Welcome

Welcome to the first Annual Report from The University of Glasgow Students’ Representative Council (GUSRC) In the year that we have launched our first Strategic Plan, it is an outstanding step forward to be able to celebrate all the promising results we have achieved over 2007 -2008 in this report.

Building on the successes of previous years and initiating new ideas has been the main focus of this year, and it shows. The contin- ued development and success of the Student Representative system, the ever strengthening positive partnership with the University, the increased usage of our vital minibus service, the success of the newly created Student Volunteer Support Service, and the newly established “Find a Solution” project, are all examples of why those involved in GUSRC have a lot to be proud of.

This report will guide you through some of our focal areas of work over the last year. It will outline our key achievements and highlight the massive range of activities through which we work for the benefit of all students at The University of Glasgow.

We will continue to work to improve our performance in all areas to ensure that all our stakeholders’ expectations are met, that students at The University of Glasgow are represented to the highest standard and that they get the most out of their time here.

Bob Hay Mhairi Wilson Permanent Secretary SRC President 2007/08 Health Promotion Mental Health 13 contents Sexual Health 13

Accommodation SLAP Awards (SRC Letting Agency Prize) 13 Accommodation Options Forum 13 Mediation Service 13

Student Safety Halls to Campus Minibus Service 14

Welcome Crime Awareness Panel for Educational 14

Establishments (CAPEE) 15 Mission and Aims 1 Linking with local police 15 Awareness Raising 15 Structure Governance and Management GUSRC Council 2 Attack Alarms 15 Roles and Responsibilities 2 Induction and Training of Trustees 2 Information and Advice Student Information Point 15 Publications 15 ACHIEVEMENTS The Advice Centre Casework Activity 17 Representation and Engagement Elections 4 Issues 17 Support to Elected Officers 4 Outcomes 17 Case Studies 17 Representation within the University Student Representatives 5 Advice Centre User Survey 18 Harassment Policy for Students 5 Student Maternity/Paternity Leave 5 Freshers’ Week 19 Advisors of Studies 5 National Student Survey (NSS) 6 Additional Support to International Students 20 Rector Elections 6

External Representation CHESS 7 Volunteering and Employability Estrangement 7 International Students’ Access to Financial Services 7 Student Volunteer Support Service Volunteers and Placement Opportunities 21 Mobile Phone Contracts 7 Conversational English Programme (CEP) 21 Welfare Reform 7 Classroom Support Scheme 21 Students and Benefits 7 Buddy a Granny 21 Office of Fair Trading 8 Find a solution 21 Glasgow City Council HMO unit 8 Work with Departments and other University Services 22 Responses to consultations 8 Recognising Involvement 22 Feedback from Volunteers 22 Feedback from Agencies 22 Student Media GU Guardian 9 Glasgow University Magazine (GUM) 9 23 Subcity Radio 9 Clubs and Societies

Glasgow University Student Television (GUST) 10 23 PDP Programme GUSRC in the Media 2007/8 11 Media Week 23

Communications Strategy 11 23 RAG (Raising and Giving) Week

Local Community 24 Student Well Being 11

Money Matters Budget Workshops 12 Crichton Campus 24 Jobshop 12 Second Hand Bookshop 12 Postword 25 Photocopying, Printing, Binding and Faxing 12 Finance Fair 12 Financial Review 25 Missions & Aims Structure, Governance

Glasgow University Students’ Representative Council is an independent, student-led and Management organisation, recognised as the representative body for students registered at the University of Glasgow. Glasgow University Students’ Representative Council (GUSRC) is a non-incorporated organisation and is a registered Charity (Charity No SC006970). Induction and Training of Trustees There is a comprehensive training and induction programme All students registered at the University of Glasgow are automat- provided for the trustees. A rolling training programme is deliv- ically members of GUSRC. Students can opt out once per aca- ered for Sabbatical Officers throughout the summer period and demic session. Membership entitles students to vote and stand beyond. A ‘training needs’ analysis is undertaken and the effec- for election. Where students opt out they can still use GUSRC tiveness of the training is evaluated, based on progress against facilities and services. set indicators. Council and Non Sabbatical Executive -members are required to attend a full introductory training event plus ad- ditional sessions throughout the year. The training programme Our mission, as set in the Strategic Plan 2008-11, is: SRC Council incorporates a range of areas in order to ensure effective gover- The Trustees are the members of Council including the Sabbati- nance and an inclusive, informed approach to future organisa- “To provide effective representation, support, cal Officers as listed on page 4.Council is the governing body of tional development: GUSRC. Members of Council are elected through secret ballot. opportunities and services for and on behalf of the students of the University of Glasgow” The constitution makes provision for a Council of no more than 36 members, an Executive of no more than 12 Council members, • Introduction to internal policies Offices of President, Deputy and Vice-Presidents, and Permanent and procedures (including Secretary. financial controls) There are 30 elected positions on Council – 4 in the Sabbatical • Governance – roles and constituency, 8 in the Academic constituency, 9 in the Welfare responsibilities and Equal Opportunities and 9 in the General student constitu- • Financial management and ency (of which 2 must be postgraduate and 2 first year students). budgeting skills All members have one vote. A candidate can stand for one • Managing professional Raise and Giving Week kicked off with a balloon release. position at one election and for a position with which they can self-identify. Members can only vote and nominate candidates relationships in academic constituencies to which they belong. Votes are cast • Planning and Objective Setting In order to achieve the mission the following ‘high level’ aims have been agreed: online. There is also provision for 6 ex officio members of Coun- • Managing professional relationships cil. The Executive Committee comprises of the Sabbatical con- (Roles of Officers/Staff) stituency, together with 2 members elected from the Academic, Aim 1: Representation and Engagement • Creating/Managing Change Welfare & Equal Opportunities and General Student constituen- Ensure the interests and views of our members are represented and addressed throughout the University and cies; with a further member elected from non-Executive members • Equal Opportunities externally. of Council (11 positions on the Executive in total). Aim 2: Student Well Being Roles and Responsibilities Promote the well being of existing students and potential students by providing independent professional The Permanent Secretary (Bob Hay) fulfils a Chief Executive role support services which reflect the diversity of the student body. and undertakes day-to-day management on behalf of the Execu- tive; the Executive implement Council policy on a day-to-day ba- Aim 3: Volunteering and Employability sis. To do so, the Executive (on behalf of the Council and through Contribute to a thriving campus life and individual personal development through provision of opportunities and the Permanent Secretary) has operational financial power and activities which meet the intellectual, cultural and social needs of our members . responsibility. Various checks and balances, as required by the University, are provided for.

Page 1 Page 2 Evaluation of induction process ACHIEVEMENTS To identify whether the induction training is fit for purpose, the quality of the programme is independently The activities undertaken throughout the year to achieve the organisation’s aims and evaluated annually by an external party. This year, the evaluation report concluded: objectives include the following:

““Once again I can report that the induction programme for elected officers of the SRC has been comprehensive, effec- tive and well received. The planning and profile given to the programme as a whole shows that the organisation takes Representation and Engagement the induction programme seriously and this in turn, is clear to the participants. The participants themselves have shown an admirable commitment to attending and deriving the maximum benefit from the sessions and again it has been very GUSRC is committed to its representational role, helpful that those who have attended programme sessions before have taken a full part and joined their new colleagues continually ensuring that it engages with students, university stakeholders and external partners. This section highlights some of the in the discussions. It is recommended that the programme continue in its current format with some minor adjustments main aspects of GUSRC’s work undertaken over the last year. It incorporates the processes whereby GUSRC seeks to ensure its rep- deriving from some of the feedback and discussions shown above”. resentation function is legitimate and relevant as well as highlighting some of the activities and achievements in this context.

Elections An Evaluation Report on the Glasgow University Students’ Representative Council Executive Officer Induction Programme July to As a representative organisation GUSRC October 2007, (Mike Day March 2008). recognise the importance of building a strong democratic base. They are slowly but surely increasing the numbers in- volved in their elections. The recent trend of increasing numbers voting in GUSRC Spring Elections continued, with 1733 votes cast against 1664 the previous year. Particularly promising was the high number of contested seats with thirty- nine candidates standing for fourteen seats, four being uncontested. Over 100 people attended the Heckling Meeting, which is the highest attendance in many years. In addition, the Autumn Elections saw the highest turnout since 1995, a result of increased publicity and a strong group of enthusiastic candidates cam- paigning for votes. Students campaign throughout the day during the SRC elections.

