The Essential Guide To Student Life 2015/16

The Essential Guide to Student Life 2015/2016

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Contents

1. Welcome from the Student Officers

2. Welcome from the Vice-Chancellor

3. Student Life: Adjusting and settling in

4. Student Life: Staying safe and healthy

5 to 6. Student Life: Getting help and support

7 to 8. Student Life: Get more from your time at Uni

9 to 10. Student Life: SU Venues and events

11. Your SU: How it’s led

12. Your SU: The President

13. Your SU: Vice-President Education

14. Your SU: Vice-President Activities

15. Your SU: Vice-President Welfare

16. TUSU Elections 2016

17 to 18. Your SU: Everyday services

21 to 22. Your SU: Take the lead!

27. Keep in touch

* PLEASE NOTE: ALL DATES, OPENING TIMES AND CONTACT DETAILS INCLUDED IN THIS GUIDEARE CORRECT AT THE TIME OF UPLOADING AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

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1 Welcome from the Student Officers

We’re very excited to welcome new and returning students to our Essential Guide To Student Life. We’ve been elected, by students just like you, to lead the SU in 2015/16 and to speak up for you to the most senior figures at the University including the Vice-Chancellor and the Board Of Governors.

We want EVERY student no matter their age, gender, background or mode of study to have a top quality student experience from Freshers onwards. Make sure you take every opportunity to tell us what you think of your course and the facilities here at Teesside including catching us when we’re out and about on campus on our SU on Tour campaign.

We also want the SU to be right at the heart of as many students’ lives as possible. From Freshers onwards make sure you get yourselves in for our day and evening events, grab a bite to eat in The Terrace, get help and support from the SU Link and of course join any of our many clubs and societies that take your fancy.

We’re all about putting students in the driving seat, standing up for your interests and of course making sure you get the most from your time at Teesside!

You can find out more about the four of us on pages 12 to 15 and you can visit tees-su.org.uk/officers where we’ve got links to all our Facebook and Twitter profiles plus blogs, videos and more.

Have a great year and if you see us around make sure you say hi, we want your feedback!

Manon, Adam, Ashley and Brian - Student Officers 2015/16

I am delighted, as your new Vice-Chancellor to provide this introduction to the Students’ Union guide. My relationship with your Students’ Union and with the student body is one of the most important parts of my role in leading our University.

You have an excellent Students’ Union and, just in my first few months in post, I have been very impressed with the quality of the Union’s services and the representation it provides.

Your Union is an essential part of campus life and I am very much looking forward to working with it to do everything that we can to ensure a thriving and vibrant student experience.

I know that you will find this guide helpful. I commend it to you and wish you both a very warm welcome to Teesside University and that you enjoy every success with us.

Professor Paul Croney Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive

2Welcome from the Vice-Chancellor

3 Adjusting and settling inWe know what you’re thinking...“Get to the fun stuff!” All in good time, a few essentials especially for new students to keep in mind first!

- Be Sociable... Whether you’re in halls or a student house try and be as social as possible. Get yourself in to communal areas and try to talk to as many different people as possible.

- Get Involved... Why not join a club and/or society and look at what’s available in terms of volunteering? Great ways to meet new people, do more with your free time and boost your employability.

- Get a Job... Easier said than done sometimes we know, but try to find some part-time work as soon as you can. Aside from the obvious financial benefits it’s a good way to meet people, boost your employability and fill your spare time. The SU employs a number of students to work as bar, venue, technical and administrative staff and we advertise a range of external vacancies. Find out more at tees-su.org.uk/jobs

- Budget... It’s easy to blow a lot of money very quickly when you first start Uni! Enjoy yourself of course but make sure you can afford it, a weekly budget of everything you have to pay out (rent/ gas bill etc.) and what you’ve got left for food, socialising and little treats will help.

- Be Sensible... The first term at Uni is an exciting time and we know a lot of you will want to party hard but drink responsibly, avoid mixing drinks, eat properly and get enough sleep.

4Staying Safe and Healthy

Help!

