Tuesday 24 June 2008
OBSU Venue story covered by BBC Oxford
BBC radio Oxford - Morning Show with Dominic CotterGuest Speakers discuss the provision of an SU run social space/venue in the future Student Center building at Brookes University for 2011
The experience was definitely worth it. I feel much more could have been said regarding the future of our SU, but considering the tight timescales, and the slight pressure both myself and DVC Rex Knight tried to do our best to put our arguments across.
Visit www.thesu.com/2011 to find out more about our perspective
and keep an eye on Space to Think webpages
http://www.brookes.ac.uk/spacetothink
We are compiling the business case on the venue now, it is going through the formal university review on 30th June - my last day of Presidency! Never thought that Presidential duties will be full on until literaly the very last minute of my term of office!
I am loving it nevertheless!
Your Prez x
BBC Radio - OBSU Venue - listeners' comment 2
Another comment from an alumnus. After BBC radio Oxford Morning Show with Dominic Cotter on OBSU Venue, many current or former students have called in the BBC studio to comment. Dan, former student and sabbatical officer at Oxford Brookes, who is concerned about the SU venueGuest Speakers discussed the provision of an SU run social space/venue in the future Student Center building at Brookes University for 2011 OBSU
Our future - press coverage on OBSU Venue
Follow the link (http://www.oxfordmail.net/display.var.2359395.0.students_fight_threat_to_music_venue.php). One thing that the article is missing is referring to my comments about the Venue not being jUST a musical venue, but catering for performances, societies, and generally contributing to the welfare and representation of Brookes students.
Sunday 15 June 2008
A Tribute to The OBSU Venue
We are here today to say goodbye to a great Venue.
The OBSU Venue was born and reared in the Oxfordshire heartland. The Venue belonged to a student generation that cherishes student rights, a generation that is ambitious and demanding in its quest for learning not only through the world of academia, but through student lead initiatives, a student generation that seeks to express itself through the way it organises its student community. We, students, grew to manhood under the roof of a loving SU Venue - and when times were tough, the Venue offered us safe space, advise, a friend to share a drink with, and part-time jobs to help our student finances, and when times were good we shared more than a drink or two, a dance or two, and a laught or two in The Venue.
In The Venue the students’ community saw the best of Oxford Brookes student experience -- and the Oxford Brookes student experience found a place where leadership skills, strong characters, ambitious talents, sense of social and personal responsibility were shaped.
Long before it was known as The Venue, our students owned space created great talents and leaders. As a student owned and run space it brought people together, established shared values and believes, offered freedom of expression, sheltered equal rights movements, debates, student advocacy, and student politics: campaign strategies – for the fights for better canteen food, tuition fees, the move to semesters, change of exams dates…
The Venue offered social and cultural activities free from severely branded, profit-making commercial management styles, where the student community chose when and how to enjoy their student life and manage their student spaces.
Some would argue that these activities could be potentially outsourced: move clubnights in town, place the debates in lecture rooms, have workshops in local youth centres, have classes in the gym, and perform in the local theatres….But then then the whole purpose of a Students’ Union will be disabled! The community that our activities provide by creating a student-owned, vibrant, non-commercially pressured social space will no longer exists.
The Venue portrayed Oxford Brookes students’ characters through the activities it sheltered. The Venue’s devotion to the Brookes family was remarkable. On the day of its creation it set to serve the students, and only the students’ needs, to represent, support and inspire them and encourage positive social change and personal development.
It is horrendous to know that The Venue might never see the talents and leaders it created again, might never inspire more Brookes talents, and might never offer its floor to debates, or performance, dance and drinks again.
The Venue will not exist in 2011 because The Venue will be destroyed by its own parent organisation Oxford Brookes University. A University which through sheer lack of understanding and appreciation of what The Venue means to the Brookes student community, is ready to abolish what makes the student experience so special here.
I will always cherish the memories of the days spent in the SU Venue, and I believe most strongly that the days at Brookes will not be the same without The Venue. And I am sure many would share my feelings too.
I am equipped with some last remaining optimism, and believe that Brookes University still has time to be reasonable, forward thinking and modern in its understanding of students need, and I will remain positive that Brookes will learn to listen and will hear the student voice instead of shaping independently false perceptions!
