the scene 5/3/2012

503/2012 free

www.thestudentsunion.org.uk |3

Submit your artwork for our front cover

each cover of The Scene has

a theme, the next issue’s is the

number 6. If you feel you can

illustrate the number 6 in an

interesting and creative way,

or if you have any existing work

that loosely ties in with the

theme then please email it to

[email protected]

and you could be featured on

the cover as well as inside the

magazine. It is a great chance

to have your work viewed by

13,000 of our members, as well

as getting a hard copy of The

Scene for your portfolio.

Last Call for Nominations

Success Awards Short Lists

National Student Volunteering Week

Are You ‘fit to Sit’?

Hold Your Course reps to Account

6

8

12

18

22

UCSU is now on

@Cumbriasu

@Lorricumbriasu

@RachelUCSU

@Liamcumbriasu

@Tomcumbriasu

Follow Your SabbsYou can now follow your Sabbatical officers on twitter to know

exactly where they are and when you can talk to them. You

can also contact them through their twitter accounts to make

suggestions on how they can help you!

follow UCSU on facebook at facebook.com/CumbriaSU

Success doesn’t just happen, you make it

happen! By putting yourself forward and

making a difference you make success

possible. Time is running out to volunteer to

be elected as a Students’ Union Officer.

Last caLL for NomiNatioNsPut yourself forward for the uCsu eleCtions

What is your passion, what do you want to

change, who do you represent! Put yourself

forward and make it happen. You are the

Success. Stand up and be counted (and do it

quickly). Visit www.uscu.me to get involved.

noMinations Close 13th MarCh 2012

other iMPortant datesCaMPaigning starts

14th March 2012 to 30th March 2012

Voting oPens

19th March to 31st March 2012

Last caLL for NomiNatioNsPut yourself forward for the uCsu eleCtions


aND tHE sHort Lists for tHE sUccEss aWarDs arE... During the first phase of our Success campaign

we called for nominations for our 2012

Success Awards... WOW! We had almost 300

nominations from across our campuses and

across our courses. This is a testament to the

calibre of the people here at the University of

Cumbria. We are pleased today to announce

the short list!

The awards ceremony will be on the 22nd

of March. All Short listed candidates should

have already received their invitation and are

welcome to bring up to 3 subsides guests along.

The ceremony will feature a speech by Vice

Chancellor Peter Strike. for more information

please contact [email protected]

or visit our website www.ucsu.met

Nss aWarD

Shortlisted nominees:

education Placement office

Tower Hamlets campus facilities management

Jen Hutton

University NSS Group

Carolyn reade

oUt of sigHt aWarD

Shortlisted nominees:

Dave Hurn

Jane Barker

Bev Graham

Claire O’Hara

Vikki Brown

ELEctED stUDENt officEr of tHE YEarShortlisted nominees:

Alex Walker

Lewis Walker

rahul Mehrotra

Matt Tennant

John Sharp

LEctUrEr of tHE YEarShortlisted nominees:

Chris Buxton

Jen Bibby

Alison Buckley

Graham Hallet

Ken Beesley

VoLUNtEEr of tHE YEarShortlisted nominees:

Katy Wainwright

Lee Jones

Jonathon Dawson

emma Pilgrim

robbie George

stUDENt acaDEmic rEp of tHE YEarShortlisted nominees:

Zoe Heathcock

Hannah Glancy

Lizzie Simpson

Sabina Yasmin

elaine Breen

commUNitY aWarDShortlisted nominees:

Jane Barker

Paul Nedved

Sam riches

Stuart Hyde

stUDENt groUp mEmbEr of tHE YEar Shortlisted nominees:

Clarissa Sorlie

Jon Daynes

Laura rowell

Sian Lucas

Tom Southern

Daniel Manning

Ben Patrickson

sUpport staff of tHE YEarShortlisted nominees:

