A very warm welcome to all new and returning students. We get in touch every month with the latest news and events from Teesside University Students’ Union (TUSU) unless you ask us to stop by unsubscribing.
We want to start by wishing everyone a Happy New Year. We hope you had a great break, whether you celebrate Christmas or not and are as excited as for Semester 2 at Teesside Uni and a brand-new calendar year.
In this edition, we look back at what we think was a great 2022 at TUSU with Our Impact Report and . We also look ahead to a busy first month, including Refresh 2023, the countdown to the TUSU Elections and a packed calendar of day and evening events, to name just a few things!
We also want to take a moment to urge all eligible students to consider running as a candidate in the elections. There is full info in the article below about the reasons you should do so, but we can tell you first-hand what a great experience being a Student Officer or NUS National Conference Rep is. So even if it means some or all of us lose our jobs this summer, we want to see lots of people taking part and helping to ensure we have as democratic and exciting a set of elections as possible!
We hope everyone has a great month, and, as always, make sure TUSU is right at the heart of your student life for activities, support, and fun!
Eby, Femi and Nigil – TUSU Student Officers 2022/23
TUSU Refresh runs from Sunday, 22nd to Sunday, 29th January, here in the TUSU building and is a chance for ALL new and returning Teesside Uni students to:
Check out everything you can get involved in and confirm your attendance through tees-su.org.uk/refresh
Teesside University Students’ Union (TUSU) is led by students for students, and at the end of February each year, any current student* has the chance to run in our elections to find the next three Student Officers and, in a separate election, the next six NUS National Conference Reps.
As a Student Officer, you will:
As an NUS National Conference Rep, you will:
PLUS…Why not get more info about running at the TUSU Refresh – Elections Info Day on Wed, 25th January? Current Student Officers will be on the first floor to share their experiences of running in elections and being Officers with useful info you can take away. You can also hear from the Deputy Returning Officer (DRO) and ask him questions at one of two pre-bookable sessions taking place that day.
PLEASE NOTE: These are elected positions, and you will need to campaign for votes from your fellow Teesside Uni students. You DO NOT apply for them as jobs in the traditional sense. Get full info on registering as a candidate, key dates you need to be aware and find out more about being a candidate through tees-su.org.uk/elections.
PLEASE NOTE: There are a number of circumstances which may prevent you from standing in our elections/ being a trustee of Teesside University Students' union (TUSU). These can be linked to your financial history, a past criminal record, your right to work in the UK and your student status at the time that elections are open. Please e-mail: elections@tees-su.org.uk for a confidential discussion about your eligibility to run before planning a campaign and review info from the university if you are an international student who is thinking of running by clicking here.
2023 is here, and so is a great new semester of day and evening events for ALL Teesside Uni students and, in some cases, your family & friends to enjoy. Unless otherwise stated, they take place in our safe, inclusive, modern, and multi-award-winning building.
Through the day, you can expect freebies & savings, vintage clothing sales, advice & support, societies, campaigns and loads more besides! There are also some fun-packed trips to incredible locations around the UK courtesy of a brand-new partnership with the nationally recognised Lundgren Tours, providing the transport and a guide.
At night we have our ever-popular Monday Night Quiz and Wednesday Night Karaoke every week. There are also more brilliant Bongos Bingo events, regular theme nights, live music and one-off occasions celebrating cultures from around the world. These events are often run in partnership with international students and societies.
You can see everything we have coming up through tees-su.org.uk/events, tees-su.org.uk/eventsplanner or our Facebook Events page.
We are delighted to join Teesside University Library in being registered by Middlesbrough Council as a Warm Space for ALL current students at the University. This simply means we are affirming our commitment to providing safe, warm spaces for students to use whenever we are open. You are welcome to come in alone or in a group to keep warm and help reduce your home energy bills.
We are a students' union that is committed to "real world" campaigns that address the key issues facing Teesside University students and truly make a difference. This includes focusing on housing, safety, physical and mental health, the cost of living crisis, student participation in societies and sports clubs, and course/ campus-related issues, to name a few.
Find out more about all our current campaign work through tees-su.org.uk/officers.
Accommodation is increasingly difficult to find in central Middlesbrough. You may need to widen your search area and live outside of the town. This will mean travelling into campus daily, so you must also factor in the travel costs for each site on top of your rent and living costs.
Some of the main property search websites are: www.rightmove.co.uk, www.zoopla.co.uk, and www.onthemarket.com.