So far:
- 424 prospective students said that they will not come to Brookes if we do not provide a student run space like the SU Venue
- 369 existing students believe that we should have a student run venue in 2011
- only 8 students believe otherwisestudent feedback is being received every day
And so, on behalf of a grateful student community, we WILL NOT bid farewell to our Venue!
We thank The Venue for its remarkable service, I ask those that were, still are and/or will become part of the student experience at Brookes to in give their credit back to The Venue, our precious student space, and to become part of the project for our future Vision 2011!
Let’s save our Venue, and Let’s save our Union!You can support and help The Venue…your Venue… by answering this one question and sending us your comments and feedbackhttp://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=KWqEO00PCHzi9EzMpYVwfg_3d_3d
Also visit www.thesu.com/vision2011 , Facebook http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8343006767
Comments and stories of your experience in The Venue can be send on obsu.president@brookes.ac.uk and will form part of the Venue Biography
Antoinette Kyuchukova
OBSU President
The OBSU Venue was born and reared in the Oxfordshire heartland. The Venue belonged to a student generation that cherishes student rights, a generation that is ambitious and demanding in its quest for learning not only through the world of academia, but through student lead initiatives, a student generation that seeks to express itself through the way it organises its student community. We, students, grew to manhood under the roof of a loving SU Venue - and when times were tough, the Venue offered us safe space, advise, a friend to share a drink with, and part-time jobs to help our student finances, and when times were good we shared more than a drink or two, a dance or two, and a laught or two in The Venue.
In The Venue the students’ community saw the best of Oxford Brookes student experience -- and the Oxford Brookes student experience found a place where leadership skills, strong characters, ambitious talents, sense of social and personal responsibility were shaped.
Long before it was known as The Venue, our students owned space created great talents and leaders. As a student owned and run space it brought people together, established shared values and believes, offered freedom of expression, sheltered equal rights movements, debates, student advocacy, and student politics: campaign strategies – for the fights for better canteen food, tuition fees, the move to semesters, change of exams dates…
The Venue offered social and cultural activities free from severely branded, profit-making commercial management styles, where the student community chose when and how to enjoy their student life and manage their student spaces.
Some would argue that these activities could be potentially outsourced: move clubnights in town, place the debates in lecture rooms, have workshops in local youth centres, have classes in the gym, and perform in the local theatres….But then then the whole purpose of a Students’ Union will be disabled! The community that our activities provide by creating a student-owned, vibrant, non-commercially pressured social space will no longer exists.
The Venue portrayed Oxford Brookes students’ characters through the activities it sheltered. The Venue’s devotion to the Brookes family was remarkable. On the day of its creation it set to serve the students, and only the students’ needs, to represent, support and inspire them and encourage positive social change and personal development.
It is horrendous to know that The Venue might never see the talents and leaders it created again, might never inspire more Brookes talents, and might never offer its floor to debates, or performance, dance and drinks again.
The Venue will not exist in 2011 because The Venue will be destroyed by its own parent organisation Oxford Brookes University. A University which through sheer lack of understanding and appreciation of what The Venue means to the Brookes student community, is ready to abolish what makes the student experience so special here.
I will always cherish the memories of the days spent in the SU Venue, and I believe most strongly that the days at Brookes will not be the same without The Venue. And I am sure many would share my feelings too.
I am equipped with some last remaining optimism, and believe that Brookes University still has time to be reasonable, forward thinking and modern in its understanding of students need, and I will remain positive that Brookes will learn to listen and will hear the student voice instead of shaping independently false perceptions!
So far:
- 424 prospective students said that they will not come to Brookes if we do not provide a student run space like the SU Venue
- 369 existing students believe that we should have a student run venue in 2011
- only 8 students believe otherwisestudent feedback is being received every day
And so, on behalf of a grateful student community, we WILL NOT bid farewell to our Venue!
We thank The Venue for its remarkable service, I ask those that were, still are and/or will become part of the student experience at Brookes to in give their credit back to The Venue, our precious student space, and to become part of the project for our future Vision 2011!
Let’s save our Venue, and Let’s save our Union!You can support and help The Venue…your Venue… by answering this one question and sending us your comments and feedbackhttp://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=KWqEO00PCHzi9EzMpYVwfg_3d_3d
Also visit www.thesu.com/vision2011 , Facebook http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8343006767
Comments and stories of your experience in The Venue can be send on obsu.president@brookes.ac.uk and will form part of the Venue Biography
Antoinette Kyuchukova
OBSU President
Friday 13 June 2008
OBSU welcomes our NEW CHANCELLOR
OBSU sends its official responce to the announcement of the new Chancellor's appointment:
Dear Vice Chancellor Janet Beer,
On behalf of the students at Brookes I would like to express my delight with the appointment of the new Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University.
