What We’ve Been Up To in Term One.
We stepped into our roles at the start of a challenging academic year marked by the University’s Transformation Programme. This included redundancies of academic staff, programme and module cuts, and Faculty restructuring. Despite these challenges, we have remained unwavering advocates for student interests and quality education. Our goal remains steadfast: to sustain Goldsmiths as a radical institution that supports marginalised groups, encourages critical thought, and fosters an inclusive community.
Getting Started with Welcome Week
During Welcome Week, we engaged with around 75% of new students at University induction events and supported SU-led Liberation events. One highlight was the International Student Meetup, which drew hundreds of attendees. To improve attendance at future events, we’re collaborating closely with part-time officers.
Key Issues and Our Actions
Student Hub Challenges
From day one, we’ve raised student concerns in University committees, particularly regarding the consolidation of three School Hubs into a single ‘Student Hub’, which, as we had warned, led to long wait times, accessibility challenges and a poor experience for students. We pushed for process improvements, including moving services online to reduce the number of people at the Hub, implementing better triaging in the queue, and making reasonable adjustments for disabled students accessing the Hub.
Impact of the Transformation Programme
The Transformation Programme reduced student module choices, leaving many students frustrated over the loss of niche, innovative courses and the loss of expertise through redundancies. We’ve raised these concerns with senior management and advocated for changes that prioritise student needs. We also addressed other issues caused by the programme, such as delayed grades and transcripts, and supported students in securing special dispensations. These efforts included submitting a report to the Universities regulator, the Office for Students (OfS), which, although met with limited response, sparked crucial discussions within Goldsmiths.
We continue to advocate for the interests of students and hold management accountable in committees where necessary as we seek to rebuild student satisfaction with their experience at Goldsmiths, ensuring that the radical core of the University is maintained.
Supporting Disabled and Housing-Insecure Students
Supporting disabled students remains a top priority, especially regarding Reasonable Adjustments and mixed assessment methods (RASA). We’re pushing for a streamlined support system and improvements to the University’s strict Late Submission policy, advocating for penalties that align with fairer standards used by other London universities.
Amid London’s housing crisis, we’re working to increase the SU’s support. We want to help students navigate the competitive housing market, offer resources and advice for those facing accommodation problems, and push for stronger protections for those in University accommodation.
Student Voice
We have now appointed our reps for our Student Voice. These four Student Coordinators will help the SU respond better to student feedback, advocating on concerns that matter most to our members. We have already taken up a number of problems facing students, including continued issues with SEAtS, the number of contact hours received on courses, and consistency with the Personal Tutoring system.
Awareness Campaigns
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Contraception Access: Partnering with Contraception 2U, we’ve promoted free contraceptive delivery through the NHS.
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16 Days of Activism: Collaborating with Beatrix, our CARE Coordinator, we’re running a campaign in partnership with Amour Destine about service providers for domestic violence victims. This starts November 25.
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Abortion 101: Again collaborating with Beatrix and CARE, a workshop will be held on December 2nd, facilitating discussion on abortion access and the support available in the UK.
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Working on a guide for trans, non-binary and gender variant students transitioning at Goldsmiths and the UK context around trans healthcare.
Student Opportunities
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We have relaunched the Goldsmiths Anti-Racist Action (GARA) fund to support Black student-led projects
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Advocated for the expansion of Palestine Scholarships for postgraduates, with plans to extend this to undergraduates, in line with Goldsmith SMT’s commitments to Goldsmiths for Palestine (G4P)
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Facilitated a team of students to compete on University Challenge, the popular BBC quiz show.
Recent & Upcoming Liberation Events
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Trans Students Community Social Meetup and a trip to the Trans Remembrance Day rally.
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Sip & Paint for the GEM Student Liberation Network to make art around racial justice topics.
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International Students Potluck
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Pronoun badge-making night
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Quiz Night: for GEM students
In the months ahead, we’ll continue to engage with students, gather feedback, and foster dialogue around the University's strategic decisions. Despite ongoing challenges, we’re committed to advocating for student welfare and preserving Goldsmiths’ legacy as a place of inclusion, diversity, and critical thought.
Through collaboration, advocacy, and student-centred initiatives, we aim to rebuild trust and ensure Goldsmiths thrives as a hub for creativity, diversity, and progressive ideas.