Ola!
Forest Gump was onto something there. The variety and diversity of this job is what makes it so exciting but is also what makes it so challenging. Every day is different and requires a different collection of brain cells to manage each situation appropriately.
I've spent most of the last few days working on my objectives, representing Nursing and Midwifery students to their governing bodies, nationally representing us as Sheffield Union to the Aldwych group (the Students' Unions of the Russell Group Unis) who met in Southampton last Friday and showing some ex-students around the Union building.
(As an aside, these weren't any ordinary ex-students. They were a group of friends who started uni here in 1957 and have met up every year since then, sometimes two or three times a year. This year was their 50th anniversary so they returned to Sheffield for the weekend and I showed them round. A fine group of people and I greatly enjoyed showing them round. It has of course changed beyond recognition since then and they were all pretty astounded by the change)
But the thing I am most excited by at the moment is the forthcoming Students' Union Council elections. It's such an exciting prospect to have a directly elected body to oversee my work, create policy and shape the direction of this fantastic Students' Union.
Nominations are open now with the closing date midday on Monday 15th October.
Do not hesitate.
Do not delay.
Get on the website.
Have your say.
http://www.shef.ac.uk/union/student-voice/union-council/
It's such a fantastic opportunity so do please get involved and stand for your department or representative group.
Two further things to plug:
- The Burma Solidarity Demo next Monday: http://shef.facebook.com/event.php?eid=19760916688&ref=mf
- My band are playing two gigs this weekend:
Thursday night: http://shef.facebook.com/event.php?eid=13855770186
Saturday night: http://shef.facebook.com/event.php?eid=5067367729
Without facebook I dunno where I'd be.
It's worth £10bn apparently Chris Moyles told me.
Any bids?
Wednesday, 3 October 2007
Tuesday, 25 September 2007
so here we go
A huge, warm, embracing, Sheffieldian welcome to all new students of the University of Sheffield.
It is fantastic to have the hubbub of activity back on the concourse after a quiet but busy summer. It makes me realise why I stood for this position:
The bustling energy.
The creative vibrancy.
The buzz of diversity.
To new students: you are incredibly welcome here to this fantastic city, fantastic university and highly fantastic Students' Union.
To returning students: great to have you back. Look out for the new guys and help them to feel included and part of what is going on.
I want to encourage you to get involved in as much as possible that is going on this Freshers Week. Check out your Intro Week guides alongside the website for all the information you need to make this a truly memorable and enjoyable first week of university life.
As student officers, we are here to represent you so please come and talk to us about anything you want, whenever you want. We want this to be the best week of your life so far!
Our offices are located on either level 3 (offices for Sports, International students and Activities) or level 4 (offices for President, Education, Womens, Finance and Welfare) of the Union building.
I wish you well and look forward to meeting you some day,
Mark
It is fantastic to have the hubbub of activity back on the concourse after a quiet but busy summer. It makes me realise why I stood for this position:
The bustling energy.
The creative vibrancy.
The buzz of diversity.
To new students: you are incredibly welcome here to this fantastic city, fantastic university and highly fantastic Students' Union.
To returning students: great to have you back. Look out for the new guys and help them to feel included and part of what is going on.
I want to encourage you to get involved in as much as possible that is going on this Freshers Week. Check out your Intro Week guides alongside the website for all the information you need to make this a truly memorable and enjoyable first week of university life.
As student officers, we are here to represent you so please come and talk to us about anything you want, whenever you want. We want this to be the best week of your life so far!
Our offices are located on either level 3 (offices for Sports, International students and Activities) or level 4 (offices for President, Education, Womens, Finance and Welfare) of the Union building.
I wish you well and look forward to meeting you some day,
Mark
Wednesday, 1 August 2007
money don't make my world go round. i'm reaching out for a higher ground.
Morning all.
Fresh out of the Dolly Parton school of philosophy, I've headed straight into the philosophical minefield that is Des'ree this week.
Yesterday was payday. But it can't be said that I am in this job for the money. Plenty as it is for my needs, my overdraft is still crying out to be replenished.
So if it's not about the money then how am I reaching out for a higher ground?
Well, this week has involved the embelishing of my personal and our team objectives. This is a process which is mostly enjoyable but also difficult at times. But it's getting there and it's an exciting time. The potential for the coming year is huge! Alongside this has been the discussion of the financial direction of the union with debate around certain retail and structural possibilities within the union building.
I have also continued liasing with sabbatical teams in other uni's, learning of their objectives and seeking areas where we can work together to build consensus around particular issues.
It is a bit of a building site in the union building at the moment. I find myself climbing ladders and painting walls that I didn't think were possible. The new media hub is under contruction which is going to be such a fantastic resource! The source is being refurbished, again a change that will create a much more flexible and useable space. The main foyer is having a repaint and new lighting. The Graves building is being considerably altered with the LGBT lounge and SURE radio moving venues and the marketing department moving into newly furbished office space. And the Fusion and Foundry is being considerably refitted with many alterations taking place.
All in all, it's a busy time. We're already the best Students' Union in the country, but as with any organic institution, not resting on its laurels and desiring continued excellence, we're reaching out for a higher ground.
Fresh out of the Dolly Parton school of philosophy, I've headed straight into the philosophical minefield that is Des'ree this week.
