A message from the Cookie Monster - Ivan Cooke AKA Cooke...

This is a vital article - one of the most vital to come from an Executive Member - having direct implications on the Students of Abertay... READ ON!!!

CONTENTS

• How do you get your point across?
• THE V.P SERVICES ROLE
• THE STUDENTS ASSOCIATION STRUCTURE.
• WE HAVE IMPROVED A LITTLE, THOUGH THERE IS STILL MORE TO DO!
• Suggestions Already Submitted

Hello Abertay Students,

As you all probably know my name is Ivan Cooke and I hold the position of V.P Services at your Students Association. To be quite honest you probably have a lot of views either about the union or myself. Hopefully they are good rather than bad. Unlike past V.P Services I don't want to put my head in the sand and pretend everything is good. I know there are a lot of different types of students out there, and you would all like to see the entertainment and services you want. Well the executive and myself are here to do or very best to solve this.

Abertay Students Association is here for the students and the unique thing about our students union is that the Students Association is run by students for the students. Now this point doesn't refer to execute and the sabbaticals being students, what it does mean is that your voice "i.e. what you want the union to do for you should be done" is put into practice. You are the driving force behind everything the Union does...

How do you get your point across?

· There is the Student Representative Council (SRC), where a class representative (someone voted in by your class) sits in on. Here is where they can voice your opinions to the executive team, which includes myself. From this the executive team goes away and makes policies to which the students union should operate. This then goes to the full time members of staff i.e. the General Manager and Duty Manager to be implemented.

The point here is that the students make the policies through the execute team, which are put in place by the full time members of staff with the help of the President, V.P Services and the V.P Sports and Communication sabbaticals.

So with the good there is the bad, and as a team we should take the rough with the smooth. It therefore is a team effort and not one person should be singled out and criticized.

· The second is of a more personal nature. As V.P Services I am in charge of what entertainment is provided in the union. This is why I have been working behind the scenes in the union to change the structure of the union. The day to running isn't my job; I am not the manager. My job is to hear what you have to say, provide what you want to see in the union. I have to get out and about to hear these opinions, so feel free the e-mail me at Ivan.Cooke@AbertayUnion.com or you can msg. me HERE (save you time).

THE V.P SERVICES ROLE

My job within the union is very important and I am the one to voice your opinions to, about the actions of our staff and the outcomes of particular nights.

What would I personally like to see in the Students Association? These have been influenced partly by students who have replied to my e-mails.

1. Nights which students want, that offer variety and cater for all of our students. 70% of our students are from the local area, so what is there we can provide that would attract this segment, to our union and possibly not their local.
2. 30% are mature students, and that is why there was a new position made on the execute team; "mature students officer". Jim Ferguson can help them; in the fact-finding process so we can provide a service for the mature student.
3. International students also are a very important part of our university, and we should help make them feel as welcome as possible. I would like to provide a service for them also, not just to show the Spanish Football and then say that is all that foreign students have catered for them.
4. More student involvement in all areas of the SA, as we now have a Website which needs articles about real student issues, a newspaper which is in the pipeline. We have clubs and societies which you can get involved which is also getting away from the alcohol aspect of student life, and aimed towards past times, hobbies and the all important MEMORIES of Student Life.

THE STUDENTS ASSOCIATION STRUCTURE.

This is why my job is very important and I have to try a raise the profile of the union, and I can only do it with you "The Abertay Student".

· Why is it important to raise the profile of the union?

A students union provides a lot more services than what a nightclub does, and that is why you have seen much improvement in the union until this year. A night can put all it surplus (profit it makes after paying for stock, wages, electricity etc) back into the club.

· What does your Students Association provide, that is different from nightclubs?

Your students Association provides you with:-
1. Clubs & Societies, these societies get a grant for each member they sign up which is approx. £3.50. Now we have quite a few clubs & socs each consisting of quite a few members.
2. Sports Teams, each sport team now gets their strips paid for them pay, affiliation fees paid. As well as an offer of financial help, as sport isn't free for everyone anymore. Though the SA tries to help as much as possible.
3. Mini-Buses, which don't come cheap, to help sports clubs get to training and games, and available for the societies. Here you have running costs, insurance and the initial cost of the bus.
4. Union improvements, which have been well over due as far as the physical looks of the place, are concerned. Though there is other things to be improved next, which could be the gym and the toilets to think of a couple.

These are only a couple of points, but what is the common factor? All of the above cost money and don't make any back - they are expenses... As they don't make money where does the money come from that finances them?

