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The Cambridge Chat Thread

Reply 5400

smilepea

alex_hk90

Why not? CUSU don't seem to do anything anyway; I've only ever used them to pick up my NUS Extra card.

You'd be surprised at what they do do, they are especially useful if your own jcr is ineffective

Reply 5401

ukdragon37

14

alex_hk90

Or just man up?

What they are doing is not right and a way to hopefully get them to change their ways for everyone's sake is to expose their actions.

alex_hk90

Why not? CUSU don't seem to do anything anyway; I've only ever used them to pick up my NUS Extra card.

I'd think they'd be our channel of communication if the university as a whole decides to do something nasty.

Reply 5402

Zoedotdot

18

alex_hk90

Why not? CUSU don't seem to do anything anyway; I've only ever used them to pick up my NUS Extra card.

They do more than you think. You may have only ever actively used them to pick up your NUS card, but I'm willing to bet that you've used them in ways that you haven't even noticed. There is a reason that all the sane colleges are still affiliated :p:

Reply 5403

Supermerp

2

smilepea

Must read more, must write essay.

Although I think I may have learnt how to skim read

You didn't tell me what happened to your stomach :frown:

Is it still usable?

Supergrunch

This sounds even more brilliant when taken out of context.

It reads like it's related to some kind of folklore medicine involving raptor livers.

Reply 5404

alex_hk90

19

smilepea

You'd be surprised at what they do do, they are especially useful if your own jcr is ineffective

Zoedotdot

They do more than you think. You may have only ever actively used them to pick up your NUS card, but I'm willing to bet that you've used them in ways that you haven't even noticed. There is a reason that all the sane colleges are still affiliated :p:

I hear this a lot, but still haven't heard what it is they actually do (apart from use our money to employ full-time staff).

ukdragon37

What they are doing is not right and a way to hopefully get them to change their ways for everyone's sake is to expose their actions.

It's a matter of opinion. Some would say that "tough love" is worth it in the long run. If there is a net improvement in the performance of the students who are subjected to it, it is arguably a 'right' thing to do.

ukdragon37

I'd think they'd be our channel of communication if the university as a whole decides to do something nasty.

Wouldn't they still exist even if the college unions disaffiliated? I'm sure we could orchestrate a strike or similar action if we needed to without them. :yep:

Reply 5405

Zhen Lin

12

Important information about formal at Emma: the NatScis in college are having a formal on Saturday 14 November. It may prove difficult to book enough spaces...

Reply 5406

smilepea

Supermerp

You didn't tell me what happened to your stomach :frown:

Is it still usable?

Ah sorry! I think it'll be ok it just went a bit damp and smelt very strongly.

15% of essay written...

Reply 5407

Scipio90

alex_hk90

I hear this a lot, but still haven't heard what it is they actually do (apart from use our money to employ full-time staff).

to this. I'd be happy to hear what CUSU does to justify 3k a year from the JCRs, and how much of it would be taken away for a student from a college if they disaffiliated.

alex_hk90

It's a matter of opinion. Some would say that "tough love" is worth it in the long run. If there is a net improvement in the performance of the students who are subjected to it, it is arguably a 'right' thing to do.

Don't agree with this. If your DoS/tutor doesn't think you've achieved your potential, dragging you up in front of a committe to shout at you is going to acheive nothing that a one-to-one mature conversation isn't.

Reply 5408

Craghyrax

OP

17

Second round of success :biggrin:

One of the critical readings for my essay is a book that isn't owned by any library in the University :grumble:

Apart from perhaps any college libraries who don't publicise their records on Newton ~~like Peterhouse~~... Anyway, a bit late I thought of googling the author and seeing what else she wrote, and found a similar, and summarised chapter detailing her points on the topic inside a reader which my college library has! :awesome:

Now just to read this and the other five books tonight. Oops :erm:

Zhen Lin

Important information about formal at Emma: the NatScis in college are having a formal on Saturday 14 November. It may prove difficult to book enough spaces...

Do you think its still possible if we send out an emergency message and ask people to commit by tomorrow?

alex_hk90

Or just man up?

You know some people want the world to be a better place and don't mind going out of their way to make it so :rolleyes:

If you prefer to deal with life's difficulties by simply accepting all of them and moving on, that's certainly your call, but there's no need to boo and hiss at people who differ from you in that regard. Its not like they're causing you any inconvenience.

