#bath su

[bathimpact-blog]

SU President to run for NUS NEC

Written by Dan Phillips

University of Bath Students’ Union President, Chris Clements, is set to stand for election to the block of 15 on the National Union of Students (NUS) National Executive Council (NEC).

Speaking of his nomination, Clements commented “I think it is vitally important that Bath SU actively involves itself in the decision making of the NUS to ensure its work is relevant to our students. At times NUS can seem dominated by factions and I hope to bring a sensible voice to the discussions at NEC”.

The role also includes acting as a liaison between students unions and the NEC. On this, Clements added “I hope to encourage member unions to not only share and discuss national issues at an officer level but also speak to everyday, uninvolved students about the issues they are facing”.

Clements’ manifesto largely focuses on the need to support activities groups, where the majority of involvement in Students’ Unions comes from. It also has a focus on the need to effectively communicate the work NUS does both on campaigning and on supporting Students’ Unions to the wider membership.

The position will be voted on alongside the full time positions at National Conference in April. Any student or full time officer of a member Students’ Union is eligible to run or nominate others for the positions.  Bath SU officers have nominated individuals for 3 of the 6 President and Vice-President positions. 

[bathimpact-blog]

How Starbucks has ruined my bar

Written by Nick Hill

Starbucks has ruined my bar. I remember a glorious time before this year when my bar was different. It may seem like a bizarre notion to lay any claim to The Plug, a distinctly communal place, but being an unhealthily heavy drinker I feel like I’ve been propping this bar up for the last four years, as much as it has been propping me up.

My drinking has led me to many bars and pubs come to think of it and though my memory of some of these instances is not as precise as I would like I am quite certain of the decorum. Before Starbucks I think that most people also felt that they too understood how to use a bar. Unfortunately it is quite obvious that they do not.

I live in the SU, much like a sort of civil service-hobo of the student world, and so I frequently go to The Plug throughout the day for a Coke. I am distraught on almost all of these occasions to find a queue has formed, from a single point at the bar, moving perpendicularly away from the bar consisting of up to a dozen people. There is always a member of bar staff, diligently manning a till, helpfully, tacitly, condoning this ridiculous behaviour by serving the queue in order.

I merrily ignore the queue and stand at the bar, next to the person at the front, hearing over my shoulder the tutting and muttering from everyone waiting. Sometimes I am also treated to a seminar from the staff member on being considerate of queuing.

HAVE THESE PEOPLE NEVER VISITED A BAR BEFORE!!!!??!?!?!?!

I have, for most of my time in Media, lamented print media in general for its tendency to overuse exclamation marks. How things change.

The bar is long. If it were the designers’ intentions to have people queue away from the till, then the bar would be very short, and manned by one member of staff. I’m not sure what irritates me more, that students think that their behaviour is normal, or that some of the staff get onboard with the whole thing.

Rant over, I propose a solution. Everyone who wants Starbucks can queue at the far side of the bar, or better yet, queue at an entirely different bar, or better yet queue AT AN ACTUAL STARBUCKS AND GO AWAY.