We’ve been very busy all summer making changes at SUSU. Here are just ten new things you might notice on arriving back at uni.

1. Six thousand new students

Well that’s a no-brainer. We hope you’re as eager to welcome 6,000 fresh new hearts & minds to Southampton as we are. We’ve been working hard all summer to create a vibrant, welcoming, helpful and, above-all, unforgettable Freshers’ Week.

2. Six new sabbaticals

And nine new executive officers. They started in June, of course, and all summer they’ve been steering SUSU through the changes you see here. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There’s loads more going on, which they’ll be telling you all about soon over on the Sabb Blog.

3. One new website

Things are looking a little different around here. Thanks for noticing. We hope you find the new SUSU.org much easier to use. We’ll be building on these foundations over the coming months, so have a look around and tell us what you think in the comments.

4. We’ve pricked up our ears

It’s all very well improving our output, but that wasn’t enough. For you to get the most out of your university experience, you need a Students’ Union that listens and responds to your every need. We’ve been exploring a few ways we can keep each other in the loop, and here’s where we’re at:

• For the Facebook addicts among you, there’s the Southampton University Students’ Union Facebook page. The Sabbs will be ever-present on the wall to chat to you about whatever takes your fancy.
• We love Twitter. It’s a really quick way of helping people out when they need a bit of advice or info. If you want to follow us, you’ll get a flurry of behind-the-scenes updates, all the key info in bite-sized chunks and a few cheeky competitions to boot.
• We’ve enabled comments on all our blog posts, both here and over on the Sabbs Blog, so if you want to discuss the finer details of your Students’ Union, you have a place dedicated to exactly that.
• Finally, we’re very excited about our community over at GetSatisfaction. It’s a brilliant place to ask a question, report a problem, make a suggestion, or give praise. We’re getting everyone at SUSU involved and aiming to answer any query you might have within 24 hours.

5. We’ve souped up SUSU (and WSASU)

Both SUSU’s main buildings and the Winchester School of Art Students’ Union have been spruced up ready for your return. There’s new furniture, new TV screens, a fresh lick of paint and lots of friendly new faces.

6. The Cube has a new face

Your Students’ Union nightclub is finally back on top form. We’ve had teams of students and staff working together with the Sabbs all summer to turn The Cube into THE place to be. We just premiered our new Friday night, ‘Twisted’, where everyone was in agreement: students at the University of Southampton are very, very lucky.

Twisted isn’t the only new night. Wednesdays will see The Cube turned into a huge frat-house (or sorority house, if you prefer) for ‘I Heart College’ – an American themed night for AU Clubs and SUSU’s many societies to call their home.

Also, the entrance has moved… we’ll let you find that one out for yourselves.

7. The Wessex Scene is dead, long live The Wessex Scene

The Wessex Scene has been reborn as a magazine, and it’s looking beautiful. It’s still priced at a competitive £0.00 and you’ll still find The Edge magazine as a pull-out. The first issue is out now. They’ve also got a lovely new website at wessexscene.co.uk.

8.  SUSUtv is better than ever

Thanks to investment from the University earlier in the year, SUSUtv have a brand new studio on Level 1 of Building 42. They’ve now got all the kit they need to make proper telly, and a sexy new logo. You can look forward to loads of great new shows, starting with their live broadcast on the Friday of Freshers’ Week. Their new website will be online soon.

9. Representation revolution

For the first year ever, SUSU is running Course Rep elections. This will make the representation system better and fairer. Don’t forget, School President elections take place in March – they’re the folk who look after the Course Reps. All in all, we’ve been taking steps to make sure you get exactly what you want from your time at university.

10. We’re evolving

We’ve been working out exactly what you need from us as a Students’ Union; what we exist to do and how we go about it. This has helped us formulate our mission statement, our vision, and our values. We’ll soon be showing you what we’ve come up with, so you can tell us whether you think we got it right – then we can start planning for the future together.

That’s not all…

This is just a sample of what we’ve been up to over the summer. Keep an eye on the website and the upcoming Sabb Blogs to find out what else is new.

If you’re a student at the University of Southampton, then you’re a member of Southampton University Students’ Union. Contrary to popular belief, there’s loads more to a Students’ Union than just running the bar and protesting tuition fees. In fact, your Union has a hand in every aspect of your university life.

SUSU is your union. We exist to unlock your potential and help you make the most of your University experience. If you ever want advice or support, we’ve got it covered; if you ever need us, we’re waiting to speak up for you; and if you just want to be part of a community that boasts over 200 ways to have a great time at uni, you’re definitely in the right place.

As a SUSU member you get access to everything you need to make your uni experience the best it can be. We support a huge range of sports clubs, recreational societies, special interest groups and other activities, so if you’ve got something extracurricular in mind, the chances are you can indulge your passion from the moment you arrive. Failing that, you can always set up a society yourself; everything we do is run by students.

We are based on Highfield campus, and you’ll also find us at Winchester School of Art. If you’re living in halls, we even run your halls bars and look after your JCR team. They’re the guys who make sure your time in halls is easy, safe and sociable.

We’ve got your nightlife sorted, too – with a range of treats including The Cube, a 1700-capacity nightclub; The Stag’s Head, your union bar; and Union Films, a 330-seat cinema. They’re all cheaper, closer, safer nights out.

But it’s not all fun and games. When it comes to your studies, we know you take it seriously. SUSU also exists to represent you to the University, ensuring you get the education you’re paying for. We work closely with your Course Reps and School Presidents so they can get your issues solved with no hassle.

In fact, whatever problem you might run into, the SU advice & information centre (SUAIC) is always ready with confidential, friendly advice. Trust us, they’ve seen it all, so never be afraid to visit them for a chat; they really know their stuff.

Lastly – and best of all – SUSU is governed by students. Every year, many of you love the place so much that you decide to help run it. You can propose motions at the AGM, vote in the elections, or even run for President of the Students’ Union yourself.

So that’s SUSU. Uni life made fun, safe, supportive, and totally under your control.

This weekend, Union Films picked up a distinction for best marketing and publicity at the British Federation of Film Societies (BFFS) annual awards ceremony. The 54th annual BFFS awards were held at the Institut Francais in London on Saturday. Representatives from film societies from all corners of the United Kingdom were present and the awards were presented by Francine Stock of BBC Radio 4′s The Film Programme.