Tuesday 06-10-2020 - 16:12

Term has officially started and it’s time to get stuck in. We are your Bristol SU full time officer team for 2020/21 and we were elected in March to represent your voice to the university. We’ve been in post since June and wanted to give you an update on just some of the things we’ve been working on for you so far.

Firstly, there’s been a lot of work on covid-19 including lobbying for more library time and securing space for student groups to continue their activities. Today we received confirmation that all study spaces would be open until 8pm which is something we've been fighting for to make sure you can access study space throughout the term. We'll share our latest updates in this area at bristolsu.org.uk/coronavirus

5 things you might not have been aware of…

Dean Street Works

Dean Street Works, new university accommodation for students this year, was not ready for students arriving at the start of term. Your Student Living Officer Ruth worked to make sure those students were given additional support from the university. Here are the commitments that they managed to secure:

1. The first week of their tenancy will be rent free 

2. The University will pay for the cost of laundry

3. The University will provide a moving service as well as physical support when students move from the hotels to Dean Street Works

4. Regular communication about the progress of the Dean Street Works build and when students will be able to move in

5. Resilife to regularly check in with everyone and for student wellbeing support to be properly signposted

6. Online kitchen talks to still happen from Resilife so students know more about what life will be like in halls, where support is, and all about consent and healthy relationships

7. Food - breakfast at the hotel and then £10 Deliveroo voucher to cover dinner every day, also a restaurant voucher every week so students can go out with their friends and get to know each other

8. Students with disabilities to be given priority in switching hall and Resilife to send each student a summary of the support they will be receiving

Increased accessibility to Student Health

International students’ officer Roy has been working with Student Health to make the service more accessible. He’s helped produced a glossary of medical terms for international students.

Wednesdays

Rushab, your Sport and Student Development Officer has helped to protect Wednesday afternoons from the extended teaching week, allowing time to get involved in extra-curricular activity or take a break from your studies.

Student Housing Cooperative

Student Living Officer Ruth has been working with students to set up the first student housing cooperative in Bristol. The registration process has started and soon it will be a legal entity.

Student Induction

Jason, your Equality, Liberation and Access Officer has worked with the university to make sure that new student inductions this year included content on consent and drug harm reduction. You can expect to see more from us on drug harm reduction later this month.

But that’s not all…

Last week we met with Thangam Debbonaire (Bristol West MP and Shadow Housing Secretary) to talk about some of the issues impacting students in Bristol and across the country. We’re glad to have Thangam’s support and look forward to working with her on: 

• Confronting the demonisation of students as the cause of the second wave, and ensuring both the community and students feel safe to be living and working side by side in Bristol.
• Supporting students in Uni Halls and private accommodation during these uncertain times through flexibility of uni accommodation contracts and increased hardship funding for those in HMOs.
• Ensuring that students are receiving a high standard of blended learning and supporting students’ rights around tuition fees if all teaching is moved online due to lockdown.
• Tackling sexual harassment in halls - both for this year and long term.

Check out our webpages to see what our priorities are for the year ahead.