Newcastle University Union Society
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| Motto | Mens Agitat Molem |
|---|---|
| Established | c.1970 (merger of the JUS and the SRC) |
| Institution | Newcastle University |
| President | Adam McGinty |
| Other Sabbatical Officers | VP Student Support: Sophie Nicolaysen, VP Democracy & Training: Alice Wainwright, VP Activities: Julia Moore, Editor of The Courier: Jennie Gundill, Athletic Union President: Anthony Keane |
| Location | Kings Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, England |
| Members | c. 17,800 |
| Affiliated to | National Union of Students, Aldwych Group, British Universities Sports Association |
| Homepage | http://www.unionsociety.co.uk |
The Newcastle University Union Society is the students' union of Newcastle University, in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It aims to represent students' interests at the university.
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[edit] History
The Union Society as it is today was born out of the merger of several earlier student organisations.
The earliest of these was the ‘Union Society’, the first record of which is in the 1893 Calendar of the Durham College of Science, Newcastle upon Tyne. The Union Society as it was, dealt almost solely with student societies and entertainment. Governed by a Union Management Committee comprised of President (in the Chair), the Lady President, two Vice Presidents (one male, one female) and the Secretary, members of staff from King’s College, including the Bursar, and the Society Steward, this structure in some form remained until well into the 1950s.
The Students’ Representative Council (SRC), formed in 1900 to represent all students in matters of policy and to the Board of Professors, remained a separate entity until 1981-82 when it merged with the Union Society.
With the construction of the current Union building in 1925, the care of the building was vested in a separate Board of Trustees, appointed by the University Council. The Trustees are responsible for maintaining the fabric of the original building but also play a role as scrutinisers of constitutional changes and as channels of appeal in certain matters.
[edit] Building
Unlike the majority of other students' unions in the UK, the Union Society owns the building in which it is housed. The Union building - the centre for students' administrative, social and leisure activities - was built in 1924 following a generous gift from, at the time anonymous, but now widely known to be Sir Cecil Cochrane, a major benefactor to the University.[1] It is built in the neo-Jacobean style and was designed by the local architect Robert Burns Dick, whose firm designed the Laing Art Gallery, the towers of the Tyne Bridge and Spanish City in Whitley Bay. It was opened on the 22nd October 1925 by the Rt. Hon. Lord Eustace Percy, who was later to serve as Rector of King's College from 1937 to 1952.
The building has 5 floors:
[edit] 2nd Floor
On the Second Floor there is the Global Cafe, Entertainments Office, the studio from which NSR FM (Newcastle Student Radio) is broadcast, Management Offices, 3 Sabbatical Officer's Offices and the General Office.
[edit] 1st Floor
The First Floor is home to the MLK Cafe, Job Shop Student Advice Centre, Committee and Function Rooms as well the Print Shop and a hairdressers and an Endsleigh Insurance Office.
[edit] Ground Floor
On this floor is the main entrance, main reception, Mens (from Latin meaning mind) Bar, Cochrane Lounge and the Officers for The Courier, the student newspaper.
[edit] Lower Ground Floor
This is home to the cloak room and shop.
[edit] Bassment
This floor is home to two food outlets and is the largest venue in the building.
[edit] Structure
The Union Society is run by 6 sabbatical officers and approximately 11 part time unpaid officers.
The officers report to the Union Council which is the 'parliament' of the Union Society and is made up of: The Officers, Society and Club Representatives, Sub Council Representatives and University School Representatives.
Most of the officers sit on the executive committee which can be likened to the Cabinet. This meets once a week usually.
[edit] Events
Solution is the Union's regular student night, open only to NUS members and their guests. This takes place on a Friday night in the building. It has previously been named Positive or, circa 2001, due to the warm nature of the Bassment, the originally-derogatory term of "Sweatpit".
[edit] Notes
- ^ Bettenson, E: "The University of Newcastle upon Tyne : a historical introduction, 1834-1971". University of Newcastle upon Tyne, 1971. ISBN 0900565322
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