlotte, Cindy, Dan, Dave, Dave, Ed, Emil, Faisal, Freddie, Gemma, Grace, Gugs, Hannah, Hari, Helena, Jason, Jeremy, Juliet, Karen, Kat, Kayleigh, Kish, Laura B (RIP), Laura BW, Martin, Michael, Michalis, Paddy, Paul, Pete, Punam, Rhiannon, Rinki, Rob, Rory, Sam, Somaya, Steve, Tom, Vicki, Vicky and Vina.
Some of you are now moving away from university, others still have study to go on their degrees, others are embarking on new course and others still have sabbatical posts to take up (and some of you aren't rid of me yet!). Some have already Whatever your path, take care.
One day I shall come back. Yes I shall come back. Until then there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxiety. Just go forward in all your beliefs and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine.
To all those I have served with over the years,
Although terms of office last until the end of July, with the Mile End term ending tomorrow (sorry medics!) now seems an opportune moment to write some "finishing remarks".
The last three years on the Executive have been a roller coaster of a time, with spectacular highs and lows. There have been the high profile events, such as the collapse of the Chemistry department, the fight against top-up fees, the attempted College take-over and many more. There have also been the lower key matters, no less important in the grand scheme of things. And there have been the routine things, some of which can seem so mundane but are crucial to an organisation being able to function for the purpose it is there for.
There has been fun too, whether the intentional such as the parties, the unintentionally hilarious moments or the spectacles of academic meetings. Sometimes I believe Henry Kissinger was right when he said, "University politics are vicious precisely because the stakes are so small." My Philosophy lecturer once told how when he was an undergraduate course rep he attended a department meeting with two of the biggest names in British philosophy of their generation. During the course of the meeting (meant to be primarily about logistics), the two highly educated academics got into such a row about the validity of each other's strand of the discipline that they ended the meeting have turned their chairs so as to have their backs to each other!
Disagreements often exist in students' unions too. Many have argued strongly, not because they wish to cause trouble or because of some obscure stricture, but because they passionately believe that the course of action they support is best. Often disagreements can get intense when different people approach the matter differently. But ultimately they have the same basic goal. There is so much more that people agree on than disagree and it is shocking when arguments over small matters get out of all proportion. It is never possible to please all of the people all of the time, but one can seek to understand motivations genuinely and seek to address concerns. At the end of the day people are all human beings, all needing help and safety, feeling pain, seeking understanding and are all still individuals. Many make mistakes - I know I have and am sorry for them - but that does not diminish them in value. To quote one of the best things I have ever heard said on this:
But at the end of the day, your Union is comprised of individuals - not of offices, not of positions, not of titles, not of money, not of committees - but of people. Try and remember that when you deal with them.
There are also frustrations, both at the seeming lack of action and the belief that serious errors are being made. In the case of the former, always remember that Union officers are not all-powerful beings. Much of the work involves negotiations with the College, University, Council and other bodies and the Union and its representatives do not always have the final say. It is very hard to change some things, especially when one also has to provide existing services. As for the latter, sometimes communications fail, even in an error of the internet and mobile phones, and information is not sufficiently disseminated or is misinterpreted, leading to confusion and concern. Also many will take a concern about an issue not because it affects them in the slightest - indeed to ignore it might be to their personal benefit, especially in regards time - but because they are concerned for the effects it can have on the Union and the ability to improve the student experience.
The "student experience" is an ever more diverse thing these days. When I was an undergraduate the first chapel service of each year saw the Chaplain deliver the same sermon about this, comparing it to the way that the way Lyons Restaurants have been succeeded by a plethora of different places with different cuisines offering one the chance to have a meal while in town. There was a time when most degrees were identical but now they are modular. Students used to be by and large drawn from the same narrow band of society - now they are far more diverse in many different regards. They used to primarily live in university accommodation - nowadays many commute great distances and an ever-growing proportion live with their parents. There are far more mature students studying, whereas in the old days the traditions of a single career for life resulted in universities being almost exclusively dominated by the recent school leavers. Globalisation has led to far more students than ever before being able to study overseas. And changes in qualifications and demands have led to a phenomenal expansion in postgraduate education, with far reaching consequences.
It is a changing world and the Union, like all students' unions, has to keep pace with changes in the nature of the student population if it is to successfully support and represent its members. For those facing reviews in the near future, I would this advice - try to ensure that the nature of a problem is identified and do not apply the wrong solution. One can divide the problems facing students' unions in their governance structures into a number of broad areas:
*Physical geography - i.e. things like whether the institution has a single campus or many sites miles apart, whether places are easy to get to, whether the bulk of the student population lives within spitting distance or spread out across the entire region and so forth. Such things are almost impossible to change.
