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► HCR Laura Gales

The Hastings campus: University of Brighton's fifth campus or fifth wheel?

For over two years, I volunteered as a full-time advisor at the Hastings Citizens Advice Bureau, where I was personally responsible for monitoring more than a thousand cases for social policy issues; drawing upon this experience during the first weeks of university life in Hastings, I quickly observed many ways in which higher education students in Hastings are treated less favourably than students in Brighton and elsewhere; this is something I would like to change! 

Student Bus Travel.

Stagecoach buses do not offer discounted travel fares to higher education students in Hastings, yet in other university towns where they operate, they offer considerably reduced single tickets and yearly travel passes (for a complete list, refer to www.buymyunirider.com ).

To rectify this, I have already spoken at length with the management at Stagecoach East Kent & Sussex, who are now interested in introducing this scheme locally. Much further support and work is still required however, and as a Hastings Campus Representative, I would be ideally placed to actively engage the student body and achieve a positive outcome. 

Student Lockers.

At present, students at UCH do not have access to lockers.  At a recent computing course board meeting, this issue was raised by both myself and a 2^nd year course rep, only to be quickly dismissed by management.  I was not willing to back down, and when it became apparent to the board that I had already started research into a viable locker solution, a motion was passed that they would consider the possibility of lockers after I had submitted more detailed research.  I have already been in contact with various locker manufacturers and measured various areas of the university.  Additionally, I have spoken with the Students' Union President regarding this matter. 

Student inclusion in union and university matters.

In my opinion, Hastings students are routinely ignored, excluded, and viewed as less important!

·               No Students' Union sabbatical officer has visited the Hastings campus in the last four months.

·               The Hastings Freshers' Fair clashes with the Eastbourne Fair; as a result of this clash, services like the Student Advocacy Service, Societies Federation, Sports Federation, Unisex, Brighton Graduate Association, Beepurple etc. all had stands at the Eastbourne fair, but had no presence in Hastings.  Also, societies such as the International Students' Society and the LGBT society only went to Eastbourne - in fact, we had no societies present at the Hastings fair.  Students are missing out on important information!  This was highlighted at the course rep training at UCH, in November 2009, where more than half of the students present were not aware of the services available to them, and did not know who the SU officers were.

·               On the 15th of Oct 2009, the Hastings campus was short-listed by The Times newspaper to potentially win an award for Widening Participation Initiative of the Year. Although we didn't win, the Hastings Rep. wasn't invited to the awards ceremony, which meant if we had won, there would have been no SU or indeed, student body, representation.

·               The Students' Union has been kept in the dark about the new campus development in Hastings; students deserve a SU shop and cafe, so the money generated from those can go back into our beloved SU.

·               The University of Brighton recently paid for a travel consultation that only took into account the campuses in Brighton and Eastbourne.

·               During “Information Services For You” week this year, only Brighton and Eastbourne campuses have events arranged (although, fines paid by Hastings students will be donated to RAG week).

To work towards rectifying all the above points, I have already travelled many times to the Brighton campuses to have discussions with various staff members of the Students' Union, including the Union President; Membership Activities Coordinator and Societies Assistant.  Additionally, my concerns have been discussed at Students' Council meetings in Brighton. 

If elected, in addition to my continued work towards solving the aforementioned issues, I will also undertake duties as specified in the Hastings Students' Representative job description, including running regular forums for Hastings students, and producing monthly copy for the Pebble and UBSU.net 

Laura Gales