free words... · Issue 871

There’s only been one topic on the lips of Cardiff students this week: the new conceptual plans for Cardiff University Students’ Union. gair rhydd looks at some of the responses to last week’s newspaper

A new look union by Aimen Chouchane, LMS President

I have to say I’m quite excited by the new plans for a number of reasons.

First of all, and I don’t think enough attention has been paid to this, the Students’ Union (SU) building will get a lovely facelift.

Let’s admit it, she’s old and not very pretty, so the use of glass and ‘voids’ to allow light to flow through the building will not just give it a more modern appearance, but it will feel like a more welcoming environment rather than just a confusing labyrinth of dingy corridors.

I’m not advocating style over substance, but with the SU being such an influential factor when choosing which University to got to, it would certainly benefit from an added ‘wow’ factor.

Furthermore, there will be spaces where you can eat your own food and sit and chill-out without feeling the obligation to buy anything. At the moment you can’t even sit in CF10 with a coffee during its busy lunch shift, so I would welcome the provision of comfortable spaces where I can choose what I want to do, whether that’s chat, surf the internet, do a spot of reading, or sip my budget energy drink.

The emphasis on the ability of these rooms to serve multiple functions (café by day, bar by night etc.) will help the Union to better reflect the diversity of the student body and allow societies to better tailor these spaces to their specific needs when putting on events.

In fact, the plans as a whole reduce the amount of currently wasted and underused space in the building, including better provision for all our various student activities (most notably more and better storage and greater prominence on the second floor).

All this and you’ll still be able to enjoy the great student nightlife through a revamped Solus and Junction bar.

Admittedly not all the changes will please everyone, but through a process of consultation hopefully this will be as few people as possible. Although not perfect, the plans represent a positive step towards a brighter, bigger and hopefully even better Union.

Making the most of our student experienceby Daanish Ghazi, Debating Society member

Over the past few years I’ve tried to make the most out of my Student experience and in doing so I’ve been fortunate enough to take part of a variety of activities that the Union has to offer and in addition to this I’ve been able to reap the benefits of the services the Union has to offer.

Whether it be clubs, societies, great nights out or some really good advice, I’d like to think that the Union has really been a home away from home for me. Unfortunately access to the great Union can be pretty difficult and I feel that the union building is to blame. The building is really difficult to navigate and it really does not show off the amazing facilities that are available. The Advice centre is barely visible, the SDU is boxed away in a corner, student enterprise cannot be found without a map and societies have to operate outside of the union due to the sheer lack of space.

The building itself is far too rigid to allow for the wide array of activities and facilities the Union has to offer. There is so much the union has to offer and it is sad that no one knows about it. The new Union plans are a revelation; they really provide access to a lot of the key functions of the union and also create a nice clean and relaxing environment rather than little sporadic boxes across a pretty hideous building.

I am a particularly big fan of the new ‘Social Learning and Networking Spaces’. Let’s face it, the building despite its size always felt a bit small, mainly because many of the areas are only used for specific purposes and are sectioned off for most of the day. This means that there is only a limited area for societies and clubs to use, and really nowhere to go and hang out between lectures. The new areas that serve as lounges, cafés, bars and recreational areas are a great idea and they really allow for a place to just chill out and socialize with some friends. I know this may mean the loss of the Taf but it’s still going to be there, just incorporated into a more variable area.

What’s even better is the new prominence of the societies area, the student advice centre and other facilities. Everyone knows that the Union has a multitude of watering holes but most people are oblivious to the really helpful aspects of the Union services and activities. The new plans really show them off. As much as I love a good night out and getting smashed of my face, I still believe the Union has a lot more to offer and this is a good way of showing it.