Emma Brown, Union President
As we approach summer, I’m happy to announce that select ice creams and lollies are now included in the meal deal snacks, and we’re adding slushies to the meal deal!
If you’re feeling hungry, check out our new international snack selection, including new Indian snacks. If you have any suggestions on what else to add to the shop, You Make Change.
We have new vending machines coming soon in SUSU B42 – so you can grab items even when the shop has closed. There will be one on Level 3 by the study space, and one on Level 1 near the Team Southampton Sports Hall / Dance studios. Fill in a You Make Change or email me (president@soton.ac.uk) if you have any specific item requests for the vending machines.
Here’s a video of all the changes we’ve made to the SUSU shop this year. I’m posting loads of information you might like to hear on sususabbs on Instagram – I’d appreciate it if you gave us a follow!
Renting changes you need to be aware of:
There’s a big shift coming to renting in England from the 1st May 2026. The new Renters’ Rights Act is set to change how housing contracts work, how secure you are in your home, and how much control landlords have. The key takeaways are:
You won’t be locked into a 12-month contract anymore. Even if you have already signed a contract for 2026/27 this will automatically switch to a rolling periodic tenancy.
Rent increases won’t come out of nowhere
Your contract will automatically switch to the new system as of 1st May 2026.
If you are still planning to leave on the original contract end date stated in your current contract, we would recommend that it is good practise to inform your landlord by serving a notice to quit to your landlord/agency two months before the contract is due to end.
Your landlord or agency should have informed you of these changes by issuing tenants the Renter’s Right Act Information Sheet by the 31st May 2026.
Please note these changes do not apply to those living in University Halls or PBSAs (Purpose-built student accommodation, i.e., private halls)
There are additional changes to housing law as a result of the Renters’ Rights Act so if you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to the Advice Centre who will be happy to offer additional support. You can read more about the changes on our blog post.
Joshie Christian, VP Education
Summer Elections are here!
From the 20th April to the 7th May, nominations are open for one of the biggest opportunities along your academic journey; it’s the SUSU Summer Elections! I can’t wait to meet all the new School and Department Presidents joining the rep family for the next academic year!
If you find yourself deeply invested in the quality of the student experience of everyone around you, and you want to be part of the team that empowers student voices, ensures our needs are heard, and represents your coursemates on the issues that impact them the most, then you shouldn’t wait to nominate!
Please email me via vpeducation@soton.ac.uk if you’d be keen to chat about the Summer Elections, ask about writing your nomination, or find out more about the roles that are available!
Making Informed Decisions: Resit Exams
When we reach the end of the academic year, you may be someone who has resits and referrals. I want to share awareness that the changeover from the current into the new academic calendar results in a shorter time between the results of resit exams and the start of Semester 1 in 2026, leaving less time for you to make decisions. For advice in making academic decisions, I encourage you to begin conversations about this now, with your PAT, by speaking to the SUSU Advice Team, or reaching out to me at any time!
Rubber Duck Thought
The rubber duck on my desk has been helping us plan the You Are More Than campaign; as we get closer to the exam period, the Sabb team will be heading out to WSA, NOCS, Avenue, Boldrewood, Highfield, and SGH, to deliver snacks, freebies, care packages, and chat about how to keep ourselves energised and motivated through studies and revision. Remember that You Are More Than your studies, that You Are More Than your exams, and think about what you need to do for yourself and your wellbeing during exams!
Oh, and why doesn’t the sun go to university?
Because it already has thousands of degrees!
All the best from me,
Joshie Christian – VP Education
Ge 'Sparkle' Gao, VP Communities
Over the past month, I’ve mainly been working on planning and filming anti-fraud content, focusing on issues that are especially relevant to students, such as job scams and impersonation scams. I’ve also been working closely with societies, helping with photography and content to boost visibility and engagement. As activities resume after the Easter break, if any societies would like to film promo videos or collaborate on content, feel free to email me or drop a DM to @susu_socs on Instagram 🙂
In addition, communication with Chinese students is an area I have been actively and consistently developing throughout my time in this role. I have explored a variety of methods and platforms to better reach and engage Chinese students. However, careful analysis has shown that WeChat has underperformed as a communication channel for SUSU, while effective use of Xiaohongshu brings considerable cost and resource challenges. While this is really disappointing, I remain committed — alongside SUSU — to improving our engagement with Chinese students and to continuing to seek more effective and sustainable alternatives.
So I’d really like to hear directly from Chinese students. If most information is shared only through platforms like Instagram, does that feel accessible to you? Or do you feel like you’re not being fully reached or represented? What platforms do you usually rely on? If WeChat and Xiaohongshu aren’t options, what would work better for you?
If you have any thoughts, I’d genuinely love to hear them — you can email me at vpcommunities@soton.ac.uk or message @susu_socs on Instagram. I’ll be reading all the feedback carefully, and I really hope to use it to push for more inclusive and effective communication for Chinese students.
Inclusion Update
This fortnight, your inclusion update is being written by Joshie, your VP Education.
Last week we discovered that some class registers still included deadnames, and we’ve figured out that this happens when staff download a course list from the timetable page. We’re getting a fix in place to make sure the timetable system is tweaked to always use preferred names, and I’m still on the lookout for any issues with deadnaming, so please drop me an email if you experience it with any university webpage or system.
And this additional inclusion update is from Emma, your Union President.
The Student Accessibility Network have put together a survey on your experiences of accessibility at the university and SUSU. Fill it out by the 1st of May – your feedback goes directly into making changes to the system so that it is better for everyone!
Travis Arthur, VP Sports
With the support of Southampton Sport, I have secured Sponsorship for this year’s Team Southampton Sports Awards. This contribution has enabled the ticket cost to be reduced significantly for all clubs and teams to just £18 per person, helping ensure the event remains accessible and inclusive for as many students as possible. The Team Southampton Sports Awards celebrate the outstanding achievements of individuals, teams, and clubs across Team Southampton over the past year. The awards ceremony takes place on Friday 01 of May at St Mary’s Stadium. All nominations will be reviewed by myself (VP Sports), the Sports Executive Committee, and the Sports Coordinators, with priority consideration given to graduating students to ensure their contributions are recognised before leaving the University. The evening will include a two-course meal, two complimentary drink tokens, photo opportunities within the stadium, and a DJ to round off the celebrations after the awards ceremony. Let’s make this year’s awards bigger and better than ever – secure your tickets and get ready for an unforgettable night of celebrating Team Southampton’s successes.
Varsity tickets are now on sale via the Box Office, and preparations are well underway for another exciting week of competition and Team Southampton spirit. This year, there are two ticket options available: a standard Varsity ticket (Without the after party) for £20, and a Varsity ticket including the After Party for £26. Both options include a Varsity T-shirt as well as transport to and from fixtures during the main Varsity week, helping ensure players and supporters can travel together and fully take part in the experience. Varsity T-shirts will be available for collection from SUSU Reception from 20 April, with sizes ranging from Small to 2XL. Shirt sizes will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, and ticket confirmation from the Box Office will be required for collection. We look forward to bringing the Team Southampton community together once again for an unforgettable Varsity week and encourage everyone to secure their tickets and get involved.
The Varsity After Party ticket includes a Fishies wristband, providing entry until 23:20 to the official Varsity After Party hosted at Circuit on Sunday 10 May. Entry after 23:20 is not guaranteed, and further details on wristband collection will be shared soon. While entry may be available on the door, this will depend on venue capacity and cannot be guaranteed.
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.
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!