Teesside is a great place to study and live in, the vast majority of students who come here have an amazing experience and are made to feel very welcome by the locals. However there’s never any harm in taking a few precautions to make sure you stay safe and crime free. There’s also no harm in keeping yourself in good shape and doing what you can to stay healthy while you study, here’s our top tips:

- Get a doctor and dentist...Make sure you register with a local medical centre and dentist. Once you are registered with a dentist you can access selected services from the Uni dentist, find out more at tees.ac.uk/dentist.

- Shut it, Lock it, Turn it on...Always make sure windows and doors in your house, room, flat or hall are properly locked before you go out, put valuables out of sight and remember to set your alarm if you’ve got one.

- Check your alarms...If you’ve got smoke and/ or carbon monoxide alarms fitted in your accommodation make sure they’re working and have recently been surveyed. If you haven’t got either ask your landlord why not!

- Know your way around...Make sure you know the areas of town to avoid, stay in groups especially when you’re first out and about of an evening and try to avoid walking home alone.

- Don’t be afraid to ask for help...Whether your problem is personal, financial, housing or course related the SU and Uni will be able to help or will point you in the direction of someone who can. In the SU visit The Link (1st floor, SU Building) and in the Uni visit Student Services (1st floor, Clarendon Building). See the next two pages for more detailed info.

- Eat regularly and well...Don’t be tempted to survive on a liquid diet! Make sure you eat a balanced and reasonably healthy diet with square meals each day especially if you’re heading out for a big night.

5 Getting Help and SupportWe’re glad to say the vast majority of students have a great time at Uni with no problems or issues but keep in mind that if you do need it, help is available.

SU Link (1st floor, Students’ Union Building)

The SU Link is our one stop shop for independent and professional support including:

- Advice on student funding and any hardship payments or benefits you may be eligible for.

- Issues with student accommodation.

- Issues with the quality of a course or teaching.

- Help with any issues, personal or otherwise, which may be affecting your academic progress. - General sign posting to external organisations or Uni departments if you have an issue we can’t deal with directly.

- A wide range of part-time vacancies in numerous fields through our Jobs Desk.

Open 10am - 4pm weekdays*T: 01642 342247 E-mail: [email protected]/sulink

Getting Help and Support 6

The University also has a Student Services department that can provide help, support and advice. Services include:

- Professional counselling

- Support for disabled students

- Help with careers and employability

- A range of assistance for international students

- Student Advisers who provide help with student funding

- Advice and events to promote healthier lifestyles

- Information on volunteering opportunities.

T: 01642 342277, E: [email protected], tees.ac.uk/studentsupport

Other useful contacts for support

Cleveland Police - T: 101 for general enquiries, 999 for emergencies, cleveland.police.uk.Cleveland Fire Service - T: 01429 872311 for general enquiries, 999 for emergencies, clevelandfire.gov.uk Gas Emergencies - T: 0800 111 999/ nationalgrid.com/ukThe Samaritans - T: 08457 90 90 90/ samaritans.org Student Finance - studentfinanceengland.co.uk

Developing new skills and growing as a person is just as important a part of the student experience as lectures, seminars and assignments. The SU and the Uni can both offer you a range of activities to help you do just that!

SU Activities

We should be your first visit on the journey to a more rounded student life! Based on the first floor of the SU building, staff can provide information and support with joining or starting a club or society and link you up with rewarding volunteer work.

Open 10am to 4pm weekdays during term time*tees-su.org.uk/activities T: 01642 342234/ E: [email protected]

Clubs

Our clubs cover everything from mainstream sports like football, rugby and netball right through to more niche activities like hiking and hill walking, tai chi and surfing! They’re a great way to keep fit, be part of a team and of course make new friends!

Societies

Our societies are the perfect way to pursue an existing interest or develop a new one. There’s plenty of variety in the existing societies with everything from horror to real ale enthusiasts catered for! They’re yet another great way to grow as a person and of course make one or two new chums!

Check out the full list of clubs and societies at www.tees-su.org.uk/activities where you can also join them. If there’s not one that takes your fancy why not speak to us about starting a new one?

Volunteering and personal development

The SU is committed to helping you to get as work and life ready as possible:

- Help run our biggest event of the year as a Freshers Rep.

- Support and help promote some of our student campaigns.

- Work as a volunteer providing help as a presenter or a production assistant to the student TV and radio stations. - Check out opportunities with the Uni and wider community through voluntees.co.uk

7 Getting More from your time at Uni Getting More from your time at Uni 8

9 SU Venues and EventsOk, as promised, it’s time for the fun stuff! We’re the place to be for socialising, partying, unforgettable live events and the best drinks promotions in town!We’ve also won multiple awards for the standards of our customer service and the safe, responsible way we run our venues.

SU Terrace Drop in day or night and you’ll soon see why it’s won a string of prestigious Best Bar None Awards! It’s open 7 days a week during term time serving a wide range of delicious hot food, coffees, teas, soft and of course alcoholic drinks!

There’s a great atmosphere, warm welcome from staff and first rate customer service to make it an even more perfect place to hang out, eat, drink and party!

Open 9.30am to late weekdays*Open 12pm to late weekends*

The Hub

The Hub is home to our student club and theme nights, University events, freshers fairs and is also an ever more popular place to hire out for parties, presentations, awards ceremonies and more. It’s state of the art facilities, modern layout and great atmosphere make it a hugely popular destination for students and the wider community!

Events

We run the biggest and best events you’ll find anywhere in the area. In the past few years alone we’ve seen the likes of Wretch 32, Professor Green, Calvin Harris, Example, Pendulum, Sigma, Seann Walsh, Tinchie Stryder, Chase and Status, DJ Fresh, Greg James and Scott Mills take to the stage in The Hub.

We’ve also got a string of hugely popular weekly events like the Mega Pub Quiz on Monday nights, Squids on Thursdays and our big club night Dirty Disco every Friday night.

Plus there’s special one off events to keep things interesting like our huge Halloween party Nightmare On Southfield Rd, Christmas extravaganza The Festive Fling and massive summer party The Final Fling.

10SU Venues and Events

Your SU: How it’s LedThe SU is led by a 10 strong Board Of Trustees who:

- Oversee how the Students’ Union is being run by Elected Officers and staff.

- Take major decisions about the future strategy and direction of the organisation.

- Approve any major spending.

The four Officer Trustees, more usually known as the Student Officers, are elected every year by students just like you. They’re joined on the Board by four External Trustees who are invited to be part of the Board because of their experience and distinguished achievements in the worlds of education, the charitable sector, local government and the public sector. The Board is completed by two Student Trustees* who are both current students recruited by a Sub Committee of the Board to voice the opinions of grass roots students to the Students’ Unions.

* Details of the 2015/16 Student Trustees as well as the rest of the Board are available at tees-su.org.uk/trustees.

Officer Trustees

Prof. Paul Harrison Dr. Mark FishpoolDr. Mark FishpoolLinda Maughan Heather Ashton

External Trustees

Manon Goetschel, Adam Howe, Ashley Mehnert, Brian Keogh

12Your SU: The President11

Ashley MehnertT: 01642 342234 E: [email protected]

Ashley is 29 and from Middlesbrough. She is an adult nursing student and has been heavily involved in the Uni and Students’ Union throughout her time at Teesside. This has included extensive voluntary activities to raise funds for good causes and working as a Student Representative for the past 3 years, twice being named Student Rep Of The Year by the SU. She is a keen sportswoman who enjoys Rugby, Powerlifting and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Outside of Uni she’s mum to a 5 year old son and before coming to Uni she worked for her family businesses and as a youth worker in Middlesbrough.

Her responsibilities as President include:

- Leading the Student Officer team

- Chairing the Board Of Trustees

- Representing student opinion to the most senior figures at the University

“It was totally overwhelming and unexpected to be elected President, it had been a really difficult week and I felt really unwell and quite emotional even before the result was announced! So you can imagine how overwhelmed and immensely happy I was after it was confirmed that I had won!”

