All the latest LSE student news, views, campaigns and events.
Women Leaders of Tomorrow (WLT) was founded in 2012 with the aim to increase gender equality in management roles, in all industries. The society is now seeking to diversify the opportunities it provides to it’s members and is investing in various types of activities.
We’ve been preparing to campaign on the current changes to Higher Education being pushed through by the UK Government.
On Tuesday evening, November 8th, LSE students were invited to LSESU’s USA Election Night event where we all gathered in the SU’s lowest floor to watch, with awe, as Donald Trump won the Presidential Election. While some of us watched, others had no idea. They went to bed, they woke up, and the world had changed.
Ever thought of becoming a Chief Whiskey Officer? Or perhaps you’d rather get stuck in with the fans at the biggest country music festival in the UK?
This Thursday 24th November, there will be two motions put to the LSESU UGM. You can find the second motion in the post below this one. Anyone wishing to oppose either motion, please contact the LSESU Facebook or Twitter pages.
This Thursday 24th November, there will be two motions put the LSESU UGM. You can find the second motion in the post above this one. Anyone wishing to oppose either motion, please contact the LSESU Facebook page or Twitter.
Masters results were released at the start of the week and so you’ve probably had time to reflect on them and, hopefully, celebrate.
How many of you opened your sales pitch with a question?
Only one attendee was able to raise their hand to that question, after a four minute sales pitch at the start of the session! However, by the end of this Beyond Classroom session on Sales Techniques by Viki Chinn, participants were well versed in where to start!
Have you always wanted to run a conference but are daunted by where to start? Remember, stay calm and work your way through; that’s the idea at least, according to the Beyond the Classroom (BTC) Event Management session on Tuesday night.
The Athletics Union is striving to make sport available to every student at LSE.
Fees are rising in Higher Education across the UK. The government is scrapping the maintainance loan, increasing student debt, and lifting caps again on tutition fees. Students have not been consulted, and we are being swindled. The NUS has called a National Demonstration for the 19th of November, in order to protest against these planned changes, and the ongoing poor treatment of international students.
It is not always easy to decide whether or not to go out in our numbers and join a demonstration. But as LSE students, it is imperative that we do. We need to make the government fully aware that we don’t stand by the changes they insist on forcing through to the Higher Education sector. We don’t stand by the year-on-year increase in student fees the government has approved, which saw our first year home undergrad fees reach £9250 this year.
As a university situated in the epicentre of one of the world’s most expensive cities, we don’t— we can’t— stand by the scrapping of the maintenance grant, which supported students from low socio-economic backgrounds, enabling them to study and live in London. This grant has now been replaced by a loan, which means students can still access it and theoretically attend university - but we need to let the government know it is NOT OK to punish those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds for their economic situation by saddling them with yet more debt, higher interest, and all that this entails.
Higher Education should be accessible for all, and the government MUST take some level of responsibility to ensure that all students are able to attend and enjoy university, and not just those whose parents can foot the bill.
As the university with one of the highest proportions of international students in the UK, we need to protest the government’s approach to international students as cash cows, who, as soon as they are milked, are unceremoniously booted from this country. We need to show the government that we believe that international students are an asset to this country, its economy and the Higher Education sector in general. That international students and academics are not a threat to this country, and we won’t stand for the continued and increasing demonisation of internationals by the government.
Finally, as LSE students we need to join the demo because we know just how important a well funded, inclusive and thriving higher education sector is, not only for the United Kingdom, but for the whole world. Universities, and graduates from those universities, have the potential to fundamentally change, direct and improve the future. Higher education is important. University students are important. We can’t stand idle while the government seeks to undermine us.
So join us on the 19th of November, as LSE students join students from all over the UK to tell the government that enough is enough. It is time to take Higher Education and its students seriously.
Please register your interest in attending by emailing me, Jasmina, at su.education@lse.ac.uk
- Jasmina Bidé, LSESU Education Officer
This Saturday saw the first ever LUSL Individual Fencing Championships, held at the Leon Paul Fencing Centre. Despite having one of the smallest teams there, and having existed for half a term only, LSE Fencing managed to come away with six gold medals out the 18 that were up for grabs!
It’s cold, rainy, and the reading is piling up… In between all the formative (and summative!) assessments due, procrastination is bound to happen - or wait, is that just me?
In any case, here’s a guide on procrastinating productively some cool things to do this month.
This LSE Girl Can is part of the national campaign aimed to inspire more women and girls to forget the fear of judgement and to get moving, regardless of shape, size and ability.
Blog updated: 15/11/2016
Who
knew that beanbags could mobilise so many? Last week the Library
responded to student feedback about the removal of beanbags by agreeing
to reinstate some on the lower ground
floor. Meanwhile, a Union General Meeting about beanbag reinstatement
proved to be one of the most popular UGM votes ever passed. Both LSESU
and the Library are in no doubt - beanbags are a priority for students
at LSE!
Recently,
the Library and the Students’ Union had agreed to remove beanbags due
to welfare concerns, with the knowledge that the Library intends to
revamp the space in the future.
There was, however, an oversight on the timing between removing the
beanbags and introducing the new changes to the lower ground floor
space.
Although Library colleagues removed the beanbags due to wellbeing
concerns, they recognise that not having a suitable
replacement lined up meant that they were removed too quickly. Though
the Library agreed to bring the beanbags back, the UGM cemented this
decision.
The UGM vote saw students cast 632 votes in total, reaching quoracy - the number of voters required to pass a motion.
In line with its aim to improve study space for students, the Library has confirmed that it will be undertaking a project to look at the redevelopment of the whole lower ground floor.
Library staff will be seeking student feedback on how to make best use of space - including whether beanbags will be a permanent fixture. We’re fielding responses to share on your behalf, so if you have a specific idea or concern, let us know by emailing me on su.communitywelfare@lse.ac.uk
- Riham Mansour, LSESU Community And Welfare Officer 2016-17