Hiya everyone!

Hiya everyone! October has been a busy one! Between settling into the new academic year, meeting lots of lovely students and getting into projects around campus, there’s been plenty happening behind the scenes at AUBSU. Here’s a little look at what I’ve been up to this month!

Union happenings!

One of the highlights this month has been getting out and about for all the course welcome talks. I’ve had the chance to meet so many students, put faces to names, and catch up with some familiar faces along the way. It’s always lovely to hear what everyone’s looking forward to this year and what they’d like to see from their Students’ Union.

We’ve been working with the team to transform the Campus Halls lobby into The Lounge – a dedicated space for students to hang out, relax and spend time on campus throughout the day. We’re currently discussing all the little bits and pieces that will help make it a welcoming space for everyone. More to come on this one!

Governing!

It’s been a busy month on the governance side of things, too. I’ve attended several committee meetings, including the Board of Governors, the Academic Matters Committee, and the Finance Committee. These meetings are an important part of representing the student’s voice and making sure students are considered in the decisions being made across the university.

I also had the opportunity to meet with our local MP, Jessica Toale, to discuss our priorities for the year, the projects she’s currently working on and where we might be able to collaborate to support students.

Finally, AUBSU held its by-elections this month, and we’ve now welcomed our newly elected Student Executive Officers! I’m really looking forward to working with them and seeing what we can achieve together.

Open calls!

At the end of October, we launched our first two student open calls of the year!

The first is for our upcoming Soroptimist Exhibition, giving students the opportunity to showcase their work as part of an external exhibition. The second is for the AUBSU 2027 Calendar, where we’re inviting students to submit their artwork to be featured throughout the year.

It’s so important to me that we create more opportunities for students to get their work out there, gain experience, and have their creativity celebrated. I can’t wait to see what everyone submits!

Outside of AUBSU!

Now, onto the less serious (but arguably more important) section of the blog…

I’m a HUGE Halloween fan, and I’ve spent most of October preparing my four Halloween costumes. Yes, four. I take Halloween very seriously.

You may have spotted your Sabbatical Officers dressed up as Spider-Man around campus this Halloween. It was definitely a highlight of the month! Although, I have to say, my personal favorite costume from previous years was Ted Lasso.

I’ve also been on a bit of a dog illustration kick recently, drawing some of my favorite dogs from around the internet. My favorite so far must be Nala Stomps.

What’s next?

There’s plenty to look forward to in November!

Soroptimist Exhibition: Getting everything ready for our exhibition in mid-November.

AUBSU Calendar: Starting to bring the calendar together using all of your wonderful student submissions.

The Lounge: Continuing work on the space and getting it up and running for students.

Governance & Representation: Keeping up with committee meetings and making sure student voices are heard in the decisions that matter

TALK TO ME!

If you’ve got ideas, frustrations, or just want to know what’s going on, come and talk to me.

Always open to a chat!

Achilles

Union President . asmith@aub.ac.uk