University of Plymouth Students' Union

Executive Officers

Link to Exec site

The UPSU Executive Officers or 'Sabbatical Officers' are elected in March and decide the day-to-day running of the union. The Sabbatical Team consists of six full-time officers who have recently graduated as students from the University. Each has their own remit and they also provide academic and national representation for Plymouth students.

The Executive Officers Team for 2015/2016

President - Ruth Titmuss

Union Executive Committee (UEC) & student forums

The Union Executive Committee, formerly student Parliament, is made up of 15 elected Forum Chairs and the 6 elected Executive Officers, and is also attended by the Chief Executive and staff support members. The Chair of the Accountability Board also attends these meetings, to observe and ensure that they are taking place in a fair and democratic manner. The UEC is in place to make important decisions that effect the student body and ensure that the wide diversity of the student body is fairly represented in these decisions.

Student Forums

As well as sitting on Each of the 15 elected forum chairs also runs their own forum All of the Forums are open for anyone to go along to and take part in discussions, however there are 4 "Liberation Forums", that you would need to identify as a member of that group to vote in Forum decisions. the accountability forum however is only open to elected members, its job is to hold, all members of UEC to account.

List of UPSU student Forums: Environment & Sustainability; Faith & Belief Forum; Global Students; Mature Students; Postgraduate; Societies; Sports; Welfare; Partner Institutions; LGBT; Women's; Volunteering; Accountability;

Facilities

The student union was refurbished in summer 2014. The main union building is mostly underground; its top bar is known as burst bar serving smoothies, juices and teas adjacent to this is the 'Zig-Zag' bar . at the top of the SU is the lounge selling Costa coffee and sandwiches; below this is 'Illusion' which has a dance floor and pool tables, and is sometimes used for private events. Down from 'Illusion' is the main bar, known as 'Sub:Lime' which is where most of the union's events take place: it has a dance floor with DJ booth and projectors. In 2010 the union's bar won first place in the National Union of Students' Best Bar None competition, which assesses how bars manage student safety.

Attached to the main building on the first floor is an advice centre, open weekdays between 10am and 3pm. It offers to UPSU members a range of free and confidential advice, including financial and academic advice.

The union has two shops on campus, U:Shop, opposite the library, sells goods such as milk and snacks, while on the over side, by the library entrance, is Chunk the pasty outlet

The student union also has an accommodation service, located inside it opposite the hive.

Societies and sports clubs

The union supports societies and sports clubs, which are by an elected committee from the clubs' membership. Any student can set up a society.

Sports teams are supported by the union and the university and represent the university.

Volunteering and fundraising

The Volunteering and fundraising departments are situated in "The Hive", at the south of the building. Volunteering opportunities range from mentoring with Cybermentors, helping with upkeep of the Monkey Sanctuary in Looe, Cornwall to helping run projects in a local Plymouth school.

Rag week in February each year aims to raise both awareness of and money for charity. Events have included include a pizza eating contest, endurance, bake sales, mile of pennies, city and campus raids, pyjama day, treasure hunts, pool contests and karaoke.

Events

The union holds weekly and monthly events, and special events throughout the year. At the end of the welcome weeks each year the 'Freshers Ball' is open to all students; and the annual 'Summer Ball', which also includes food stalls, a fairground, a midnight cinema, headphone disco and a 'survivors' breakfast, has a number of stages and guest acts.

Notable Events

UPSU Summer Ball

The union's largest event is held annually at the end of the academic year (May). As well as having a number of stages and guest acts, the event usually has food stalls, a fair ground; casino (non-monetary); inflatables and various other entertainment Past acts have included: Professor Green, Flux Pavilion, Ella Eyre, The VengaboysYou Me at Six, Katy B and Noah and the Whale

Music

The Union holds a weekly open mic event every Thursday called 'Jam House' encouraging students and locals from the community to perform. as well as this larger local bands are encouraged to play for special headlining gigs such as Moriarty and Land of the giants. Jam house also invited George the Poet to perform and had a visit from BBC introducing Devon

Over the years there have been performances from many acts, including The Darkness, Enter Shikari, DJ Fresh, The Wurzels, Reel Big Fish, Bowling for Soup Pendulum, Dizzee Rascal, Frank Turner, The Hoosiers, Ben Howard, Weetus, Dj Fresh.

Partner colleges

Over 10,000 students do not study at the main Plymouth campus but at partner colleges. All Higher Education students on University of Plymouth courses at these colleges are automatically members of the UPSU and representatives are available at the larger colleges which, as of 2011, are City College Plymouth, Petroc, Somerset College of Arts and Technology, South Devon College, and Truro and Penwith College.