*Building structures - such as where a facility is located on a campus or the capacity of rooms available. The opportunity to make these changes comes along probably much less than once in a generation.
*Technological developments - sometimes technology changes so fast and changes the way in which people interact that it is a struggle to keep pace.
*Constitutional and regulations - these can sometimes feel a pain but they are drafted the way they are for a reason. Sometimes they do need modification, but do not assume that all problems can be solved by a constitutional amendment.
*Cultural - not only changes in society, but very specific cultures exist in each university, with different emphases and expectations.
*Individual - you do sometimes get problems from particular individuals that make you feel things need to change. However, problem individuals happen all the time no matter what.
Food for thought for the future. If any of you are facing changes, I am willing to offer whatever help I can.
Finally I would like to thank all those that I have worked with. During my three years, there have been no less than forty-four other people serving on the Executive, all of whom I thank now:
Aran, Charis, Charlotte, Cindy, Dan, Dave, Dave, Ed, Emil, Faisal, Freddie, Gemma, Grace, Gugs, Hannah, Hari, Helena, Jason, Jeremy, Juliet, Karen, Kat, Kayleigh, Kish, Laura B (RIP), Laura BW, Martin, Michael, Michalis, Paddy, Paul, Pete, Punam, Rhiannon, Rinki, Rob, Rory, Sam, Somaya, Steve, Tom, Vicki, Vicky and Vina.
Some of you are now moving away from university, others still have study to go on their degrees, others are embarking on new course and others still have sabbatical posts to take up (and some of you aren't rid of me yet!). Some have already Whatever your path, take care.
One day I shall come back. Yes I shall come back. Until then there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxiety. Just go forward in all your beliefs and prove to me that I am not mistaken in mine.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Laura Blomeley's memorial service
Yesterday was the memorial service for Laura Blomeley. Taking place at Queen Mary, University of London, it was amazing to see so many both at the service and her funeral a few weeks ago. Truly she touched so many lives.
What's been amazing is the sheer volume of tributes that have been made to her. Individual ones can be found on the blogs of her fellow sabbatical Martin Donkin, student Kate Price and many other sites. A huge volume can be found on the special tribute page on the QMSU website.
What's been amazing is the sheer volume of tributes that have been made to her. Individual ones can be found on the blogs of her fellow sabbatical Martin Donkin, student Kate Price and many other sites. A huge volume can be found on the special tribute page on the QMSU website.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Laura Blomeley 1983-2006
Today I received some of the worst news possible. Laura Blomeley, last year's President of Queen Mary Students' Union, passed away on Saturday.Over my years as a students' union officer I have had the fortune (and sometimes misfortune) to work with many different people. Many have stood out from the crowd because of their dedication to the simple cause of improving the student experience, against whatever obstacles had to be faced down. And Laura, who had to face some of the toughest odds, was one of the best of these.
When I think of Laura, I will always think of her eyes. They seemed to dominate her face, radiating at once friendliness, compassion, dedication, support and so much more. And that was Laura to a tee. She was one of those people whom it was impossible not to like. Even when one was in disagreement with her there was never any personal animosity whatsoever - it was a professional difference of opinion and in no way affected upon one's friendship with her. What was also astounding was her dedication. She was one of the rare students' union sabbatical officers who served two years, first as Vice President Education and Representation (2003-2004), then as President (2004-2005).
Each year was especially intense for those respective positions. Her year as Vice President Education and Representation saw the battle against the Higher Education Bill, bringing in university top-up fees and moving education away from being for the sake of educating and enhancing people and towards being a business. Laura was at the forefront of Queen Mary's contribution to the fight, never giving in to despair. But her term as President saw Queen Mary students come under threat at the local level, requiring ever more energy and dedication to spearhead the campaign against. This was the year that Queen Mary Students' Union was under threat from a take-over by the College, to lose all independence and become a monkey to the college organ grinder, and it seemed as though there was nothing we could do. It was Laura who rallied us, finding ways for the Students' Union to survive as an independent entity, and lobbying hard to build alliances with those in college who would support us. A referendum with the largest turnout I have ever seen in a students' union was held, generating much media coverage and giving all students the opportunity to reject the proposals. And thanks to Laura we succeeded. Soon, as part of the redevelopment of the campus, the students' union will be relocated to a new site by the Student Village. No greater tribute could be paid than to name it after Laura.
