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Institution | Lancaster University |
---|---|
Location | Bowland College West Wing, [1] Bailrigg, City of Lancaster |
Established | 1 January 1967 |
President | Cerys Evans |
Chief Executive | Misbah Ashraf |
Members | c. 15,725 [2] |
Website | lancastersu.co.uk |
The Lancaster University Students' Union (LUSU) is a students' union at Lancaster University in Lancashire, England. It is a registered company and charity overseen by a board of trustees. Politically, it is led by six sabbatical officers - a President and five Vice-Presidents - who are elected annually by the student membership.
The original student government at Lancaster University was the University Junior Common Room (JCR), which was a meeting of the entire student body, and college JCRs, though the colleges did not yet exist in physical form. The day-to-day running of the University JCR was deputed to a committee called the Student Council, which was responsible to the University JCR. The Council set up various sub-committees to deal with areas such as lodgings, charities week, and the university bookshop. [3]
In June 1965, two students presented a report on the future of Student Council, in which they argued: "To coordinate the activities of the University societies some central organisation and representation is required. To this end we will have to have a Students' Union which will be similar to other University unions but with no union building." [3] In response, Professor Tom Lawrenson, the principal of Lonsdale College, argued that there should instead be "a top body which arises organically from the colleges... I feel that the body you propose would be, in time, schismatic and in vacuo, devoid of real roots among its constitutents in a collegiate university..." [4]
In April 2019, LUSU announced that it would not be renewing funding for Bailrigg FM's full-time FM broadcast license and that it would have to switch to online-only broadcast after 20 years of broadcasting on 87.7FM. [5] The story was picked up by local by regional radio and news outlets BBC Radio Lancashire [6] and newspaper Lancs Live, [7] with then Station Manager of Bailrigg FM, Pascal Maguet, giving interviews to both expressing disappointment at the decision. Alumni members of the radio station such as Louis Barfe, [8] James Masterton [9] and Paul Dale [10] publicly condemned the decision as well as a number of student media institutions at other universities. [11] [12]
The decision was overturned by the Trustee Board in August 2019. [13]
In September 2019, following a leak to the media, LUSU confirmed that negotiations were underway to potentially sell the Sugarhouse nightclub to build student flats, following a vote of the Trustee Board [14] The "risk of noise complaints" was identified as a key reason to sell the Sugarhouse, but it was revealed that no noise complaints had been made about the nightclub. [15] Many expressed opposition to the decision, including alumni James May and Cat Smith, along with Lancaster city councillors. [16] Concerns were raised over the role Lancaster University management played in pushing for the sale, [17] and the lack of transparency surrounding the process. [18] Following the backlash against the proposed sale, LUSU's Chief Executive and two external trustees resigned. [19] [20]
After petitions opposing the plans on Change.org and on LUSU's website received over 4,000 and 1,100 signatures respectively, the LUSU Exec decided to hold a student referendum in November 2019 over the sale, [21] in which 94% of students voted against the sale. [22] [23] Despite having refused to guarantee that the referendum result would be respected, [24] LUSU's Trustee Board unanimously agreed to abandon their plans to sell the Sugarhouse in December 2019. [25]
In November 2019 and March 2020, two sabbatical officers resigned, both citing a "toxic" culture within the students' union. [26] [27] In May 2020, after having been re-elected to serve a second term, the President was summarily dismissed following an independent investigation and hearing into unspecified, but multiple, complaints against him.[ citation needed ] Immediately following his dismissal, a third sabbatical officer, and two voluntary student officers also resigned. [28] The following month, an independent appeals panel upheld the decision to dismiss the former President. [29]
A new President for the 2020-21 academic year was elected in a June 2020 by-election, but the Returning Officer's decision to disqualify all votes cast for the Re-Open Nominations (RON) option led to many students questioning the legitimacy of the result. [30] [31] Other concerns about the process of the by-election were raised, including discrepancies in the reported turnout figure and the fact that the JCRs did not oversee the vote count, as is required by LUSU's bye-laws. [32] Most JCRs issued statements demanding LUSU's rationale for disqualifying RON be publicised, and for the results before the disqualification to be released, as it was widely assumed that RON would have won. [33] Additionally, Grizedale JCR threatened to boycott freshers' week, and County JCR to disaffiliate from LUSU entirely if their requests for transparency were not met. [34] The Women+ voluntary student officer-elect also resigned in protest over LUSU's handling of the by-election. [35]
Lancaster University Students' Union is legally a company limited by guarantee and a registered charity where the trustees serve as company law members. The governing document of LUSU is its Articles of Association, adopted on 2 January 2023, and its related bye-laws. [36] The day-to-day running of services is delegated by the Trustee Board to the Chief Executive, who is in charge of the Senior Leadership Team. This team consists of the Head of Finance, Head of Strategic Projects, Head of Advocacy & Governance, and Head of Commercial Services. [36]
The Trustee Board consists of up to six elected sabbatical officers, three appointed student members, and five appointed external trustees. The Board is assisted by sub-committees, in particular the Finance and Risk, Governance, and Executive Committees. According to the Annual Report 2018-19, the Trustee Board "are responsible collectively for the overall well-being and strategic direction, efficient operation and good governance of the Union, including compliance with legal and financial requirements." [36]
Trustee | Status | Term | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Cerys Evans (Chair) | Officer Trustee | 1 July 2023 – 30 June 2024 1st term | President |
Harrison Stewart | Officer Trustee | 1 July 2023 – 30 June 2024 1st term | Vice President (Union Development) - former Student Trustee |
Joshua Newsham | Officer Trustee | 1 July 2023 – 30 June 2024 1st term | Vice President (Welfare) |
Samuel Hedges | Officer Trustee | 1 July 2023 – 30 June 2024 1st term | Vice President (Education) |
Santiago Siabato | Officer Trustee | 1 July 2023 – 30 June 2024 1st term | Vice President (Societies & Media) |
Jack Watson | Officer Trustee | 1 July 2023 – 30 June 2024 1st term | Vice President (Sport) |
Andrew Millington | Student Trustee | 3 October 2022 – 1st term | |
Nathan Mooney | Student Trustee | 10 March 2023 – 1st term | |
Laura Yianni | Student Trustee | 1 July 2023 – 1st term | |
Thomas Cross | Student Trustee | 1 July 2023 – 1st term | |
Prof. Amanda Chetwynd | External Trustee | 7 September 2019 – 7 September 2023 1st term | Former Provost (Student Experience, Colleges and Library) |
David Morris | External Trustee | 29 June 2021 – 1st term | |
Richard Soper (Vice Chair) | External Trustee | 29 June 2021 – 1st term | |
Mike Leckie | External Trustee | 1 June 2022 – 1st term |
Each of the eight undergraduate Colleges has an elected Junior Common Room Executive ("JCR Exec" or simply "JCR"), responsible for representing students on and off campus, running college-based welfare and academic campaigns, and organising events. The exact structure of each Executive varies between colleges, but they all consist of around fifteen positions including a president, at least one vice president, welfare officers, social secretaries, communications officers, and sports representatives. [39] Graduate College, as the only postgraduate college, instead has a Postgraduate Board or "PG Board". [40]
The Executive Committee ("Exec") was LUSU's political decision making body. Its membership consisted of the sabbatical officers, six voluntary elected student officers, two JCR or PG Board representatives, and two faculty representatives. [41] The Exec was responsible for reviewing students' policy ideas, and scrutinising the implementation of agreed policy. [42]
Following several unpopular decisions made without student consultation (such as the attempts to sell The Sugarhouse nightclub and to remove the funding for Bailrigg FM's radio broadcast licence), student demands for the reform of the Trustee Board grew throughout 2019. [43] The fact that since 2016, the Trustee Board was majority-unelected was identified as a reason for them repeatedly coming into conflict with the democratic will of the student membership. The October 2019 LUSU AGM voted for all the trustees to be elected by the student membership, and for a constitutional convention to review LUSU's Articles of Association and related bye-laws. [44] In addition, students voted for the Trustee Board to be majority-elected in a November 2019 referendum. [45]
The Sugarhouse ('Sugar') is a nightclub which has been operated by LUSU since 1982. [17] It is located on Sugarhouse Alley, Lancaster and opens on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The club is extremely popular amongst Lancaster University students and has recently hosted acts such as Rudimental, Bondax and Danny Howard.