Ms Shami Chakrabarti is a truly inspirational leader, and a great example of humanity. I am sure that Brookes’ future will be strongly defined and further enhanced under Ms Chakrabarti’s inspiring representation and leadership.
The student body warmly welcomes such a distinguished, compassionate and driven figurehead, who has made a real difference to the world through her honourable work and ideologies.
Oxford Brookes Students’ Union is committed to supporting and inspiring its students to enhance personal development and affect positive social change!
As conscientious citizens and future leaders, Brookes students welcome the opportunity to meet with our new Chancellor.
Sincerely yours
Antoinette Kyuchukova
President
Oxford Brookes Students’ Union
Dear Vice Chancellor Janet Beer,
On behalf of the students at Brookes I would like to express my delight with the appointment of the new Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University.
Ms Shami Chakrabarti is a truly inspirational leader, and a great example of humanity. I am sure that Brookes’ future will be strongly defined and further enhanced under Ms Chakrabarti’s inspiring representation and leadership.
The student body warmly welcomes such a distinguished, compassionate and driven figurehead, who has made a real difference to the world through her honourable work and ideologies.
Oxford Brookes Students’ Union is committed to supporting and inspiring its students to enhance personal development and affect positive social change!
As conscientious citizens and future leaders, Brookes students welcome the opportunity to meet with our new Chancellor.
Sincerely yours
Antoinette Kyuchukova
President
Oxford Brookes Students’ Union
Oxford Brookes has a new CHANCELLOR!!!
IMPORTANT: Here's a copy of the announcement that was circulated today to all members of staff by Oxford Brookes Vice Chancellor Janet Beer. This will soon be announced to all students as well.
Dear colleagues
I am delighted to let you know that the Governors have appointed Shami Chakrabarti to succeed Jon Snow as Chancellor of Oxford Brookes.
This is a significant appointment for Brookes. Shami is the Director of the civil liberties and human rights group, Liberty and has a national reputation as a fearless and principled campaigner. I am sure that you will feel – as I do – that to have attracted a new Chancellor of this calibre is yet another endorsement of Oxford Brookes’ high reputation.
Shami’s background and skills in advocacy make her ideally placed to continue in the tradition of our two previous Chancellors, Jon Snow and Helena Kennedy, in supporting Brookes’ endeavours and aspirations. After graduating in law from the London School of Economics, Shami has enjoyed a distinguished career as a barrister at the Home Office before joining Liberty in September 2001. She was appointed CBE in the 2007 Queen's Birthday Honours and is regularly ranked as one of the most influential people in contemporary society.
I look forward to sending you details of Shami’s installation as Chancellor in next week’s Onstream. We have been exceptionally lucky in benefiting from Jon Snow’s enormous support over the last seven years. He has provided a fantastic service to the University and this will be recognised in the appropriate way – with more details to come, also in Onstream.
Best wishes
Janet
Dear colleagues
I am delighted to let you know that the Governors have appointed Shami Chakrabarti to succeed Jon Snow as Chancellor of Oxford Brookes.
This is a significant appointment for Brookes. Shami is the Director of the civil liberties and human rights group, Liberty and has a national reputation as a fearless and principled campaigner. I am sure that you will feel – as I do – that to have attracted a new Chancellor of this calibre is yet another endorsement of Oxford Brookes’ high reputation.
Shami’s background and skills in advocacy make her ideally placed to continue in the tradition of our two previous Chancellors, Jon Snow and Helena Kennedy, in supporting Brookes’ endeavours and aspirations. After graduating in law from the London School of Economics, Shami has enjoyed a distinguished career as a barrister at the Home Office before joining Liberty in September 2001. She was appointed CBE in the 2007 Queen's Birthday Honours and is regularly ranked as one of the most influential people in contemporary society.
I look forward to sending you details of Shami’s installation as Chancellor in next week’s Onstream. We have been exceptionally lucky in benefiting from Jon Snow’s enormous support over the last seven years. He has provided a fantastic service to the University and this will be recognised in the appropriate way – with more details to come, also in Onstream.
Best wishes
Janet
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
