GCU Students' Association Impact Report 2013-14

ImpactReport

2013-14

How we have made a positive impact to the lives of students at GCU.

GCU Students’ Association Impact Report 2013-14

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Who’s Who?Trustees

The Trustee Board is responsible for maintaining the legal, financial and reputational integrity of the organisation and for setting our strategic direction. The Board is made up of the four elected Full Time Officers, three appointed Student Trustees and three appointed External Trustees. Our Trustees were Matthew Lamb, Neill Clark, Sinead Wylie, Monika MacDonald, Jonathan Tomnay, Stephanie Noble, Michael Stephenson, Lynn Tennent, Sheetal Revis and Ryan Horan (resigned 28th May 2014).

Senior Management Team

The Chief Executive (David Carse) is responsible for the strategic implementation and operational management of the Students’ Association, reporting to the Trustee Board. The Chief Executive is supported by the Activities Manager (Gordon McTweed), Representation and Advice Manager (Caroline Miller) and the Finance Manager (Anna Dekar) in meeting our strategic plan.

Staff

We have a team of 22 staff who work to meet the needs of our members.

Full Time Officers

The Full Time Officers were the Student President (Matthew Lamb), Vice President Education (Neill Clark), Vice President Wellbeing (Sinead Wylie) and Vice President Activities (Monika MacDonald). The Full Time Officers are elected annually in a cross campus ballot to represent GCU students and are accountable to our members for their work.

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www.GCUstudents.co.uk www.twitter.com/GCUstudents www.facebook.com/GCUstudents

About UsOur Vision is that GCU students will have an outstanding experience that will live with them forever and we have written our Big Plan (our strategic plan) to help us achieve this Vision. This Impact Report will tell you how we are progressing in meeting our strategic plan and how we have made a positive impact to the lives of students at GCU.

We are a charity with charitable purposes and are a separate and independent organisation from GCU. We are located in the Students’ Association Building on the Glasgow Campus and have a base at GCU London. All GCU students are automatically members of the Students’ Association. We are a membership-led organisation.

Our Mission is to represent and enable GCU students to enhance all aspects of their student experience. This is what we do on a day to day basis and is our main activity.

Our Values

Diversity, Community, Participation, Fun, Support and Leadership.


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Effectively Representing our Members

2,559 members voted in our Full Time

Officer elections. Our highest turnout ever!

22 ideas were debated at

Student Voice and 185 ideas were

submitted.

10School Officers appointed

to liaise between Class Reps, academic schools

and the Students’ Association.

72%of members knew who

our Full Time Officers were.

553 registered Class

Reps. 76% of members know who their Class Rep is and 59%

know what they do.

207members supported

in university academic representation cases.

218 trained Class Reps. Overall number of Class Reps trained

is 284.

Full Time Officers

Engagement 49 lecture shouts, 13 stalls and 53

blogs to engage with members.

75%of members feel we are effectively

representing students (our

mission).


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Campaigns

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Working with GCU we were successful in the Saltire Centre (GCU Library) having extended opening hours during exam periods.

Senate (GCU academic policy making committee) approved a proposal from the Students’ Association to increase student representation on Senate. Two additional student members will be elected to represent international and research students.

We held a constructive dialogue with GCU on the student experience and development of the GCU London and GCU New York campuses.

We held a high profile campaign on Voter Registration and Education for the Independence Referendum. This included organising a debate for 100 GCU students, attended by Patrick Harvie MSP, Angela Constance MSP, Willie Rennie MSP and Councillor Stephen Curran. We invited Bite the Ballot on National Voter Registration Day, which resulted in 100 students registering to vote on the day and hosted stalls by Yes Scotland and Better Together.

We contributed to the National Student Survey review, pressing for widening the scope of the survey.

We have been involved in shaping the GCU ‘Heart of Campus Project’ and pressed for effective communications to students on any disruptions.

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We won Gender Neutral Toilets being installed on the GCU campus.

We worked with GCU and our members on shaping the GCU 2020 Strategy.

We pressured GCU to ensure that the Living Wage is extended to employees of companies that GCU holds contracts with.

Working with other Students’ Associations in Glasgow we ran campaigns on the objectification of women by nightclubs, nightclub advertising on campuses, student safety, lack of accommodation within Glasgow and fairer fares for students on Glasgow transport.

We ensured that GCU consulted current and prospective students within the Portfolio Refresh, such as involvement in programme approval and re-approval events.

We successfully persuaded GCU on their allocation of the industrial action money, which is going to be put into student hardship.

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Teaching Awards 2014

The winners were...

