News for Glamlife

Voting for the elections takes place between 9am and 6pm on Thursday 5th October.
Applications for Student Voice Representatives By-Elections will open on Monday 18th September and close on Friday 29th September, at 1pm.

Student Voice Representatives (SVRs) are the link between students, staff and the Students’ Union, ensuring the student perspective is considered in all decisions made at University or Faculty level. SVRs liaise with students and work with staff on academic and policy matters that are School or Faculty wide. The role is an opportunity to gain new skills, network University-wide, improve your CV and there is a chance to earn up to £500.

There are 12 open positions:

• 1 x student from the School of Engineering (FCES)
• 1 x student from the School of Business (FBS)
• 2 x student from the School of Law, Accounting and Finance (FBS)
• 1 x student from the School of Digital and Design (FCI)
• 2 x student from the School of Care Sciences (FLSE)
• 2 x student from the School of Health, Sport and Professional Practice (FLSE)
• 2 x student from the School of Psychology (FLSE)
• 1 x student from the School of Education (FLSE)

For more information on how to run as a candidate and the role of the Student Voice Reps, visit the Students’ Union website.

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IT Services will be undertaking urgent maintenance to our print system today at 2:30pm. This will restore service stability for all users following disruption experienced over the last few days.

During this time staff and students may experience loss of print access but 'logging off and logging back on’ to a computer should resolve the issue.

IT Services apologise most sincerely for the inconvenience the disruption has caused.

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We’re aware that there’s been a printing issue over the weekend.

This should now be resolved, but if you are encountering any problems please contact the IT Service Desk on +44 1443 482882, use our online support system or speak with staff in the Library who will be able to assist you.

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Change to Treforest campus Health Centre opening hours

The Health Centre will be reopen to students on Monday 18th Sept but please be aware that there are changes to the term time opening hours this year

Monday 09.00 – 12.30 13.30 – 16.00
Tuesday 10.00 – 12.30 closed in the afternoon
Wednesday 09.00 – 12.30 13.30 – 16.00
Thursday 10.00 – 12.30 closed in the afternoon
Friday 09.30 – 12.30 13.30 – 15.00

Nurse appointments available to book on Unilfe.

Printers will be unavailable due to essential maintenance from 17:00 until 23:00 on Wednesday 13 September.

Printing/scanning and copying will be unavailable and any print jobs still in the print queues during this time will be deleted.

IT Services apologises for any inconvenience this work may cause.
Please contact IT Services if you require further information.

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All universities work hard to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for students, especially during freshers’ week. After all, we want you to have a great time! You will probably be partying, meeting new people, and perhaps even enjoying a drink or two.

In all the excitement, there can be occasions when it’s wise to step back and take a moment to think. There’s a difference between lighthearted banter and abusive behaviour: don’t let any situation escalate to the latter. If someone in a group you’re with crosses the line, speak up.

If you’re lucky enough to get intimately acquainted with someone, please take consent seriously. Make sure you understand what is and what isn’t acceptable and legal behaviour. Getting this wrong would have serious consequences for everyone involved.

We recommend the BBC Documentary Is this rape: sex on trial linked to from this article – please do take an hour to watch it.

Consent

Legally, a person consents if the person “agrees by choice, and has the freedom and capacity to make that choice.”

Public debates about high-profile cases have revealed that some people of both sexes are not fully aware of the legal definition of consent, and there are some common misconceptions.

• Verbal sexual harassment (such as catcalling) is illegal in certain defined circumstances (e.g. in the workplace). However, even in situation where it isn’t a crime, it is a form of bullying and any student engaging in such behavior risks getting in trouble with the University.
• Any unwanted, sexually motivated touch is considered a sexual assault, a crime punishable by up to ten years in prison
• The most serious sex crimes, such as rape and sexual assaults involving penetration, have a maximum penalty of life in prison.

The police use the following definitions when deciding how to respond to a complaint: “A person commits sexual assault if they intentionally touch another person, the touching is sexual and the person does not consent.”

Without consent, touching, kissing, groping and similar behavior are serious crimes which can lead to prison sentences and an entry in the sex offenders register.

Alcohol and Consent

The Crown Prosecution Service specifically addresses “voluntary intoxication” as one of the factors that can diminish the capacity to make choices – and therefore, make consent impossible.

The capacity to consent can evaporate well before someone is drunk enough to lose consciousness.

'Is this rape? Sex on trial’ – a BBC Documentary

To find out what young people understand about sexual consent, the BBC have shown a short video about a sexual encounter to 24 teenagers and asked for their interpretation whether it was consensual sex or if a crime had been committed. The resulting documentary is outstanding – please do watch it.

Is this rape? on BoB (use if you don’t have a TV Licence, but are an enrolled student)

Due to the subject matter, the Is this rape? documentary can be challenging to watch. It contains some upsetting scenes.

Less Challenging Videos

Neither video should be taken as legal advice: both videos oversimplify things.

One approach being tried in some US universities and states is a Yes means Yes definition of consent. This is reflected in the more serious of the two videos embedded above.

More Information

For more information, please visit the Consent, Alcohol, Sex and Sex Crimes page on the Student Safety UniLife Channel.

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You’re probably keen to get the most for the money available to you. Fortunately, there are many student discounts available and some things are even free.

Student Discount Schemes

You have several options:

• An NUS Extra card for £12 is usually worth the investment. All shops with student discount recognise it, and it includes discounts on groceries at The Co-Operative and some products from Amazon, to name just a few highlights. Some student discounts are exclusive to NUS Extra.
• Your Student ID card may also be recognised locally near our campuses, but won’t get you discounts in online shops.
• UNiDAYS is an alternative, independent student discount scheme / 'digital student ID’, which you can use in online stores and some high street retailers. It’s free to register.
• StudentBeans also offers a 'digital student ID’ and discounts. It’s free to register.