Claire Clarke

Lucy roberts

Sajad Hoffman-Hussain

Peter Dixon

Helen Milroy

Lesley Harding

pErsoNaL acaDEmic tUtor of tHE YEarShortlisted nominees:

Jane Dixon

Victoria Torrance

Nicola Bishop

Laura Baxter

Ken Beesley


Student led sessions on drawing, painting, embroidery and photography. If you’re interested

contact Tom Underwood on Tel: 01524 590817 or Email: [email protected]

WEEKLY SESSIONS BEGINNING WEDNESDAY 8TH FEBRUARYAT THE BRAMPTON ROAD CAMPUS

art sessions 4.indd 1 20/1/12 18:41:19

www.thestudentsunion.org.uk |11 www.thestudentsunion.org.uk |11 All details correct at time of printing: July 2011

Get kitted out just like Emily…visit nus.org.uk to see how you can save

can you afford not to?

colour suite

primary logofull clour print

single colour logospot colour print

EMILY REDUCED THE COSTof everything for Uni, from her laptop to a new mobile,her course books, a winter coat and an alarm clock

NUS922 Extra A5 DIARY ADVERT.indd 1 06/07/2011 14:15


Students from the University of Cumbria have been working with community groups as part of National Student Volunteering Week.

The university students from the Carlisle,

Penrith, Ambleside and Lancaster campuses

joined students from all over the country

who were making a difference to their local

communities through events organised by the

Students’ Union.

The University of Cumbria students took part in

various activities, including IT sessions for retired

local residents in Lancaster, art workshops for

community members at the Brampton road

campus in Carlisle and conservation work at

Heathlands in Carlisle, part of the Glenmore

Trust.

The Lancaster IT sessions were led by Lauren

Lloyd. Lauren said: “I was a basic volunteer

last year and this year I am the project leader.

I am running the IT sessions for the elderly

residents and we are helping them with their

basic computer skills. As well as helping the

residents learn a new skill, we are portraying

a positive student relationship with the

community.”

Community volunteering reaps rewards for all


The volunteering week also included the

second Community Arts project session in

Carlisle. The student led project invites local

residents onto the Brampton road campus to

try their hand at different creative arts such as

drawing. Twenty members of the community

are already involved.

Student Volunteer Danielle Spratt said: “Some

of the local residents who attended the

session had never drawn at all so we taught

them different skills. It’s rewarding and fun. I’m

getting to interact with people who aren’t my

own age and it’s just a bit different.”

To finish off the week, ten student volunteers

carried out conservation tasks at Heathlands,

near Harker, Carlisle. Chopping, digging and

sawing tasks were carried out at the inclusive

day centre for adults with learning disabilities

to improve access to the garden area

for the members.

Kati Brown, Students Union Volunteering

facilitator for the Students’ Union is pleased

with how the week went. She said: ‘It’s been

great to see so many different students getting

involved and giving volunteering a go. Some

of them have taken part before but some

people got involved for the first time.

“It’s also great that we can bring together

the community. As well as volunteering at

Heathlands, we were able to support five

of their members who are attending our

community art sessions as part of their OCN

qualification in art.”

“There are many volunteering opportunities

available to students and we want to continue

to raise the profile so that more students get

involved in volunteering in their community,

giving them valuable and rewarding

experience that will have a positive impact on

other people.”



www.thestudentsunion.org.uk/volunteering

Many students find that they encounter difficulties during their time of study which can have a serious impact on their coursework and examinations. For many students though, problems can be easily remedied if you ask for help before your situation gets worse.

There are many means of support within the

Students’ Union Advocacy & Advice Service

and the University Support Services (LISS) to

help you through these difficult times, seeking

help as early as possible is always advisable.

If you are experiencing difficulties and

have genuine reasons, you can apply for

extenuating Circumstances (eC’s) up to 5 days

after the submission date of your assessment.

The University considers extenuating

circumstances to be “serious and exceptional

circumstances outside the student’s control”

which are “normally unforeseeable and

unpreventable”. essentially the University may

consider the following to be extenuating

circumstances:

everyday occurrences such as colds or

known conditions such as hay fever will not

qualify unless the effects are unusually severe.

