A very warm welcome to this month's update from Teesside University Students' Union (TUSU). We get in touch with the latest news and upcoming events and activities for students unless you ask us to stop by unsubscribing. This month, we are looking ahead to our Members Meeting (Also known as AGM), which takes place on Tue, 21st November, from 5 pm to 6 pm in The Hub on the second floor of the TUSU Building (Opposite The Curve and next to Teesside University Library). It is a chance to hear from us about our plans and priorities for the rest of the year, then put your questions and suggestions, so we hope to see lots of you there. You can also be in with a chance of getting a digital voucher for free food if you stay for the whole meeting, though supplies are limited, and we will prioritise those who book in advance for their free place at the meeting, which you can do here.
There are lots more coming up day and night in the coming weeks, too, so make sure you check out the events section of our website or read the article that follows about upcoming events. Whoever you are and whatever your interests are, we hope you will find time to get involved and get more from student life through your Students' Union.
We also wanted to take this opportunity to assure you that we are fully aware of the major impact that changes the University has introduced to the way international students are required to pay fees has had on some of you. We continue to talk to and work with the most senior figures at the University on possible future solutions to this issue and will keep reporting back on any progress; we welcome your ongoing feedback as well, which you can provide to us in person when you see us in the building or around campus and through links on tees-su.org.uk/officers. Finally, we want to remind you that advice and support are available with managing money and the criteria by which you may be able to access hardship payments by clicking here.
As always, we hope you have a safe, happy month and that TUSU is right at the heart of your student life once again.
Nevin, Femi and Michael – Student Officers 2023/24
The TUSU Members Meeting (Also known as the AGM) is a once-a-year chance for current students to:
It takes place on Tue, 21st November, from 5 pm in The Hub (2nd floor, TUSU Building) and should last no longer than an hour; please remember to bring along your Teesside University Student ID Card (TUSC). You will be able to read key papers related to the meeting through tees-su.org.uk/agm from Tue, 7th November.
Teesside University Students' Union (TUSU) provides a wide range of day and evening events every week we are open!
The selection includes campaign and advice/ support days, clothing sales, trips, taster sessions and cultural events on weekdays.
Then we're open six nights a week (closed Sunday evenings) with weekly favourites like the Monday Night Quiz and Wednesday Night Karaoke, pre-parties for big local club nights like Creeps and Shangri-La and occasional or one-off extravaganzas like the fun-packed Bongos Bingo nights and our legendary Halloween Party Nightmare on Southfield Road.
Find out more and keep up with all of the latest events through tees-su.org.uk/events, our dedicated events Facebook and tees-su.org.uk/eventsplanner (also available in print from the first floor of the SU Building
The TUSU Breakfast Club is back on Tue, Wed and Thu between 8.30 a.m. and 10 a.m. until the festive break in December. It's a chance for current Teesside University students to get one free bowl of cereal and one free piece of fruit to start their morning the right way!
Come to the first floor of the Students' Union building and have your Teesside University Student ID (TUSC) ready to show the Officers and staff supervising the session, then get your free breakfast!
PLEASE NOTE: The Breakfast Club is only open to current Teesside University students. Please do not bring along non-student family or friends.
The Terrace (1st floor, Students' Union Building) is open seven days a week during semester time and serves delicious hot food Monday to Saturday with a wide range of non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks available. It's a welcoming, inclusive venue with high levels of customer service. You can also enjoy events like our Monday Night Quiz and Wednesday Night Karaoke in there, as well as watching a wide range of live sports throughout the week.
As part of our wider work on students' cost of living, we also offer some great savings and discounts in there; this currently includes:
Food:
Drinks
Halloween drinks- To get you in the spooky mood- Available from Friday 27th- The Beast Shooter and The Toffee Apple cocktail.
Coffee
The SU Shop (ground floor, Students' Union Building) is open Monday to Saturday and provides unbeatable convenience on campus with snacks, drinks, meal deals, course-related materials and much more besides! There are also regular offers and discounts to help students with their cost of living.
We are a Students' Union who pride ourselves on running "real world" campaigns that focus on the issues of most importance to Teesside University students. In Semester 1, this includes:
Find out more through tees-su.org.uk/officers and keep an eye on tees-su.org.uk/events or our social media channels for details of upcoming campaign dates.
We hope you are all settling in well to this new academic year! We have enjoyed hearing your feedback and meeting lots of you. We have held eight engagement stalls and will plan more for the next few weeks.
So far, we have helped students with academic queries, building opening times, timetable changes, accessibility issues and car parking. Next week, we will attend our first Student Experience Sub-Committee meeting of this academic year. We have plenty of feedback to discuss with the university staff. We will be in touch soon with the responses.
We have loved meeting so many of our new Course Reps during training. We have already trained over 100 Course Reps in just two weeks! We look forward to working with you all this academic year. Remember to speak to us if you have any questions about your role. If your course does not have a rep yet and you are interested in the role, please speak to your Course Leader!
We want your feedback, including success stories, positive comments and issues or concerns. You can contact us via email, Facebook, or Instagram. We also hold regular drop-in sessions and are happy to have a chat if you see us around campus in our black hoodies.
We look forward to working with you this academic year and hope to hear from you soon.
Even though Semester 1 is well underway, we know some students will still be looking for appropriate accommodation. It 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 to campus daily, so you must also factor in the travel costs for each site on top of your rent and living costs. We have a wealth of information and useful links on our dedicated accommodation page , tees-su.org.uk/accommodation, and there are also useful tips below.
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.
Hostels - A hostel is a great option for students travelling 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.
Hotels - 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.
TUSU is providing transport for our Tees Malaysian Society to compete in the Malaysian Games, hosted by the Manchester Metropolitan University, Sugden Sports Centre. Not part of the Malaysian society? Looking for something different and exciting to do on 4th November? Then why not spend a day in one of the UK's liveliest cities? A perfect day trip to Manchester, famous for the Industrial Revolution, the Manchester Bee symbol, excellent street food, and so much more. Get dropped off at Manchester Metropolitan University and enjoy a short walk into the city centre. Manchester offers lots of culture, history and fantastic nightlife. This city is known for its architecture, science discoveries, thriving music scene and football clubs. There is plenty to do and lots of quirky coffee shops, restaurants and bars to get refreshments.
SATURDAY 4th NOVEMBER 2023
PRICE - £18:00 per student
TRANSPORT:
FROM: Athena Building, Teesside University, Woodlands Road, Middlesbrough TS1 3AJ at 06:45.
LEAVE: Manchester Metropolitan University, Sugden Sports Centre, 114 Grosvenor St. Manchester M1 7HL at 18:00.
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!
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 remains important to keep taking sensible precautions to minimise the risk to both yourself and other students.
Check out our tips for staying over the freshers period and throughout semester one.