Excellent Explanation Claire Bereziat (Glasgow School for Business and Society)

Inspiring Individual Rachel Mulholland (School for Health and Life Sciences)

Super Support Declan Jones (Glasgow School for Business and Society)

Fantastic Feedback Angela Sutherland (Glasgow School for Business and Society)

Tremendous Technology Julie Thomson (Glasgow School for Business and Society)

A total of 452 nominations were

received for the Teaching Awards.

Double the number of nominations from last year.

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NUS EngagementThe Students’ Association continue to play an active role within the National Union of Students (NUS). Delegates were sent to the NUS Scotland and NUS UK annual democratic conferences. Motions submitted; improving the National Student Survey, voter turnout in the Scottish Referendum, that part-time undergraduate degrees should be fully funded by SAAS and that NUS Scotland develops support for student activities within Scotland. All motions were passed. The Vice President Wellbeing, Sinead Wylie was elected Vice President Communities and our Vice President Education, Neill Clark was elected Mature and Part Time Students’ Officer, for NUS Scotland. The Chief Executive has also been appointed to the NUS UK Charity Direction & Oversight Quality Board. The purpose of the Board is to advise the Trustee Board of NUS Charitable Services on the strategic support needs and people development needs of the student movement.

The Students’ Association have been involved in the NUS Scotland Student Housing campaign on improving not only the private rented sector but university accommodation and the non-profit Safe Deposits Scotland scheme.

The Students’ Association campaigned, particularly towards international students, to sign the NUS petition against the UK Government proposed charges for all non-EEA international students coming to the UK to use the NHS.


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Communicating Effectively with our Members

6 editions of The Edit

magazine produced.

76% of members

satisfied with the frequency and content of our

communications.

New website

launched in July 2014 with new

www.GCUstudents.co.uk domain.

The Edit (student magazine)

shortlisted for NUS Scotland Best Student Media Awards 2014.

Radio Caley were runners-up in the NUS UK Student

Media Awards 2014.

Radio Caley reached 5th

BirthdayNew Brand launched

in July 2014 after extensive consultation with

stakeholders.

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Social Media and Website

948 new followers www.twitter.com/GCUstudents

1,020 new fans www.facebook.com/GCUstudents

1.8 million facebook impressions

352,367 page viewson our website

29 email newsletters

sent to all GCU Students


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Developing a Fun and Supportive Community for all our Members

23 Wellbeing

Volunteers running health promotion

campaigns.

1041 one off

enquiries in the Advice Centre and

523 condoms enquires.

Healthy Competitionagainst Strathclyde and Glasgow

University in the Freshers Intervarsity Sports Day and

10th Glasgow Taxis Cup held in Emirates Arena.

70% Satisfaction from members

in the National Student Survey (increase of 7%) and 96% satisfaction in International Student

Barometer.

41 Nightline Volunteers offering information

and a listening ear to 292 students.

38 sports clubs with 728 sports club members.

82% of members knew we ran sports clubs,

with 81% satisfaction.

91%of students surveyed

have been in the Students’ Association Building, new Social

Learning Space created, and 93% satisfied with new

Student Bistro.

60 societies,

2365 society members, 84%

of members knew they

could start own society.

2227 students participated in the Active Lifestyle

Programme, with a 87% satisfaction

score.

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We recognise the contribution that our members made through our awards ceremonies: STAR Awards, Blues and Colours Reception and Sports Ball.

Awards and Recognition

Most Effective Rep Award Fraser DrylieThe Edit Best Section SportsThe Edit Best Article You Me at Six Interview, by Lorne GilliesThe Edit Best Overall Volunteer Contributor Alistair BennetRadio Caley Best Behind the Mic Vlad ButaceaRadio Caley Best Behind the Scenes Robert WilsonRadio Caley Outstanding Achievement Award Matt MurphyWellbeing Volunteer of the Year Charlie GrahamDedicated Wellbeing Volunteer Award Holly WhittakerSoup Kitchen Volunteer of the Year Danielle GarrettSociety Event of the Year Burns SupperBest New Society Caledonian Model United Nations SocietySociety Volunteer of the Year Alexandra Kuznetsova-GarrettSociety Lifetime Achievement Award Kim CleeveSociety of the Year GCU Psychology Society

Sports Club of the YearGymnastics

Sports Team of the YearMen’s Golf

Sports Person of the YearDylan Wallace (Muay Thai & Boxing)

Sports Coach of the YearNick Lynn (Volleyball)

Alex Goodman AwardFraser McIsaac (Snowsports)


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Allister Boyd Ball£10,256.26 was raised by the Students’ Association Charity Ball held in December 2013 in memory of GCU student Allister Boyd, who passed away in 2009 following a three-year battle with cancer. Now in its fifth year, the Allister Boyd Ball was held in the Refectory with 300+ in attendance. The money has been equally split between Teenage Cancer Trust and CLIC Sergent.