Avoidable situations such as printer or travel

issues will not be deemed to be valid. To apply

for eC’s, fill out a form that you can download

from the university website, UCSU Advocacy

& Advice Service have produced some

guidelines that can be found on our website. If

you are struggling to fill out the form, contact

a Student Advisor; they will be happy to help.

evidence must be submitted with eC’s forms

for them to be considered, you will not know

whether your eC’s have been accepted

until after the eC’s board has met and their

recommendation has passed through the

University Assessment Boards. evidence that

can be included:

Serious ill heath (not already covered by

special, pre-arranged examination provision).

Personal accident or injury.

Death or serious illness of family members

or close friends.

Major household problems e.g. fire.

Acute personal or emotional trauma,

e.g. acute anxiety or depression, family

breakdown or the breakdown of close

personal relationship.

Major and unplanned changes to

employment circumstances or patterns of

employment (eXCePT full Time Students).

If an examination or an assessment

performance is affected for medical

What can UCSU do to help?UCSU Advocacy & Advice Service is available

for you to discuss your circumstances in

confidence either in person, over the

telephone or via email. A Student Advisor can

also help you to prepare a statement and

support you through the process.

UCSU Carlisle: 01228 616253

UCSU Lancaster: 01524 590810

reasons then you should try to seek a

medical appointment on the day/a.s.a.p.

and attach a medical certificate/Doctors

letter/Prescription to your form.

Where extenuating circumstances are

personal the University recognises that

providing some sort of ‘official’ evidence

may be more difficult. In those exceptional

cases the University will accept evidence

in the form of statements, and detailed

discussions with your course leader etc.

Are you ‘Fit to Sit’?


Many students find that they encounter difficulties during their time of study which can have a serious impact on their coursework and examinations. For many students though, problems can be easily remedied if you ask for help before your situation gets worse.

There are many means of support within the

Students’ Union Advocacy & Advice Service

and the University Support Services (LISS) to

help you through these difficult times, seeking

help as early as possible is always advisable.

If you are experiencing difficulties and

have genuine reasons, you can apply for

extenuating Circumstances (eC’s) up to 5 days

after the submission date of your assessment.

The University considers extenuating

circumstances to be “serious and exceptional

circumstances outside the student’s control”

which are “normally unforeseeable and

unpreventable”. essentially the University may

consider the following to be extenuating

circumstances:

everyday occurrences such as colds or

known conditions such as hay fever will not

qualify unless the effects are unusually severe.

Avoidable situations such as printer or travel

issues will not be deemed to be valid. To apply

for eC’s, fill out a form that you can download

from the university website, UCSU Advocacy

& Advice Service have produced some

guidelines that can be found on our website. If

you are struggling to fill out the form, contact

a Student Advisor; they will be happy to help.

evidence must be submitted with eC’s forms

for them to be considered, you will not know

whether your eC’s have been accepted

until after the eC’s board has met and their

recommendation has passed through the

University Assessment Boards. evidence that

can be included:

Serious ill heath (not already covered by

special, pre-arranged examination provision).

Personal accident or injury.

Death or serious illness of family members

or close friends.

Major household problems e.g. fire.

Acute personal or emotional trauma,

e.g. acute anxiety or depression, family

breakdown or the breakdown of close

personal relationship.

Major and unplanned changes to

employment circumstances or patterns of

employment (eXCePT full Time Students).

If an examination or an assessment

performance is affected for medical

What can UCSU do to help?UCSU Advocacy & Advice Service is available

for you to discuss your circumstances in

confidence either in person, over the

telephone or via email. A Student Advisor can

also help you to prepare a statement and

support you through the process.

UCSU Carlisle: 01228 616253

UCSU Lancaster: 01524 590810

reasons then you should try to seek a

medical appointment on the day/a.s.a.p.

and attach a medical certificate/Doctors

letter/Prescription to your form.

