Goldsmiths Students' Union (GSU) is the students' union for Goldsmiths, University of London. It offers services to students including advice, sports clubs and activities as well as a list of entertainments and events and a 1000 capacity live music venue. It is also a campaigning students' union, with representatives attending many marches throughout the academic year.
Since 2005, GSU has recycled all paper waste and since 2007 has recycled all paper, glass and plastic. The union offices also have facilities in place for the recycling of ink and toner cartridges as well as mobile phones and similar devices.
DemocracyEdit
Elected positionsEdit
GSU is democratically run by elected officers. Each spring, Goldsmiths students elect candidates based on submitted manifestos for a variety of positions. These consist of four full-time positions that are remunerated and 14 part-time positions. The elections are independently verified by a returning officer from the National Union of Students of the United Kingdom.
Annual reportEdit
Each year the students' union publishes its Annual Impact Report which outlines to all stakeholders the work it has been doing throughout the year, its campaigns and its achievements. The document is designed in house and present to the college management board as well as being made available to students.[1]
Student involvementEdit
GSU helps support 50+ student run clubs and societies and over 20 competitive and non-competitive sports teams.[2][3][4]
Commercial servicesEdit
GSU operates a number of commercial services in order to raise funding for the non-commercial aspects to its function. Without these sources of income the students' union would have to rely solely on the grant provided by Goldsmiths, University of London.
Students' Union ShopEdit
The Students' Union Shop is located in the Richard Hoggart Building of Goldsmiths, University of London. It sells snacks and non-alcoholic beverages as well as arts supplies and materials.
Students' Union CafeEdit
The Students' Union Cafe is located on the 1st floor of the SU Building and sells hot food, snacks, and beverages.
SU BarEdit
The SU Bar is the Union's 1000 capacity live music and club venue hosting two licensed bars, a night club, common room and cafe area as well as conference room and multi-faith prayer room. The Students' Union primarily organises student-led events but also hosts big gigs like the Mystery Jets, Metronomy, Late of the Pier, Shy Child all player. Blur played on 22 June 2009.[5] Two of Blur's members, Graham Coxon and Alex James, had previously studied at Goldsmiths before forming the band.
ControversyEdit
In October 2014, the union faced critical coverage in the student newspaper The Tab after voting down a proposal to commemorate wars and genocides, including Holocaust Memorial Day and Armenian Genocide Day, with Education Officer Sara Alfy describing it as "Eurocentric" and "not broad enough." According to the union, Alfy offered to help put forward a redrafted version of the motion for the following Student Assembly meeting to ensure it was more inclusive and "not focused on European history". The Union issued a statement claiming "Redrafting motions and re-entering them at a later date isn’t unusual in Students’ Unions and shouldn’t be misinterpreted as opposition."[6][7]
In February 2015, feminist comedian Kate Smurthwaite's gig was cancelled after some members of Goldsmiths Feminist society threatened to picket the event over Smurthwaite's controversial views in favour of the Nordic Model of sex work criminalisation.[8]
In 2015, the student union Welfare and Diversity Officer, Bahar Mustafa, sparked a public outcry by banning white people and men from a student union event.[9][10] Mustafa was accused of racism and sexism, which she denied.[11][12] A group of students petitioned for a vote of no confidence in her, but the petition was signed by less than 3% of the student body and therefore failed to trigger a referendum.[13][14]
In 2019, Goldsmiths Anti-Racist Action occupied the college's old Deptford Town Hall for 137 days following numerous complaints about on campus racism. SU officers Mona Mounir and Sara Bafo were critical of the resulting report INSIDER-OUTSIDER The Role of Race in Shaping the Experiences of Black and Minority Ethnic Students by Sofia Akel.[15]
^"Blur announce intimate warm-up gigs". TheGuardian.com. 17 April 2009.