LUSU Living is a commercial letting agency owned and operated by LUSU, and is available to students of Lancaster University and The University of Cumbria. [46] It had a turnover of £3.6 million in 2019, and its annual profits are donated to LUSU to fund its other services. [47] At LUSU's Annual General Meeting in October 2019, students supported a motion which described LUSU Living as a "notoriously poor" Lancaster student letting agency. [48] In April 2020, LUSU reported a data breach to the Information Commissioner's Office after landlords' personal details were erroneously emailed to a student. [49]
Central is an on-campus supermarket, owned and operated by LUSU, is situated between Grizedale College and Pendle College on the Lancaster University campus. [50]
At the end of each academic year, after exams, each college (with the exception of Graduate College), hosts an end of year 'extravaganza' party. For these parties, each college chooses its own individual theme, decorates its bar space to fit this theme, and the 1000+ attendees to each 'extrav' will usually dress up in a theme-appropriate outfit. [51]
LUSU provides students with free support related to academic, accommodation and finance issues. This is through drop-in sessions with advisors, available on weekdays. [52]
There are a wide range of voluntary schemes available to students through LUSU, such as community projects and schools volunteering. In collaboration with the University, LUSU runs Green Lancaster, a group focused on environmental and sustainability volunteering. [53]
Student Societies based in Lancaster University can affiliate with Lancaster University Students' Union to gain benefits such as support from the union, insurance cover, training and a space on the website. [54]
SCAN (an acronym for Student Comment and News) is Lancaster University’s student newspaper and is usually published fortnightly during term time by LUSU. It was founded in 1967 as a one-page newsletter by members of staff at the University. It has continued to evolve over the years, becoming one of the longest running student newspapers in Europe. [55] A special digital issue was published in April 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. [56]
Bailrigg FM is the student radio station of Lancaster University, operated by an elected subcommittee of the Students' Union. Bailrigg FM provides news and entertainment across the University's campus (known as Bailrigg) to staff and students on 95.3 FM. It is one of only a handful of student radio stations in the UK to broadcast non-stop on FM. Being one of the first to set up in the UK, they have a long history dating back to the 1960s. Any student at the University may join and every member can run to be elected to the management committee. [57]
LA1TV is LUSU’s television station and is run by students who produce a variety of programmes, such as ‘SugarTV’ and ‘The Sportscaster’. The name ‘LA1’ is taken from the postcode of the University. [58]
Take 2 Cinema is the student union's on-campus cinema, based in Bowland College Lecture Theatre.
LUSU provides support and funding for over 175 official activity groups and sports clubs, ranging from ‘Assassins Guild’ to ‘Wilderness Medicine’ and everything in between. [59] [60] [61]
The Roses Tournament is an annual sports competition between Lancaster University and the University of York in England, which was founded in 1965. The competition is organised by LUSU and YUSU, and is held every summer term during the first few weeks, alternating its venue between the two universities. [62]
LUSU has a strong environmental and ethical track record which has been recognised by the Union being awarded the Gold Standard by the NUS in the Green Impact Awards. This makes LUSU one of only 5 Universities in the UK achieve this standard. The Union has also won a Green Gown Award in 2011 and been highly commended in the Children and Young People Now Awards. [63]
LUSU was shortlisted for the Higher Education Students’ Union of the Year award at the National Union of Students (NUS) Awards 2013. [64]
Durham Students' Union, operating as Durham SU, is the students' union of Durham University in Durham, England. It is an organisation, originally set up as the Durham Colleges Students’ Representative Council in 1899 and renamed in 1969, with the intention of representing and providing welfare and services for the students of the University of Durham.
The Oxford University Student Union is the official students' union of the University of Oxford. It is better known in Oxford under the branding Oxford SU or by its previous name of OUSU. It exists to represent Oxford University students in the university's decision-making, to act as the voice for students in the national higher education policy debate, and to provide direct services to the student body. The president for the 2023–24 academic year is Danial Hussain.
Lancaster University is a public research university in Lancaster, Lancashire, England. The university was established in 1964 by royal charter, as one of several new universities created in the 1960s.
Grizedale College is a college of the University of Lancaster in Lancashire, England. The college is named after the Grizedale Forest area of Lancashire North of the Sands. When it was built it was situated at the southern extremity of the Bailrigg campus. The development of the south west campus has meant that college is now considered to be one of the more centrally located colleges. It is currently the fifth largest in terms of number of students.
