Emma Brown, Union President
With the days getting longer, campus is starting to feel brighter and busier – so check out the What’s On calendar to see all the events going on over the coming weeks!
Leadership Elections
Elections nominations are closing today, Friday 20th February. I want to say a huge thanks to everyone who put themselves forward! When voting opens in March, take a moment to have your say and help choose your next Sabbatical Officer team.
Grad Ball Planning
Grad Ball planning has officially started! Join us for Grad Ball 2026 on Saturday 6th June from 19:00 to 02:00 for an evening of glamour, excitement, and celebration! We are setting up a student feedback group to get as much student input as possible. Find out more about the Grad Ball and sign up here to join the student feedback group.
SUSU Shop Update
The SUSU Shop has supported a £250 donation to Second Chance Animal Rescue through the Nisa Making a Difference Locally scheme! The charity rescues and cares for vulnerable animals, and we’re proud to make a positive difference in the local community.
Start Cycling to Campus!
As the weather gets a bit nicer, I’ve been cycling to campus. Did you know that every 2 weeks, the Bike Doctor comes to Highfield Campus? This is a FREE service that offers bike maintenance and repairs, and will only charge you for parts if needed. Bike Doctor is on Highfield campus on Friday, 27th February from 10:00 to 14:00. You can use this map to see where to securely store bikes on campus. Remember to use a D-lock for your bikes, as they are much more secure against theft, and always wear a helmet!
You can find more info about active travel to university, including Bike Doctor dates, how to get access to the Bike Sheds, and more, through this page.
Vice-Chancellor Recruitment
We are collecting students’ views about the recruitment of a new Vice-Chancellor at the University of Southampton. Our Vice-Chancellor oversees the running of the university, like the CEO of a company. They make key decisions about teaching, research, and student life. Student surveys and focus groups are launching soon, so please take part and make your voice heard, as this is your chance to shape the university’s future.
Get Involved
Do you have an idea to improve student life? Share it through You Make Change or email me (president@soton.ac.uk) directly with your thoughts. I always love to hear from students and your amazing ideas!
That’s it from me this fortnight.
Have a lovely weekend. Bye!
Emma
Joshie Christian, VP Education
Hi all, hope you’re keeping warm!
It’s been a mega quick first four weeks of the Semester! Some of your Reps have already held their second Student-Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC) meetings, with many more to come over the rest of the month, so make sure you send them your feedback!
I’ve recently been to SSLCs in Nursing, Education, and Occupational Therapy, so shoutout to the amazing reps I got to see in all those areas! 🙂
Did You Know?
We’re bringing back the “Did You Know?” campaign. It re-launched last week with a video about exam paper errors and another about the ongoing consultation. This video series will include all the facts about the changing academic calendar, and later this year will be all about your assessment rights, helping you and your reps advocate for better work-life balance. Find the first videos on the @sususabbs and @susu_studentvoice on Instagram, soon to be coming to TikTok and YouTube!
Any requests for things we should cover? Send me an email! Previously on Did You Know, we have talked about loads of policy and processes, including Extensions, Special Considerations, University Grade Systems, and a bunch more!
Rubber Duck Thought…
The Rubber Duck on my desk knows a great course rep and is planning to nominate them for an Academic Award! Hopefully you’ll submit a nomination too!
He also watches the Winter Olympics; a team was accused of cheating, and he’s been talking about fowl play ever since!
All the best from me,
Joshie Christian – VP Education
Travis Arthur, VP Sports
The Southampton Showcase is set to be a standout social and sporting afternoon at Wide Lane, with live sport across the pitches from 13:00, with a headline fixture as the Men’s Rugby 1s take on UWE at 17:00. Whilst the teams are competing, the bar will be open from the same time, with food and coffee trucks, games, challenges, and plenty of space to relax and soak up the atmosphere. Expect performances from Southampton Vixens and Soton Dance after 16:00, chances to win hoodies, merch and protein bars. With drinks from £2 and a full afternoon of entertainment. This is not an event to miss!
Following the tragic passing of University of Southampton student Henry Nowak, his football teams – Villarrealgorithm FC and Southampton University Men’s Football Club – are coming together to host a charity football match in his memory at The Snows Stadium, Totton. All profits from the event will be donated to Henry’s family’s chosen charity, 2Wish, who have provided – and continue to provide – meaningful support to them. For details and tickets, see the Box Office here.
Don’t forget that the Six Nations Rugby continues to be shown live in the Stag’s, with the next round of fixtures kicking off on Saturday 21st February. The highlights include the huge clash between England and Ireland!
Moving forward, I am still working a lot on the SUSU Safe initiative, aiming to inform students about the different forms of safety provisions SUSU, the University and the wider community offer. To start this, I have already created a guide that collates all the current guidance and initiatives that are already in place.
With the Team Southampton Awards and Varsity fast approaching, keep a lookout for more information!
You can also reach me anytime via the @team_soton Instagram, on Teams or by email at vpsports@soton.ac.uk. Alternatively, you can book in a meeting with me via my bookings page.
Ge 'Sparkle' Gao, VP Communities
I’m really pleased to share that this fortnight we’ve made meaningful progress across several key areas of work 💪
Firstly, I’m very happy to say that our anti-scam awareness project has moved forward in a tangible way 🎥✨ We’ve now completed filming our anti-scam video, which marks an important milestone for the project. We’re aiming to release this in March, and I’m looking forward to sharing it more widely to support international students with clear and accessible guidance.
Following the Christmas break and a busy exam period 📚, we’re also preparing to continue with the Exploring Societies video series. A huge thank you to the societies who have already responded — your enthusiasm is greatly appreciated 🙌
If any other society presidents see this update and would like to be involved, please feel free to DM me on Instagram 📩. If you’re interested in promoting your society and would like support from SUSU’s perspective, I’d love to hear from you.
Overall, it’s been really encouraging to see these projects moving from planning into delivery, and I’m excited about the momentum we’re building over the coming weeks ✨
Inclusion Update
This Fortnight, your inclusion update is being written by Emma, your Union President.
Student Accessibility Network
This Monday, from 12:00 – 13:00, we have the Student Accessibility Network meet-up – hosted online and in-person in SUSU Meeting room 5 (Above the Stag’s). This is your go-to place for raising concerns, providing suggestions and sharing experiences, especially if you identify as having any kind of disability and/or being neurodivergent, or if you’re an ally who wants to make SUSU and the University be more accessible.
There will also be snacks! Check out the event page to see more details, to pre-submit questions/topics to discuss, and to join the Teams meeting.
Do you need support in housing, finances or academic matters?
Just a reminder that the Advice Centre provides free and confidential advice, independent from the University, on financial, housing and academic matters. It’s open Monday – Friday, 09:00 – 17:00, in SUSU Building 40 (above the Stag’s).
Check out the What’s On calendar, select filter “Advice and Support” for the list of Advice Centre drop-ins if you’d like to chat to an advisor, from appeals, funding concerns, budgeting to landlord and housemate problems, and much more.
Upcoming Advice Centre drop-ins:
14:00 – 16:00, Friday 20th February
14:00 – 16:00, Tuesday 24th February
13:30 – 16:30, Wednesday 25th February
14:00 – 16:00, Friday 27th February
You can also call (023 8059 2085) or email (advice@susu.org) The Advice Centre to book in an appointment to talk to an advisor.
You Make Change Updates
You Make Change update: Thank you as always for your ideas and queries. We look forward to receiving more submissions in the next two weeks!