Not on the Vale? Not a problem!

Over the last few weeks i have been inundated with calls, emails and personal visits from students and parents worried sick about what their university experience is going to be like because they failed to get their first choice accomodation on the Vale Village.

As an ex-Vale student, i love the Vale as much as anybody else, but does it really deserve to be held up higher than any other hall village? Is a lakeside view really that important?

I have had the extremely rare fortune of being a Hall President to two very different halls, and as such i like to think that i've learnt some valuable lessons about the range of accomodation we offer here at Birmingham.

Hall 1:

In my first year i lived in Tennis Courts, and was elected RA President in December 2006. Tennis Courts is a very large hall situated on the Vale. Comprised mainly of Freshers, Tennis Courts houses 700 residents.

I LOVED my time in Tennis Courts. The community atmosphere was fantastic, the socials were amazing and the memories are some which i will treasure forever. When asked, i reckon by far the majority of TCers would say that they lived in the best hall of residence at University.

Hall 2:

In my second year i was asked to take over as Emergency RA President for Queen's Hospital Close (QHC). QHC is a smallish sized hall which is privately owned and situated in the City Centre (well away from campus). The term before i took over, the University had intended not to use QHC as an official hall for the following year. However because of horrific overbookings, the University was forced to buy back bedspaces from QHC, with Freshers being allocated a place in a hall that they didn't even know existed. As such, i had to lead an RA team that had been set up at 2 weeks notice.

I accepted the post with a fairly large degree of cynicism. I wanted to make sure that QHC residents were still able to have a Freshers Week despite all the cock-ups, but i never imagined that QHC would be anywhere near as good as Tennis Courts. Having led a 700 strong TC army for the last year, i refused to believe that anywhere could even come close to being as brilliant.

How wrong i was! Despite the difficulties QHC residents stepped up in a manner i would not believe possible. During Freshers Week they charged out to the clubs and shouted down halls twice their size chanting 'QHC!' as loud as they possibly could. They attended sports trials, pub quizzes, tours of the city and many other events. Best of all, when it came to electing their own RA committee to replace my emergency team, they did so with a voter turnout that beat every single other hall across the University. In short, 300 students, none of whom had put QHC down as ANY choice, let alone their first, came together to create an incredible hall community that far outclassed some of the more established halls on the Vale. Why? Because they were given the chance to get involved and they took it.

I guess the point of this blog is to reassure those who did not get their first choice accomodation that no matter where you end up, you will have the chance to enjoy an incredible Freshers experience. Living in a hall is like joining a private community, and it instills a sense of patriotism in you. One of the most important parts of my job, (through leading the Hall Committees, lobbying the University, organising Welcome Week etc) is to try and make it so that you come away at the end of the year genuinely believing that you wouldn't have wanted to live anywhere else.

So if you've got a place on the Vale, congratulations! And if you have got a place somewhere else, congratulations! You're a student at the University of Birmingham, and you're going to have an incredible year!

As ever if you do have any concerns of queries just get in touch, that's what i'm here for! e.sparkes@guild.bham.ac.uk

If you have any comments about this blog (whether you are a new fresher or an older student) then feel free to have your say!

Volunteers Needed!

Are you around in Birmingham?

Fancy helping out in a really worthwhile scheme that will help both the environment and your fellow students?

The University is extending its successful Re-Use scheme this year and is looking for volunteers over the next week to help it meet a very tight deadline.

Re-Use is basically where students leaving halls can leave stuff behind (pots, pans, lights, books etc etc) for next year's students to use for free!

It's a brilliant scheme because not only does it help the environment by reducing needless waste, but it's also a great way to kit out students who perhaps cannot afford some of the items, or as international students have no way of packing them on the plane.

SO if you fancy volunteering a few hours of your time this coming week (days or evenings, one shift or many, it's up to you) then just email Andrea at a.west@bham.ac.uk. She'll be thrilled to hear from you!

P.S. I'm forcing the Guild officers to put in some time as well!

xEd/.

