The full-time officers are making the new Three Year Plan for the Union, using evidence from the Annual Student Surveys of the last few years and general feedback from students. Now that officers know what we roughly want it to look like, we need to know what you think about our ideas and what your ideas are.

This is what we think our aim, purpose and values are:

Aim : To be universally recognised as having the most satisfied membership in the country.

: To be universally recognised as having the most satisfied membership in the country. Purpose: To enrich the lives of every member of the Union of UEA Students.

To enrich the lives of every member of the Union of UEA Students. Values: Democracy, Diversity, Equality & Fun.

We also have five ‘areas of focus’. These are the 5 different areas of work that the Union does to meet the aim of enriching the lives of UEA students. Let us know what you think of our ideas, and please tell us if you have any ideas too! They are:

ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

We are here to enrich the lives of students, and at the core of every student’s time at university is their academic experience. The Union should help you get the best degree you possibly can, and help you to enjoy studying at UEA.

Our big idea is to create a representation department by 2013/14, who will be able to train and co-ordinate course reps, gather and analyse information and opinion and generally help us become partners in our education.

STUDENT WELFARE

The Union supports equal opportunities, campaigns for better student finances, provides free and independent advice on housing, sexual health, finances, and more. We’re here to support students inside and outside the classroom.

Our big ideas are to create an alcohol-free space for student groups to meet by 2014, and also to create a lettings agency by 2014 so that we run several properties in Norwich.

UNION COMMUNICATION

The Union does so much for students and provides so many great opportunities, but we know that not enough students know what’s happening or how to get involved activities or decisions.

Our big idea is to create a marketing department by 2013/14, to manage our new website, get more students involved in democracy, design better posters and branding, support campaigns and market the Union’s commercial services.

ACTIVITIES & ACTIVISM

The Union is a campaigning organisation, and strives to defend, extend and promote the rights of UEA students. We also provide hundreds of different activities for students to take part in alongside their studies, which is great for socialising and building your CV.

Our big idea is to refigure Union House by 2014 to make it more fit for purpose; we want to create a CAVE (Centre for Activities, Volunteering & Enterprise) where all of our activities can be managed.

BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY

The Union gets most of its funding from our own commercial services, like the bars and shops. We need to have financial stability so that we are here for the students of tomorrow as well as the students of today.

Our big ideas are: to create a ‘Megashop’ over the summer, to consolidate all of our shops into one handy place; and to create a loyalty card scheme, to reward regular customers in our shops and bars and encourage spending in the Union to fund our activities.

Let us know what you think about all of this by filling in the form below, commenting or writing on facebook or twitter. You can also pop up and see us in the student officer centre, fill in a comment card, or write your ideas on the whiteboard in the Hive. Join the discussion!