Cambridge Students' Union, known as Cambridge SU, is the university-wide representative body for students at the University of Cambridge, England. Its predecessor union was known as Cambridge University Students' Union or CUSU until its dissolution in July 2020.
The Roses Tournament is an annual varsity sports competition between Lancaster University and the University of York in England, often described as the largest inter-university sports tournament in Europe. It is organised by their respective Students' Unions, YUSU and LUSU. It takes its name from the 15th-century civil war, the Wars of the Roses, between the House of Lancaster and the House of York. The counties of Lancashire and Yorkshire are traditionally symbolized by the red and the white rose respectively, although some York teams today play in gold and black kits. The competition is held every year during the early May bank holiday weekend, alternating its venue between the two universities.
The University of Nottingham Students' Union is the students' union at the University of Nottingham, England. It is a representative body that aims to represent students to both the university and the wider community.
Edinburgh University Students' Association (EUSA) is the students' union at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. The Association's aim is the advancement of education of Edinburgh students by representing and supporting them, and by promoting their interests, health and welfare within the community. It is led by a team of five elected student sabbatical officers.
Bailrigg FM (formerly known as University Radio Bailrigg (URB) and Radio Bailrigg) is a student radio station at Lancaster University. It operates in a music format predominantly featuring pop, but also broadcasts news, drama, comedy, and entertainment. During evening and weekend hours, programming moves to specialist content where presenters are free (within reason) to play whatever they wish.
Bowland College is the oldest and fourth largest constituent college of Lancaster University. The college was named after the Forest of Bowland, to the east of Lancaster. Members of the college are informally referred to as Bowlanders.
Cartmel College is a residential college of Lancaster University, England and was founded in 1968. It is named after the Cartmel Peninsula of "Lancashire north of the sands" which was once known as The Land of Cartmel. The college buildings were originally sited at the north end of the university's Bailrigg campus and extended in 1969. In 2004, the college was relocated around Barker House Farm in a new development in the southwest of the campus called Alexandra Park.
Graduate College is the largest college at Lancaster University, and only postgraduate college. The college's membership consists of all postgraduate students at the university, including Lancaster graduates who were members of other colleges as undergraduates.
A common room is a group into which students are organised in some universities, particularly in the United Kingdom, normally in a subdivision of the university such as a college or hall of residence, in addition to an institution-wide students' union. They represent their members within the hall or college, operate certain services within these institutions such as laundry or recreation, and provide opportunities for socialising. There are variations based on institutional tradition and needs, but classically the following common rooms will exist:
Aberdeen University Students' Association is the students' association of the University of Aberdeen, an ancient university in the city of Aberdeen in North East Scotland. It organises recreational activities; provides welfare and employment services for students; promotes equality and diversity of students; advancement of education; and provide facilities and support for student societies and sports clubs.
Trinity College Dublin Students' Union is a students' union and the recognised representative body of students of Trinity College Dublin. Its role is to provide a representative channel between all students and the authorities of the College as well as to provide services to these students. TCDSU is a constituent organisation of the Union of Students in Ireland.
The Lancaster Institute for the Contemporary Arts is an academic institution, art school, and arm of the University of Lancaster, that delivers research and teaching in fields of contemporary art and design; including in the subject areas of Fine Art, Theatre, Design, and Film studies. The institute also houses two research centres: Insight and Imagination. LICA has a close working relationship with the public arts organisation: Lancaster Arts.
Warren Nettleford, is a television presenter and reporter from Dudley in the West Midlands. He is of Black British heritage.
LA1TV is a non-profit student television station at Lancaster University. It is a constitutional part of the Lancaster University Students' Union, but is run as an independent student society. Some of LA1's current programmes include Sugar TV and the FTO catchup. LA1TV is currently run by Station Manager Eve Harding.
SCAN: Student Comment and News is a multi-award-winning student newspaper at Lancaster University. It publishes during term time in print, and throughout the year online. SCAN was founded in 1967, making it one of the longest-running student publications in Europe, and is now managed by the Lancaster University Students' Union (LUSU).
Newcastle University Students' Union (NUSU) is the students' union of Newcastle University in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is an organisation with the intention of representing and providing services and welfare for the students of University of Newcastle upon Tyne. It was originally set up as the Union Society and changed to its present name in 2011. In 2022, it voted to rejoin the National Union of Students (NUS).
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