It comes from you the student, you are guaranteed that all the money you supply the commercial side of the union with "i.e. Pools Tables, entrance money, Bar etc", it all goes back to you - the students. Therefore the Students Association will only improve to its full potential, if more Abertay Students use the facilities.

WE HAVE IMPROVED A LITTLE, THOUGH THERE IS STILL MORE TO DO!

The union has improved from the last year and this is a fact. You just have to walk into the place and you will notice the difference. Instead of there being one main hall, we now have it split into two. Main Bar and Sports Bar, which now gives allows you to watch the football etc with the sound or go in for the disco. In the past you had to pay the entrance fee to get into the venue just for a pint, and the sound wasn't on the big screen due to the DJ for the sport.

The new layout also allows you to come into the union without having to pay entrance money, if you just want a pint. As you can just go to the sports bar. There is also the back hall; called "Liquid", which offers an alternative to the entertainment on in the main bar. Therefore we are now offering a lot more choice to cater for the wide range of students there is.

So the facilities have changed, but to improve further we need to get the entertainment right. People seem to think that we won't get big named DJs in this year, a point brought up on the discussion boards last week. Last year the union brought in Anne Savage, best female DJ in Britain (a regular performer at the Rumba) and Col Hamilton from Lush in Portrush. The two nights cost a lot of money and were put on as students requested them. A lot of hard work was put in by the ex Deputy President Arron McAuley and other members of staff, to provide the service to students which they wanted. The Students never supported the events, and the union lost a lot of money, which was funds taken away from the money for welfare, minibus, clubs & societies, etc.

That was in the past though, and if I was to arrange nights the students wanted and have been asking for I would appreciate if they supported the event. I have had the chance to bring Leroy from the Prodigy in as a DJ, though declined as I didn't want to risk an unsupported night and cost the Students Association money. I have also had it suggested to me that we could get DJ Fergie, who was one of Ibiza's top DJs this summer and has been presenting Ibiza TV on CH4. Ajae who is the DJ for Unity and Creation our Dance nights here in the union, also knows good DJs on the circuit and from his links he made while in Spain. Therefore there is the opportunity to bring these acts in. Also Matt Ridgeway who has been organisisng the comedy night (25th October), has a lot of contacts for bands to arrange a live bands night.

We have the willingness and contacts, all we need is your views and ideas, and more importantly your backing. With these 3 points Abertay union "Your Union" could develop even more, and reach the full potential it is capable of. Below are a few e-mails I have been sent and I am looking into them, though I need more so get those views to me. Help me make Abertay SA "YOUR UNION" a better union - one which you will be proud of.

Thankyou

Ivan Cooke

Suggestions Already Submitted
Some of the suggestions already submitted - ad your suggestion on the message board or msg. me HERE, or tell me what your opinion is about these suggestions...

· I reckon you should hold a chill night with jazz and blues music. It'd be cool to have an "open-mike" jammin' session kinda night too! Just my opinion anyway!


· I think the line up looks great, but what about some live (local) bands? Or karaoke nights - great for getting the girls out!
How about comedy nights? You could even get students from the audience up.
And a must have is a Halloween fancy dress night! Any or all of these would really give Dundee Union a run for their money


· Hi there cookie Ivan sorry to bother u but I have a bit of a complaint. Two weekends ago I paid to go to an 80's night at the union thinking that's what it would be but instead all I was hearing was robbie, kylie, posh and that stupid song "hey baby" this was not what I had paid for. Im not getting at u, I just thought u might be able to do something about it. Thanks


· I would like to see a Stone Roses theme night at the union, and if not that something along those lines e.g. indie night (mixture of bands!), to cater for other people instead of all this dance caper all the time!


· I am a first year student at Abertay Uni. however I have a suggestion that, if enforced, might improve the students union....

So far, everytime I've been to liquid I've noticed that it plays great music... but only to ten people. Since you have to pay an entrance fee for the union on most nights regardless of which room you go in, why not allow entrance to both rooms for the same entrance fee.

At the moment I know loads of people who go the main bar all the time even though they'd rather not listen to cheesy music. The reason for this is that there are crowds there, and crowds make for a good night. If a single entrance fee entitled you to wander freely between the two rooms then people might start to mingle a bit more then liquid might become busier. If nothing else, people may end up going to liquid to get served quicker but end up staying in there once they've heard the music.

It's just a suggestion, but I think it would be a big improvement since at the moment you're never quite sure how busy either room is or which one all your mates have gone into.

Anyway, apart from this the union is great fun, although the drinks can never be too cheap! Ha Ha!

Some of the suggestions already submitted - ad your suggestion on the message board or msg. me HERE, or tell me what your opinion is about these suggestions...

Thanks for reading this, if you made it this far!