Loughborough Students' Union
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| Motto | Better Student Life |
|---|---|
| Established | 1975 |
| Institution | Loughborough University, Loughborough College, RNIB College Loughborough |
| President | Gemma Godfrey |
| Location | Ashby Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, UK |
| Members | 20,000 |
| Affiliated to | NUS, BUSA |
| Homepage | www.lufbra.net |
Loughborough Students' Union (otherwise known as LSU) is the students' union serving members from Loughborough University, Loughborough College and the RNIB College Loughborough.
The Union is unusual (if not unique) in English universities, in that its premises are owned by the students themselves. The union building sits in the North-Eastern corner of the campus, and consists of two floors.
LSU employs 300 students, out of a staff of 400, and has an annual budget of around GBP1.6 million, around half of which results from the Union's commercial services.[1] The Union is managed on a day to day basis by the Executive, with scrutiny from Union Council.
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[edit] History
Loughborough Students' Union was founded in 1975 following the resolution of a dispute arising from the disparate nature of education in Loughborough. Its founder president was David Dixon who held the position in 1975-76.
[edit] The Union of Loughborough Colleges
Established as an umbrella body to represent the students of Loughborough College of Technology, Loughborough College of Education, Loughborough Training College and Loughborough College of Art and Design, The Union of Loughborough Colleges operated from Rutland Lodge. Over the first half of the 20th century the ULC acquired land which has continued to place its successor unions in a unique position.
[edit] Loughborough University of Technology Students Union
With the splitting of Loughborough College in 1965, and the College of Technology's subsequent application for University status, LUTSU was created to represent the students of the University. At the time the legislation which enabled the creation of the University was understood to require an autonomous Union. LUTSU was created with the approval of Loughborough University of Technology's Royal Charter by the Privy Council in 1966.
LUTSU operated from the Edward Herbert Building (EHB) at the centre of the campus, and hosted concerts with artists such as the Rolling Stones.[1] During the first 3 years of the new institutional arrangements there were various disputes over who owned the land acquired by ULC, which the continuting ULC wanted to sell to fund their own new building. Negotiations lead by the University resolved the dispute in August 1975, when LUTSU and ULC merged to form Loughborough Students' Union.
[edit] Loughborough Students' Union
Following the merger the construction of a new students' union building began, although this project was placed in jeopardy by the liquidation of the building firm employed, almost leaving the building unfinished, however the building was completed and opened by Terry Jones and Michael Palin on 20 February 1979
[edit] Clubs, societies and activities
The students' union is also a centre of activity during the daytime. Along with Loughborough University's numerous sports clubs the union hosts and organises many other activities and societies. There are also clubs for a wide range of other interests. At the beginning of each academic year the Fresher's Bazaar is held to allow students, especially new arrivals, to talk to existing members of these societies and to provide an early opportunity to sign up.
[edit] Loughborough Students' Rag
The Rag office is responsible for organising, encouraging and supporting charity work amongst the union's members, and is among the largest such societies in the UK, regularly generating over a quarter of a million pounds in donations each year.
[edit] Media
The media department is based in a purpose-built media centre, opened in 1999, and is subdivided into 'production outlets' - a student radio station called Loughborough Campus Radio; a student TV station called LSUTV and the Aura recording studios. Working alongside these (although not part of the media department) is Label Magazine, the magazine of Loughborough Students' Union. Evolving from a previous newspaper format (inventively titled "The Newspaper"), Label Magazine was launched in 1997, and is notable for both its editorial independence from the union itself as well as its weekly production cycle.
[edit] Free Fest
Free Fest is an annual free-to-attend outdoor music concert organised by the Union's musicians society, and put on by the Ents Department and Crew which takes place all day on the May Day bank holiday weekend. Free Fest includes a Fringe Festival which takes place on the weekend before May Day, and is a 2 day performance event designed to showcase the best of Loughborough Talent. In 2006 around 10 bands performed at Free Fest, including Carlton Cole and guitarist Dave Rogers. In 2006 Post Fest, an alternative music club night held in Room 1 following the bands, which was originally conceived and run by LSU Rocksoc, was taken over as an official part of the event and featured a wide variety of music from one of LSU's resident DJ's.
Past Freefest Headliners:
2002: Magenta
2003: Disinformation
2004: Love Ends Disaster!
2005: Threadbear
2006: Dual Decay
[edit] Facilities
There are a range of retail outlets in and around the Student Union building, including STA Travel, Endsleigh, Barclays, HSBC and NatWest. During the daytime JC's Bar and Bocca Cafe open for food and drink and The Piazza acts a central meeting place with places to sit and plays host to frequent markets aimed at students.
The first floor incorporates the Administrative parts of the Student's Union, including the Executive Office, and the Clubs and Societies Office, known as SocSpot. Also on located here is Loughborough Students' Advice, the offices of the Athletic Union and the regional office of the National Union of Students
[edit] Entertainment
The ground floor of the Union building consists of three bars, namely Cognito, a completely self-contained nightclub, JC's, a bar dedicated to the sporting achievements of Loughborough, and Bar and Room 1 a fully equipped auditorium, which was renovated in the summer of 2005 by the Ministry of Sound. There is also a newly renovated club named Fusion, with an adjoining bar called Lava, which operates as a main room on certain nights, and a secondary room on others. All the bars can be hired for free by students for 'warm up' parties.
The union building is a popular destination for students seeking night time entertainment - providing numerous bars, dance floors, sitting areas and regular live entertainment. Each night of the week has its own title and style with Friday's FND (Friday Night Disco) and Wednesday's Hey Ewe (the official athletics union night, "Hey Ewe" being a pun on A.U.) being particularly popular.
[edit] See also
- LSUTV - Loughborough Students' Union TV
- Loughborough Campus Radio
- Loughborough International Students Association
- Scogui - Loughborough Students' Scout and Guide Club
[edit] External link
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b http://217.206.205.82/clubs_RenderPage.asp?clubid=4844&pageid=18087 Loughborough Students' Union, President's pages, A bit of history!!, accessed 20 June 2006
