Staffordshire University

Stoke-on-Trent

The Students' Union

Ok, so the students' union isn't just a bar to get pissed on, we're a non-profit organization that is there to help make you're student experience one and awsome, and yes we do happen to run the bars, which try to keep the prices as low as possible, but we also run campaigns you want, have the student advice center, the money doctor, help the clubs and societies etc.

But as we are student run, and here for you, the students and want the best for you... Tell me what you want from the Students' Union this year:

What nights would you like to see the Unions?
What campaigns/events would you like to see promoted?
What would you like to see your officers doing?
Are there any places you'd like to see us organize trips to visit?
What freebies do you want?

and this final question goes out to any second/third years?

What failing/mistakes did you see the SU make last academic year, that we can correct and make right this year?

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

Xtrm2Matt

I'll answer it a bit randomly.

I'd love for the Stafford campus to be a bit more 'involved'. If you take a look at the 'what's going on' thing that you find around, almost all of the exciting stuff happens over in Stoke.

I think the most exciting thing I found over on our campus this year was the Pizza buffet thing!

Trips... Alton Towers and Drayton Mannor are the two biggest theme parks near-by. Why not a day-trip to somewhere like the Bullring or Trafford Center (I suggest Trafford Center as its bigger.. took me almost 6 hours to walk around!).

Failing/Mistakes... just echoing what I said already really, Stafford really is excluded from all the goings-on.

I very almost landed myself a job at the Union earlier this year but due to them not really having a clue I couldn't progress with them... but the staff I spoke to said themselves that Stafford is excluded. They were asking me about the events that were going on in Stoke and I hadn't a clue because we're never told about them!

I know it's said every year, and I don't know how dedicated the Union are to getting it arranged, but a free Uni bus between Stafford and Stoke really would be appreciated by many!

Staffordshire University

Stoke-on-Trent

Visit website

Reply 2

username291885

Same as before, the Stafford campus is neglected. Would love to see other events than the same comedy acts and karaoke. I think it's important to make sure that events are spread out well and keep a regular attendance. I found last year that after freshers the events became rarer and rarer with less and less attendance.

On a similar note, !Fridays! could be vastly improved. The decision to keep everyone in The Lounge until gone midnight meant that there was no atmosphere. I believe that The Lounge should be closed on a Friday night, forcing people into Legends, creating an atmosphere. Some might argue that this isn't fair on those who want a quiet night, but it is Friday night, its for partying.

The pizza buffet wasn't value for money at all and the service was slow. Other than that, all of the food at the union is top notch :smile:

Don't change a thing!

Bar service was ridiculously slow last year. If 90% of the bar staff worked in a public bar they would be sacked. I appreciate that there is a large demand at some events but if I'm in a nightclub I expect to be served much quicker. Also the service on quiet afternoons was sometimes laughable; if I'm one of around three customers in the entire bar, I expect to be served quite quickly.

The themed nights at the start of the year were great, I attended all of them in semester one, but the problem is once attendances started to drop they dropped fast. I don't know of a solution but this is a problem.

Finally, I'd like to see more older years come along to the SU. It always seemed to be only Freshers at the SU. The campus has many more students than attended events. With a greater attendance the atmosphere will be much better.

Excuse the essay.

Reply 3

inebriatedgoldfish

I'm not entirely certain about what you can do about this but...There are too many men, no actually, there are too many men that don't have a clue how to correctly interact with women. Maybe you could give them an Information pack :rolleyes:

? I understand why this is the case, and I'm quite capable of handling it, however in the first week I have to admit it made me uncomfortable.

To many themed nights, they just lacked lustre, it should be about quality not quantity. I don't really think there's anything to draw those from Stoke campus to Stafford, why would they? Maybe it should be made easier for students from Stafford campus to attend nights at Stoke.

Reply 4

mattyboi90

My reply is slightly different to the other two, but nether the less;

New nights, i think the union already hit spot on. !Friday! is good as it is, but as someone mentioned above about the Lounge closing, it was abit lame that The Lounge was closed after middnight. I think The Lounge should be left open, so that anyone wanting to have a casual sit down and chat or briefly go outside can do so, without leaving the building. For Monday OR Tuesday (to run in line with Stafford student night), a new night with similar deals to !Friday! and last years early in the year Mondays would be ideal, never know it might stop people running off to Couture.