Support to Elected Officers All student officers are elected on an annual basis. The officers are supported by a staff team who fulfil a combination of secretariat, advisory , support and developmental functions. Throughout the year the strong, positive working relationship between staff and student officers contributed to the organisations successes.

GUSRC Officers sit on a variety of committees and working parties within the University (currently Thirty Four) as well as a variety of external groups and committees. Staff members are allocated specific committees and will meet with the nominated student officers prior to any such meetings and prepare briefing materials as and when required. This ensures a degree of continuity.

Student Representatives receive training to help them in their roles. GUSRC’s structure ensures that its campaigning priorities and policy formulation are informed by the real issues affecting students. The Advice Centre, through its casework, is able to identify issues at an early stage. Matters emerging as a result of participation in University structures are communicated back to SRC Council for discussion and, where appropriate, agreement on future action.

Page 3 Page 4 Representation within the University

Student Representatives The new mapping exercise began in April 2008. It was agreed that Building on last year’s success, 530 Student Representatives attended Glasgow would be one of four selected institutions to participate in an the training sessions organised by GUSRC and Student Participation in additional “intensive element” of the mapping exercise, aimed at gain- Quality Scotland (Sparqs). This is an increase on last year’s figure and ing a greater understanding of how the Student Representative System sets a new record in terms of the number of representatives trained at works and how it can be enhanced. a higher education institution in Scotland. Harassment Policy for Students Again, Glasgow has led the way in the implementation of the Student Until recently, the University had a harassment policy for staff but not Representative System training with over 20% of all student represen- for students. GUSRC identified this as a serious anomaly and success- tatives trained in Scotland attending Glasgow University. Sparqs own fully instigated the creation of a joint working group with the Univer- evaluation report concluded: sity; focussed on working towards the establishment of a dedicated ha- rassment policy for students. Although not finalised, GUSRC anticipate “This year saw a large number of course representatives trained at a formal University endorsement of the policy early in 2009. Glasgow University, the largest of any institution, and while there had been some initial concern that there would be a high level of students Student Maternity/Paternity Leave repeating the course following the well attended training last year, only The lack of any clear maternity/paternity procedures and rights for stu- 18% of those evaluating the session had been course representatives dents studying at the University has been highlighted by GUSRC as before, (although these students were not asked in the Sparqs evalua- a matter which requires to be addressed. The current University ap- tion if they had previously attended the training.)” proach is ad hoc and there is no current student maternity/paternity policy. GUSRC is seeking the establishment of an appropriate policy The administration of the student representative system was also to ensure students are not disadvantaged through inconsistencies in streamlined this year to allow greater online sign-up and automated approach or subject to value judgements which may impact upon their confirmation of attendance. This reduced the administrative burden de- academic achievements. spite the increase in number of student reps receiving training. Advisors of Studies This year’s training sessions represented a step forward not only in GUSRC’s Advisor of Studies survey, designed to elicit students’ views on terms of the number of students who attended the sessions, but also their experience of the advisor of studies system, was conducted during in terms of the quality of training provided. The new GUSRC Student 2007. A report was commissioned, based on the results of this survey, Representative Handbook was introduced as a further guidance and and produced in November 2007. There were over 1800 responses self-learning tool. The Sparqs report highlighted the value of the train- to this survey. ing offered through GUSRC: The final report provided comprehensive feedback and recommenda- “94% of those who evaluated the session (there was a 95% response Members of the victorious Charles Kennedy for Rector campaign team. tions including the need for a greater degree of consistency in practice rate) when asked stated they would recommend the training to oth- across faculties in areas such as contact hours, advisor training and a ers”. Advanced training sessions were also offered for the first time National Student Survey (NSS) The information gleaned from NSS Results forms part of GUSRC’s over- match between staff speciality and a student’s ‘home’ subject. More- to continuing Student Representatives who had completed the core This year, GUSRC had considerable success in facilitating student en- all evidence led approach to representing its members and identifying over, student input has been invaluable in demonstrating to university training last year. gagement with the University by being a key partner in the promo- where change is necessary. staff the clear link between general student well being and academic tion of the NSS around the University. Based on the experience of last performance, highlighting the need for an ongoing element of pastoral An end-of-session social event was also held in GUSRC’s building to year’s officers, GUSRC took steps to make sure that the impact of the There are numerous areas of work where GUSRC and University have care within the advisory remit. thank student representatives for the work they had contributed and to promotional activity for the survey was optimised. A student designer worked in partnership following from NSS results, for example recent acquire feedback from their experiences throughout the year. The valu- was employed to produce an innovative marketing campaign and a focusses on feedback mechanisms and approaches to assessment. These considerations have significantly informed the wider discussions able feedback provided is feeding into discussion on how to improve co-ordinator was employed to manage the distribution of promotional surrounding the University Wide Review of Student Advisory needs. As training and support for session 2008-09. material. Rector Elections a result of this, the working group’s efforts have been focused upon The Rector Elections also signified a huge development of student en- creating a standardised job description that clearly lays out an advisor’s As part of the process of continuous improvement, GUSRC and the This worked extremely well, and the number of respondents totalled gagement with the role of the Rector and GUSRC. We ran an extensive responsibilities with regards to minimum levels of contact, knowledge Senate Office are working with Sparqs in a follow up to their mapping 2142 students or 71.5% of all eligible to participate. This compares ex- promotion campaign, encouraging students to nominate a candidate of academic regulations and familiarity with student support provision, exercise, published three years ago. This reported into how students tremely well considering that the average for all institutions is 64.01% and to vote on the days of the election. This raised the profile of the with the ultimate aim of implementing the finalised recommendations were involved in quality assurance and enhancement arrangements or 62.05% for all institutions starting at the same time as role on campus, and lead to four serious candidates standing for the on an institutional level within the next session. with educational institutions in Scotland. position. 5,108 students voted in the election, which is nearly 25% of Glasgow (14th January). This excellent example of partnership the student population, one of the highest Rectorial Election turnouts working is beneficial to both parties. in University history.