“I hope to continue to improve students’ time at University and work with the institution to provide the completely holistic experience that I think students want and need. University is so much more than getting a qualification at the end of the day and I want to make sure students are heard with their needs fully met, I want to be part of the change that students want.”

13 Your SU: Vice-President Education Your SU: Vice-President WelfareAdam HoweT: 01642 342234 E: [email protected]

Adam is 27 and originally from Darlington. He recently completed a BA (Hons) in Business Management and has been an enthusiastic volunteer throughout his time at Uni; This has included serving as Chair of the Hiking and Hillwalking Club as well as being a member of both the Uni student panel and the SU Scrutiny Committee. He’ll also be a familiar face to many students from working on the SU Welcome Desk over the past year as a member of student staff and a member of the Meet and Greet team for the Uni along with several years’ service as a Student Rep for the School Of Social Sciences, Business and Law.

His responsibilities as VP Education include:

-Attending a range of meetings with senior academic staff at the University to represent student opinion when drawing up teaching policies.

-Working with the Students’ Union’s representation department to ensure students have the support they need should they have issues with their course or lecturers.

-Running student campaigns around a range of issues including quality of feedback and educational experience.

“I am delighted to have been elected and still can’t stop smiling. It was a fantastic feeling to hear that so many students put their trust in me to represent them though I must admit the fact there was only 3 votes between me and the runner up added to the tension and indeed relief on the evening!”

“I hope to achieve a lot in the role but above all, like my three new colleagues on the StudentOfficer team, I want to ensure that the student voice is listened to and acted on by the University.”

14

Manon GoetschelT: 01642 342234 E: [email protected]

Manon is 23 and originally from Lausanne in Switzerland. She’s the only Officer returning for a second term and prior to becoming a Student Officer she completed a degree in Performance For Live and Recorded Media.

She was also a member of student staff at the Students’ Union, a Student Rep and a dedicated volunteer who got involved in a range of events and projects with both the University and the Students’ Union prior to being elected.

Her responsibilities as VP Welfare include:

- Leading on major student campaigns around key issues like housing, sexual health, personal safety and money.

- Working closely with Student Reps to identify and address welfare issues that students are facing on campus or in the areas they live.

- Working in partnership with the University and external agencies like Cleveland Police, The Safer Middlesbrough Partnership and the local Health Trust on campaigns and initiatives to improve student health, wellbeing and safety.

- Representing student opinion on key university committees concerned with issues of student welfare and experience.

“It felt amazing to be re-elected, I actually felt more nervous this year than in 2014 when I was first elected and I’m delighted to be given the opportunity to continue all the important work I started last year.”

“I have lots of priorities but one of the biggest is lobbying the University to provide even more resources to help students relax and refresh during what can be a very stressful time.”

15 Your SU: Vice-President ActivitiesBrian KeoghT: 01642 342234 E: [email protected]

Brian is 26 and originally from Glasgow. He’s recently completed the final year of a Sports Therapy course and he’s been Chair of the Teesside University American Football Club and also takes an interest in Powerlifting and Muaythai Fighting.

Prior to coming to Uni, he worked as duty manager in a bar and spent 6 years in construction eventually getting promoted to the role of quantity surveyor. He also has a volunteer role driving a boat on the River Clyde.

His responsibilities as VP Activities include:

- Working with all clubs and societies at the SU to ensure they’re properly run, manage their finances correctly and develop to their full potential.

- Working with staff from the University to ensure the best possible facilities, resources and opportunities for students to get more from their time at Uni as part of sports team, societies or when volunteering.

- Representing student opinion to key University committees concerned with the student experience.

- Leading on the running of major student events like our annual sports varsity, Athletic Union Tour and Annual Awards Dinner.

“Getting elected to the role was and remains a totally surreal experience, it’s only fully sinking in now that I have taken office and start the job.”

“There’s obviously always going to be a line between being liked and respected as an Officer, I just aim to be fair to everyone and make sure I take decisions that can be justified and are designed to help everyone move forward.”

