1) Monday Morning @ UoS. Response rate for debate with Peter Fahy (Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police) going quite well - fair amount of third party interest. Will be speaking against him myself now after housemate has been banned from Union activities. Few councillors attending, as well as people from other unions/Universities. No executive level interest from University.
2) Unknown @ via email. Corrections offered for this blog RE: boy pushed through window. One of his housemates made protestation to Accommodation Department about how dangerous the glass installed is. Response given was that it was the students' own fault for being drunk (!!). Repondent also complains about the cost prospects of having to fund replacement panes of glass throughout HC to avoid further injuries. Complainant points out that if they don't it might be death next time rather than 'mere' disfigurement. Solution offered by respondent was to put two pounds on the price of every drink (!!). Doesn't fit very well with the Vice Chancellor publically reprimanding me for suggesting students in his institution might suffer from alcohol abuse problems, see here:
http://www.corporate.salford.ac.uk/leadership-management/martin-hall/blog/2009/10/senate/#comments
Have been provided with a signed witness statement from an existing student about drug problems in their flat. Reckon I can collate a few more of these.
Similar complaints raised in the estates department, who are apparently convinced that because in both instances of injury it was an accident the University are under no obligation to do anything. Boy in question apparently wants to just get on with his studies. I think this photo will tell a sufficient tale:
3) Wednesday, 7pm @ Manchester Town Hall/3pm @ Piccadilly Gardens. 'Town Takeover' protest and debate. Protest doesn't go particularly well as weather is terrible. I tell President about full event described above - seems concerned but says nothing. Speak to a Trustee about recent affairs and about housemate being banned from SU. Can barely believe what he is hearing - suggests we put in a motion of no confidence at AGM. I say it'll go nowhere if Quora is not met (it almost certainly won't be).
Former USSU president Usman Ali is at protest and debate. Is kind and curteous as ever - seems to be enjoying being on NUS exec.
Debate is OK. Before it kicks off have a chat with Wes Streeting (president of NUS). We had a drink a few weeks ago where I interviewed him for Student Paper. He asks me how the news story went - I explain I was dismissed the next day and subsequently replaced with President's boyfriend. Like everybody else, he's quite taken aback by this. Only thing he says is "I don't miss Student politics".
Councillor Owen also present. Debate isn't very exciting - chair is too strict. I am interviewed for radio afterward and give my frank analysis of the evening. Encourage Aaron Porter to run for NUS Pres. Lots of Lib Dems there who pledge to campaign with me in USSU elections next year. They all seem to know who I am but I don't know who they are. Very worrying.
Three Sabbs not present - two that are say nothing and then procede to berate me publically. Not the professionalism I'd hoped for. I joke about putting in a complaint "But we all know the procedures don't work".
4) Today @ Brammall Court. Written notification of housemate's ban comes through. No reasoning offered again.
5) Yesterday @ Maxwell. Several FOI requests go in for the expenses of two particular members of staff. This supplemented by mine for all staff expenses. Will they be accepted? Suspect information commissioner might need to get involved on this.
6) Today @ Online. VC's 'Question Time' is advertised. Panel consists of Pres, VC, Deputy VC and two students. Being chaired I believe by head of Student Life. I put in a question about expenses - questions are all vetted so will almost certainly be rejected.
7) Yesterday @ Online. Book a place for debate with Hazel Blears on Tuesday on the economic crisis. Looks exciting - Blears spoke in a debate in parliament for the first time since I started reading Hansard (i.e. a long time).
8) All week @ Student Union. One of the Sabbs not turning up for work at all. Nobody knows why and other Sabbs won't discuss it. Staff upset that if they did the same they'd almost certainly be fired.
I put in FOI request for details of Sabb expenses, absence from work due to ill health/annual leave/conferences/any other excuse and information of people banned during last 10 years. VP seems convinced SUs are exempt. Another email required to quash this suspicion.
9) Yesterday @ VC's blog. Head of my department makes excellent point about interdisciplinarity (to the effect of "if I need skills I don't have I can find the relevant people myself"). I comment PVC Research's report on REF.
