University College London Union

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University College London Union

Established	1893
Institution	University College London
Location	Gordon Street, London
Affiliated to	Aldwych Group, National Union of Students
Homepage	uclunion.org

University College London Union, founded in 1893, has a credible claim to be England's oldest students' union.^[1] It was formed with the following objectives: "the promotion of social intercourse and of the means of recreation, physical and mental, of the students of University College, and the financial successes of students' clubs". UCL Union was the first of its kind as it was formed for both athletics clubs and social activities alike.

Since its formation, the Union has taken on responsibility for many aspects of student life. Events for example were seen as a key element hence the establishment of an Ents Committee. The student magazine Pi (then known as the Gazette) was formed a few years later and the Somers Town sports venue was also acquired.

UCL Union is affiliated to the National Union of Students.

Contents 1 Organisation 1.1 Clubs and Societies 2 Events 3 Campaigns 3.1 2008 Banning of Armed Forces recruitment 4 Sabbatical Officers 4.1 Current 4.2 Elect 2009-10 4.3 Past officers 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Organisation

Student Development is at the heart of the work the Union does today. UCL Union runs over 170 clubs and societies for its members. It runs commercial services including ten bars, cafés and two shops, a fitness centre. UCL students, through the Union has nine weeks free access to put on student shows and events in the UCL-owned professionally run Bloomsbury Theatre.

The Union's sports clubs have access to several different venues including Astor College Gym, Bloomsbury Fitness, the Somers Town Sports Centre and the 100-acre (0.40 km²) Shenley Sports grounds, which Watford Football Club rent for training purposes.

UCLU provides support to students through Jobshop and the Rights & Advice Centre, and has a highly active Voluntary Services Unit, providing volunteering opportunities for over 250 students a year.

As well as magazine "Pi", the Union's media output includes the radio station Rare FM, the "alternative" magazine The Cheese Grater and a number of smaller publications. The University of London Union's newspaper, London Student, is also distributed at UCL Union, as UCL is one of the University of London's constituent colleges.

[edit] Clubs and Societies

UCL has numerous clubs and societies, catering to a range of interests, which include, sports, film, drama, martial arts, politics and degree-subjects. The UCL Union Debating Society, founded in 1828, is the one of the oldest debating society in England, the Oxford Union is older, similarly the UCL Conservative Society is possibly the oldest student political society. The UCL Union Jewish Society is among the most active Jewish student groups in the UK, representing what constitutes the largest proportion of Jewish students on any campus in the UK; additionally, the UCL Union Christian Union is one of the largest in the city, whilst the UCL Union Islamic Society is amongst the largest in the country. Each year UCL stages an opera, despite its lack of a music department. UCOpera receives considerable national press coverage.

[edit] Events

Following the introduction of a new Events Department at UCL Union in late 2006, UCL Union has successfully developed an extensive events programme. The Union now runs different events and promotions in its own bars six nights a week and they have also lengthened their opening hours to 2am in the morning on certain nights.

Monday night: 99's promotions (a range of 99p drinks available until 9pm). Tuesday night: Live Music - various different events including Jazz Jammin (Jazz/Blues/Funk - open jam), Popaganda (Indy/Alt), Retribution (Rock/Metal), UCLive (varied), EasyJams (Open Mic) and the Annual Battle of the Bands. Wednesday night: Sports Night - Bar £1.50 Thursday night: Cocktails - cheap cocktails, with a 2-4-1 happy hour, and Pub Quiz Friday Night: The Exchange (Drinking stock exchange game). Saturday night: Double Vision - Karaoke and Bar £1.50.

These are all based in the main Gordon Street Bars, but the Medics bar on Huntley Street has its own range of events to add to all of this, including Ministry of Comedy every other Week on Wednesday, and 'Thank RUMs its Friday' on, well Fridays!