Where extenuating circumstances are

personal the University recognises that

providing some sort of ‘official’ evidence

may be more difficult. In those exceptional

cases the University will accept evidence

in the form of statements, and detailed

discussions with your course leader etc.


Are you ‘Fit to Sit’?

UnisexHoodies£24.00 or

£21.60with an nus extra card!

Ladies Hoodies£28.00 or


Hoodies and much more available in The Shop on Lancaster campus. You can also purchase hoodies from your local Students’ Union office or online at www.thestudentsunion.org.uk/shop.

Donald Coggan building

Toilets

Entrance

SmartiesLounge


UnisexHoodies£24.00 or


Ladies Hoodies£28.00 or


Hoodies and much more available in The Shop on Lancaster campus. You can also purchase hoodies from your local Students’ Union office or online at www.thestudentsunion.org.uk/shop.

Donald Coggan building

Toilets

Entrance

SmartiesLounge

The UCSU debated increasing the role of

course reps at their Annual General Meeting

on Dec 12, with talk of compulsory

attendance at SU talks.

The subject was debated, during discussions

of the Democratic Structures review Motion,

proposed by Tom Underwood, who called

on students to ‘hold your Course reps to

account’. He said: “if your course rep on your

course isn’t attending these sorts of things they

should be…we push things through the course

‘HoLD YoUr coUrsE rEps to accoUNt’ su deBate greater role for Course rePs

an article by andy hamilton

Student SubmissionsWe love celebrating the successes of

our fellow students here at UCSU.

One way we do that is by publishing work

from across the Uni. To see your work

featured in The Scene send examples to

[email protected]

reps, so hold your course reps to account. They

[students] put them forward for your course so

they should be telling you these sorts of things

as well. We try to do as much as we can but I

cant be in every classroom of every campus.”

robbie George, Student Trustee and Sports

Officer argued that course reps should be

obliged to attend meetings, saying

“apparently we’ve got 518 course reps and

how many of them are here? I’d say if every

single one of them came down that would

be what you could call truly representative.

Does that need a motion passing to make

them more accountable?” However Lorri

Millar, Academic Sabbatical, argued against

making attendance mandatory. She said

that: “It would be absolutely brilliant if every

course rep was here, but students have other

commitments, you’ve got assignments coming

up round here and you’ve got your course,

so for me I think course reps work incredibly

hard on the stuff that they do already. I think

by making it compulsory to make them attend

these things I don’t think that’s the right way to

go about it”

The subject was brought up during discussions

of the Democratic Structures review Motion,

which aims to make meetings more

representative of the large UoC student

population. The motion reads: “Attendance

has been poor both at General meetings and

Assemblies with a maximum attendance of 46

at a singular assembly. Policy states 30 people

can pass policy in a general meeting and 25

through an assembly. This is less than 3% of the

student body and could be seen as

un-representative.”

UCSU has taken on the management of

Student Academic reps (SArS) over the past

2 years and there is now a dedicated member

of staff to mange and support the SArS.

Debra robinson representation facilitator

said “We have been really encouraged by the

increased involvement of reps this year. Being

a Student Academic rep is a really great way

to get involved with UCSU and make a real

difference to your course”.

UCSU has a number of assemblies coming up

in March and would encourage anyone who is

interested in getting involved to come along.

Activities MeetingMon 19th March - 17:00

Academic MeetingMon 19th March - 18:00

Inclusion MeetingTue 27th March - 17:00

All meetings are streamed via VC to Lancaster,

Brampton road, fusehill St. and Penrith.



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www.thestudentsunion.org.uk |27 EvEry TuEsday from 8pm, ThE offICIaL sTudEnT nIghT

the scene 5/3/2012

Documents

yearshortlisted nominees

success campaign

success possible

success doesnt

awards ceremony

short listed candidates

ucsu electionswhat

nominations close