Swansea University Students' Union

Swansea University Students' Union (Welsh: Undeb Myfyrwyr Prifysgol Abertawe) is the students' union for Swansea University and is part of the National Union of Students of the United Kingdom. The Students' Union aims to promote the interests of students at the University.

It is currently located on the Swansea University campus in Union House,[1] and also has offices in Fulton House- an adjacent building which the university plans to demolish during renovation of the site.[2]

Democracy

The Students' Union is a democracy governed by the articles of governance and schedules.[3]$ All students of Swansea University are automatically enrolled into the Union at the beginning of each term and then have the right to propose and vote on Ideas (motions) at the Student Forums.

Representing the students are the executive committee which is made up of Full Time Officers and the Part Time Officers. The Executive sets the policy and direction of the Students' Union, and is guided through with policy proposals made at the Student Forums. Commonly referred to as the 'Exec', it is made up of the elected 5 full-time Officers and 13 part-time elected officers. The Chair of the Committee is the Union President.

Services

The Union runs a variety of services including a supermarket ("MyCostCutter"), a coffee shop (Fulton Coffee Co), and student bars ( JC's, and The Wonkey Sheep). There is also an Advice & Support Centre and a Nursery.

Advice and Support Centre

The Union runs the Support Centre which has 3 advisers. It is a free and confidential service that gives advice on a variety of topics, such as debt, academic problems, consumer advice, housing, contracts, personal issues, employment and health.

Swansea Accommodation Service

The Students' Union officially launched Swansea Accommodation Service (SAS) on 1 February 2007 in the Digital Technium. The Students' Union took the decision to create Swansea Accommodation Service because "it wanted to improve the standard of accommodation available to students, which in turn may help to reduce the high level of complaints made by students every year"[4] SAS has now become a partnership company with the University recently moved offices to the Accommodation Office in Penmaen and to online resources.

Student Swansea Events

Student Swansea Events run the large-scale annual events during the academic year, including Freshers' Fortnight, for the first two weeks of term, the Swansea Summer Ball on the main campus site which event takes place on the University's Abbey Meadow.

The ents department also help run the annual Welsh Varsity between Swansea University and Cardiff University by selling and distributing tickets as well as match entertainment, merchandise and the after party.

JC's

JC's is situated on the second floor of Fulton House, and is the Students' Union's bar and coffee shop. It runs a quiz night on Sundays. A popular venue with students, the bar has recently reopened after undergoing significant renovation in time for its reopening in September 2011.

The Wonky Sheep

The Wonky Sheep is situated in the heart of the student village. Prior to its refit in 2006 it was called "Idols Bar", then known as "Woodys" until 2011.

Divas

Divas is the student night club, previously named DV8. There was a competition in 1993 to rename the Students' Union bar after it moved from the top floor of the Students' Union building to the first floor. While on the top floor the bar had been called the "Mandela Bar" in honour of the South African freedom campaigner.

Sin City

Sin City is a nightclub and live music venue, which opened December 2006 and was originally partly owned by Swansea University Students' Union. In 2010 Swansea University Students' Union took full ownership of the club.

Media

The Students' Union operates the newspaper The Waterfront and the radio station Xtreme Radio. A TV station SU-TV is currently on trial.[5]

The Waterfront Newspaper

The Waterfront Newspaper is Swansea University's Students' Union Newspaper. The paper is part of the PR and marketing department of the Students' Union. Founded in September 1995, it published its 200th issue on 7 March 2011.[6] The 32-page newspaper is distributed around campus fortnightly during term time.

Xtreme Radio

Xtreme Radio is Swansea University's Students' Union Radio Station, founded in 1968, making it the third oldest in the UK. It broadcasts around the campus, through the Union's shops and the Student Swansea Box Office as well as online. It is run by students, and the committee is democratically elected from the society members each year.

Financial Information

Between 20 March 1967, and 19 June 2002, the Students' Union was a registered charity.[7] During 2002 the Union withdrew from the Charities Commission, after the law changed in 2001 and enjoyed 'Exempt Charity' status, as set out by UK legislation .[8]

From 26 November 2012, the Students' Union once again became a charity.[9]

Guinness World records

The Swansea University Students' Union has played a massive part in achieving two Guinness World Records in association with online fancy dress retailer Jokers' Masquerade. In 2009 both worked together to break the world record for the largest gathering of Smurfs.[10] In 2011 they again joined forces to break the largest gathering of skeletons record.[11]

Pole Fitness Controversy

In October 2013 Swansea Students' Union Societies & Services Officer Ceinwen Cloney banned the University's Pole Fitness society, citing "sexist attitudes" following a motion to the Trustee Board by external Trustee Ali Morris. They listed among their reasoning that "Pole fitness and pole dancing are a direct spin off from lap dancing [...] We should not be deaf to the very real issue of pole fitness playing a part in upholding this raunch culture and objectification of women and girls and the impact of this on our female students [...] Evidence shows that young women aged 16 to 24 are the group of women who experience the most domestic and sexual violence. This is the age of a large group of our female students. We believe that activities such as 'pole fitness' contributes to an atmosphere where women are viewed as sexual objects and where violence against them is acceptable."[12]

The decision has sparked a significant backlash in social media and news sites.[13][14]

The Union U-turned on their original policy and the society was fully reinstated.

gollark: I do. It's right there.
gollark: no.
gollark: This is a highly quality image.
gollark: I wonder if it's still around at home somewhere.
gollark: Amazon. I guess whoever bought it didn't notice which edition it was.

References
  1. "Students Union website: Campus Map". Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 23 April 2007.
  2. "This is South Wales: UNI BATTLING FOR GLITTERING FUTURE". 3 March 2007. Retrieved 23 April 2007.
  3. "Union Constitution" (DOC).
  4. "Waterfront Newspaper". 12 February 2007. Archived from the original on 14 September 2007.
  5. "SU-TV.co.uk". Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  6. "Issue Archive". Retrieved 12 March 2012.
  7. "Charity Commission".
  8. "Charity Commission- Exempt Charities". Retrieved 29 May 2007.
  9. "Students' Union Charities Commission Profile". Charities Commission. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  10. The Telegraph. 9 June 2009 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/5484560/World-record-for-most-people-dressed-as-Smurfs-in-Swansea.html. Retrieved 2 November 2011. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  11. "Guinness World Records". 11 October 2009. Retrieved 2 November 2011.
  12. "This Is South Wales". 21 October 2013. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  13. "Independent". 18 October 2013. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  14. HuffPost. 18 October 2013 http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/gemma-parry/pole-dancing-class_b_4119374.html. Retrieved 21 October 2013. Missing or empty |title= (help)

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