Business Start-up Week 28^th May - 1^st June 2012

Aberystwyth University’s Summer Business Start-up Week will be held on campus from Monday 28^th May – Friday 1^st June 2012.  This ‘Business Boot Camp’ provides an excellent opportunity to take part in FREE essential business skills workshops.  Sessions are open to all, including staff, students and graduates.  Full programme and registration information available at:

http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/ccs/staff-students/business-start-up/crisalis-events/business-start-up-week/programme/

Written by Matt Westoby

Aberystwyth University Sub-Aqua Club have recently purchased a new rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RIB) to support training and recreational diving activities in Cardigan Bay, and further afield. Measuring 5.4 m in length, and capable of carrying up to six fully equipped divers, the vessel represents an invaluable addition to the club’s equipment. This includes 14 full sets of SCUBA equipment and an extensive collection of training aids; for use both in sheltered and open water environments.

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Nominations have now closed for this- thank you to all the students who nominated!

Award winners are now being chosen and we look forward to next Thursday's Award presentations!

This is a scheme run by the Guild of Students, giving students the opportunity to recognise the hard work and effort tutors, lecturers and administrative staff put into helping you towards your qualification.

The SLTAs also give the University the opportunity to see the teaching practices that work best and are valued most by its students and this can be shared in all departments, schools and institutes. Each nominee will be put into a draw to win a Kindle, so your contributions to this are essential!

As well as nominating staff you can also tell us who your “Course Rep of the Year” is!

HOW DO I NOMINATE?

See the categories below and....

EITHER send a 200 word summary to nominate to union@aber.ac.uk. or fill in the attached NOMINATION FORMS.

There are NOMINATION boxes placed all over campus with extra forms available. There is also one in the Guild Reception.

Nominations close on 16th May, where a panel of students and staff will decide the short list and winners.

These are the categories:

Most creative/innovative teaching

Employability links/transferable skills

Personal tutor of the year

Technology enhanced learning award

Support staff award

Department of the year

Course rep of the year

SSCC development award

Shw mae! This is the first of a series of (hopefully) regular blog posts updating you on what's happening with democracy and the new Guild Assembly.

At a local meeting a few weeks ago, we were approached by Jim Griffiths, the clerk to Aberystwyth Town Council, who suggested that the Town Council use some new powers they have to appoint students to sit on the Town Council.

Although it might sound a bit boring, this is actually a really exciting step. For years, public perception of students has been pretty bad, and this hasn't been helped by the fact that, for a number of reasons, the Town Council and students haven't really worked together at all.

Now what we're hoping to do is have a student elected by the new Assembly in October to join one chosen by the local schools. Although they won't be able to vote, they'll be able to participate in Council meetings just as much as other councillors.

In general, we'd also like to see much greater working between Town and County councillors and the new Assembly. Some ideas we've had so far are joint drop-in sessions so students don't have to go around the houses finding the right person to speak to, and regular meetings between all three bodies to keep each other up to date on what's going on in town, including reporting each other's work at meetings.

However, all of this can take some time, and because the new powers to appoint students to the Town Council haven't technically come into operation yet, the process might be slowed down a bit. It's still something that we think has huge potential, and I'll keep you posted when I find out any more!

As always, if you have any questions about anything to do with meetings or democracy in general, please feel free to email me.

Guy Drury

Guild Chairperson

union.chairperson@aber.ac.uk