I know, I know and I know!!
I’m getting really bad recently at updating my blog, I just seem to get distracted by so many things; uni, work, social life, Clare.
So anyway, in reference to the Student Union Awards Dinner held last night, I wanted to start off with a little take on the advert for Mastercard:
Suit £85
Haircut £19
Ticket £13
Losing again………priceless
Yup, you guessed it, I didn’t win in any of the awards that I was nominated for. I was nominated for Journalist of the Year, which I knew that I would not win (Simon Keens won that, who I think deserves it more than anybody). The other award that I was nominated for was the Student Representative of the year. This award is given to the person who shows dedication, commitment, and enthusiasm to the Students’ Union. They could have contributed to anything, be it committees, clubs, societies, course reps, student journalism, or all of them.
Okay, let’s put things into perspective shall we? I know, a check list would be a good idea:
- Committees – Yes (Students’ Union Council)
- Clubs – No (this is a sports club…..come on)
- Societies – Yes (Jewish Society committee for 2 years) (Shock Radio a member of for 1 year)
- Course Rep – Yes (Course Rep for 2 years, Rep trainer, School Rep to Union Council)
- Student Journalism – Yes (Writer for Student Direct this year, with 6 articles under my belt inc. front page and centre pages)
- Represented the Union at two NUS Regional Conferences as well as at NUS Anti-Racism Conference.
- Volunteered at Students’ Union OAP Christmas dinner.
- General all-round Union hack that dedicates a lot of time to the Union.
- Just taken over as Students’ Union Rep to ISD committee.
- Elected to represent Salford twice at NUS Annual Conference.
- Represents Student Rep views at meetings and training sessions.
Right, so we have that all understood, now let’s look at the winners (Alan Bailey) shall we?
- Committees – Yes (Union Council and E&D committee as LGBT rep on both)
- Clubs – No
- Societies – Yes (LGBT chair)
- Course Rep – No
- Student Journalism – No
- Represented the Union at LGBT conference and one NUS Regional Conference
- Won a position on the executive as a Non-Sabb at the elections.
- Not much else, but dedicates time to fulfill roles.
Okay, now going over these lists, I would love to see the reasoning for me not getting the award. I know this all sounds petty and I do not do any of my Union activities for any awards, but I was thinking today that it would be nice to be recognised for the amount of work that I put in. This is now the second time I have lost something that I am more than deserving of and I just don’t know what else I should be doing. Unfortunately the upsetting thing is that I may not be that involved in the Union next year as my emphasis will be near enough purely on Student Representation (hopefully), so this was really the only chance (that I can forsee) for me to get any kind of recognition.
Ah well, it’s a nice kick in the teeth at least!!
Even better news today, one of my old friends from down south died today in a road traffic accident, so I’ve been on the phone a lot trying to consol friends that have been crying all day. At least the story got a mention in the BBC.
I think that’s enough from me for now. Hopefully on Friday I will be back on here telling you all if I got a new Student Representation role (fingers crossed).
Martyn 
#1 by clare on May 16, 2006 - 8:32 pm
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two things:
wohoooooooooooo im a distraction
im really sorry about your matexxx
ok so i cant count heres another….isnt messenger working tonight??
(p.s i didnt bugg you about the blog this time
!)
#2 by Steph Winter on June 8, 2006 - 10:48 am
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Martyn, I have just read your blog entitled ‘Colours’, and I have to say I am extremely disappointed. As you are fully aware being a member of Student Union Awards Committee that the winners of each award were elected by a democratic voting system. Although I cannot stop you posting whatever you want on you own website,
if something like this was posted on the Unions’ website I would have it removed. In your personal opinion you might feel you were more deserved of the award, however comparing yourself to Alan Bailey in the manner that you have not only undermines the work the Committee did, but also the Students’ Union. Alan is now a member of the Executive Committee and should not be undermined in such a way.
I will await any comments you may have if you wish to reply.
Steph Winter
#3 by Martyn on June 10, 2006 - 4:43 pm
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Steph,
Thanks for your comments, I understand your point of view completely. This is my personal website and I am entitled to air my personal opinions on it and those opinions stand. This is the reason that I wrote it here, rather than on the SU site, as some people would see that post and not view it as my personal opinion.
What I have done in this post is list the criteria of the award and then show how each of us matches it. I don’t think that my comments undermine Alan, but reflecting on them, they do undermine the award and the process of choosing a winner. It’s my reflection on it and, as I have already done for the SU elections, I shall be submitting my thoughts and ideas on how it can be improved in the future.
To be frank, the title of the award was changed from Representative to ‘Outstanding Contribution to the SU’ (something which I wasn’t made aware of, as a member of the Awards Committee, until the presentation night) which puts a whole different slant onto it and to be honest makes it seem almost fake.
On the actual night, I only got feedback from Alex on how difficult it was to choose a winner. This was nice of him, but at the same time, made me feel slightly ’second class’ that the only comments that other members of the exec could muster were ‘I heard that you have slept with a certain Vicky Scullard’ (which I stress again, never happened).
I stand by my comments and still feel that I deserved this award as somebody that has done nothing but represent. To be perfectly honest, I am a tad tired of constantly putting in 110% or more into a lot of things that I do for the University and Union and not see an ounce of gratitude. I don’t do anything for the gratitude, but just a pat on the back every once in a while would be sufficient. Sometimes it just feels like this hard work is taken advantage of and this is why my efforts next year will be focused towards working with the Representation Co-ordinator as I do feel that she is greatful for the hard work that I do week after week in representing my fellow students. I will carry on representing students to the best of my ability and with the maximum enthusiasm and energy that I have always done, no matter what course they are on or what their religion, race, age, status or sexuality is.
Martyn
#4 by Charlotte Trant on June 11, 2006 - 4:52 pm
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Here here Martyn, i agree with your comments 100 per cent. Obviously certain member of the exec cannot appreciate your hard work and dedication ( and your right to voice your opinions on your own personal website)…. their loss hey!
xxxx
#5 by Steph Winter on June 18, 2006 - 3:35 pm
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I would like to reply to your response and then hopefully this matter can be left alone as i don’t feel it will be pro-active to carry on this conversation in this manner. Maybe we can have a chat about it.
Firstly I’d like to point out that in my original post i clearly state that i am aware that this is your own website and that you can post whatever you want on it. I do appreciate that i you do have opinions like this that you are not using the Union forum to voice them.
There are several objectives that you missed from Alans involvement. Alan has written several times for Student Direct this year. And i do feel your comment of ‘Not much else’ does undermine him. At this point i would like to say that this is not personal. If Alan or anyone else had written this type of thing about you I would be the first to jump up and defend you, as I would do so with anyone who i feel has contributed a lot to the Union.
As i thought you were aware there were originally two seperate awards, couse rep of the year and student rep of the year. I nominated you for the first and Alan for the latter. I was the only person to nominate both youself and Alan, thus showing that i do appreciated the work you both contribute. As there was a new awards systeme this year i think i will take time to catch on and get other reps applying. Seen as there were no other worthy candidates Tracey as Chair made an excutive decision to combine the awards under the new award title, therefore not creating a ‘fake award’. You and Alan were both worthy candidate for this titled award and I’d like to thank you for acknowledging that the democratic voting process was fair. And as always I would like to encourage anyone who feels they have new ideas on how this process could be improved. It is a new systeme which I feel will in time become more inclusive.
As a member of the committee i think you’l agree that there were sevaral awards that were hard to vote on as all the students nominated were worthy of winning. I don’t really know what you would have wanted any of us to say to you on the night. Alex spoke to you about it but you state that it made you feel ’second class’ other members of the Exec didn’t bring it up and you seem not to be happy with that either. As for the Vicky Scuallrd thing, I will apologise if it upset you. You know what we are all like for a bit of goss (including you)!
I hope you do not feel unappreciated by the Union and this years Exec. I feel I always say thanks to anyone for there work. I hope in the future you will continue to work alongside the Union and contribute greatly. Without students like you and Alan it would be very hard. Next year you say you will focus more on the Course Rep Systeme, I think thats great and hopefully with yourself and others involved you will be able get more reps nominating themselves for awards next year.
I hope this answers some more of your statements and those of Charlotte Trant. On your website you are invited to reply. I am just using my right to express my opinion as well.
Have a lovely summer darling, see you around hopefully.
Steph x
#6 by Andrew Snowden on June 19, 2006 - 11:04 pm
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Hi everyone,
Have read the intense comments that are being posted, and just wanted to make a quick comment.
As i did not sit on the colours committee, and was therefore not involved in the decision making process, i fear it would be unwise, and arrogant of me to pass judgement on that itself. I look forward to seeing your proposals for the selection system, and am more than happy to look into it with you. However i am sure that the current exec, and the commtittee which you were part of did not take any decisions lightly, and from all accounts the awards were elected democratically.
What i actually wanted to comment on was the statement you made on getting more involved with the representational side. That is absolutley fantastic news, i intend to do a lot of reviewing and developing in this area next year, and hopfully look forward to your input, howver much on what ever form ou choose to make it. You have my email address and contact details do feel free to get in touch as soon as you can with your ideas and thoughts, should be an exciting year from a representational point of view.
Cheers
Andrew