Soup KitchenThe Students’ Association continue to be involved in a soup kitchen community engagement project in 2013-14 with 53 student volunteers involved in providing hot drinks at the weekly soup kitchen activity on Cadogen Street in Glasgow, students work in conjunction with volunteers from local community groups to deliver this service.

Miller Primary School visitThe Students’ Association adopted Miller Primary School in May 2014, this community engagement activity allowed the Full Time Officers and student volunteers to work directly with pupils at a school in Castlemilk to inspire ambitions that higher education and attending GCU is possible for anyone.

Community Engagement

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“Radio Caley has given me a creative output and to

apply my learning from my course”.

“I would probably have lost my sanity a long time ago

and would have given up at university if not for joining a

society”.

“The Students Association is an amazing organisation and gives so

much support to students. It can provide skills, knowledge and great experiences for people to take in to a job and prepares them for out of

university life”.

“Being involved in a sports team at university taught me a lot… it

gave me a great deal of confidence, developed my character, and allowed

me to see the kind of person that I could become – that I can be a

leader”.

“Good Students’ Association Building,

now it’s been refurbished”.

“The Students’ Association has been the best aspect of university life. It is where I joined sports and societies and met hundreds of new people. It promotes a great social life and you build so many new skills when

interacting with new people”.

“The main factor that has positively influenced my [GCU]

experience has been my involvement in the Students’

Association and being a Class Representative”.

Membership Feedback

“I could never have got through this challenging period without the generous support and guidance

of the Advice Centre. I can’t express how much your help is

appreciated. Thank you so much.”


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Developing our Members Employability

76 nominations submitted for GCU Student of the

Year Award.

317 members completing the Student Leaders Programme, 245 at Development Level and 72 at Advanced

Level.

542 members

registered onto the Student Leaders

Programme.

68% said they found the Student Leaders Programme ‘Very Useful’ and 32% said they

found the programme ‘Quite Useful’.

100% of members said they would put the Student Leaders Programme

on their CV.

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This is a great programme. I previously attended another university and they had nothing like this.

I think it’s fantastic that students are given the opportunity to enhance their employability and develop leadership skills.”

Pei Ling Choo (Lindsay Leadership Award Winner), Jodie Waite (Allister Boyd Award Winner) and Muqarrab Akbar (GCU Student of the Year).

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The Programme also enabled me to meet new people from different areas of the uni and helped me to feel like I was a member of the GCU community.

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The Student Leaders Programme was the best way to improve my marks in my final year of studies.

“Really enjoyed the initial leadership talk and found filling out the ‘Employability Skills Record’ very useful to my future career prospects.

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GCU London

London

GCU London Rep

had 3 candidates and 30% turnout in the election.

Students’ Association Co-ordinator now

Full Time after successful bid to GCU for extra funding.

39 Events held for students to

integrate and have fun.

196 enquiriesfrom students seeking support and advice.

Representation at NUS UK

Conference by GCU London student.

Societies Started Including Luxury

Society and International Societies.

91% of members at GCU London

feel the Students’ Association is

making a positive impact in its

second year of operating.

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Award WinningWe are an award winning Students’ Association. We have maintained the Investors in People Standard, the Healthy Working Lives Award at Gold Level and was the first ever Students’ Association to win 5 Stars in the NUS/SSS Healthy Body Healthy Mind Award. We have now achieved the NUS Green Impact Award at Gold Level for three successive years.

We were ranked 10th in the UK for our clubs and societies for the WhatUni Choice Awards 2014.

NUS Awards

We are the first modern university in Scotland to have achieved the Student Union Evaluation Initiative (SUEI) Award at Bronze Level. SUEI has now been replaced by Quality Student Unions where this award equates to the Good Quality Student Union award. The audit report said we are a “well-managed organisation, effectively led and well supported by a staff team with a sense of common purpose”.

We were shortlisted in the NUS Scotland Awards 2014 for University Students’ Association of the Year, Campaign of the Year, Society of the Year (Caledonian Model of United Nations), Equality & Diversity, Student Media of the Year (The Edit) and Simpson-King Staff Achievement Award (Marie Wilkinson) and Runner Up in the NUS UK Student Media of the Year 2014 Award (Radio Caley).

Scottish Charity No. SC022887

GCU Students’ Association70 Cowcaddens Road Glasgow G4 0BA

GCU Students' Association Impact Report 2013-14

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Transcript of GCU Students' Association Impact Report 2013-14