president Letter from the President Travel Centre closes after another year of losses Union President Steve O’Reilly gives the low down of the academic year. e As you will all now know, earlier this year we closed the highs and the lows with the best bits and the not so glamorous moments. Union Travel Centre. As an independent travel provider, we have been un- What an amazing year, and what a privilege to serve hiccups. e “Grad Ball Fiasco of 2010” was a major pain der pressure from internet travel operators for many years the students that elected me last year. is year has been in the backside and rightly upset many students for which and it’s clear that the forecast for high street operations is tough, it’s been stressful, but it’s been an amazing experi- I have done, but will apologise again. ere was also the not set to improve. We have always taken pride in the per- ence and the team and I, we’ve achieved a lot. Whether it case of some rather poorly chosen content for a Women’s sonal, professional service we have offered, as well as the was extension of Library hours, fi nally closing down the Day poster, women in bikini’s probably not being one of independent, expert advice we have given, but we were no Travel Centre, or being a founding member in the creation the best ways to promote a day about international femi- longer able to continue to trade at a loss. of USU a national collaborative network of like-minded nism (who knew?). e Travel Centre has been under threat of closure Unions, the year has been a busy one. e biggest challenge of this year has by far been stu- for some years. Union Council set clear fi nancial targets in We smashed the UK record for voter participation in dent apathy. Students seem to forget that they can make June 2008, which required a declining defi cit, accumulat- a student election hitting a turnout of over 7000 people a difference and of course they can. All it takes is deciding ing to £60k over 4 years. In the fi rst two years the com- (even if we were beaten by Sheffi eld and Edinburgh the to do it. My leaving plea to the students of Southampton bined defi cit was £47k, with a further £25k estimated this following week) and really quite aggressively stamped University, and of course of our Union, as our members year. We had been working with the University to ensure a place on the national scene for a non-NUS affi liated and owners, is to remember you have power, you are the e Travel Centre business was transferred to a third Union. power. If you don’t like something, make yourself known party supplier of travel products to the University, but the is year we have tried to make decisions that will put because you are the ones who decide. And if you have University has decided not go ahead with this planned SUSU in the right shape for the new decade. We have put good ideas, hell if you have bad ideas, get involved. Have travel management project, due to the recently announced in place new staff structures this year, rejigged the budgets pride in your Union, we are you. reorganisation within the University, which will prove too in a fairer and more effi cient way and increased staff sup- So despite the challenges, and despite the hiccups the disruptive to allow the project to work well at this time. port in area’s that will either benefi t from expansion or team has been fantastic this year and really worked hard are severely lacking in the fi rst place. So the Union of next to get the most for students out of their University. So as “In the first two years, the year can look forward to more staff support at Winchester you read over the next few pages please bare that in mind. combined deficit was £47K” and a brand spanking new Democracy and Representa- We are students, for students. tion staff member poised to take student representation to So with much presidential love, and gratitude the next level among many other important changes. Yours, As an organisation, it is important for the Students’ Union We have one of the best Unions in the country, cer- Steve O’Reilly to improve our effi ciencies and become more cost- tainly top 10. We have one of the largest amounts of clubs effective. We are also keen to ensure that our resources and socs in the country and involvement levels like you are targeted on our core business activities, particularly wouldn’t believe, but the year has not been without it’s in the light of our imminent charity registration, which precludes the use of charitable funds to subsidise non- charitable activity. So whilst it was a tough decision for us to make, we are sure that it was the right one. president Letter from the President Travel Centre closes after Raving Later another year of losses Union President Steve O’Reilly gives the low down of the academic year. e One of SUSU’s aims at the start of the year was to extend As you will all now know, earlier this year we closed the e Cube’s openning hours to 4am. After hours of meet- highs and the lows with the best bits and the not so glamorous moments. Union Travel Centre. ings and solicitors we applied for the required licence in As an independent travel provider, we have been un- the hope of improving what the Cube has to offer. What an amazing year, and what a privilege to serve hiccups. e “Grad Ball Fiasco of 2010” was a major pain der pressure from internet travel operators for many years Unfortunately, despite the support given to us by the students that elected me last year. is year has been in the backside and rightly upset many students for which and it’s clear that the forecast for high street operations is the University, we were denied our application for a later tough, it’s been stressful, but it’s been an amazing experi- I have done, but will apologise again. ere was also the not set to improve. We have always taken pride in the per- license. We strongly believe that students want a later ence and the team and I, we’ve achieved a lot. Whether it case of some rather poorly chosen content for a Women’s sonal, professional service we have offered, as well as the license and want to patron the club later as many of them was extension of Library hours, fi nally closing down the Day poster, women in bikini’s probably not being one of independent, expert advice we have given, but we were no do in other venues with later licenses than our own. We Travel Centre, or being a founding member in the creation the best ways to promote a day about international femi- longer able to continue to trade at a loss. also think that it would help us to re-invigorate the venue. of USU a national collaborative network of like-minded nism (who knew?). e Travel Centre has been under threat of closure Over the weekend of the 16th of October, Becky Maclean We initially decided to appeal the decision, but then chose Unions, the year has been a busy one. e biggest challenge of this year has by far been stu- for some years. Union Council set clear fi nancial targets in and Steve O’Reilly took a trip to Birmingham for a confer- to withdraw our appeal and direct our attention to work- We smashed the UK record for voter participation in dent apathy. Students seem to forget that they can make June 2008, which required a declining defi cit, accumulat- ence with the other non NUS affi liated universities. e ing on our relationship with the local residents and our a student election hitting a turnout of over 7000 people a difference and of course they can. All it takes is deciding ing to £60k over 4 years. In the fi rst two years the com- conference was attended by us, Aston University, Impe- other community relations until such a time that we think (even if we were beaten by Sheffi eld and Edinburgh the to do it. My leaving plea to the students of Southampton bined defi cit was £47k, with a further £25k estimated this rial College London, Durham and Sunderland with St. another application will be successful. following week) and really quite aggressively stamped University, and of course of our Union, as our members year. We had been working with the University to ensure Andrews sending apologies. e result was the formation a place on the national scene for a non-NUS affi liated and owners, is to remember you have power, you are the e Travel Centre business was transferred to a third of USU, a non-lobbyist, non-political national coalition of Union. power. If you don’t like something, make yourself known party supplier of travel products to the University, but the Union Finances 2009/2010 separate SUs designed to help each other out and allow is year we have tried to make decisions that will put because you are the ones who decide. And if you have University has decided not go ahead with this planned is year as been a year of both positives and nagatives e shop is great news, as per usual with both profi ts each Union to function better than if separate but without SUSU in the right shape for the new decade.