Page 5 Page 6 Office of Fair Trading Responses to consultations The Advice Centre identified a number of terms within the standard GUSRC submitted a formal response to the Scottish Government’s con- External Representation tenancy agreement of a large student housing provider, which were sultation document “Firm Foundations” (The future of housing in Scot- potentially unfair contract terms and therefore may have disadvantaged land.). The response was focussed on elements which were particularly several hundred students. GUSRC has submitted its arguments to the germane to student interests. meeting with a local bank. This information helped persuade the bank CHESS Office of Fair Trading for consideration and an outcome is awaited. The Coalition of Higher Education Students Scotland (CHESS) provides to agree to provide additional staff at crucial times of the year in order GUSRC’s response therefore included arguments for: to ‘smooth the path’ for International students seeking to open bank a framework and forum for GUSRC to work with other Universities’ in Glasgow City Council HMO Scotland to share information and develop joint responses to issues accounts. The effectiveness of such a proposal is yet to be fully tested • The establishment of a rent deposit protection scheme. and policy matters affecting the sector. CHESS representatives are ex- and further action by GUSRC on this matter will depend upon future (Houses in Multiple Occupation) unit • The development of a properly resourced and enforced landlord ac- ecutive officers at their member student associations: The University of feedback. GUSRC is represented on the Glasgow City Council HMO Group and is creditation scheme. Glasgow, The University of Dundee, The Glasgow School of Art, Open therefore offered an opportunity to contribute to the broader discus- • Broader mechanisms for engagement between Local Authorities, University in Scotland, The University of Strathclyde, and The University Mobile Phone Contracts sion around future policy and practice. There is a strong, positive, work- Private Sector landlords and the communities most directly affected by of St. Andrews. As a result of several representations through the Advice Centre, GUS- ing relationship between officers of the HMO unit and GUSRC student the HMO sector. RC became aware of a trend whereby many students found themselves officers and staff. This working relationship is invaluable; the nature of • The provision of additional resources to local authorities in order to CHESS’s profile has increased markedly over the last year, which has tied into exploitative mobile ‘phone contracts which were lengthy, ex- the relationship means that informal discussions can be had with key enable them to carry out their monitoring and enforcement functions seen CHESS become a recognised, established student voice. This year pensive and did not meet the needs of the student. This was a particular decision makers and experienced officials who may be able offer ad- more effectively. GUSRC, through CHESS, has been involved in a number of consulta- problem for international students, many of whom appeared to be par- vice or facilitate a resolution to matters rather than students having to tions with the Scottish Government. CHESS and the National Union ticularly vulnerable to some mobile phone sellers’ desire to capitalise pursue lengthy, stressful and expensive court action. The Advice Centre GUSRC have also had ongoing dialogue with the Scottish government of Students were the only student organisations to give evidence to on new visitors to the UK’s ignorance of the nuances and complexities also refers cases to the HMO Unit; some of which are currently awaiting on proposed planning legislation relating to HMOs. Scottish Planning the Life Long Learning Committee on whether the Graduate Endow- of the contracts. On some occasions GUSRC successfully negotiated prosecution of landlords running unlicensed and possibly dangerous Policy SPP3: Along with written comments, GUSRC was invited to par- ment Fee should be removed. Representations from CHESS during the changes in a contract but on many occasions there was no willingness properties. ticipate in a government organised event during March, aimed at in- Graduate Endowment debate were influential in Scottish Government’s to negotiate. As a preventative measure GUSRC launched a poster cam- volving key stakeholders in a discussion around the HMO proposals in decision to establish the Joint Future Thinking Taskforce to review all paign in 5 different languages encouraging students to visit the custom the consultative draft of SPP3. aspects of Higher Education. GUSRC provided the only student in- pages on its website - designed to ensure students made informed put to this review, setting out CHESS’ position on Higher Education decisions when entering into a contract. Although difficult to gauge the policy, highlighting the importance of student support and widening impact of the campaign there was a 500% increase in visitors to the participation. CHESS have also prepared and submitted evidence for aforementioned website the current consultation on the Local Income Tax proposals, in seek- ing to ensure that students are not disadvantaged through any new Welfare Reform system. Throughout the year CHESS members worked to develop a GUSRC’s ongoing review and analysis of new government proposals wide-ranging policy document, setting out CHESS’ position on various and future policy continues to ensure that matters which will impact issues across the Scottish Higher Education system which will shortly be students are identified early for discussion and consideration in terms put to GUSRC Council for formal approval. of future campaigning priorities. For example, The Department of Work and Pensions proposed abolition of Income Support in 2010, for lone Estrangement parents of children aged 7 and over, is likely to seriously disadvantage Recent Advice Centre casework has brought GUSRC’s attention to the student lone parents. GUSRC has raised its concerns, in a detailed difficulties students face in qualifying for estrangement status through response, directly with the DWP. As members of Child Poverty Action SAAS and highlighted what GUSRC believe to be, an overly restrictive Group’s (CPAG) Benefits for Students Advisory Group GUSRC has in- approach to interpretation of the guidance and regulations. SAAS’ nar- formed CPAG’s progress of this issue under the Scottish Campaign for row interpretation regarding what constitutes proof of estrangement Welfare Reform. is causing an already vulnerable group of students, additional financial hardship. Through ongoing correspondence between GUSRC and Fio- Students and Benefits na Hyslop MSP (Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning), Following direct concerns of students as a result of their dealings with GUSRC are attempting to force a more flexible approach by SAAS and Government departments, GUSRC was instrumental in identifying a encourage them to accept confirmation from University Student Sup- training need within the Department of Work and Pensions regarding port services of estrangement status (rather than only solicitors), thus student entitlement to benefits. As this issue is a resurgence of a similar simplifying the process for these vulnerable students. training need identified in previous years, GUSRC had discussions with Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) on how the matter was best ad- International Students’ Access to dressed. Consequently CPAG made representations at national level, Financial Services resulting in a firm directive to DWP staff that they should consult the GUSRC and the University have worked together in negotiating with “Benefits for Students in Scotland” handbook which is provided to local banks to improve the quality of service provided to International all Jobcentres. GUSRC continues to monitor this situation and should students. In particular, addressing the difficulties that some Internation- problems recur, will work with CPAG on finding a solution which per- al students face when attempting to open bank accounts. GUSRC also manently resolves this issue. provided information to a local MSP in order to inform his GUSRC had a strong presence at Glasgow’s St. Andrews Day anti racism march.

Page 7 Page 8 Student Media

2007/8 was a successful year for GUSRC Student Media, which, also purchased 12 new branded display stands which will be placed at amongst other achievements, swept the board at the 2008 Herald Scot- strategic points across campus and improve distribution and visibility of tish Student Press Awards by winning: GUSRC publications across campus.

• Student Newspaper of the Year: GU Guardian Glasgow University Magazine (GUM): • Student Magazine of the Year: Glasgow University Magazine Three issues (3,000 copies each) of the oldest student publication in • Student Journalist of the Year, best features writer and highly Scotland were produced. commended news writer: Chris Watt (GU Guardian) • Best Photographer: James Porteous (GU Guardian) GUSRC continue to receive positive feedback regarding GUM from University students and staff alike. The GUM team this year attracted Awards such as these reflect the commitment of editors and contribu- around 25 contributors taking part throughout the year. Three tors, all of whom give their time voluntarily in order to produce the top- formal training sessions in design and editing skills were delivered to quality products which not only serve to inform and engage the student enhance the capacity of the contributors. The formalised training was © Shaun Murphy augmented by on going peer support and coaching by the editor and body, but also reflect well on the University of Glasgow. The Lilybank Gardens Subcity stage is now an integral part of the West End Festival. sub-editor to ensure the delivery of as top quality product. Subcity counted around 200 contributors in total, the core team of edi- Festival in Lilybank Gardens – attended by over 500 people.Aided by tors and team leaders being made up of 15 people of which about 80% great weather, this all-day event was a suitable conclusion for a very were students and the rest recent graduates of the University. successful year.

Overall, six training sessions were held for presenters, two of which be- Finally, with regard to collaboration with other media outlets, it is worth ing refresher training sessions, with 80 participants overall. Two further mentioning that members of the Subcity team contributed throughout training sessions were delivered specifically held for the music team, the whole year to the Vic Galloway show on BBC Radio Scotland. with around 30 people attending them. One final editing training ses- sion counted about 10 participants. Glasgow University Student Television (GUST) GUST’s main project for the year was the re-establishment of its cam- Furthermore, GUST plans for the future include the launch of a new pus network, funded by a grant obtained through the University’s Stu- website, which was tested in 2007/08 and is currently being finalised. dent Development Fund. This is currently underway with the aim to be completed by the beginning of the new academic year in September Subcity also ran a series of five very successful events at the Heth- 2008. New network points will include the John McIntyre Building and erington Research Club in November 2007, January, February, March both Unions to start with, with a possibility to be extended to the Hub and May 2008. At all events the venue reached capacity (about 250). once this new development will be open. Another major event for 2007/08 was the music stage at the West End

GUM and Guardian both also introduced new websites in line with their GU Guardian overall look – both are linked and accessible from GUSRC’s website and Ten issues (4,000 copies each) were published from September 2007 in particular Guardian received a number of comments from readers. to the end of May 2008. There was the usual high standard of campus specific news, investigative reporting and hard hitting campaigning ar- Subcity Radio ticles. In 2007/08, Subcity’s traditional FM broadcast was moved from Feb- ruary to Freshers’ Week. The 10-day broadcast on 106.6 FM started Increased income through outsourcing of advertising revenue genera- on the Friday previous to Freshers’ Week to end the following Sunday tion enabled Guardian to move away from running at a loss and gen- night. This was a major success and greatly helped the establishment erate a small surplus which has been used to support other elements of the brand among both new and continuing students. During the rest of GUSRC’s media who find it more difficult to generate advertising of the year, the station continued to broadcast online 24/7 on www. revenue. In particular the additional money was used to subsidise the subcity.org. production of the third issue of GUM (which otherwise could not have © Matthew Sillars been printed) as well a new mixing desk for Subcity Radio. GUSRC Subcity’s monthly events have been extremely successful.

