Established 1971 Affiliations NUS, BUCS | Members ~28,000 | |
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Motto Join In, Speak Up, Be More Institution University of the West of England Location U Block, UWE Frenchay Campus, Coldharbour Lane, Bristol, UK | ||
The Students' Union at UWE, formerly UWE Students' Union, is the students' union of the University of the West of England. Formerly known as Bristol Polytechnic Students' Union (BPSU), and founded in 1971, it changed name in 1992, in line with the parent institution becoming a university. The union affiliates with the NUS.
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The union has a turnover of over £5 million per annum. It operates representational and support services, including a jobs agency for students, a student advice centre and various bars and shops across Frenchay, Bower Ashton and Glenside campuses. The union also run an annual freshers' fair, the largest of its kind in the country.
In Summer of 2015, the union moved to a new purpose built building, with a new bar and coffee shop, and new space to support student engagement and activities.
Structure
The Students' Union is led by 5 full-time officers: President, Vice President Education, Vice President Sport and Health, Vice President Community and Welfare, and Vice President Societies and Communication. There are also a number of part-time unpaid officers, who, alongside the presidents, form the Executive Committee, whilst also acting as another point of contact for students. The Students' Union elections are run in March every year for all officer roles. This year's presidents are:
The Students' Union runs various committees to decide on various union matters. These committees include: Student Representative Committee, Sports Conference, and Societies Conference. Committee meetings are chaired by their respective presidents at least three times a year, and are the highest-level decision making body before the Annual General Meeting, which all students may attend.
The union also has a board of trustees, which contains all full-time Officers, two student trustees and five external trustees. The Board acts on behalf of the union with the ultimate responsibility for the strategic direction and financial well-being of the organisation.
Facilities and activities
While largely based at the university's main Frenchay campus, there are site offices at the Bower Ashton, Glenside and Gloucester campuses. The Students' Union also operates facilities such as bars and shops at the Frenchay, Bower Ashton, and Glenside sites, with the intention of providing students with better value for money, and as a platform for developing social programmes.
While The Students' Union has a primary role in representing student interests, it also seeks to provide extracurricular opportunities for its members, which are aimed at enriching student experiences and responsibilities. For example, there is a strong commitment to encouraging volunteer work among the student community. The union also provides a wide range of activities for students to participate, including student-led Sports Clubs, Societies, and Charity Groups. Sports clubs and societies can also compete with teams from the University of Bristol in the annual Varsity Series competition between the two universities.
The Students' Union has a long history of organising events and entertainment for its members. The popular "Lock-In" event is held on Tuesday nights, with special events such as live music and comedy run regularly.
WesternEye
WesternEye is an independent student newspaper supported by The Students' Union. The paper was created and run by an in-house team of students and regularly produce newspapers on campus and online content.
Hub Radio
Hub Radio is the student radio station for UWE, and launched in its current format in September 2004. The station is run by students and is a member of the Student Radio Association.
Hub Radio is currently broadcast in North Bristol on 1449AM and online on their website.