However, don’t let discounts tempt you into overspending!

Get an overview of Student Discounts on TheStudentRoom and check out the SaveTheStudent’s Student Discounts Directory.

Save money on travel

• Rail discounts for students: there are several schemes that may allow students to travel more cheaply than simply by buying a train ticket each day. Train Tickets, Railcards and Discounts details all those we could find.

• NUS extra cardholders can get an exclusive 20% discount on travel across the UK with National Express coaches.

• If you do have a car, ensure your car insurance is good value (and consider doing a Pass Plus Cymru course, which could get you better deals with insurers).

• If you need to buy a bicycle, check the student travel pages to find out about discounts the University has negotiated for our students with local bike retailers near your campus.

Freebies

• Use Freebies when you can. If you like festivals, go to free festivals. There are also some student freebies on other websites – but always make sure you read the terms and conditions, are comfortable with how your data will be used, and that you don’t inadvertently subscribe to something which will charge you money if you don’t cancel by a certain date.

• Don’t forget about other free stuff available to everyone, not just students. Websites like freecycle can be amazing for furniture and equipment. Someone else’s junk could be just what you need, and it’s free. Be quick if you do see something, as it’s likely to go quickly if it’s free.

• Many companies, especially supermarkets and restaurants, have their own savings and loyalty schemes. Even if the discount seems small it’s still a potential saving.

More Advice

For more general money advice, see Advice on Managing Your Money.

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IT services have been made aware of a phishing email that is targeting students, pretending to be from the SLC (Student Loans Company).

The emails received are purporting to be from the SLC (Student Loans Company). They also have a link to a fake login page asking students to enter their details.

We urge all staff and students to be vigilant and report any such emails immediately to IT Customer Support who are happy to help with any queries you may have: www.southwales.ac.uk\customersupport or 01443 482882.

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The start of term is the best time to take part in Freshers’ events, get your NUS card, and get involved with your Students’ Union.

When you enrol with the University you’ll automatically become a member of the Students’ Union. Every year, a team of Executive Officers are elected by the student body to represent and guide the Students’ Union. Your full-time Officers for 2017-18 are Megan Wilson (Acting President), Ollie Britten (VP Education and Welfare, Pontypridd), and Charlotte Billinghurst (VP Education and Welfare, Cardiff and Newport). You can read more about what they will be working on this year here.

We strive to make sure you have the chance to enrich every aspect of your student life. We support over 100 clubs, teams and societies, 700 SVR and Course Reps and annually hold over 150 events at our venues. This year we’ve got heaps of events taking place during Freshers’ – from the official Welcome Party ft. Spring King to Freshers’ Fair, there’s something for everyone and it’s a fantastic way to make new friends. Make sure you don’t miss out by buying your tickets in advance.

Freshers’ wouldn’t be the same without making the most of student discounts. The National Union of Students represents students on a national level, so it’s taken seriously in high-level negotiations, and is able to secure some great deals and discounts for its members. To access them you’ll need an NUS extra card.
All students who purchase an NUS extra card will benefit from 200 UK discounts on everything from university supplies to fashion, plus more than 42,000 discounts worldwide.

You can buy your NUS extra card from any Students’ Union Information Point, which you can visit at Treforest, Newport City and Cardiff campuses or online through our Click and Collect service. Proceeds from the sale of NUS extra are fed straight back into the student movement to help improve the lives of students through campaigns such as #CutTheCosts.

Visit USWSU’s website to find out more about your Students’ Union, or go directly to Freshers’ 2017 for everything Freshers’ related.

Have you had your Men ACWY vaccine?

If you’re under 25, you should have a booster vaccination against Meningitis ACWY if you haven’t already done so. Please do this at least two weeks before you start at university.

Meningitis is a rare but life threatening illness that mainly affects young people. Your risk is increased if you are attending university for the first time.
Those returning to university are not at increased risk.

Meningitis strikes fast and can kill within hours. Getting vaccinated and knowing the symptoms to look out for saves lives. The vaccination is FREE to all first year students under the age of 25 from a GP.

• You should have had a vaccination against Men C as a young child, but protection falls over time.
• You should have had a booster vaccination at around 14 years of age.
• In 2016, the booster vaccine was changed to at Men ACWY vaccine (protecting against four different strains of the disease) rather than just Men C. This change was implemented because the number of Men W cases has been growing fast in the UK.
• If you have only been vaccinated against Men C, please get a Men ACWY booster vaccine now.

Meningitis B

Even if you have been given the most comprehensive Meningitis vaccinations available, this unfortunately won’t protect you from the most common strain of Meningitis: Men B. So, please, look after yourself and your new friends!

Read up on the signs and symptoms so you recognise meningitis if you see them. You can also download the Meningitis Now app.

Meningitis symptoms can easily be mistaken for “Freshers’ Flu”. If in any doubt, seek medical help as soon as possible.

For more information regarding Meningitis visit Meningitis Now

Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR)

Recently there has been an increase in cases of both mumps and measles amongst university students in the UK. The MMR jab is a combined vaccine that protects against these illnesses (measles, mumps and rubella).

Measles is a highly infectious disease that can cause serious medical complications. The Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine is the safest and most effective way to protect you.

Most students have been vaccinated as part of the UK schools programme. However, if you are not sure whether you have been vaccinated against mumps, measles and rubella, please contact your GP to check and arrange to receive the vaccine before coming to uni.

Please see the MMR vaccine page on the NHS website for more information.

Missing the Vaccinations

If you can’t get either vaccination before coming to University and you think you need them please contact the University Nurse to discuss how you can have the vaccinations.

Tel: 01443 482081 or email health@southwales.ac.uk

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