U nless you’ve been holed up in your room slaving laboriously over notes, Powerpoints, and the more classic ‘revision cue cards’ in preparation for some form of assessment (I don’t know, like exams) – and even if you have – you’d be hard-pushed not to have heard that change is afoot at the Union.
Like most, I was shocked when I first heard the plans; the prospect of losing the Taf and scaling down Solus for the sake of more shops and a domination of social learning and network space sent a shiver down my spine – despite the fact I’d be long gone before construction even started.
However, last week I attended Student Council and many of my concerns were allayed. The changes happening in Junction this summer (a separate project to the general overhaul of the Union) look exciting and the guarantee that both Junction and Buffers (as eating spaces during the day) will still be part of Solus by night was reassuring, though how this will work if the Taf was to close is still not satisfactorily explained. I was impressed by the consideration of varying forms of social learning and network areas, catering to different needs – a concept not conveyed in the architectural designs – and also the expansion of space for societies and student media.
However, several issues were raised that I feel need to be tackled to avoid further (unnecessary) conflict. Firstly, for the Union Executive, it’s essential there is consistency within this consultation period. At Student Council, an onus was placed upon ensuring the Union meets the needs of all Cardiff students (as mandated in the Constitution), while any focus on numbers was dismissed; this philosophy was confused, however, by several references to increasing footfall into the Union and a suggestion that the Taf only attracted ‘10 people during the day’. It’s either down to numbers or it isn’t. There was also some confusion over the boundaries of Solus – is it just the main dance room, or is it a combination of Junction and Buffers, as the current location of the club’s sign would lead you to believe? Both of these issues must be addressed clearly and fully.
Another area needing clarity is a student referendum on the plans. What needs to be established, as several people highlighted, is how the plans (or elements of the plans) are to be accepted or dismissed. Will it be a numbers game (i.e. signatures on a petition) or a focus upon the time-span of a campaign?
Furthermore, if there is overwhelming support for say keeping the pool/snooker room, will this be acted upon or ignored due to the fact this area doesn’t accommodate non-pool-players? There was some feeling that these plans have been put together based on Constitutional ‘logic’ which cannot be argued with, but alternative suggestions are very much welcomed, on the proviso that the space is MULTIfunctional and can meet the needs of the majority, as opposed to a minority.
Whatever changes occur structurally at the Union cannot be standalone but must work hand-in-hand with improvements in communication and promotion. While moving the Sabbaticals’ offices to the second floor is a good idea for encouraging interaction with the student populace – in theory – it will be in vain if efforts are not put into publicising the Sabbaticals’ ‘open door’ policy. Let’s face it, it isn’t simply a flight of steps that’s putting off students from approaching them.
In much the same way, the installation of spanking new eating and bar facilities doesn’t mean students are automatically going to start flooding in. Prices and events need to be significantly more geared around the competition. Whether that’s by selling cheaper baguettes than Kappuchinos, playing a broader range of music in Solus, or reworking the schedule so that, for instance, Fun Factory isn’t clashing with other club nights (e.g. Oceana and Tiger Tiger) these sorts of considerations are equally, if not more, integral than fancy architecture and feng shui.
While I was largely impressed by the Exec’s presentation, I was very disappointed by the audience turn-out. I’m by no means a regular attendee of Student Council – last week was my third visit in three years – but the fact that close to 3,000 students have joined various Facebook groups related to this topic indicated more than 60 or so people would make the effort to show up.
As the President rightly highlighted, this shouldn’t become a Them/Us battle. Dismissing the plans as ‘bollocks’ or ‘crap’ is not going to aid the consultation process; instead, what is needed are specific and constructive suggestions. If Cardiff students are going to get what they want from their Students’ Union, they’ve got to stop being outraged, and start being engaged.