Weekly Report: Week 5

In my weekly blogs i try to keep you updated on all that i have done (both big and small) over the last seven days.

I've been told that my weekly blogs are a bit drawn out, so by way of injecting some excitement, i'll use my weekly blogs to talk about more routine stuff, and anything i especially want you to notice will get its own blog post. If you want to be linked to my blog at all (perhaps you write a relevant blog of your own) then just get in touch!

This Week i:

- Went to Rome for the bank holiday weekened. Hot and Historical, just how i like it.

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- Answered LOADS of queries from Freshers and their parents about their new halls of residence. Many felt very angry about where they were allocated, or were very worried about certain aspects of university life. Thank you to everyone who has gotten in touch, it's been really rewarding talking to you and in some cases getting drunken texts from you at 3 am, or compliments on how sexy my voice sounds down the phone (you know who you are!).

- Continued planning for Welcome Week. This included shortlisting for Hall Ambassador recruitment (you'll hear over the next few days if your application was successful), writing training for all student staff involved in running Welcome Week, writing a welcome email to every new student coming to Birmingham, discussing what happens if Swine Flu strikes us all down and finally, working out whether introducing Fabian to the masses on the first night by way of a Zip-Wire entrance is actually feasible (no decision made).

- Went on a detailed tour of Pritchatts Park and Jarratt Hall with hall management. This was extremely useful for an ex-Tennis Courter like me, as it showed me that there is life byond the Vale, and in fact the Vale could learn a thing or two from the other villages. Certainly as a Guild there is a lot more we need to do to engage non-Vale residents, and i've come away with some new ideas for how to make that happen. For those of you looking to move in to Pritchatt's Park or Jarratt Hall i'm happy to report that all refurbishment and cleaning is currently on schedule, and for those in Pritchatts you are about to get a brand new laundry room (that takes any change not just pound coins), new vending machines and a cash machine (though it's a charging one unfortunately).

- Attended numerous meetings and negotiations (which will continue all next week) about the RA SLA (Residents' Association Service Level Agreement). Essentially this is the deal between the Guild and the University that, in return for receiving a portion of money from every student's hall fees, the Guild will run the RA programme. In essence, the SLA is the RA's very reason for existence, and as such it's vital that we are able to renew the agreement to ensure that RAs continue to represent students in halls and build a strong community atmosphere. Agreement renewal may not be sexy, but it's VERY important.

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- Had detailed meetings with key Guild staff about campaigns i want to run this year. This involved discussions on our approach to halls fees, community wardens and dealing with angry locals!

That's all for now folks, as ever any questions just get in touch!

Weekly Report: Week 4

In my weekly blogs i try to keep you updated on all that i have done (both big and small) over the last seven days.

This week has been fairly frustrating in that it's been filled up with all sorts of little bits and pieces (often having nothing to do with Housing or Community issues) that meant i could never really sit down and focus on something properly. However it's also been an incredibly useful week, with Welcome Week just around the corner there are a million different things we have to get sorted before the students land.

This week i:

- Introduced the brand new SHAC manager (Jessica) to the Guild, the University and of course, Selly Oak! The SHAC (our brand new Guild based lettings agent) is designed to offer students decent quality houses without all the extra fees, exploitation and panic that is so common at the moment. I'm really keen to make sure that buying a house is an enjoyable experience that students don't regret after they've signed on the dotted line. The SHAC is one way to achieve this. I'm also keen to start giving talks in halls of residence around selling season telling them quite simply not to panic. It's incredible how artificially high rent rates are around November/December, especially given that Selly Oak never runs out of houses!

- Became a model! Those of you that know me won't find this at all suprising (what with my rugged good looks), but i have to say it came as quite a shock when i was (alongside other Guild staff) asked to model the UoB clothing range for the new Guild clothing store... Zest!

Opening in September, Zest is going to have an urban feel, selling clothing and gifts (including University branded items) to students on campus. I'm especially proud of it, as Katie and I were lucky enough to win the bidding competition that resulted in the name Zest! Think sharp, suave and edgy!

- Began the process of job evaluation in the Guild. Without boring you too much, the Guild employs 60 core staff and over 300 student staff. The appraisal and evaluation structure is outdated and in urgent need of reviewing. It's going to be a long drawn out process, but should hopefully make things simpler in the future.

- Have started the drive to recruit volunteers for the Birmingham Half Marathon! Fancy being a race marshall on an internationally covered event? Fancy a free Adidas tracksuit? Fancy the experience? Check out www.birminghamhalfmarathon.com/volunteers!

- Continued extensive Welcome Week preparations. This included planning and writing Freshers Crew training and working out arrangements for moving in to halls. It also involved a ridiculous amount of time trying to research a polar bear costume...

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- Met with Lesley Stewart (head of Accomodation at the University) to discuss issues that may arise during this term. Items on the agenda included halls fees, moving in weekend and how best to make use of student enthusiasm to help those less fortunate in the surrounding area. Edgbaston in particular, for all its reputation as an affluent area has many social problems that we as students can help to address.

- Held an important meeting with FOCSOC (Freshers Off Campus Society) to discuss their plans for the coming year. FOCSOC is technically an RA, but its remit is much wider, serving anybody studying at Birmingham but not living in Uni accomodation in their first year (ie living either at home or in private houses). As such it's hugely important that FOCSOC hits the ground running during Welcome Week, scooping up as many home students as possible so as to make sure that nobody misses out on the 'university experience' just because they don't live in halls. Look out for their stall during Welcome Week, and if you are a home student just email me and i'll send you a sign up form. Don't miss out!

Until next week...

xEd/.

Weekly Report: Week 2

In my weekly blogs i try to keep you updated with all that i have done (both big and small) over the last seven days.

It's been a strange few days, my first full week in the office. I feel settled now and keen to get going, but with the building so eerily deserted during August, we have to find all sorts of ways to keep ourselves energised. With Fabian, Tom and Brigid away on NUS training this week, office pranking was definitely on the agenda. That's all i can say for now but look out for pictures on Monday!

This week i...

Attended about a million meetings relating to RAs (Residents Associations - Hall Committees) and how they are financed next term. At the end of the week i'm relieved to report that we now have a concrete plan in place to make sure RAs will be able to access the funds they need to ensure that everybody moving in to halls settles in happily and safely (well done everybody who sat through that meeting!). I'm also paying close attention to new plans for RAs to sell tickets for their events on a new Guild of Students ticket-selling website, which is an exciting idea but one that must be carefully calibrated to make sure RAs still have that all important face to face contact with their residents.

Incidentally we're looking for a new name for the fortnightly meeting currently known as the RA Development Working Party, where we make decisions on matters arising from RAs.

I'm looking for a name with a funny acronym. Any suggestions welcome. Current front runner is Committee for Residents Association Procedures. ;)

Began planning for a big community day on Selly Park on October 11th to tie in with the Birmingham Half Marathon (which this year is also the World Half-Marathon with elite runners from across the globe!). This year the race goes right through Selly Oak (Bournbrook & Raddlebarn Roads) and we really want to make a big thing of it so that we can a) Give students a great day out, b) Improve relations with the local community and c) Get on TV! Any ideas/plans are more than welcome.

Also, if you want to volunteer to marshal the race or get involved in a huge number of organisational roles, just email either myself or the lovely Katie Ford (your VP Sport - k.ford@guild.bham.ac.uk) for more info!

Wrote a detailed campaign plan for my crusade against extortionate halls of residence fees. It may seem a little premature but preparation is everything. Without giving too much away, the plan calls for three things; evidence gathering, lobbying and (if necessary) a visible campaign involving direct action. I'll be showing this plan to key players in the Guild so that we can all make sure that this is a viable campaign, one that students want, and one that can genuinely change the student experience for the better.

Met with the Vale Village management to discuss our plans for the coming year. I've known Alison Mear (Vale Manager) and Debbie Grant (Hub Manager) from my own days as an RA and it was really good to catch up with them. For those of you who don't know, there are significant refurbishment works on the Vale at the moment encompassing Aitken Wing (new kitchens/bathrooms) and Tennis Courts (refurbishment of blocks 18 and 19 and new swipe card access to Centre Court).

Other items on the agenda include recycling, crime and welcome week.There was also a chat about RA office space (no luck there guys i'm afraid - i'll keep trying!).

To finish... here is a picture of Tom Guise (your Vice-President Democracy & Resources) looking quite stupid.
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As ever, email me whenever you like!
xEd/.

About Me...

Hi there!

Here is a little information about me. Remember, if you ever want to get in touch with me, please feel free to do so. I promise i'll get back to you, and even visit if you like!

In a nutshell...

I'm 21 years old and i'm in my third year studying history and politics here in Brum.
I'm British, but have only spent half my life living here, and have spent the rest living all over the world in Turkey, Thailand, Indonesia and South Africa.

When i have some spare time (not often!) i love to travel, but not to the usual places. I like to go where people think i'd be crazy to go (D.R. Congo, Kosovo and Syria this year!). I find these places a lot more interesting and really eye opening. I also like to watch movies and go surfing (no joke!).

At Uni...

In my first year i lived in Tennis Courts on the Vale. Encouraged by all the new people i had met, i decided to run for President of the Tennis Courts RA (Resident's Association). I won, and that was the start of all my involvement in the Guild and the wider student movement.
Tennis Courts was a fantastic place to live but suffered from a lack of community and serious neglect by Vale management. Myself and the rest of the RA committee set about trying to turn Tennis Courts into a place where people would forever be glad they lived, and wouldn't wish they'd gone to a different hall. I believe we succeeded, having sold out of every event and created some incredible memories, my personal favourite being the huge paddling pools we bought in for summer!

What was most rewarding about being an RA, however, was taking the many issues people had with their hall and trying to present their case to the Uni and campaign for real change. During my year as an RA, our committee secured CCTV coverage for all of Tennis Courts, a maintenance 'blitz' by Vale management and... finally... some new washing machines for the laundry room. It may sound a little petty, but these changes make a real difference to residents there even today. This ability to change things for the better is one of the main reasons why i ran for VPHC (who has overall responsibility for all RAs).

During my first year i also became a Guild Councillor and an NUS delegate, and i tried to use these positions to continue to fight for better. Some of my motions put forward to Guild Council include a proposal to reform the 'Hub Grub' catering system, which literally makes thousands of pounds worth of student cash disapper unspent at the end of every week and a plan calling for a review of the Guild's contract with Falcon Taxis, in the light of numerous reports of rip-offs and some more serious abuses.

In my second year i became the Vice President (External) for Carnival RAG, the Uni's Raising & Giving society. Basically, Carnival puts on loads of different events to try and make money for local charities. As VP Ex, i was in charge of organising and overseeing the Carnage Bar Crawl and Enigma Mystery Bus Trips, as well as other smaller events. It was stressful but i loved it, and together the whole Carnival committee raised over 50,000 pounds for charity, more than double the previous year.

In my third year i've carried on being a Guild Councillor and NUS delegate, but my biggest job was to temporarily become an RA President again for QHC (Queen's Hospital Close). For some reason, the Uni had completely overbooked itself, so despite the fact the QHC was not meant to be used again by the Uni, freshers were forced to move there without knowing anything about it (it wasn't even in their application literature). As such, there were loads of fairly distressed new students moving in who didn't have a clue what they were meant to do when they arrived. Even though i took over with only a week's notice, the rest of the committee were amazing and we managed to get everyone moved in and enjoying freshers week. QHC also gave me experience running a very different hall. It was small, not part of the Vale and not run centrally by the Uni. It was working with residents here that started me off wanting the VPHC job, as i knew that i really loved working with any hall, and for any resident, and that i had the experience to do a great job.

Since then i've continued to be involved, and was recently caught chanting down a megaphone at our 'Reduce Halls Fees' protest march on campus. I've loved my time at Uni and whatever hapens this year i know i've made some small differences. But now it's my job to go about making some big ones!



Thanks for reading!