Page 9 Page 10 GUSRC in the Media 2007/8 Money Matters

In 2007/8, GUSRC enjoyed excellent relations with local and national during the year. In particular, GUSRC appeared in stories and Budget Workshops almost 300,000 units. There has also been an upsurge in usage of the media. This ultimately led to a significant improvement of GUSRC’s me- commentaries related to: During February GUSRC piloted a budgeting workshop for students. A binding facilities. The aforementioned services are provided on a ‘break dia profile, above all where HE issues are concerned. specific target group was chosen; in this case international students. even’ basis and are highly popular with students. They provide signifi- • Scottish Government Budget and Settlement for Universities Whilst this was run on a very small scale our evaluation highlighted cant savings for users of the service. Long queues and frequent requests This was due to a combination of factors, which included both changes • Abolition of the Graduate Endowment that the session was clearly valued by the international students who for information as to where similar services can be found nearby (usu- in the way in which the organisation deals with media enquiries and • Student Accommodation issues participated. The average score for the usefulness of the session and ally from students who have been waiting for a considerable time) high- also important events and campaigns which put GUSRC in the spotlight • Student Health the materials was 86%, and there were some suggestions and ideas for lights a demand for an enhanced service. Current constraints within several times throughout the year. • Student and graduate employment additional material which could be included in future events. GUSRC’s accommodation mean such services cannot be developed any • Drinking culture further. It is hoped that the refurbishment of GUSRC’s building (the John In terms of media exposure, the GUSRC has traditionally enjoyed a rela- • Local area issues (Botanics Club Development, etc.) This has led to a proposal for this type of event to be included in forth- McIntyre Building) will result in more accessible services. tively high media profile. This is due, in part, to not being part of the coming international student inductions. National Union of Students thereby enjoying a freedom to comment on Media outlets which gave exposure to GUSRC included: Finance Fair matters independently; thus, reflecting the interests of the particular Jobshop The Finance Fair was originally envisaged as a standalone event with students it represents • BBC Scotland Unlike recruitment agencies, Jobshop is a free ‘job and skills’ match- budgetary information, competitions etc. However, the short timescale be- • Radio Scotland ing service, provided to all students and employers. Employers contact tween conception and implementation created real difficulties in recruiting A great deal of work was done this year to consolidate and further • Real Radio GUSRC with employment opportunities which are then advertised to volunteer students to participate in the running of the event. Consequent- develop relationships with the media. Measures taken included • Clyde 1 students through GUSRC’s website and on notice Boards in The John ly, what was originally intended to be an interactive event became no • The Westender McIntyreBuilding. GUSRC also produce information for students about more than a stall furnished with finance information and student budget- • The implementation of a system which saw all media enquiries being • The Guardian their employment rights and joining trade unions in order to prevent/ ing packs. Although the leaflets and packs were quickly gathered from routed through the VP (Media & Communications) This allowed for a • The Herald/Sunday Herald minimise employer exploitation (see Publications). Currently, GUSRC is the stall, there is little evidence regarding the success of this project or greater flexibility in the response to the needs of different media outlets • The Scotsman investigating the possibility of establishing mechanisms for measuring otherwise. There is a clear understanding however, that there is a need to and different journalists. • The Evening Times service usage in this area without impacting on the free flowing nature review the format and nature of this project in future years. • The Big Issue of its operation. • All media enquiries were timely met, allowing GUSRC to consistent- • The Times/Sunday Times ly offer a student voice on a variety of issues, whether through its sab- batical officers or other council members, who were also often involved Meanwhile, the GUSRC maintained a high profile in its own student Second Hand Bookshop in interviews and programmes. media, in particular in GU Guardian. GUSRC events also received good GUSRC continue to operate its second hand book trading facility. This coverage from student media and the so called “SRC Column” in facility contributes to the alleviation of student poverty through pro- • Glasgow University Rector’s Elections Guardian helped create momentum around the organisation’s activities viding a source of cheap course texts for students whilst affording an throughout the year. opportunity for other students to gain some financial return on texts no Examples of issues on which GUSRC were asked to provide an opinion longer required. GUSRC continues to operate this service on a break- will give an idea of the level of coverage achieved by the organisation even basis and have achieved greater efficiencies through being more selective in terms of stock taken in, thus ensuring the organisation is not left with obsolete stock and books that are not relevant to cur- rent course work. GUSRC has also established automated electronic Communications Strategy reminder and availability services through its website. The new proce- dures have been effective, in particular by reducing staff time spent During the consultation process that informed the development of the Strategic Plan, it became apparent that many of GUSRC’s on contacting sellers to ask them to reduce prices or pursuing them key stakeholders were unaware of the variety and range of activities and services delivered by the organisation. Consequently to visit the offices and collect books not sold after two years. For the period July 2007 to June 2008 a total of 4049 books were sold (slightly GUSRC undertook a thorough review of how it communicated with and engaged its stakeholders, culminating in the produc- up on the previous year’s total of 4034). Students have benefited by tion of a communications strategy. £17,580 through sales of their books. GUSRC further estimate that savings against the purchase of new books has provided an overall benefit of £17,000 amongst participating students. The foregoing fig- ures indicate an overall financial gain of around £35,000 to students Student Well Being who use the service. Photocopying, Printing, Binding and Faxing GUSRC aims to contribute to and promote the well being of all students. The organisation delivers a number of services Through its frontline office staff, GUSRC continues to offer high quality and events to support the range of students it represents. This section covers some of the work undertaken throughout printing and photocopying facilities to all students at a considerably the year under this heading. lower rate than commercial high street agencies. The usage of these Posters were placed around campus encouraging International services continues to expand with an increase of over 25,000 units students to seek advice before signing mobile phone contracts. purchased by students against the previous year bringing the total up

Page 11 Page 12 Health Promotion Student Safety

Mental Health Building. The exhibition displayed artwork by people with mental health Halls to Campus Minibus Service Informal feedback from students through the minibus drivers is a useful mechanism for eliciting suggestions as to how we could further en- During January GUSRC focussed on issues around mental health and issues and addressed the theme of personal breathing space. To help This free service, run during the evenings throughout term time, guar- hance the service. As a direct result of the feedback we plan to intro- worked with partners to organise a series of events through the month support the theme of the month GUSRC hosted a reception for Univer- antees that students are safely transported between the University and duce the following: intended to highlight mental health issues affecting young people, pro- sity staff and those in the community who were involved in the proj- their Halls of Residence. It ensures that students can spend extra hours

mote discussion around the topic and destigmatise the issue amongst ect, as well as representatives from national helpline Breathing Space. in the library without having to consider the costs of a late night bus • New timetables for each hall and bus route to simplify students of the University. Around 50 staff from key services attended the event. ride (where available) or a taxi journey. Students are also more likely to use campus study facilities if they know they don’t face a long walk the current timetable. • Additional expenditure of around £3000 p/a for The main reason for choosing this area as a priority is because student There is evidence that physical activity can help mitigate some of the home in the dark through areas which at times can be dangerous and designated return service from QM Halls, Winton Drive, mental health is generally worse than that of the general population symptoms of poor mental health. As part of the month long campaign where students have, in the past, been targeted for acts of violence. Cairncross and Kelvinhaugh St. (for age matched populations) with anxiety and depression being the the University’s Sports and Recreation Service allowed free access to most commonly noted difficulties. The number of students’ with mental the Gym for one week during January. This proved very popular with GUSRC currently run three minibuses on differing routes. Over 2007/08 In addition, the following are fairly common themes which recur and health issues continues to increase; with official statistics showing that over 100 new students making use of this facility. the organisation, has again, seen a considerable increase in the num- may add some value to the service but which, for reasons of economy the proportion of Undergraduates declaring a mental health difficulty ber of student journeys which have reached 31,315 this year; an in- or efficiency, we are unable to develop at the moment: on entering HE rising from 5 in every 10,000 (1994/5) to 30 in every Sexual Health crease of 18.5% against 26,348 during 2006/07 and an increase of 10,000 (in 2004/5). In conjunction with World AIDS day, we held “Sexual Health At Glas- over 50% against the figure of 20,766 in 2004/05. The increase in gow” day. After undergoing a briefing session, a team of volunteers student numbers is due to an ongoing effort to fine tune the service to • Service to operate during the day • Service to operate at weekends There are many areas of GUSRC’s work, which indirectly, will impact visited the Students’ Unions during the evening with the objective of meet the requirements of the users. • Service to operate into the city centre on Students’ mental health. A recent government research review out- facilitating informal discussions with students around drink and sexual • Service to operate out to the Airport. lined the range of factors which impinge on a students’ mental health, safety issues. Over 100 students were directly engaged with over the Feedback on Minibus service evening. • Service to run extended hours on a Thurs & Friday (4.00am) indentifying “ ……….a relationship between mental health and the Although formalised feedback on the Halls to Campus service has not • Service to operate over the Easter break when students are following factors: finances, accommodation, academic issues, university been sought, GUSRC is aware of the high esteem in which the service Due to the current policy of Greater Glasgow Health Board it is impos- studying systems and social factors. Academic issues, and specifically course- is held by the University’s Residential Services department who use it sible for students to access free condoms without jumping through a work, emerged as particularly related to stress levels and mental health in their marketing material as part of the package to attract students variety of bureaucratic hoops. In order to optimise safe sex practises None of the above has been ‘ruled out’ for the future but will be consid- issues”. to Glasgow. The ongoing financial contribution by Residential Services GUSRC uses its own resources to purchase and distribute 10,000 free ered in the context of GUSRC’s limited resources and future priorities. further highlights the value of our service to the University and its stu- condoms throughout the year. Working with the Student Counselling and Advisory Service and Great- dents. er Glasgow Health Board, supported by the University’s ‘One Glasgow’ project, GUSRC developed an art exhibition within the John McIntyre Accommodation

