| Motto | Transforming lives through experience |
|---|---|
| Institution | University of Plymouth |
| Location | University of Plymouth, Plymouth Campus, Drake Circus |
| Established | 1992 |
| Members | 30,000+ (estimated) |
| Affiliations | National Union of Students |
| Website | UPSU homepage |
The University of Plymouth Students' Union (UPSU) is based on the University of Plymouth campus, in the Drake Circus area of Plymouth, Devon, England.
With about 30,000 student members it is one of the largest student unions in the UK,[1] and hosts a wide array of events and offers services to all students.
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The UPSU Executive Officers or 'Sabbatical Officers' are elected in February and decide the day-to-day running of the union. The Union Executive Committee consists of five full-time officers who have recently graduated as students from the University. Each has their own remit and they also provide academic and national representation for Plymouth students. The Union Executive Committee for 2011 is:
The main union building is mostly underground. It has a small bar known as 'The Snug' with sofas and 3D televisions. Across from the bar is 'the Lounge' with tables and sofas, and 'the Snack Shack', a fast-food bar selling both eat-in and take-away food. Across from the small bar area is a room known as 'Illusion' which has a dance floor and pool tables, and is sometimes used for private events. Down from 'Illusion' is the main bar, known as 'Sub:Lime' which is where most of the union's events take place: it has a dance floor with DJ booth and projectors. In 2010 the union's bar won first place in the National Union of Students' Best Bar None competition, which assesses how bars manage student safety.[1]
Attached to the main building on the first floor is an advice centre, open weekdays between 10am and 3pm. It offers to UPSU members a range of free and confidential advice, including financial and academic advice, and free pregnancy test kits.
The union has two shops on campus, U:Shop, opposite the library, sells goods such as milk and snacks, while U:Shop2, inside the UPSU building, sells merchandise including university hoodies and gifts.
The union hosts many societies[2] and sports clubs,[3] which any student can join. All sports teams are supported by the union and the university. All sports team members require a Sports Card, available during freshers week and in The Hive, in order to play and represent the university.
The Volunteering department is situated in "The Hive", at the south of the building. In the academic year 2009-2010, around 9,000 hours were given to a variety of volunteering projects, many of which are student led. Volunteering opportunities range from mentoring with Cybermentors, helping with upkeep of the Monkey Sanctuary in Looe, Cornwall to helping run projects in a local Plymouth school.
The union holds weekly and monthly events, and special events throughout the year.[4] The second Tuesday of every month features Comedy Night with some of the best stand-up acts from around the country.
At the end of the welcome weeks each year the 'Freshers Ball' is open to all students; and the annual 'Summer Ball', which also includes food stalls, a fairground, a midnight cinema, headphone disco and a 'survivors' breakfast, has a number of stages and guest acts, which have included The Automatic, Scott Mills, DJ Nihal & Jo Whiley from BBC Radio 1, The King Blues, Bloc Party DJ Set and Diana Vickers.
Rag week in February each year aims to raise both awareness of and money for charity. Events include a pizza eating contest, endurance, bake sales, mile of pennies, city and campus raids, pyjama day, treasure hunts, pool contests and karaoke.
UPSU gets a range of different people to perform and host events in the past these have included events such as:
Star appearances at the SU have included:
Most of the guests have worked as a PA at the union from 10pm on Saturdays.
Over 10,000 students do not study at the main Plymouth campus but at partner colleges. All Higher Education students on University of Plymouth courses at these colleges are automatically members of the UPSU and representatives are available at the larger colleges which, as of 2011, are City College Plymouth, Petroc, Somerset College of Arts and Technology, South Devon College, and Truro and Penwith College.[5]
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