There are many moments I could recall about her, but I will stick to two. The first was when I first arrived at Queen Mary, when the position of Students' Union Postgraduate Officer was vacant. It was Laura who asked and persuaded me to stand for the post in the first place and was a huge source of help as I learnt the ropes. The second was last year, in the aftermath of the defeat of the College's attempted take-over. At a College meeting she and I both attended, an attempt was made to deny that this had ever been on the agenda. Laura stood her ground against this attempt to rewrite recent history and won the room over.
Today has been a very sad day at QMSU, and the reaction of many has shown just how much Laura meant to us all. Most apt are perhaps these words:
- The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long, and you have burnt so very, very brightly.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Council Tax exemption
As a doctoral student, I'm all too aware of how essential the student exemption from Council Tax is. However it seems not everyone has noticed it. It is especially shocking that the Liberal Democrats make a great virtue of being a student friendly party and yet their proposals for replacing the Council Tax would abolish the student exemption in the process! This whole matter just shows the true Liberal Democrat colours as a tax & spend party.
There are some Lib Dems who do not agree with the policy, such as Daniel Snowdon who argues against it. But will they be listened to?
This issue has not received much attention yet, not least because both main parties have not pledged to replace the Council Tax. But with both due to have new leaders by the next election if not much sooner, it is possible that this could happen much sooner.
Below is the motion I am submitting to the next general meeting of Queen Mary Students' Union next Thursday on this:
Students and Council Tax
This Union Notes
1. Local government elections for the London Boroughs are due to take place in May 2006.
2. Currently local government in Great Britain is financed by a combination of locally set Council Tax, centrally set business rates, grants from central government, local fines and other streams.(Hale, Rita and Associates "Who pays for local services? The balance of funding between government and councils" (Local Government Association, 2005), copy at http://www.lga.gov.uk/Publication.asp?lsection=0&id=SX1135-A781FC66 accessed 2005-11-22)
3. Council Tax raises approximately 26% of local government income but is one of the few streams a local council can vary. Consequently, an increase in spending often requires a proportionally greater increase in council tax.
4. In recent years, the level of Council Tax has received much media attention and a high level of protest. Very recently, the Local Government Association of England and Wales predicted that Council Tax could rise by as much as £100 a year.
(Metro November 22, 2005, page 2 columns 3-4)
5. Full-time students are exempt from paying Council Tax until they have “completed their course.”
(Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the Council Tax (Discount Disregards) Order 1992 (SI 1992 No 548) (http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1992/Uksi_19920548_en_2.htm), as amended by the Council Tax (Discount Disregards) Amendment Order 1996 (SI 1996 No 636) (http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1996/Uksi_19960636_en_1.htm) , defines a full time student as:
“A person is to be regarded as undertaking a full time course of education on a particular day if-
(a) on the day he is enrolled for the purpose of attending such a course with a prescribed educational establishment within Part I of Schedule 2 to this Order, and
(b) the day falls within the period beginning with the day on which he begins the course and ending with the day on which he ceases to undertake it, and a person is to be regarded as ceasing to undertake a course of education for the purpose of this paragraph if he has completed it, abandoned it or is no longer permitted by the educational establishment to attend it.")
6. There is ambiguity over what exactly constitutes “completed their course” for research students in the writing up and beyond phase.
7. Currently the Council Tax is one of the most controversial charges of all and there are many calls for it to be amended or scrapped.
(E.g. IsItFair – The Campaign for the Reform of Council Tax at http://www.isitfair.co.uk/)
8. One of the most common proposed alternatives is to have a Local Income Tax and some political parties have taken this up.
9. The exemption for students is not explicitly retained in some proposals for local government taxation reform.
10. The current weekly threshold for starting to pay income tax for most student jobs (approximately Tax Codes 471-500) is between £90 and £95.
(Tables A – Pay Adjustment Tables (Inland Revenue, 1993), Week 1 (Apr 6 – Apr 12))
11. Due to the way in which Free Pay works and the juxtaposition of the tax year and university vacation dates, the effective threshold is even lower for those only working during vacations.
This Union Believes
1. Students are presently financially overburdened and it would be monumentally unfair to give them the additional burden of local government taxation.
2. If the Council Tax is to be replaced, the alternative must include an explicit continuation of the student exemption.
3. The definition of a full-time student should be modified to explicitly incorporate research students in the writing up phase.
This Union Resolves
1. To lobby and campaign for the student exemption to be retained at all times, but to especially do this when there is high profile public debate on the future course of local government finance.