SLAP Awards (SRC Letting Agency Prize) The SLAP awards were initiated as a way of highlighting the ‘most complained-about’ letting agents in an attempt to shame the companies into improving their practices. The initial award to Grant Management in 2007, led to meetings with the company directors, and a demonstrable willingness to listen to our concerns and suggestions in order to improve their practices. In order to ensure that the SLAP awards continue to fulfil this purpose, 2008 saw the creation of an independent panel to judge the award. After considering nominations based on actual cases from the Advice Centre, the panel decided that the award should go to Cairn Properties. This was published in The Glasgow University Guardian and there has been subsequent contact from Cairn Properties that will hopefully lead to improvements in its services

Accommodation Options Forum This event is run annually, in February, by Residential Services. GUSRC were, once again, invited to participate. GUSRC staff talked directly to 147 students (many more picked up information). This event is clearly a useful vehicle for promotion of the Advice Centre as a source of housing information and advice as well as serving as a good source of information for students considering seeking Private Sector accommodation.

Mediation Service In March, as a consequence of numerous student enquiries, GUSRC entered discussions with the Glasgow Mediation Service and established that they would be an appropriate referral service for students experiencing disputes with flatmates or landlords. Glasgow Mediation Service was invited to give a presentation to relevant University Support Services in order to facilitate appropriate referrals. The event was well attended with staff from the Accommodation Office, Student Counselling and Advisory Service, GUSRC and several Advisers of Studies. Students can get home safely with the free minibus service to halls.

Page 13 Page 14 Although the minibus service, for many students, is now part of the the crime figures associated with both areas .” As well as chairing this Student Diary • It is clear that the Keep Track Student Diary has achieved excellent Glasgow University Package, GUSRC receive the occasional email from group for the last year. GUSRC have also had significant input into the In Partnership with the University Careers Service GUSRC published levels of retention and a good level of usage, with many students mak- students who are particularly appreciative of the service received: development of CAPEE’s strategic plan and publicity. the first ever ‘Keep Track’ Student Diary covering the academic year 2007-2008. ing very frequent usage of it. “On Thursday evening I was at the Ceilidh organised by the Linking with local police • The content of the Diary is well-regarded, particularly in relation to el- LBSS faculty and had a slight accident there. I had to get to the Targeted at first year students, the objectives of the Diary were to en- In addition to GUSRC’s strategic work with CAPEE the organisation hance learning and contribute to student retention through ements such as term dates, University contacts and University Services. Western Infirmary and a very kind SRC driver helped me (and my also developed stronger linkages with the local community police in or- There may be some scope to provide broader information on the city friends) out. I forgot to ask his name, but I really want to thank der to increase their involvement and visibility with the general student • Encouraging time management, good learning practices and and university environment that could be of value to students. him (and the SRC) again for helping me out. Thank you!!!” body. One example of this new partnership in action saw the com- organisational skills. • Assisting integration and participation in a range of activities • The evidence is that users of the Diary believe it to have a significant munity police use our building as a ‘one-stop shop’ for safety advice. impact on issues such as time management in particular and also on “Message: I would like to thank Frank, who is not only an amaz- The publicity we produced for this saw over 300 students approach the • Highlighting the range of Support Services offered by the University and GUSRC ensure that students knew who could help them their learning practices and organisational skills. ing SRC bus driver but also a kind, generous, thoughtful, cheer- officers and receive advice and safety tips on a variety of issues from ful, punctual and top bloke. On the 24th of Jan I took the wrong with any issues. personal property to personal safety. • Assisting the process of students settling into the city and • Whilst there is some impact of the Diary on people’s ability to inte SRC bus and the SRC service had finished by the time I got back settling into the University environment. grate with and participate in University life (and indeed on their sense to the UNI. However frank agreed to take me to Wolfson hall on Awareness Raising • Encouraging a sense of belonging to the University of belonging to the University) such feelings are not quite so strongly held. The impact of the Diary on helping people to integrate into the city an out of hours. Thank you SRC especially FRANK” GUSRC also designed and distributed a ‘warning footprint’. Intended to itself is fairly marginal. be left in places where students had left themselves vulnerable to break Feedback Crime Awareness Panel for Educational Establish- in or theft. This warning was distributed around campus where students GUSRC commissioned an independent evaluation of the diary which • There is a widespread belief that the issue of the Diary by the Univer- ments (CAPEE) had left their bags, purses or mobile phones unattended, as well as sce- included a survey of diary users and focus groups. The evaluation report sity should be a “given” and, indeed, a belief that it would be beneficial GUSRC is member of The Crime Awareness Panel for Educational Estab- narios where students’ had left themselves particularly vulnerable (e.g. appeared to indicate that the Diary had been fairly for it to be disseminated more widely (i.e. beyond first years). lishments (CAPEE). This is a formally constituted voluntary group which Rooms is in Halls of Residence where windows were left open). successful in achieving its objectives. The report’s ‘key findings’ included currently represents student and facility safety for 3 Higher Education the following: Establishments, and 8 Further Education colleges in Glasgow. The panel is made up of student and staff representatives from each institution as Attack Alarms well as representatives of Strathclyde Police. After unsuccessfully trying to procure free attack alarms GUSRC pur- Some of the publications produced by the GUSRC chased several hundred alarms made available to students who feel The stated purpose of CAPEE is to “increase the knowledge of both particularly vulnerable. These alarms are available free from The Advice the student population of Glasgow and respective establishments in Centre terms of Community Safety and Crime with a view to actively reducing Information and advice Student information point process. The Guide is not produced as a “throwaway” document. The GUSRC Reception staff undergo a wide range of training enabling them high standard of presentation, quality of writing and range of informa- to fulfil functions far beyond traditional reception duties. The range of tion, seeks to ensure that The Guide is kept and used as reference book services provided by GUSRC, coupled with a central position on cam- throughout the year. pus, means it is often the first point of call for student enquiries on a range of matters relating to the University and the City. (i.e. far beyond Employment Rights Leaflet services provided by GUSRC). In order to mitigate difficulties for students in part time employment as well as augmenting the Jobshop facility, GUSRC, in continuing a GUSRC continue to use the ‘Information Point’ brand at SRC Reception strong tradition of providing high quality and informative leaflets for in order to encourage students to approach. During the last year the students, has produced a new booklet outlining employment rights. The service engaged with over 11300 students. booklet has a particular focus on issues affecting the working student and the types of enquiries brought to the Advice Centre on a regular basis. The booklet is distributed through a variety of channels on cam- Publications: pus including the Careers Service and GUSRC Jobshop, and can also be downloaded through the website. Student Guide The Student Guide, produced by GUSRC, runs to around 200 pages GUSRC has been contacted by other student organisations across the and has long been seen as the key introductory document to life in UK, praising the quality of the publication and asking if they can use Glasgow in general; The University of Glasgow in particular. Produced the text for their own publications. GUSRC were, of course, happy to to high quality print and design standards, 5,000 copies of the Guide oblige! are distributed directly to 1st Year students’,as part of the registration