New events; i can't really think of any events that would appeal to the core demographic to Stafford Campus students. The majority of this year appeared to really not seem to be in the night life routine, and focused mainly on staying in. Appealling to that demographic of students would mean greater numbers coming to the union.

This is totally out there, but also maybe knocking the wall between Legends and Lounge would be a good idea to make one big bar, as it would open the whole area out AND/OR extending the seating area outside, it normally gets crowded on unions nights and summer especially.

Food wise, perhaps adding BOGOF to other items besides burgers, and greater menu options.

EDIT: oh and something else, trips to Birmingham City Center/Broad Street would be extremely ideal. For those of us who lurrrv the Birmingham night life.

Reply 5

Xtrm2Matt

Forgot about serving time.

Stafford (The Lounge): ~20-30 minutes for a burger
Stoke (Ember Lounge): 5 minutes

Not even exaggerating.

I can literally drive to the Ember Lounge and get served quicker than if I was to order straight from The Lounge.

Reply 6

Wiggler

Thanks for your input guys, and every word everyones written shall be taken on board, dont worry, ur essays weren't in vain :smile:

If any more people have an ideas, suggestions, complaints queries, then plz post here, or if ya want something more private then PM me or see me around campus some time...

if ya dont know who i am in person... check my profile on here for a pic... :smile:

I know it sounds cheesy, but we're YOUR union and are here to do things YOU want, this has not been done in the past and this year we really want to!!

The issue Matt's mentioned about the wait for food in the lounge is one i've experienced many times and hav complained about whilst still a student, and we're trying to work on being more efficient and speedy, without compromising on the quality.

Reply 7

Nines

Xtrm2Matt

Stafford (The Lounge): ~20-30 minutes for a burger.

The first and last time I got a BOGOF burger meal, it took 1hr 20 mins to get to the table on a quiet day and it was stone cold when it got there. I asked for a refund, which they gave me, but I don't think they really gave a ****.

Reply 8

mattyboi90

Nines

Thats happened to me before, i got a food voucher in refund, would have much preferred the money back.

Reply 9

Xtrm2Matt

Much faith in you Vic :smile:

Reply 10

sam_benne

From what I have seen on the sites, most of the events seem to happen in stoke and nothing really happens in Stafford. Looks like I should of gone to stoke.

Reply 11

mattyboi90

Stokes up the road, its not like if you want to attend a Stoke event its impractical.

Reply 12

elliott_rowe

Karaoke and comedy nights FTW! Sorry if this is a n00b question but are there things like poker nights? pool tournements etc? maybe getting some bands in, I know some people who'd love to play some gigs ( local aswell)

Reply 13

Nines

The stafford campus SU bars (The Lounge & especially Legends) need totally redecorating. It's shocking going to the Stoke campus and seeing how much better the facilities are there. Seems like nobody really gives a **** about it. It's also kinda embarassing to have people come down from other universities and see the difference. It makes me wonder what the budget is spent on.

Reply 14

Xtrm2Matt

The first time I went to the Ember, my thoughts were exactly that also.

Reply 15

sam_benne

I have only been the SU in Stafford and it seemed OK to me but was a bit sticky considering it was Step Ahead so it wasn't like it was being continuously used or anything. But I would like to check out the Stoke one. The only problem is that Stafford needs as much as Stoke. As you would not like to have to keep going Stoke as that would be annoying and costly.

Reply 16

CoolMe

They should merge the two sites together ! Best of both worlds!

I really do hope it's not as bad as you are all saying, I'm coming up in september! I can see myself heading up to stoke and down to brummy! I know that the stafford campus is male-oreintated with the courses, I just hope they know how to have a good time!!

Reply 17

Lauren69

Oh Vic-y-pops! Make stafford better, have a late night bus so those who want to go to the other campus can do it cheaply... so i can go to my first gobble! :biggrin:

Reply 18

Wiggler

Lauren69

Oh Vic-y-pops! Make stafford better, have a late night bus so those who want to go to the other campus can do it cheaply... so i can go to my first gobble! :biggrin:

what happened to your other account?!?! or is it still banned three years on lol and don't worry... we're working on it :P

Reply 19

username291885

How come Stoke gets lots more SU nights such as Curry Club etc.

I'd like to see more interesting nights at Stafford as well as the usual drinking-based events.