2. To write to relevant bodies and individuals, including but not limited to, the major political parties, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and any successor holding the Local Government portfolio, the Local Government Association, the Greater London Assembly, the Mayor of London, Tower Hamlets Borough Council and the local MP, setting out the Union’s position and concern.
3. To encourage a high level of registration and voting by students in the forthcoming local government elections to show that the student vote cannot be ignored.
There are some Lib Dems who do not agree with the policy, such as Daniel Snowdon who argues against it. But will they be listened to?
This issue has not received much attention yet, not least because both main parties have not pledged to replace the Council Tax. But with both due to have new leaders by the next election if not much sooner, it is possible that this could happen much sooner.
Below is the motion I am submitting to the next general meeting of Queen Mary Students' Union next Thursday on this:
Students and Council Tax
This Union Notes
1. Local government elections for the London Boroughs are due to take place in May 2006.
2. Currently local government in Great Britain is financed by a combination of locally set Council Tax, centrally set business rates, grants from central government, local fines and other streams.(Hale, Rita and Associates "Who pays for local services? The balance of funding between government and councils" (Local Government Association, 2005), copy at http://www.lga.gov.uk/Publication.asp?lsection=0&id=SX1135-A781FC66 accessed 2005-11-22)
3. Council Tax raises approximately 26% of local government income but is one of the few streams a local council can vary. Consequently, an increase in spending often requires a proportionally greater increase in council tax.
4. In recent years, the level of Council Tax has received much media attention and a high level of protest. Very recently, the Local Government Association of England and Wales predicted that Council Tax could rise by as much as £100 a year.
(Metro November 22, 2005, page 2 columns 3-4)
5. Full-time students are exempt from paying Council Tax until they have “completed their course.”
(Part 2 of Schedule 1 to the Council Tax (Discount Disregards) Order 1992 (SI 1992 No 548) (http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1992/Uksi_19920548_en_2.htm), as amended by the Council Tax (Discount Disregards) Amendment Order 1996 (SI 1996 No 636) (http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1996/Uksi_19960636_en_1.htm) , defines a full time student as:
“A person is to be regarded as undertaking a full time course of education on a particular day if-
(a) on the day he is enrolled for the purpose of attending such a course with a prescribed educational establishment within Part I of Schedule 2 to this Order, and
(b) the day falls within the period beginning with the day on which he begins the course and ending with the day on which he ceases to undertake it, and a person is to be regarded as ceasing to undertake a course of education for the purpose of this paragraph if he has completed it, abandoned it or is no longer permitted by the educational establishment to attend it.")
6. There is ambiguity over what exactly constitutes “completed their course” for research students in the writing up and beyond phase.
7. Currently the Council Tax is one of the most controversial charges of all and there are many calls for it to be amended or scrapped.
(E.g. IsItFair – The Campaign for the Reform of Council Tax at http://www.isitfair.co.uk/)
8. One of the most common proposed alternatives is to have a Local Income Tax and some political parties have taken this up.
9. The exemption for students is not explicitly retained in some proposals for local government taxation reform.
10. The current weekly threshold for starting to pay income tax for most student jobs (approximately Tax Codes 471-500) is between £90 and £95.
(Tables A – Pay Adjustment Tables (Inland Revenue, 1993), Week 1 (Apr 6 – Apr 12))
11. Due to the way in which Free Pay works and the juxtaposition of the tax year and university vacation dates, the effective threshold is even lower for those only working during vacations.
This Union Believes
1. Students are presently financially overburdened and it would be monumentally unfair to give them the additional burden of local government taxation.
2. If the Council Tax is to be replaced, the alternative must include an explicit continuation of the student exemption.
3. The definition of a full-time student should be modified to explicitly incorporate research students in the writing up phase.
This Union Resolves
1. To lobby and campaign for the student exemption to be retained at all times, but to especially do this when there is high profile public debate on the future course of local government finance.
2. To write to relevant bodies and individuals, including but not limited to, the major political parties, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and any successor holding the Local Government portfolio, the Local Government Association, the Greater London Assembly, the Mayor of London, Tower Hamlets Borough Council and the local MP, setting out the Union’s position and concern.
3. To encourage a high level of registration and voting by students in the forthcoming local government elections to show that the student vote cannot be ignored.
Friday, November 18, 2005
The new university Conservative Society
Just a quick post to say congratulations to the Queen Mary Conservative Society, which was formally ratified by the Queen Mary Students' Union this evening.
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