Page 15 Page 16 The Advice Centre

GUSRC’s Advice Centre employs 4 FTE staff members and provides high Outcomes quality, impartial advice and advocacy, on a range of welfare and aca- In many cases the client is empowered with the information to act for demic issues to students and prospective students of the University. The themselves and will not revert to the Advice Centre unless further as- Advice Centre also plays a key role in informing and legitimising our sistance is required. GUSRC are however, able to provide some detail policy development and campaigns. This sections focuses on the case- on the tangible benefits that students have derived through assistance work element of the Advice Centre, the rest of the work is subsumed from the advice centre. within other elements of this report. Academic Casework Activity There were 34 appeal outcomes during the year, of which 21 were During the last year the advice team made 8243 casework entries (e.g. successful. interviews, phone calls research, emails). Roughly similar to last year’s There were 19 disciplinary outcomes, of which 16 were successful. total of 8623 which itself represented an increase of 75% on the pre- There were 6 complaint outcomes, of which 3 were successful. vious year; despite being one staff member down during September, October, November (our busiest period). Financial Gains GUSRC confirmed financial gains give a total figure of £59,367. Issues Some of the many students to get help from the advice centre this year. The nature and complexity of enquiries dealt with by the advice centre Financial gains come from a variety of sources including reclaiming of are such that, to give a true indication of the work undertaken, we bank charges, recovery of accommodation deposits, payment of wages apply a recording system which allows us to establish the weight of or holiday pay previously withheld, successful challenging of student Non-financial Gains Findings from 2008 Survey work against cases and enquiries for set headings. See Appendix 1 for support overpayment decisions and as the result of advice given about In 16 cases, either through negotiation or the appeals or disciplinary • Again the response rate was disappointing (just over 10%) detailed statistical report. eligibility for student funding. processes, re-submission of an assignment or re-sit of an exam was • Proportion who had found out about the Advice Centre via the In- granted. Students were accepted back onto their course in 18 cases ternet was now up to 35% (20% in 2006). ‘Word of mouth’ referrals University and academic issues remain the largest number of enqui- The financial gains figure is always a significant underestimate of the and had re-sits uncapped in 1 case. GUSRC were able to sort out were 20% (28% in 2006). Interestingly just as many clients attended ries dealt with (3403 casework entries), followed by accommodation true financial gain, as we only record gains which are confirmed, and in problems with council tax exemption in 3 cases. Our intervention also the Advice Centre having noticed it whilst in the building for other pur- problems (1973 casework entries) and financial issues (1620 casework many cases clients do not return to tell us the outcome of their case. helped to prevent health and safety risks to clients in 8 cases, and poses: this may indicate the importance of the Advice Centre’s central entries). homelessness in 5 cases. In 8 further cases our intervention helped to location on campus. ensure housing repairs to be carried out when the landlord had previ- • Again, the responses showed a high level of satisfaction in terms of ously delayed doing so. opening hours, location, friendliness and support. Advice centre case studies • Of the respondents to the recent survey who left additional com- There were numerous other non-financial outcomes such as negotiat- ments, 83% left positive comments and thanks regarding their experi- Student A’s landlord had failed to refund the deposit after A moved out, claiming amongst other things that there had been charges ing a rescheduled date for a class test, assisting students to obtain ence of using the Advice Centre. We hope this reflects the quality of for cleaning carpets – despite the property having wooden floors throughout! After the landlord refused to negotiate, the advice bank statements and appointments with bank officials, advising on service provided and highlights the significant positive impact on many centre started small claims proceedings on A’s behalf. When the landlord received the court summons, he then paid the deposit and incomplete assessment, and assisting students to contact the correct clients. expenses back in full (£400). members of staff to sort out course options and timetable difficulties. • There were suggestions once more for the Advice Centre to have longer opening hours, but none of the respondents had been directly Student B was called to a meeting with the Senate Assessors as a result of plagiarism in his dissertation, but had already returned affected by this issue. Advice Centre User Survey to his home country. The advice centre was able to advise by email and helped the student put together a personal statement for the An Advice Centre User survey was carried out in November 2006. GUS- Senate Assessors. The advice centre then represented the student in absentia at the Senate Assessors meeting. The Senate Assessors RC conducted a follow up to this by sending out the same question- Conclusion agreed that the plagiarism was unintentional and to recommend that the student be allowed to resubmit his dissertation. naire to clients who had visited the Advice Centre between October The small number of respondents makes it impossible to draw solid conclusions from the survey. 2007 and March 2008. Student C was owed wages from a former employer – she had contacted them several times and filled in two sets of forms but two The large majority of responses received were extremely positive and months had passed and the wages remained unpaid. The advice centre wrote a letter to the employer raising a grievance under the Findings from original survey there seems to be a consistent number of word-of-mouth referrals of statutory procedure. A few days later the wages were paid (£450). • There were a low number of responses; clients that suggests continued satisfaction with the service. • The importance of clients as referrers; Student D had been trying to get her utilities provider to send her a bill for two years. When the bill finally came it was unaffordable. • General approval indicated by responses; The increase in the number and proportion of clients finding out about The advice centre telephoned and wrote to the utilities provider and persuaded them to write off half the amount as they were at • Specific testimonies showed a ‘substantial and beneficial’ difference the Advice Centre via the internet indicates that maintaining the web- fault in not billing the students earlier. This saved the students around £350 and a good deal of stress. to students’ lives; site and developing GUSRC internet presence, should be an ongoing • A call for longer hours. process. This will ensure that we continue to provide the best possible Student E had had her course terminated by a Progress Committee which had not taken into account all the relevant facts. The service to all possible clients, regardless of how they choose to access advice centre was able to assist E to put together a letter of appeal and accompany her to the Faculty Appeals Committee hearing to our services. help her put her case forward. E’s appeal was upheld and she was allowed to return and finish off her course.

Page 17 Page 18 Freshers’ Week

GUSRC is the lead student body in the organisation and administra- The Freshers’ Fair was increased from a two to three day event in FW tion of Freshers’ Week. It works in partnership with the University’s ’07; this was in response to the previous years’ Freshers’ Week evalu- Recruitment and Participation Service (RAPS) and aims to provide a ation where some students had commented that there was perhaps key link between the University and the student bodies, thus ensur- too much crammed into the first week. The extra day was intended ing the smooth running of the combined Orientation and Freshers’ to increase access and minimise conflicting priorities for students who Week. GUSRC convenes the student bodies’ cross campus Freshers’ would all have Registration and Induction events to attend. Week committee and co-ordinates and administers the Freshers’ Pass Programme. This year’s record number of Freshers’ Pass sales (2890) To accommodate the increased demand for stalls in the Freshers’ Fair,a highlights the attractiveness of the programme and the importance of large marquee was rented. The additional space ensured all clubs and the student organisations on Campus, working in partnership when societies could participate in the Fair. objectives coincide. GUSRC was also able to continue to reach out and build its profile The GUSRC Freshers’ Week Programme was extensive. GUSRC sup- by participating in an increased number of University Induction events. ported a number of clubs and societies events (in addition to the Fresh- GUSRC Executive members were able to make presentations during ers’ Fair) and events aimed at mature, international and home-based Induction days, and to take part in informal question and answer ses- students. sions which allowed incoming students to witness the range and nature work the organisation encompasses. The GUSRC Welcome Tent provided free tea and coffee.It was also used as an information hub and as a venue for a number of different Feedback clubs and society events. In addition, it was used as an event venue GUSRC and the University undertook a Freshers’ Week Evaluation as freshers’ were already coming in for the tea/coffee or information Survey (considered by the Student Support and Development Commit- and were then drawn into the audience/participation in, amongst other tee). The Survey allowed GUSRC to demonstrate progress from 2006, things, STaG’s (Student Theatre at Glasgow) plays. The Tent was staffed highlight the successes of Freshers’ Week 2007, and draw attention to by GUSRC Freshers’ Helpers who mingled with the Freshers to provide potential areas for improvement as part of an ongoing enhancement advice, information and a friendly ear. process. In general the review was highly positive Students enjoying Global Village: a night celebrating cultures from around the world. A free minibus and nightbus service was organised to ensure safe travel These comments below (from the survey) reflect the majority opinion from campus to halls throughout FW ’07 when students are still ori- voiced by many of the students who responded to this evaluation that enting themselves to their new environment. Minibus journeys were Freshers’ Week was not only extremely enjoyable but also adequately extended this year to increase the opportunities for students to take prepared them for their studies to come! advantage of the service and to ensure students could be on campus Additional Support to International Students for important events such as Freshers’ Fair and the Freshers’ Address. As the number of International Students registered at the University An example of joint working to benefit international students was the continues to increase GUSRC acknowledges the opportunities and Christmas vacation web pages project, designed to overcome feelings ‘I had a fantastic time during Freshers’ week challenges this brings. The increasing diversity of cultures and nation- of isolation experienced by some international students remaining in alities on campus represents potential for the influx of new ideas in Scotland over the Christmas period. GUSRC worked closely with the In- felt there was a great range of activities to taking GUSRC forward, as well as presenting challenges in how GUSRC ternational Post Graduate Service (IPS) in the development and hosting choose from!’ supports, represents and engages with an increasingly internationally of web pages which provided information on what services were open diverse student populace. during the winter vacation and also activities students could undertake during the winter break. ‘I enjoyed all the Freshers week activities All GUSRC’s services are well used by international students. The unique and it was a good introduction to the Uni halls to campus minibus service, the Advice Centre as well as the infor- The web pages were updated frequently, ensuring all information was mation and reception services all enjoy high uptake from International current and relevant. It appears that this work was effective as GUSRC’s area as a whole. Very good way to make Students. Elsewhere in this document there is some information how monitoring systems indicate that more than 1000 different Glasgow new friends etc.’ the work of GUSRC, directly and indirectly, benefits international stu- students used this information during the relevant period (a 300% in- dents. crease on the previous year).