The SU is right at the heart of day to day student life providing essential services through the SU Shop and SU Welcome Desk. They provide unbeatable convenience and first rate customer service for students.

SU Shop

The Shop stocks a wide range of snacks, magazines, newspapers, stationery and specialist course material to provide the kind of convenience other local retailers simply can’t match. It’s also the only place to buy official Teesside University merchandise such as clothing and memorabilia, you can also buy Teesside Uni hoodies online at tees-su.org.uk/shop. It’s the ideal location during breaks between seminars and lectures as well as lunch breaks where we offer a wide selection of freshly made sandwiches and great value meal deals.

Open 8am to 9pm weekdays, 12pm to 7pm weekends*

SU Welcome Desk

The SU Welcome Desk is the first port of call for hundreds of students every day. Staff provide everything from general information and directions through to registration for the NUS Extra Card and assignment binding services at a bargain price.

T: 01642 342234 E: [email protected] 9am to 5pm weekdays*

Don’t forget you can order your NUS Extra Card from the SU Welcome Desk all year round or reserve it online at nusextra.co.uk

17 18Your SU - Everyday Services Your SU - Everyday Services

21 21Take the Lead Take the LeadElections

As we’ve mentioned a few times already in this guide our Student Officers (President, VP Education, VP Activities and VP Welfare) are elected by students just like you! ANY CURRENT STUDENT can run for one of these full-time, paid positions in elections that usually take place at the end of February/ start of March each year.

At the same time, students can also stand in our elections to choose the people who will represent Teesside at the National Union of Students (NUS) Annual Conference. These NUS Conference Reps vote on the big national issues facing students on behalf of the Teesside student body. Find out more at tees-su.org.uk/elections.

You’ll find that we remind you about this a lot but...the SU is run by students for students! It’s YOUR SU so why not get more involved and take the lead? It not only makes for a more rounded student experience and provides an ideal stepping stone if you have ambitions of being a student leader further down the line but, most importantly, looks great on your C.V. and helps you develop handy skills.

Lead a club or society If you become a member of a club or society there’s nothing stopping you taking the next logical step and getting elected to be one of its leaders such as Chair or Treasurer? It’s not only great experience of people and project management but also a chance to give something back to the other members.

Be the Chair of Athletic Union or Societies Federation

Each year leaders of clubs and societies elect a Chair of these two bodies that exist to decide how our clubs and societies are run. It’s the Chair’s job to keep the twice termly meetings in order and ensure decisions are made in a far and transparent way. Student and Course Reps

Student Reps from all five schools receive a termly bursary to gather the opinions of their fellow students and feedback to the SU and senior Uni staff. They work to improve the overall student experience with a particular focus on learning, teaching and facilities.

Course Reps are elected or chosen by their coursemates to represent their views about the teaching, feedback and resources available to them. They provide grassroots information for Student Reps, the SU and the Uni. Find out more at tees-su.org.uk/studentreps.

Once your student life starts getting hectic it’s easy to lose touch with all the great events, campaigns and opportunities available from the SU. Here’s the various ways to keep track of TUSU and get in touch with us!

tees-su.org.uk

/teessidesu

/TeessideUniversityEvents /teessidesu

TUSU TV tees-su.org.uk/tusutv

E-mail: Welcome Desk/ General Enquiries - [email protected] President - [email protected] Vice-President Education - [email protected] Vice-President Activities - [email protected] Vice-President Welfare - [email protected] SU Activities - [email protected] SU Link - [email protected] Jobs - [email protected]

Telephone: Welcome Desk / General Enquiries/ SU Activities - 01642 342234 SU Link - 01642 342247

Keep in Touch

Teesside University Students’ Union, Campus Heart, Middlesbrough, TS1 3BA, Telephone: 01642 342234, E-mail: [email protected], tees-su.org.uk

Written and Compiled by Martin John, Designed by Andrea KinniPictures: Lauren Close, Jon Berg, Adam Cotterill, Judy Hume Thanks to the TUSU Proofing Team

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