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Students Union of 45,000 members facing closure

Philip Wilson, Publications Officer, TVUSU | 29.10.2004 23:09 | Education | Indymedia | Repression | London

At a recent meeting with University managers, members of the Students' Union Executive Committee were confronted with the news that the University intends to close down the Students' Union facilitates.



At a recent meeting with University managers, members of the Students' Union Executive Committee were confronted with the news that the University intends to close down the Students' Union facilitates.

This will mean the loss of all the student social space, which includes a bar, a multi purpose hall for sports and social events, sporting clubs, as well as cultural and recreational student groups. In affect all student extra curricular activities will go. This is at a time when the government is urging young people to keep fit. Thames Valley will be closing over 30 keep fit activities that students and staff can attend. The Students' Union compliments this by providing representation and advice if students have problems or get into trouble, as well as being the student voice in the University Community. All this will go.

At a time when the University is having difficulty recruiting students, what is a University without social and other activities? Nav Sira, President of the Students' Union said; “Without a Students' Union this University will be soulless. A Students' Union is a place for Students to meet, integrate and to have their voices heard; we can not stand by and let them take the facilities which enable this”.

The Students' Union Executive Committee are incensed by Thames Valley's latest proposals to undermine the student experience by ending the social and recreational side of student life. The Union will be mobilising the student community in defence of the Students' Union and the student population at Thames Valley.

The Students' Union will be organising petitions and a lobby of the next Board of Governors to demand that Thames Valley start to realise the importance of the Student experience at University in formal academic terms, but also as a chance to grow as individuals.

Philip Wilson, Publications Officer, TVUSU
- e-mail: supublications@yahoo.co.uk
- Homepage: http://www.tvusu.org.uk

Comments

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  1. ? — FtP
  2. Thames Valley University — londoner