Yesterday was payday. But it can't be said that I am in this job for the money. Plenty as it is for my needs, my overdraft is still crying out to be replenished.
So if it's not about the money then how am I reaching out for a higher ground?
Well, this week has involved the embelishing of my personal and our team objectives. This is a process which is mostly enjoyable but also difficult at times. But it's getting there and it's an exciting time. The potential for the coming year is huge! Alongside this has been the discussion of the financial direction of the union with debate around certain retail and structural possibilities within the union building.
I have also continued liasing with sabbatical teams in other uni's, learning of their objectives and seeking areas where we can work together to build consensus around particular issues.
It is a bit of a building site in the union building at the moment. I find myself climbing ladders and painting walls that I didn't think were possible. The new media hub is under contruction which is going to be such a fantastic resource! The source is being refurbished, again a change that will create a much more flexible and useable space. The main foyer is having a repaint and new lighting. The Graves building is being considerably altered with the LGBT lounge and SURE radio moving venues and the marketing department moving into newly furbished office space. And the Fusion and Foundry is being considerably refitted with many alterations taking place.
All in all, it's a busy time. We're already the best Students' Union in the country, but as with any organic institution, not resting on its laurels and desiring continued excellence, we're reaching out for a higher ground.
Wednesday, 25 July 2007
if you want to see the rainbow, you've got to put up with the rain
Those are the wise words of Dolly Parton. And people say she was just a big pair of ...
This classic quote can seemlessly be used to describe two current experiences of the union officers.
But before this, let me, in classic salesman style, sell myself as the new Union President:
I come with:
- 22 years
- A degree in Social Policy and Sociology
- Double glazing
- Moderate musical talents utilised in a band
- A roof-rack
- A sister
- A broken, but well used squash racket
- An ultimate frisbee
- 6"4 inches of height
- A chicken pen
- Alloy wheels
- A young persons railcard
- A passion for The Office, Alan Partridge and The Mighty Boosh
- A winning motto: He who dares, wins (surely that's copyrighted?!)
- A shed
- A pasta maker
- A smoothie maker
- And a signed football
Back to Dolly...
Quite tangible is the occurence of very large amounts of rainfall. Graduation week last week was frequently disturbed by torrential downpours and concourse rivers forming with a current strong enough to move proud grandparents on quicker than they'd hoped.
Rain is the new sun I'm told.
Metaphorically speaking, Miss Parton's words describe another union officer experience of late. This is the feeling of being inundated and often overwhelmed by the barrage of new things - new commitments, new people, new challenges, new offices, new sleep patterns, new eating habits... The list goes on. Everything is very new. This is a very exciting time. But at times it feels somewhat like the rain won't stop.
But the rainbow is coming.
Gradually I am climatising myself to the new surroundings, the new people and the new challenges. This year offers so many exciting opportunities!
We have a new VC.
We have new student residences.
We have new democratic processes.
We have new ideas.
And this is all happening whilst surrounded and supported by experienced and knowledgeable staff, always willing to offer guidance and help wherever necessary.
My objectives for the year and the Officer team objectives will be coming soon, so refresh this page hourly and see what emerges.
Before I finish may I just emphasise something I will reiterate regularly throughout the year:
This is your union.
We are your representatives.
Come and speak to us whenever you so desire so that we can do the very best job of working hard for you to respresent you the very best that we can.
Big love x
This classic quote can seemlessly be used to describe two current experiences of the union officers.
But before this, let me, in classic salesman style, sell myself as the new Union President:
I come with:
- 22 years
- A degree in Social Policy and Sociology
- Double glazing
- Moderate musical talents utilised in a band
- A roof-rack
- A sister
- A broken, but well used squash racket
- An ultimate frisbee
- 6"4 inches of height
- A chicken pen
- Alloy wheels
- A young persons railcard
- A passion for The Office, Alan Partridge and The Mighty Boosh
- A winning motto: He who dares, wins (surely that's copyrighted?!)
- A shed
- A pasta maker
- A smoothie maker
- And a signed football
Back to Dolly...
Quite tangible is the occurence of very large amounts of rainfall. Graduation week last week was frequently disturbed by torrential downpours and concourse rivers forming with a current strong enough to move proud grandparents on quicker than they'd hoped.
Rain is the new sun I'm told.
Metaphorically speaking, Miss Parton's words describe another union officer experience of late. This is the feeling of being inundated and often overwhelmed by the barrage of new things - new commitments, new people, new challenges, new offices, new sleep patterns, new eating habits... The list goes on. Everything is very new. This is a very exciting time. But at times it feels somewhat like the rain won't stop.
But the rainbow is coming.
Gradually I am climatising myself to the new surroundings, the new people and the new challenges. This year offers so many exciting opportunities!
We have a new VC.
We have new student residences.
We have new democratic processes.
We have new ideas.
And this is all happening whilst surrounded and supported by experienced and knowledgeable staff, always willing to offer guidance and help wherever necessary.
My objectives for the year and the Officer team objectives will be coming soon, so refresh this page hourly and see what emerges.
Before I finish may I just emphasise something I will reiterate regularly throughout the year:
This is your union.
We are your representatives.
Come and speak to us whenever you so desire so that we can do the very best job of working hard for you to respresent you the very best that we can.
Big love x
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