Public Transport
There is plenty of public transport from the surrounding areas into Middlesbrough itself. Both buses and trains run daily from most areas, and often weekly or monthly passes can be purchased at a reduced rate.
Temporary Accommodation:
Whilst looking for accommodation, you may need somewhere to stay temporarily. Below are some options for this:
Air BnB – This is a popular website that allows you to rent a room or entire property. If you are here with friends or family members, this is a good option as you can split the rent and choose a property size to suit your needs.
Hostel - A hostel is a great option for students traveling on a budget. You can often get a bed in a shared dorm for around £20 - £30 pounds per night.
independenthostels.co.uk/hostels-with-private-rooms/ has hundreds of hostels across the country. Find one near you, call them or book it online.
hostelworld.com/st/hostels/europe/england/ may also be a useful site to take a look at.
Hotel - If you're looking for a bit more luxury, then staying in a hotel is an option. However, this option is often more expensive, with rates starting at around 50 pounds per night. Check out the links below for more.
It was only ever a matter of time! We have joined the TikTok revolution, folks! Give @teessidesu a follow for short, snappy, fun, and informative content about TUSU that, in most cases, you cannot get on any other TUSU social media! We will have new posts most days throughout Semester 2 from the Student Officers, Student Reps, Societies, The TUSU Activities Team and more!
Our ever more diverse range of societies played their biggest ever role in the lives of students in 2022. Over 50 were active, with the number of students involved in one topping 1800 as the year came to an end. The groups include Academic based, such as Law and Midwifery, Cultural, such as Bangladesh and Nigerian, Faith, such as The Christian Union and Islamic and hobby-based Societies, such as Knitting and Tabletop.
Why should you join a Society?
What's coming up in the early part of 2023?
We know that most students are feeling the pinch right now as living costs spiral. One great way of saving on eating out, fashion, music, cinema, travel, and more is the TOTUM app and card. It is the only OFFICIAL student discount app and card, the only one offered by the National Union of Students (NUS) and the only one we recommend!
Aside from all of that, you will be helping your TUSU as we receive payments from NUS depending on how many students download the TOTUM app, how often they use it and the number of students who upgrade to the complete TOTUM package! All that money is poured back into making your SU even better!
We are a team of current students employed by the Students’ Union to represent each school across the university. Ultimately, we want to enhance your experience at Teesside.
We work with senior staff within our schools to help enhance the teaching and learning, facilities, and overall student experience. We also signpost students to relevant services across the university. So far, in just the first semester, we have already helped students with technical issues, re-enrolment enquiries, timetable changes, and access issues. We have also signposted students to various services, from IT to disability services.
If you are interested in representation, there may be a chance for you to become a Course Representative. Course Reps deal with course-related concerns to improve the experience for their cohort and future students. All you need to do is speak to your Course Leader, who will hold and class election. If you are selected for the role, they will then fill out a Course Rep nomination form, and the SU will contact you with an invite to training. We would love to work with you, so enquire with your Course Leader today!
We want your feedback, including success stories, positive comments, and issues or concerns. You can contact us via email, Facebook, or Instagram, by attending one of our drop-in sessions or catching us on campus; we wear black hoodies.
We look forward to working with you through the rest of this academic year and hope to hear from you soon, but in the meantime, find out more through tees-su.org.uk/schoolreps and watch a short video with some of the Reps explaining why they wanted to be a rep here.
Teesside University has a dedicated team of Sexual Violence Liaison Officers (SVLOs) who support any student who has experienced sexual violence at any time in their lives. The incident may have happened recently or in the past, on or off campus and involving a member of the university or somebody else.
The SVLOs can work on a 1-2-1 basis with you to explore support options. Our SVLOs have excellent links with internal support services and external partner organisations to ensure you’re aware of support options and can make informed decisions on the support you feel you need.
SVLOs will be led by you and will never pressure you into doing something you’re not comfortable with.
If you wish to explore SVLO support, you can email SVLO@tees.ac.uk or complete the self-referral form on our webpage.
Your SU works closely with the University and a range of external agencies such as Cleveland Police, Cleveland Fire, and the NHS to try to keep all students safe and well. It is important to take sensible precautions to minimise the risk to yourself and other students.
Check out our tips for staying safe throughout semester one below, and one last reminder that we are holding a Student Safety Day here in the SU Building on 26th January, which is a great opportunity to get advice from TUSU, the Uni and a range of external agencies concerned with student safety.
Coronavirus
Coronavirus remains a threat, especially over the winter period. We urge you to stay vigilant and careful, especially when using public spaces.
Other Tips:
