Open University Students Association

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**Open University Students Association**

Established	1977
Institution	Open University
President	Lisa Carson
Location	Milton Keynes, England
Members	c. 180,000
Affiliated to	None
Homepage	OUSA homepage

The Open University Students Association is the equivalent of a students' union for the Open University, and is often referred to as OUSA.

1 Facilities
2 Structure
3 Communications
4 Controversy
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Facilities

As the Open University is a distance learning university, the Students Association does not have the scope to provide year-round bars, shops and other facilities to its members that other students unions do. However, it does provide an online shop which sells past Open University exam papers and branded merchandise. Most social interaction between students takes place online, or within the Association's regions and branches.

The Association usually has a presence at open days, graduation ceremonies and residential schools.

[edit] Structure

The Association is governed by an annual conference and a national executive committee. The members of the executive committee are elected by conference. (Section 22(9) of the Education Act 1994 exempts the Association from the usual requirement that this election is done by a secret ballot of all members). The executive committee manages the Association's affairs between conferences.

The Association is organised into sixteen regions:

London Region
South Region
South West Region
West Midlands Region
East Midlands Region
East of England Region
Yorkshire Region
North West Region
North Region
Wales Region
Scotland Region
Northern Ireland Region
South East Region
Northern Europe Region
Ireland Region
Southern Europe Region

Within each region are a number of branches. Branches hold an annual general meeting, and many also hold regular social events, such as monthly meetings in a local pub, to provide students with - often rare - opportunities to meet fellow students. However at any one time most of the branches will be totally inactive.

[edit] Communications

Branches send up to three newsletters to OUSA members in their area each year giving information on any branch news and events. Regions send one.

In addition, the Association publishes The OU Student, which is incorporated in the University's own newspaper, Sesame.

The Association as a whole makes extensive use of FirstClass conferences.

[edit] Controversy

In June 2007, then President John Orchard, 48, was forced to resign following exposure in The Sun newspaper as a convicted paedophile. Orchard served a 6 month jail sentence in 2001 for indecently assaulting a 13 year old schoolboy^[1]. As a result of his resignation the position of President has been taken over by Lisa Carson, with Laura Murphy taking the post of Deputy President. Orchard was an active OUSA member based in the Southampton area.