Now here’s something else to add to the list. Over the next few days YUSU Academic Officer, Charlie Leyland, will be running for the position of National University of Students’ Vice-President for Higher Education. This is, I think, a far bigger deal than any of us have realised. Whilst normal students don’t have a vote in the NUS election (we elect representatives to do that for us), that doesn’t mean that the elections have no impact on us.

I’m not going to lay out Charlie’s policies here. They can all be found at www.votecharlie.co.uk. What I will say is this; the NUS constantly campaigns on student issues. It is our own Union and we are all members of it. We know and trust Charlie, she’s our Officer, we’ve elected her twice and we know how well she has represented the interests of York students. For that reason, although we cannot vote, we should actively support Charlie. Post something in a comment here, on her website, or on twitter (http://twitter.com/leylandforvphe) and make sure you follow the election. Whilst we can’t make much of a difference, we can show the rest of the country that Charlie has York’s support.

I hope some of that emotive stuff hit home! Please do support Charlie and take a minute to check out her website. Nouse‘s lovely Deputy Editor Laura Connor and the equally lovely, if somewhat hairier, Comment Editor Ben Gascoyne (Oh, and Chris Young) will be at the conference, blogging hard so that you can stay on top of what’s going on.

Alas, dear reader, this was not an isolated incident. Only last week I was forced to abandon the £10 I had just got out of that Halifax cash machine by Marks & Spencers so as to flee from an approaching horde, 1000s strong, which loomed round the corner by the Disney store carrying placards that read “5 months is too long. Where are we meant to get our completely useless and largely unready analysis of campus goings on from”. As such, due to this outrageously fictional demand, and in fear for my own safety, Campus Bulley is back. With a vengeance.

So what, you might ask, is the earth-shatteringly important issue that has brought my fingers back to his hallowed keyboard? It must be something big, you think to yourself, as you frantically read on. Have I, finally, cured cancer? Maybe I’ve in fact brought peace to the Middle East. Could it even be that I’ve proven, once and for all, that you CAN stop once you’ve popped? No no, dear reader. I am back to talk about something far far more important. I’m here to talk about student participation.

Now I’ve written about participation before. Twice in fact. That shows just how important I think it is. Last week we saw one of the most impressive turnouts in a student election anywhere in the country, and yet at the same time we saw another pitifully low turnout at the UGM, with only four motions actually making quoracy. That means that in every other motion, not even enough people bothered to vote to make them count. That is shocking.

Were the motions boring? Well yes. A lot of them were. But they still applied to a large chunk of campus. What about the Entertainments Review, which didn’t make quoracy – at least 80% of this University care about what the events are like, and if they don’t they almost definitely would if the events were different – get involved. There was a change to York Sports Committee – if only half of York’s 59 sports clubs had turned out to vote then it would have passed. Every society knows how hard it is to run their own elections, and yet none os us turned out to vote for the Society Elections motion. Why not? Because we don’t know or we don’t care?

Now in the past I’ve blamed YUSU for this rubbish participation. I’ve blamed the student population for not caring enough. I even once blamed my housemate (see Where are all the tree huggers? it’s rather a good read). This time round I’m going to be a bit more realistic. I blame myself. I blame Luke Malkin, Cesca Dessain, Charlotte Hogarth-jones, Charlotte Potter and Miranda Fay Thomas. I blame Sam Asfahani, Rachel Fernley, Rob Newton and Hamish MacIver. In fact, I blame every society chair and sports team president. What should have happened is that every one of us should have emailed our society/club and been like “hey look, there’s a UGM that affects us, why don’t you head on over and vote.” But we didn’t, so those motions failed.

Maybe this is the way to save UGMs though. Maybe Rhianna should email the societies and Emily the clubs, and then maybe we, the heads of those organisations, should email our members. Maybe if we use these existing networks we might get somewhere in University politics, and we might, for a change, get some motions passed. Every single student at York, whether they like it or not, benefits from student politics and I think, once again, it’s time we all got a bit more involved. And that, dear reader, is why I’m back.

This was fine by me. I clearly couldn’t go up here, in fact, I’m fairly confident Hes East is a closed site. Clearly my blasé attitude, long winter coat and notepad hadn’t alerted the poor workmen to my unauthorised entrance. That, or he really didn’t care. Either way, I was in. The elusive Hes East was my oyster.

From the top of the hill it looks rough. Like a building site, a proper building site. The type where things always seem to be going on and nothing going up.

To be fair, only the nucleus and accommodation is finished, but I can’t help but think that Goodricke freshers aren’t going to care whether their immediate surroundings are finished when they’re woken up at 8am after a night in Ziggys by the sound of the law department being built.

The accommodation, as expected, is quite nice. The designer clearly had a problem with right angles though; the rooms are not rectangular, but rather slightly strange funnel shapes – undoubtedly making intoxication even more exciting. The rooms are nice though, as is the general area and posh posh kitchens, complete with long dining tables, hanging fittings and breakfast islands.

Feeling like some sort of Bernstein/Holmes crossover (but with the covert skills of the guy with the phone off of Trigger Happy TV) I managed to sneak out my Blackberry and snap a few pictures.

The following pictures contain colour combinations never even imagined before. Viewer discretion is advised

Let me draw your attention to the delightful pink building which the people in design clearly thought Goodricke students would enjoy. Also of interest is the peculiar shape of one of Goodricke’s corridors. Do note the rather fetching cranes looming over the bedrooms of Kenneth Dixon Court.

Although I did gain access to a bedroom, there was no way to sneak a camera out. I can report that Goodricke’s 600 residents will undoubtedly be living in luxury, although noone seems able to tell me when that luxury will stop being in the middle of a building site!

Of course, this argument falls down come the weekend, when all 1000 of us can be found strutting our stuff on the dance floors of Doodles, V-Bar, the Courtyard, Edge or the Willow. Sure; we will scream Halifax till we die, if you question us we might hit you and at the end of the night we will stumble across the 22 acres singing “when the fax come marching in”, but there is not one person that can’t tell that we rely on the free flowing alcohol on campus to fuel our boozy student lifestyles (the willow doesn’t have a big enough capacity).

My point, unclear as it is, is that we are all about to lose out. Derwent is one of my favourite student bars. We loose that and we will all suffer. For one thing, 1st years will have very few places to take visiting friends that are underage, something my house have used Doodles for time and time again.

Last year a lot of the student body didn’t take the threat on B Henry’s that seriously. I mean, a lot of us didn’t care too much. Alcuin obviously did, but hardly anyone else really used the bar. Derwent, on the other hand, is a cause which all students must get behind. There isn’t a society that doesn’t get drunk, krunk and freaky in Derwent bar at least once a year, and there’s plenty of staff who do to.

YUSU came behind last year’s “Plan B” but it was pretty weak. This year we don’t have time for poster campaigns and cheeky – but washable – chalk graffiti. I’d like to see proper protests. I’d like to see sit-ins, die-ins, boycotts, whatever it takes. This is finally a cause that the student body can really come behind, and both the union and Derwent JCRC need to be at the front of the charge.

I for one do not want to have to find a new spot for my evening VK blue and double Vodka Red Bull.

I hope you’re all having fun in the sun (unless you live in Basingstoke, in which case, much like me, you’ll be confined inside waiting for the rain to stop).

I won’t keep you for long, just one quick question. Can someone please explain to me exactly how the new YUSU oganisation works. And by that I mean, exactly who does what?

(I’ve littered this piece with shameless plugs by the way. I’m fairly certain my colleagues aren’t going to appreciate it, but it’s my blog!)

Before you even start typing, Jason Rose, I’m not looking for directions to where I can read the constitution, nor am I looking for a quick copy and paste from the constitution. Surprisingly, the ability to read is not one that often escapes me.

No. What I want to know is who do I see for what? Obviously as Jim Bulley, News Editor, Nouse (as my email signature so confidently proclaims) I have a vaguely good idea who I should see for what, and if that doesn’t work I just whip out the old T Mobile G1 and give one of the others a ring.

The problem arises for people who don’t have the entire sabbatical team at their finger tips. Whilst it is true that we can all fire off emails, there’s nothing that really explains where we should be aiming them. I wouldn’t be surprised if YUSU haven’t got grand plans to explain this all to us next term, but what about the meantime?

As Chairman of Cheesy Pop Soc (plug1) I’m never quite sure who I should be talking to about what, and I need to sort stuff out before freshers week. It would make sense that I should be talking to Rhianna about most thing, but what about Freshers Fair? Is that a service.. I’m not sure.. better CC Lewis on any communication about that one, undoubtedly pissing him off. How about an event? Cheesy Pop Soc (plug2) is DJing the JCR at the Vanbrugh Freshers Event Planet Pop (plug3). Who do I turn to for advice? Rhianna right? But what if it’s financial.. Is that Lewis? What about Daniels & Ellis? Maybe they have something to add?

Cheesy Pop Soc (plug4), by the way, surpasses these problems. Treasurer Tom Flynn (plug5) (also GSA Treasurer) hardly has any trouble working out the finances and Secretary Laura Connor (plug6) (also Deputy News Editor, Nouse) can always track down the right person to ask. Similarly Ents Officers Kirsty Shepherd and Stephanie Smith (plug7) (stalwart Goodricke party animals) don’t have much trouble with events and Merchandise Officer Stephen O’Ryan (plug8) (Halifax Ents) knows his way around the system.

Sponsorship, Charlie Rowley (plug9) (former Conservative campaigns), P&P, Kate Taylor (plug10) (Vanbrugh Welfare) and Campaigns, Nick Scarlett (plug11) (Student Action Kids Club Coordinator) never have any problems either.

What about societies and sports teams with a less well known committee? Summer is a good time to get organised, but I bet very few people know who to ask what of. If YUSU officers are happy to get hundreds of emails that don’t apply to them, fair enough, otherwise, a bit of clarification would go a long way.

CPS‘ (plug12) final officer, by the way, is Alumni Officer Jamie Tyler (plug13). Jamie dedicated the last year to charity and student action in the Union. I know it’s late to bring this up, but I’m still not convinced that these are going to be given the attention that they deserve in this new system, a slight which seems unfair on Jamie considering his hard work..

There’s nothing wrong with being green. Admittedly I often can’t be bothered to follow it through (to get us to recycle this term Cat had to liberally poster the kitchen to the extent that we were forced to the green box), but that doesn’t mean that I have a problem with Environmental types. In fact, the thing that’s worrying me is that there doesn’t appear to be very many around.

I know that this University is as Green as the next, in fact I personally conducted an exit poll at the Euros which showed 24% of votes going to the Greens, as much as Labour and more than any other party. I’m sure that Freddy Vanson and his gang of activists are as big on Hemp as any other hippies, and yet these guys just aren’t pitching in on Environmental issues (nothing against Hippies by the way. I like Pink Floyd, Banksy and mud as much as the next guy).

Now don’t worry, dear eco-crazy reader, the University have not tarmacked Siward’s Howe whilst you weren’t looking, and neither have they culled the ducks (although I have my suspicions) or land filled the lake. The thing that worries me is that nobody is turning up for the politics behind the idealism.

Today’s UGM had a fantastically low turnout. It was more like a seminar than an important democratic process, with all 19 of us present having a jolly good time. Surplus Committee Member Jason Rose proposed two of the motions and even he didn’t bother pitching up until we were all thoroughly bored enough to welcome his presence. He was also carrying a lunchbox.

This UGM was all about the environment, and yet no-one gave a shit enough to turn up. Where was the bubbly woman in the bright cardigan ready to regale us with tales of how little Danny Ducky might strangle himself if we don’t be careful with our plastic bags? Where was the annoying group at the back to interrupt proceedings with an impressively bad rendition of “Ten green bottles, in the recycling bin”, complete with guitar accompaniment? This is what I wanted from a good dosing of EcoCrazy. As admirable as they maybe, the dulcet tones of Messrs Clarke and Rose don’t quite cut the organic ethnically sourced mustard.

Admittedly Cat was at a Halifax Gala Dinner, so we’ll let her off this one.

I don’t know whose fault this one is. Maybe Mr Shanks needs to communicate a bit more so that our hippies have the luxury of ruining YUSU’s serious political proceedings, or maybe York’s Team Green need to unite behind the impeccable leadership of David Clarke and Jade Flahive-Gilbert and realise that caring about the environment is more than a hemp sweater, some organic parsnips and a caterpillar out the window.

Thoughts?

Whilst an accounts poster might seem pretty irrelevant as you crack into the £5 VK deal or try and take full advantage of ‘Quids Inn’, I would hope that a lot of students might be interested in the information as they sit in the sun with a Steamboat (£2.00 – where does it go?) at 2pm on a Sunday. Even if accounting isn’t your cup of tea (or pint of Fosters in this case) Sports might be and Welfare certainly should be, all these issues are raised in the accounts.

I’m sure that all the Union financial information is available to students. You probably just have to pop into YUSU towers and ask the nice Mr Burton and he’ll be happy to share. The problem is that I can’t think of a single student (that hasn’t run for the YUSU position themselves) that would bother to do that. That doesn’t mean that students don’t care about Union finances, it means they’re students, and therefore pretty lazy.

The Courtyard has been pretty impressively designed, and I’ve no doubt that YUSU would not be happy with some easy to understand, primary coloured posters ruining the decor. That said, the bar is the best place for this information because it’s where students are most likely to stop and read it, if only to provide a new topic of debate over a few pints of Strongbow (also £2.00 – where does it go?)

I’m not personally interested in scrutinising YUSU’s accounts, just like I’m not interested in wading through college accounts again, but that doesn’t mean that the information shouldn’t be available. All it takes is a nice colouful pie-chart, a quick explanation and everybody’s happy. Easy.

YUSU blogs, by the way, are nowhere near as helpful as I’d hoped. Charlie hasn’t got one. Alex and Rory haven’t written for months (although Alex’s is quite entertaining). Tom has never really written anything of substance, but he does post Weekly Info. Jamie’s still stuck in March and Matt’s written a very nice little essay to let us know what he’s been up to since he last wrote, in January.

I’m sure everybody is very happy to see that YUSU President Tom Scott has been busy the 5 weeks that we’ve been away. Looking at Tom’s website I have discovered that he has been working on two big projects this easter. Firstly Tweleted, a website that allows you to see peoples deleted twitter posts. Useful. Tom has also been hard at work inventing the Apple i, an iPod type device that sits on the users eye. And doesn’t exist.

In another attempt to avoid revision I’ve read Matt’s 765 word blog post so that you don’t have to. In short he’s spent the last 3 months doing stuff for the Courtyard, the NUS and Goodricke’s 40th Birthday. He’s also been leading a consultation about Ents Tech, and lending a helping hand with Roses. He’s trying his hand at a bit of exterior design outside Vanbrugh and he’s managed to fit a two week holiday in there as well. You may notice the lack of space for inventing imaginary technical equipment in Matt’s calendar.

Rory has presumably been very busy as well. Unfortunately the lack of twitter or a recent blog entry makes him very hard to keep track off. I can tell you that when I popped into the office earlier he was very busy cutting out the sabb officers names and sticking them to a big sheet of paper. A quick glance at his calendar does show that Rory has a lot of meetings based around meals or drinks this week, he’ll also be Keeping his Cool with Jamie.

Charlie is another invisible YUSU officer. With no blog and no twitter I can only presume that she’s been hard at work dealing with academic and welfare related problems. I did bump into her outside Somerfield last week though. We had a nice chat about music. Weirdly she was barefoot.

Jamie is busy Keeping his Cool this week. Anybody who is feeling a little hot and bothered should feel free to go and join him in the Goodricke dining room.

Alex is probably getting quite excited about Roses. But he has no blog so I don’t know that for a fact. He’s probably lost his keys again as well.

In other news: this blog was recently referenced in a second year sociology essay. I know because the guilty party told me. Exciting.

I mean who actually cares about campus politics? The simple answer is effectively no one. I can name 22 off the top of my head. In alphabetical order; Asfahani, Bretts, Burton, Fill, Foy, Humphrys, Hutchings, Kinchin, Lacy (in theory), Leyland, Ngwena, Northwood, Powell, Rankin, Rose, Scott x2, Shanks, Taylor, Tyler, Walker and me. 22 out of 12000. A happy 0.18%.

The only reason why this select bunch really care are because they are campus politics. They have been accepted. The majority of them have stood up in some sort of election and won. The other five of us are therefore the opposition. It falls to a handful of journalists, Dan Taylor and Jason Rose to hold the union to account. That can’t be good.

So why don’t we care about politics at this University? It’s not like college politicians aren’t interesting people. Anybody who’s seen Ollie Hutchings in his short shorts this week (a sight that greeted me as I left the fees office this morning) will have something to say about him. Similarly why does Robert Powell from London insist on being called Roberto? Another curiosity. How many of the Dani Fill rumours are true? When was Dan Walker last seen sober? Has Joe Rankin hit puberty? These are all great questions, but no one cares enough to find out the answers.

Unfortunately I don’t have a solution to the problem. It wouldn’t matter if I did anyway, the only people reading this care about campus politics already. Or they just like me. Either way, I can’t see a solution. Maybe campus politicians need to get more exciting? Or maybe they need to find more ways to piss off 3rd years like the infamous summer ball decision.

Lets try and aim for a 1% interest rate this term guys.

I can’t pretend that I noticed this media revolution going on. I was 16 and the internet at my school was controlled and blocked. We didn’t even have Facebook access. As such I have very rarely read blogs. I might occasionally visit some of my friend’s, but I never really considered them on any intellectual level.

After reading Off The Record this morning I visited a few of the blogs mentioned. Guido Fawkes I had visited before, but I’d never even heard of Donal Blaney, let alone the Dan Taylor scandal. So I am a little bit behind on this blogging thing, which will apparently allow me to “get around the filter” and “push messages directly to the public”. According to Wikipedia.

Campus Bulley, incidentally, is not just a witty pun of my surname. This blog should hopefully provide a critique of campus politicians, especially those currently sitting in the (unofficially named) Matt Burton Dance Hall. Failing that it should at least act as a catalyst for discussion. As long as it doesn’t lower Time magazine’s opinions of me I’m happy.

I’ve also heard of Alex Singleton, whose blog claims that xenophobia is a Left-wing idea, in fact the 7th most dangerous Left-wing idea. Amusing.