^"University union rejects 'eurocentric' Holocaust Memorial Day". Jewish News. 17 October 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
^"Goldsmiths University Row As Holocaust Motion Voted Down Over 'Colonial' Fears". Huffington Post UK. 16 October 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
^McVeigh, Karen (2 February 2015). "Goldsmiths cancels free speech show by comedian Kate Smurthwaite". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
^Agency (23 April 2015). "White people and men told 'please don't come' to student protest against inequality". The Telegraph. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
^Moyer, Justin Wm. (24 April 2015). "Excluding whites and men from diversity event at British university elicits anger". The Washington Post. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
^Rush, James (12 May 2015). "Goldsmiths Students' Union diversity officer explains she cannot be racist or sexist because she is an ethnic minority woman". The Independent. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
^"'I can't be racist if I'm from an ethnic minority'. Discuss". BBC. 13 May 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
^"We call for a vote of no confidence on the current Welfare and Diversity Officer" (PDF). Goldsmiths Student Union. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
^Rush, James (27 May 2015). "Bahar Mustafa: Goldsmiths Students' Union diversity officer to keep her job after vote of no confidence petition fails". The Independent. Retrieved 12 July 2015.
^Warner, Tony (2020). Black History Walks. [S.l.]: JACARANDA BOOKS ART MUSIC. pp. 109–110. ISBN1-913090-26-4. OCLC 1150027373.
External linksEdit
Goldsmiths Students' Union official website
Goldsmiths, University of London External Site
August 27, 2023
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This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Goldsmiths Students Union news newspapers books scholar JSTOR June 2009 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article contains content that is written like an advertisement Please help improve it by removing promotional content and inappropriate external links and by adding encyclopedic content written from a neutral point of view December 2011 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article may lend undue weight to certain ideas incidents or controversies Please help improve it by rewriting it in a balanced fashion that contextualizes different points of view May 2015 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message Goldsmiths Students Union GSU is the students union for Goldsmiths University of London It offers services to students including advice sports clubs and activities as well as a list of entertainments and events and a 1000 capacity live music venue It is also a campaigning students union with representatives attending many marches throughout the academic year Goldsmiths Students Union GSU InstitutionGoldsmiths University of LondonLocationLondon SE14PresidentVictoria ChwaSabbatical officersIsabelle TarranGammorah Britton GibsonNour MatarAffiliationsNational Union of Students of the United KingdomWebsitewww goldsmithssu org Contents 1 Positions 1 1 Recycling and the environment 2 Democracy 2 1 Elected positions 2 2 Annual report 3 Student involvement 4 Commercial services 4 1 Students Union Shop 4 2 Students Union Cafe 4 3 SU Bar 5 Controversy 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksPositions EditRecycling and the environment Edit Since 2005 GSU has recycled all paper waste and since 2007 has recycled all paper glass and plastic The union offices also have facilities in place for the recycling of ink and toner cartridges as well as mobile phones and similar devices Democracy EditElected positions Edit GSU is democratically run by elected officers Each spring Goldsmiths students elect candidates based on submitted manifestos for a variety of positions These consist of four full time positions that are remunerated and 14 part time positions The elections are independently verified by a returning officer from the National Union of Students of the United Kingdom Annual report Edit Each year the students union publishes its Annual Impact Report which outlines to all stakeholders the work it has been doing throughout the year its campaigns and its achievements The document is designed in house and present to the college management board as well as being made available to students 1 Student involvement EditGSU helps support 50 student run clubs and societies and over 20 competitive and non competitive sports teams 2 3 4 Commercial services EditGSU operates a number of commercial services in order to raise funding for the non commercial aspects to its function Without these sources of income the students union would have to rely solely on the grant provided by Goldsmiths University of London Students Union Shop Edit The Students Union Shop is located in the Richard Hoggart Building of Goldsmiths University of London It sells snacks and non alcoholic beverages as well as arts supplies and materials Students Union Cafe Edit The Students Union Cafe is located on the 1st floor of the SU Building and sells hot food snacks and beverages SU Bar Edit The SU Bar is the Union s 1000 capacity live music and club venue hosting two licensed bars a night club common room and cafe area as well as conference room and multi faith prayer room The Students Union primarily organises student led events but also hosts big gigs like the Mystery Jets Metronomy Late of the Pier Shy Child all player Blur played on 22 June 2009 5 Two of Blur s members Graham Coxon and Alex James had previously studied at Goldsmiths before forming the band Controversy EditIn October 2014 the union faced critical coverage in the student newspaper The Tab after voting down a proposal to commemorate wars and genocides including Holocaust Memorial Day and Armenian Genocide Day with Education Officer Sara Alfy describing it as Eurocentric and not broad enough According to the union Alfy offered to help put forward a redrafted version of the motion for the following Student Assembly meeting to ensure it was more inclusive and not focused on European history The Union issued a statement claiming Redrafting motions and re entering them at a later date isn t unusual in Students Unions and shouldn t be misinterpreted as opposition 6 7 In February 2015 feminist comedian Kate Smurthwaite s gig was cancelled after some members of Goldsmiths Feminist society threatened to picket the event over Smurthwaite s controversial views in favour of the Nordic Model of sex work criminalisation 8 In 2015 the student union Welfare and Diversity Officer Bahar Mustafa sparked a public outcry by banning white people and men from a student union event 9 10 Mustafa was accused of racism and sexism which she denied 11 12 A group of students petitioned for a vote of no confidence in her but the petition was signed by less than 3 of the student body and therefore failed to trigger a referendum 13 14 In 2019 Goldsmiths Anti Racist Action occupied the college s old Deptford Town Hall for 137 days following numerous complaints about on campus racism SU officers Mona Mounir and Sara Bafo were critical of the resulting report INSIDER OUTSIDER The Role of Race in Shaping the Experiences of Black and Minority Ethnic Students by Sofia Akel 15 See also EditThe LeopardReferences Edit Archived copy PDF Archived from the original PDF on 11 July 2011 Retrieved 16 June 2009 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link BBC Radio 4 Woman s Hour Students in the Women s Institute BBC One the One Show The Times amp The Sunday Times Blur announce intimate warm up gigs TheGuardian com 17 April 2009 University union rejects eurocentric Holocaust Memorial Day Jewish News 17 October 2014 Retrieved 24 May 2015 Goldsmiths University Row As Holocaust Motion Voted Down Over Colonial Fears Huffington Post UK 16 October 2014 Retrieved 24 May 2015 McVeigh Karen 2 February 2015 Goldsmiths cancels free speech show by comedian Kate Smurthwaite The Guardian Retrieved 24 May 2015 Agency 23 April 2015 White people and men told please don t come to student protest against inequality The Telegraph Retrieved 19 May 2015 Moyer Justin Wm 24 April 2015 Excluding whites and men from diversity event at British university elicits anger The Washington Post Retrieved 19 May 2015 Rush James 12 May 2015 Goldsmiths Students Union diversity officer explains she cannot be racist or sexist because she is an ethnic minority woman The Independent Retrieved 19 May 2015 I can t be racist if I m from an ethnic minority Discuss BBC 13 May 2015 Retrieved 19 May 2015 We call for a vote of no confidence on the current Welfare and Diversity Officer PDF Goldsmiths Student Union Retrieved 19 May 2015 Rush James 27 May 2015 Bahar Mustafa Goldsmiths Students Union diversity officer to keep her job after vote of no confidence petition fails The Independent Retrieved 12 July 2015 Warner Tony 2020 Black History Walks S l JACARANDA BOOKS ART MUSIC pp 109 110 ISBN 1 913090 26 4 OCLC 1150027373 External links EditGoldsmiths Students Union official website Goldsmiths University of London External Site Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Goldsmiths Students 27 Union amp oldid 1168534404, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
