Women's Officering 12/01/09 - 16/01/09

Women's Officer Report - 12/01/09 - 16/01/09

Monday 12/01/09
Caught up with emails, post and messages from over Christmas.
Finalised the plans for the 24 hour Night Bus and caught up with the library about the popularity of the 24 hour library.
Finalised the campaign plan and timetable for this year.
Organised a coach from Manchester to the Free Education demo on the 25th February.
Attended the Climate Rush demo at Manchester airport

Tuesday 13/01/09
Reclaim the Night promo – including printing publicity, updating facebook and conducting a HUGE mailout.
Organising speakers and stalls for Reclaim the Night.
Rung round lots of Students’ Unions to get them to register delegates for NUS Women’s Conference in my role as Lesbian Rep on NUS Women’s Committee.

Wednesday 14/01/08
Exec away day in Lancaster to discuss experiences, problems and ways forward for the coming term. It was great to speak to everyone outside the union context and talk about issues to help us work better this term.

Thursday 15/01/08
Follow up from 13th December Feminism and the Student Movement event.
Helped develop campaign plans with new Women’s officers from the North we can work on this year.
Looked into new times for self-defense classes this term.
More Reclaim the Night Promo.
Academic Advice Service Open Day Meeting to liaise with influential members of the University.
Represented UMSU at Goldsmiths discussion on Miss University UK.

Friday 16/01/08
Wrote amendments for NUS Women’s Conference.
Arranged support for London Women’s Officers on Miss University UK.
Promoted Reclaim the Night North in London.
Started re-writing Lysistrata – the Riveters play this term.

Notes/ Thoughts

I have decided to stand for the position of NUS National Women’s Officer this year. This decision will not interefere with my work as UMSU Women’s Officer as I shall continue to work hard to ensure the liberation of women students is a paramount priority.

The sabb away day was fantastic and I’m really glad we decided to have open consultations regarding UMSU governance, and to work together on specific campaigns.

I was also hugely impressed by the amount of people at the Goldsmiths meeting to discuss beauty pagents and the efforts of London Women’s Officers to engage students in their demos, actions and discussions. I believe that it is a women’s choice to present in whatever way she wishes and will support them in doing so. But also believe it is important to challenge the capitalist structures which form the ideas of what we need to look like, how we need to harm our bodies to conform and cause not to celebrate how all women look, act, behave and present.