In 2007, UCL Union dramatically increased the amount of events they hosted in external venues by creating their "VODPOP" brand @ Turnmills and later followed by "Club Neon" @ Heaven. Both have now moved Venue with Vodpop successfully relaunching itself at Pacha after a brief stint at Scala, and Club Neon currently poised to move to an exciting new Venue after a one off fling at the Arches. The Union also makes extensive use of external clubs for one off events such as the Winter Ball, and has to date held events in Egg, Scala, Ministry of Sound, Heaven, Turnmills, Koko and Pacha among others.

[edit] Campaigns

[edit] 2008 Banning of Armed Forces recruitment

In March 2008, a motion^[2] was passed during the Union's Annual General Meeting to ban Armed Forces groups and societies including the Officer Training Corps (OTC) and University Royal Naval Unit (URNU) from operating within UCLU locations and events.^[3] This action made headlines in the British national press, partly due to an unrelated issue at the time where RAF personnel in Peterborough had been ordered not to wear uniform off-site for fear of aggression from members of the public.

As a result of controversy surrounding the meeting, some of the Union's sabbatical officers and management 'suspended' the Union's General Secretary and declared results of Annual General Meeting invalid.^[4][5] Through a subsequent motion passed through the Union's governing body, Union Council, the suspension of the General Secretary was declared void and over-turned and the decisions made at the Annual General Meeting were ratified.^[4][6] The Sabbatical team who were responsible for suspending the General Secretary were mandated by the Union to issue a public apology to the General Secretary for their actions in the same motion.^[7]

The ban was subsequently overturned at an AGM held on 27 February 2009.^[8]

[edit] Sabbatical Officers

[edit] Current

Position	Office	Name
Communications and Services Officer	2008-2009	Charlie Clinton
Education Officer	2008-2009	Edward Steward
Finance & Democracy Officer	2008-2009	Nathanael Macdonald
Medical and Postgraduate Students' Officer	2008-2009	Billy Street
Student Activities Officer	2008-2009	Jennifer Currigan
Welfare Officer	2008-2009	Kate Rowley

[edit] Elect 2009-10

Position	Office	Name
Communications and Services Officer	2009-2010	Grace Barnett
Education Officer	2009-2010	Josh Blacker
Finance & Democracy Officer	2009-2010	Andrew Caddy
Medical and Postgraduate Students' Officer	2009-2010	Shawn Sherwin Williams
Student Activities Officer	2009-2010	James Hodgson
Welfare Officer	2009-2010	Nicki Challinger

[edit] Past officers

This table uses the 2000–2008 officer titles.

Year of office	Education & Welfare Officer	Finance & Administration Officer	Medical Students & Sites Officer	Media & Communications Officer	Clubs, Societies & Student Development Officer	Services & Events Officer
2007-2008	Andrew Fernando	Jim Hunkin (Acting, following resignation of Dominic Tarn)	Jules Mazowiecki	Sean Clothier	Steve Whittle	Olivia Alford
2006-2007	Ed Bray (Resigned)	Mark Littler (Resigned)	Eleanor Fletcher	Nick Barnard	Robbie Swale	Zoë Davies
2005-2006	Mary-Beth Young	Lucy Gould	Luke Yahanpath	Alan Gardner	Natasha Davis	Ben Williamson
2004-2005	David Renton	Victoria Green	Vishali Thakrar	Alex Walsh	Liz Oglesby	Steven Healer
2003-2004	Alex Coles	Sinan Rabee	Amy Hansen	Andreas von Maltzahn	Alex Lal	Alastair Boyle
2002-2003	Nigel Harris	Ben McMechan	Rob Farag	Pete Huggins	Frank Penter	Angi Bholé
2001-2002	Ursula Brown	Simon Luscombe	Dan Gibbons	Celia Parkyn	Sarah Chapman	Rachel Stone
2000-2001	Dan Ozarow	Rob Fear	Brian Hogan	Laura Emson	Felicity Espley	Nick Lovatt

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• UCL Union web site

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