Reply 5409

ukdragon37

14

Zhen Lin

Important information about formal at Emma: the NatScis in college are having a formal on Saturday 14 November. It may prove difficult to book enough spaces...

Damn those NatScis! :mad:

Reply 5410

alex_hk90

19

Zhen Lin

Important information about formal at Emma: the NatScis in college are having a formal on Saturday 14 November. It may prove difficult to book enough spaces...

Hmm, if it's just 'difficult' then you guys will need to be quick. :yes:

But if you actually mean impossible in that they'll have pre-booked most of the hall, then we might need to reschedule.

Scipio90

Don't agree with this. If your DoS/tutor doesn't think you've achieved your potential, dragging you up in front of a committe to shout at you is going to acheive nothing that a one-to-one mature conversation isn't.

You're making the assumption that every person subjected to this would react in the same way (I'm guessing how you or I would react), but in reality this isn't the case. There are likely to be some people who are unaffected by a "one-to-one mature conversation" but who actually realise they need to get on with some work if they're "dragged up in front of a committee to shout at them".

Reply 5411

ukdragon37

14

Craghyrax

Do you think its still possible if we send out an emergency message and ask people to commit by tomorrow?

Emma Formal Hall Booking Site

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday Formal Hall is open to large groups. Booking must be made by e-mail to <*email*> at least 10 days in advance with confirmation and payment 3 days prior to event.

Oh dear...

You know we could pre-empt those natscis...

Reply 5412

alex_hk90

19

ukdragon37

Oh dear...

You know we could pre-empt those natscis...

Let's do it - confirmation by tomorrow. :yep:

Reply 5413

Craghyrax

OP

17

ukdragon37

Oh dear...

You know we could pre-empt those natscis...

Alright then :awesome:

I'll send out a message now.

Reply 5414

Y__

13

alex_hk90

You're making the assumption that every person subjected to this would react in the same way (I'm guessing how you or I would react), but in reality this isn't the case. There are likely to be some people who are unaffected by a "one-to-one mature conversation" but who actually realise they need to get on with some work if they're "dragged up in front of a committee to shout at them".

I would argue that every student that needs to be shouted at in order to do work constitutes a failure in the admissions procedure. They're always going on about how they want people that are eager to learn and that would profit from education here etc etc etc, I don't see how that fits with treating people as if they were their subordinates in some kind of army.

The university wants to train independent and flexible-minded people that will both create and respond to a good argument and I think this should be reflected in the way they address those who do not meet their academic expectations.

Reply 5415

Zoedotdot

18

alex_hk90

I hear this a lot, but still haven't heard what it is they actually do (apart from use our money to employ full-time staff).

They basically represent the interests of the students to the university. So if you have a problem with something within the university and your college is refusing to help you out you can take it to CUSU and they will support you, which might not seem all that relevant to you but is a pretty big deal to those who need it - and who knows, you might be one of them one day :smile:

They also try to make sure that the university and organisations within it act fairly to all students - for example, one of the issues at the CUSU council that I was at yesterday was to do with trying to make events and socials accessible to disabled students, and advertising those which were especially accessible. Again, not relevant to you, but important to somebody.

They also provide important training for JCR officers - I personally would not be able to fulfill my Access Officer job properly if it wasn't for the Access training and support meetings, and also just being able to email the CUSU Access Officer and ask advice. So anything done within your college by the JCR has probably been affected in some way by CUSU.

And they fund university societies. There are so many people involved in those that you can't possibly argue that they're completely irrelevant to university life :wink:

Aaannnd, plenty of other welfarey stuff.

I personally think it's good to have a centralised student body with the interests of the students completely in mind. But maybe that's just me :smile:

Reply 5416

TheUnbeliever

16

Craghyrax

I'll send out a message now.

I've only got ukdragon on FB, but for the record I'll commit myself to this. :smile:

Reply 5417

ukdragon37

14

alex_hk90

You're making the assumption that every person subjected to this would react in the same way (I'm guessing how you or I would react), but in reality this isn't the case. There are likely to be some people who are unaffected by a "one-to-one mature conversation" but who actually realise they need to get on with some work if they're "dragged up in front of a committee to shout at them".

Just because it may work does not justify it as being right. A person shouldn't be subjected to that kind of intimidation even if they need a metaphorical kick up their backside. If this happend in a school it would cause an uproar, and you don't even pay an extortionate amount of money to schools for a service, unlike what we do here :rolleyes:

alex_hk90

Let's do it - confirmation by tomorrow. :yep: