Issued Tuesday 30 May

Last week, I attended the annual SRC Executive hand-over ceremony.  It was a very good event, as always.

On this occasion, however, it gave me an opportunity to celebrate a particularly talented group of SRC Sabbatical Officers, as I gave the toast to the SRC.

Glasgow, particularly in recent years, has rightly valued and prided itself on the relationship between our students and staff.  It’s been a factor in the quality of our student experience – highly rated and highly valued -  and the SRC has been a prime mover and contributor to this partnership and this success.  

It is often said that the most talented people show through in tough times. That has certainly been the case for Tommy, Tuula, Fraser and Luke, this year’s sabbatical officers, who have shown outstanding leadership. They and their team expressed their views constructively, shared in open and honest debate,  always working with the best interests of the University at heart, and conducted themselves in a way that was exemplary.    And for that they have my full respect and gratitude. The Executive’s engagement, and that of the SRC Council, in our recent academic shape consultations has shown to all the value of a close relationship with the student community, and their democratically elected representatives.

Indeed, tough times have brought about an even closer relationship with University staff. With mutual respect there has also been a growing trust, and I am delighted to say that we have been able to start a few important initiatives between the SRC Executive and the Senior Management Group (SMG) of the University:

Firstly, we are working with the SRC on a plan to improve the visitor entrance to the John McIntyre Building. For students and visitors to the University this will become our ‘front door’, and SRC will play a key role in this, consolidating our student representation at the heart of the ‘John Mac’.

Secondly, we have, for the very first time, established a joint working group between the SRC and SMG, jointly chaired by Tommy Gore and Andrea Nolan. As I reported to the last Senate meeting, this group  has been charged with providing detailed plans for an informal postgraduate social space in the University. There is strong demand for such a facility, following the closure of the Hetherington Club, and I am keen that the SRC, the voice of the student community on campus, take joint lead with the University in finding and managing an appropriate space. This working group, which also has Senate representation, will report as soon as possible so that we can have a new facility in place by the new academic year.

Thirdly, as part of my regular meetings with the SRC Executive we now meet prior to SMG meetings to ensure that the student voice is heard on current matters of University business. 

The SRC had its 125th anniversary this year. The Council was set up to provide a channel of communication between the students and University and to ‘provide social and academic unity among the students’. This is a mission statement which is still relevant to the SRC today, and I applaud the SRC leadership team for the way in which they have maintained and enhanced this long and proud tradition.

Anton Muscatelli

 

 

First published: 30 May 2011

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