‘It was one of, if not the, best week of GUSRC work hard to ensure all their services are flexible and accessible GUSRC’s commitment to represent the interests of, and engage with, my life!!! I had a fab time! Thank you so to the diverse student population. In addition, GUSRC works in partner- international students was reflected in highly positive feedback through ship with the University to develop additional initiatives which take the the International Student Barometer 2007/2008. GUSRC will continue much!’ particular needs of international students into consideration. to use the ISB as one of its key reference points in reviewing its work Freshers’ Fair is a great opportunity for students to find out more about clubs with International Students. and societies.

Page 19 Page 20 Work with Departments and other University Services and subsequently received an Award of Excellence, signed by the First In addition to the partnership with the Faculty of Education, SVSS has Minister Alex Salmond Volunteering and Employability also been given the opportunity to speak directly to students in the Department of Psychology via a dedicated section on their Portal, a Feedback from Volunteers The primary goal of all Students’ who come to University is to learn and get a degree. The first priority of GUSRC and the University is to ensure Moodle-based site. Students interested in moving onto areas such as “I thoroughly enjoyed my classroom support placement and would that this goal is achieved. There are, however, many other aspects of University life which shape the individual and add to the overall sense of clinical psychology or occupational therapy are signposted towards the definitely recommend it to anyone who is thinking about a career in the University experience. Activities, alongside the formal learning environment are influential. Not only in how individuals develop and grow and opportunities available at GUSRC through the Portal and a description teaching or working with children. It enabled me to gain first hand the future choices they make, but also in how they are perceived by potential employers and other decision makers who will have an impact on of why it’s important to gain experience is given. The evidence appears experience working with children in a classroom environment while ob- students long after they leave University. to suggest that students are more likely to take notice of such informa- serving and learning from teachers both inside and outside the class- tion, when it comes directly through the department and has seen a room”. Katy McDougall– 3rd year Psychology Student and Classroom GUSRC provides a dedicated service that facilitates volunteering opportunities for students as well as acting as the central campus hub for Uni- number of referrals. Support Volunteer. versity clubs and societies. SVSS also process Disclosure forms for Sports and Recreation Service Feedback from Agencies (SRS), which allows their volunteers to carry out Sports Coaching proj- “I would just like to re-iterate Gillian’s thanks to you all for the work ects with Glasgow City Council’s Active School’s scheme. you have done. I know it can be difficult to find time to help us out Student Volunteer Support Service with the Tea/Coffee/etc, especially during exam time, but it really is greatly appreciated. Offering a hot drink to people may not seem like the range of opportunities available to student volunteers but has also Recognising Involvement Volunteers and Placement a lot but it is very important to our service users, a lot of whom lead developed its training and support mechanisms. Through a partnership SVSS has become involved with the Scottish Government’s Millennium Opportunities very chaotic lives. To be able to come along to us, have a cuppa and that has developed with the Faculty of Education, student volunteers Volunteer Awards (MV) scheme to try and give our student volunteers During 2007/2008 SVSS directly assisted 446 volunteers across 14 a chat means very much to them. Once again thank you for your help are now given the opportunity to attend an induction session ran by a widely recognised award for their efforts. Over the course of the past projects, 9 of which are facilitated directly through the SVSS Devel- and look forward to seeing you all soon. For those who are leaving, I third year BEd students who undertake this work as part of their ac- year, 41 students have qualified for the award, and the breakdown is opment Officer – the other 5 are student-led organisations who re- wish you all the best in whatever you are moving onto do.” Michelle credited Service Learning Module. We have also introduced a men- as follows: ceive administrative support, advice and supervision from GUSRC. An Kirkwood – Volunteer Coordinator, Glasgow Simon Community. toring system that allows the student volunteers to contact the BEd example of the latter is Student Volunteers Abroad (SVA), who arrange students and ask any questions they may have on issues relating to the • 33 students have devoted a minimum of 50 hours of their time to voluntary summer placements for students with NGOs in countries such “Gary Szemses is helping a group of older pupils working with our DHT classroom environment. This form of peer assisted learning is therefore various projects, including Nightline, Classroom Support and Buddy-a- as Nepal and Senegal. SVA received guidance from GUSRC on issues to create a school website Karen Robertson is being very helpful work- a benefit to both sets of students. Granny relating to Disclosure outcomes and individual students’ cautions/crimi- • 6 students have given 100 hours to volunteer with Nightline ing with P3”. Elsie Tysen – Head teacher, Bankhead Primary School. nal convictions, as well as assistance in drafting their Child Protection • 2 students have given at least 200 hours to volunteer with Nightline and Equal Opportunities policies, committee handover procedures, and Buddy a Granny advice on Public Liability insurance – all of which were vital to the run- The elderly and housebound of Glasgow are a client group that has ning of their projects. seen a development in their relationship with the University through the social outreach side of SVSS. In addition to the two West End Resi- A total of 142 students received Enhanced Disclosures through GUSRC dential Care homes that SVSS have traditionally arranged volunteering at no charge, allowing them to work with children and vulnerable adults opportunities with, SVSS has worked with local charity ‘Contact the in a number of these projects, both in Glasgow and abroad. Elderly’ to provide for student visits to housebound residents as well as hospital visits. SVSS has also arranged placements for students at In the past year SVSS created several new initiatives and enhanced a residential care home in Maryhill, as well as a sensory development some existing ones. The developments through SVSS have not only fur- unit at Carntyne Gardens in the East End of Glasgow. Volunteers at ther aided existing client groups but also widened SVSS’s scope and Carntyne also have the opportunity to use equipment purchased by given assistance to organisations in greater depth than might have GUSRC with funding from the University Settlement, a venture that been possible previously. Below are examples of some SVSS projects: gives them the chance to interact in different ways with the residents Conversational English Programme (CEP) who have dementia.

Building upon the “English for Doctors” scheme, the Conversational Find a solution English Programme gives International Students at the University of SVSS also project manages the newly established “Find a Solution” Glasgow the chance to meet up with a native, English speaking student project; a collaborative scheme between GUSRC and Research into En- with the aim of helping them improve their spoken language skills. terprise. It is .funded by the University Settlement. This project provides The aim is not to teach anyone how to speak English, but just to en- students with the opportunity to undertake a piece of work for a local gage in conversation with them so that they can practice their spoken voluntary organisation and put into practice skills learnt through their language. CEP has been piloted this year and has seen a handful of academic studies. 12 students were initially selected and undertook a students get involved and benefit, we will develop this further next year series of training workshops. Students then bid for the “contract” with with the support of the International Office, Careers Service and Vice selected voluntary organisations (Glasgow Womens’ Library, Rainbow Principal Learning and Teaching. Turtle, Mark Scott Foundation). From this, six students were selected to work with the aforementioned organisations. The students are working Classroom Support Scheme to briefs set out by the organisations in the areas of marketing, busi- The Classroom Support Scheme, which gives students the chance to ness development and capacity building and receive £1,700 each for volunteer in schools across the city, has seen not only an expansion in their work. The classroom support scheme has proved beneficial to all involved.

Page 21 Page 22 Clubs and Societies in all forms of media to meet with and gain some valuable experience Local Community from top professionals in the field. Outlets represented at the 2008 Clubs and societies are a key element of the ‘student experience’. In GUSRC has worked to consolidate University linkages with the local community. From Subcity Radio’s high profile, massively attended sessions at event included BBC Scotland and Radio Scotland, the Herald, the Sun- 2007-08 GUSRC has supported over 80 clubs with over 5000 student the West End Festival to participation in and hosting of Hillhead Community Council’s meetings. GUSRC continue to work in partnership with the day Herald and the Herald Magazine, the Sunday Mail, SKY News 24. members and provided more than £10,000 of financial support. local community and develop new working links and joint initiatives. We hope that by working together we can continue to show the benefits that students bring to the area and counteract some of the slightly more negative image of students that the media often seeks to reinforce. Clubs and societies this year have also benefitted from advice and sup- Eighteen events were scheduled in the space of just five days, yet par- ticipation was overwhelming and in total, some two-hundred and fifty port from GUSRC on issues as diverse as governance, risk assessments, GUSRC’s aforementioned links with the local community council have been cemented further this year through joint working on matters of com- students attended Media Week. A major effort was put into publicising publicity, and event management. GUSRC have continued to provide mon interest such as recycling. minibuses to allow trips around Scotland, travel to conferences and the event, with two adverts in the GU Guardian, posters, brochures and flyers delivered across the whole campus, and targeted lecture call outs meetings. GUSRC also offer bespoke meeting and training facilities at GUSRC also worked with the Community Council, Glasgow City Council and Ward Councillors on matters that can have a serious impact on the for students of Media & Politics and Film & TV zero cost to all affiliated clubs and societies. community in general and the student population in particular. The poor management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and the subse- Studies. quent social, environmental and general ‘quality of life issues’ has provided common ground for all local partners to work together. GUSRC is Clubs and societies were also an integral part of GUSRC Freshers’ Week. represented on Glasgow City Council’s HMO working group and therefore enjoys the opportunity of providing a student perspective on how the This year’s programme included innovative events such as a specific Events included running cultural fairs, fire poi displays, meet and greets Council can help us overcome the difficulties and dangers experienced by students living in below standard accommodation. with Society members as well as taking part in GUSRC Freshers’ Fair. careers session with BBC, two visits to the new BBC Scotland HQ and a number of practical workshops in new media, namely web design and Support for clubs and societies has also been subject to on-going re- online journalism, the areas in which most of the growth is most likely view with the aim of increasing GUSRC involvement, making it easier to concentrate in the next years. for clubs and societies to access GUSRC services and advice, ensuring that clubs and societies are as accessible to students as possible. Some students were also able to arrange additional visits to newsrooms and studios and will hopefully gain some work experience over the PDP Programme summer with the organisations represented at Media Week 2008. This means that we have hopefully made of Media Week not just a one-off Personal development planning (PDP) was a key area of work across event, but rather a springboard towards further personal development GUSRC in 2007-08. GUSRC were key partners with the Careers Service otherwise unavailable at university. for the drafting of the PDP Policy which was passed through Senate in February 2008. The process ensured a student-friendly policy through Moreover, Media Week helped the relationship between GUSRC and the VP (Learning and Development) drafting sections of the policy and Scottish Media. For more details about the coverage of GUSRC on local in holding meetings with Council members and student representatives and national media see the specific section below. from across the University. The value of GUSRC’s input was acknowl- edged by both Education Policy and Strategy Committee (EdPSC) and A specific, detailed report on Media Week 2008 was also produced and Senate. includes a reflection on the experience and recommendations on how to improve the event under different aspects and diversify what is on GUSRC were also heavily involved in the selection of a suitable e-pdp offer. programme. Following pressure from GUSRC the the original pro- gramme chosen was replaced with a more suitable, student-friendly programme GUSRC ‘road-tested’ this system and organised student RAG (Raising and Giving) Week representation for focus groups to inform the process. RAG Week was held on the 25-29 February. Previously branded as “Glasgow Student Festival”, this year’s RAG Week brought together In February The Advice Centre was invited, along with Registry, to de- different elements of past weeks but utilised the strong tradition of RAG in the University as a marketing tool. A variety of voluntary proj- liver a seminar on Student Finance, as part of the Arts Faculty PDP Through find a solution, students get to develop their skills and help local charities. programme. The event generated several specific enquiries in the ensu- ects and clubs were involved in running 10 different events that were ing weeks. aimed at giving students the opportunity to get involved in all kinds of activities available through There are ongoing discussions between VP Learning and Development, SVSS and Clerk of Senate recognition of volunteering and employability GUSRC and the University. Almost 1000 students attended events skills through a University-endorsed ‘My Glasgow’ transcript. ranging from Global Village, a celebration of international food and culture to a Clubs and Societies fair, aimed at encouraging students to Crichton Campus Media Week get involved in University life. As a result of the fundraising during the week around £4000 will be paid to several different charities including Media Week has by now become a fixture in GUSRC’s annual calendar GUSRC provides support and training to registered University of Glasgow students based on the Crichton Campus in Dumfries. GUSRC employ the small animal hospital and Shelter. and represents the only event of this type organised by a an administrator, based at Crichton, who has responsibility for supporting Crichton students in developing extra curricular activities for the local student-led organisation in Scotland. The 2008 event took place on student populace in order to enhance and enrich the cultural and educational experience on the Crichton Campus. Following on from such a suc- February 4th – 8th and provided the opportunity for students interested cessful year will be no mean feat.

Page 23 Page 24 GLASGOW UNIVERSITY STUDENTS’ REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL Postword SUMMARY INCOME AND EXPENDITURE ACCOUNT It’s important to consider the past while looking to the future, considering previous success and more importantly areas for development. Student bodies, with their perpetual change in Executive, always risk the possibility of constantly re-inventing the wheel, repeating previous mistakes, ignoring previous successes and refusing to move forward. FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30th JUNE 2008

Restricted Unrestricted 2008 2007 My involvement in GUSRC thus far has shown that this organisation refuses to fall into this trap. Fund Fund Total Total £ £ £ £ It is my role this year, as President, to ensure we continue to move forward. Incoming Resources There are some fantastic initiatives and developments coming in 2008-09. Our work in volunteering provides the opportunity to work strongly in partnership with the University to enhance the employability of students at Glasgow, offering greater and greater opportunities and crucially Incoming Resources from Generating Funds establishing a system to recognise the work being done. Raising awareness of student representatives and providing enhanced support is a key Voluntary income - 452,000 452,000 437,000 area of work for the GUSRC in 2008-09, building on the huge number of student representatives trained in previous years. A key way for students Activities for generating funds - 36,821 36,821 21,482 to engage with their time at University is through clubs and societies; I’m delighted GUSRC is looking at ways to increase support and to work Investment income - 25,141 25,141 21,402 more closely with clubs and societies this year. Incoming Resources from Charitable activities 14,000 194,797 208,797 213,649 As I said, 2007-08 was an incredibly successful year for GUSRC and the students it serves, I’m looking forward to the opportunity to build on those successes and ensure that the student experience at Glasgow is enhanced for all. Other Incoming Resources - 3,700 3,700 - ______

Total incoming resources 14,000 712,459 726,459 693,533

Gavin Lee Resources Expended SRC President Costs of Generating Funds Costs of generating voluntary income - 5,500 5,500 5,500 Fundraising trading costs - 1,281 1,281 1,234

Charitable activities 25,412 640,385 665,797 650,705

Governance Costs - 36,790 36,790 32,500 Financial Review ______Total Resources Expended 25,412 683,956 709,368 689,939 GUSRC recorded a surplus this year of £17,091 (2006 – surplus Minibus Service and part purchase of a new minibus. Last year GUSRC £3,594). The slight surplus is a result of the small amounts of additional received £18,000 as a ‘one off’ from Residential Services. For several ‘one off’ grants from varied University sources without which, GUSRC years previously, the grant from Residential Services stood still £9,000 Net incoming/(outgoing) resources before transfers (11,412) 28,503 17,091 3,594 would have experienced a small deficit over the year. (anything above this is still regarded as a ‘one off’ and is not an indica- tor of an ongoing increased contribution). The additional resources over Gross transfers between funds - - - - Total reserves at 30th June 2008 stand at £377,467 (2007 - the last two years have been significant in allowing GUSRC to develop ______£360,376). and enhance the service Net Movement in funds (11,412) 28,503 17,091 3,594 The block grant from the University increased from £410,000 to GUSRC received a contribution of £9,000 from the University’s Gradu- £425,000. There is an additional £27,000 allocated to this heading as ation Photography income. Historically this contribution has always Balance brought forward at 1st July 2007 23,006 337,370 360,376 356,782 a notional building rental charge granted to GUSRC for use of the build- been around the sum of £25,000, a change in University policy resulted ing. In addition, from the student development fund, GUSRC received in the contribution reducing by around 50% in 2006/2007. The £9,000 £11,000 toward the provision of furniture and AV equipment in its be- awarded this year was accepted by GUSRC as a ‘full and final’ contribu- Fund Balance carried forward at 30th June 2008 11,594 365,873 377,467 360,376 spoke training facility (Williams Room) and £3,000 towards enhancing tion from this source. the Glasgow University Student Television (GUST) infrastructure. There was no additional income against the Crichton heading as the All 2008 figures relate to continuing operations. GUSRC received £25,167 from the University’s Residential Services as grant received two years ago was for a three year period. Funds avail- a funding contribution towards the running of the Halls to Campus able at the end of June 2008 are £11,594.

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