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 £2 million, around half of which results from the Union's commercial services. 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.[1]
[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. [1]
[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.[1]
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 continuing 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. Last year the organisation raised over £600,000 for both local and national charities. Colin Govier is the current Rag Chair, born in Barnsley in 1982, he has been involved with Rag for 5 years firstly as Telford Hall Rag Rep before taking on the role of Rag Events Cordinator and then Vice Chair before winning a campus wide election to become Rag Chair.
[edit] Media
The media centre 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 and is run by an annually elected sabbatical officer.
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. Again, the publication is edited by an annually elected sabbatical officer.
[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:
2001: Gentlemen's Relish
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 Insurance, Nicholas J Humphreys letting agent, Blackwell's bookshop, Barclays and NatWest. As well as an opticians, pharmacist, hair salon, taxi base, computer shop and general student shop. During the daytime 'JC's Bar' and the 'Ritazza' cafe are open for food and drink and 'The Piazza' (which contains Ritazza) 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 featuring a lightup dance floor, a full spec DJ booth, large bar, and a darker 'urban' feel Refitted in 1999. 'JC's', a bar/pub dedicated to the sporting achievements of Loughborough open throughout the day, with seating and pool tables. And 'Bar1' and 'Room 1' a fully equipped high capacity auditorium with raised stage, massive dance floor and balcony, with top notch lighting, sound, and visual equipment and three independent bars. Which hosts the majority of the unions larger events and was renovated and extended in the summer of 2005 by the 'Ministry of Sound'.
Upstairs is this a newly renovated (summer 2006) club named 'Fusion', which is fitted out to a light and cheerful theme, sporting lightup walls, moving lights and mirrors, a large dance floor, as well a small stage, and seating area, with two bars names 'Fusion' and 'Fusion'. Which with the a adjoining bar 'FusionZero' (Briefly 'Lava', previously 'Bocca') operates as a main room on certain nights, and a secondary room on others. Including hosting the unions Acoustic night 'The lounge' every Monday. And 'Sin' every Sunday.
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 the larger and most popular nights. Along with 'Stupid Tuesday' on Tuesday, and the unions Indie/Rock/Metal night on Thursday.
[edit] Recent Bands
Recent bands to perform at LSU include;
- Electric 6
- American Hi-Fi
- The Editors
- Ash
- The Kooks
- Bowling for Soup
- The Bravery
- Big Brovas
- The Feeling
- Orson
- Goldie Looking Chain
- [Spunge]
- The Venga Boys
- Pendulum
- Capdown
- Liberty X
- The Automatic
- Wheatus
- We are Scientists
- DJ Luck Mc Neat & Artful Dodger
- Captain
- The Young Knives
- BeWitched
As well as DJ sets from;
- Sara Cox
- Westwood
- Scott Mills
- Bloc Party
- Fearne Cotton
- Steve Lamacq
[edit] March 2007 shooting
On the 11th of March 2007 a shooting incident occurred at around 2.45am following a music event at the university. A 21-year-old student at the university, who was employed as security staff at the event, received gunshot wounds to his abdomen and was taken to hospital where his condition was not believed to be life threatening.
Six others were also injured during what was described as a scuffle that broke out after CS gas was sprayed following the event. [2]
[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
- Lufbra.net - LBoroSU, Loughborough Students Union Homepage.
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c d http://lufbra.net/clubs_RenderPage.asp?clubid=4844&pageid=18087 Loughborough Students' Union, President's pages, A bit of history!!, accessed 20 June 2006
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/leicestershire/6438939.stm
