Union

Rep Elections: Free cash draw for supporters if I win, says candidate

Another candidate in the Rep Elections was spotted offering supporters a chance to win a ‘gift’ worth £20 at the Institute of Education yesterday. Rhi Skelhorn and Nick Miao The candidate for Accommodation and Housing Officer Karrar Hashim told voters that they would be entered into a £20 prize draw if he wins the election.

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‘Drink elsewhere at your peril’, says Union as bar prices jacked

The Students’ Union appears confident that students will return to its bars despite raising the price of pints to cover increased spending on staff wages. Nick Miao Co-Editor-in-Chief A spokesperson for Students’ Union UCL confirmed that, over the summer, prices on 68 products sold behind bars have increased by an average of 15 pence, whereas

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Inside the SU Deep State

Nick Miao Sabbatical Officers at Students’ Union UCL (SU) are elected in cross-campus elections once a year to represent the student voice at the highest level, both within the University and the Union. They sit on the UCL Council, the University’s governing body, and collectively determine the strategic direction of the Union, each chairing a

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Untitled rant: Why care about student journalism at UCL? (Subject to change)

Robert Delaney The question posed above is one I often face when confronted about my role as co-Editor-in-Chief at The Cheese Grater. Curious friends, mostly those from outside the university sphere, ask me what the point of student journalism is. What is the raison d’etre behind it all? And I don’t blame them. Student journalism

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Ode to Sports Night

Seth Robinson It’s Wednesday night – I sway slightly in the queue,   Spearmint extra – Sauvignon just passed from mouth to loo,   “ID?” One grunts, “Just here” I say politely,   Soft fingertips brush me with a stamp – I think he likes me.   Ding! Crammed tight in lift with rugby soc,   “Oi Edwin! Reckon I can fill

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Umair Mehmood, The Underdog Story: How QR Codes Led to Welfare Wednesdays

Vivianne Zhang Wei Lack of awareness about the Students’ Union elections is a persistent problem at UCL, but one candidate in the latest Leadership Race was difficult not to be aware of. If you were on campus at all during the 2022 election season, chances are you either were or saw others get canvassed by

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Chun Buckets Everywhere: How Initiation Ceremonies Ruin the Freshers Experience

This article was awarded Best News Story at the 2023 Student Publication Association Awards and Best Media Piece at the 2023 Students’ Union UCL Arts Awards. Neil Majithia and Elettra Plati Four years ago, the UCL Students’ Union acted on its ban of initiations and disaffiliated Men’s Rugby after the society was found guilty of

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No More 3 for 10 Jagers?

Anna Maria Papaoikonomou, Zine Editor I can’t ever go back to my first two months of university. Not because I had a particularly difficult time, but simply because I genuinely cannot remember large chunks of my first few weeks as I was constantly blackout drunk. No matter one’s background and upbringing, it seems as though

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disabled students

UCL Cares? Disabled Students’ Network report reveals bleak treatment of students

On January 20th, UCL Disabled Students’ Network published a report detailing the issues surrounding disabilities at UCL, containing students’ testimonies and recommendations for improvements to the treatment of disabled students at UCL. As of the Equality Act 2010, it is unlawful for a university to discriminate against a student based on disability or long-term mental

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Not Cool Club

What exactly is the Not Cool Club? In conversation with the club’s president

The Not Cool Club at UCL has gained a lot of traction. All around campus the walls are covered in black and yellow posters promoting the club and inviting students to ‘Be Better’ and ‘Give a Shit for Once’. Having only started in September, the club already had a membership of almost 80 people, and

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Election balls

Adverts on social media, a ball pit in South Cloisters, and a promise of £500 to the society with the highest percentage of voting members were not enough to boost flagging turnout at this year’s Union elections. The first for several years with no clear ‘slates’ of candidates, this year’s election turnout fell: only 5,909

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Democracy Officer wants lower turnout threshold for union meetings

On 11 October, at the most recent general assembly of SU UCL (not, under any circumstances, to be called ‘suckle’ -ed.), Democracy, Operations and Community officer Mahmud Rahman unveiled a package of proposed reforms to the way the Union operates. One of these in particular, the lowering of quoracy requirements for general assemblies, has caught

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Here’s How Many Societies Opted-Out of The Union’s Shambolic Online Elections

The controversial plan to move AGMs online appears to have been much ado about nothing, with the majority of UCL’s 268 societies opting out of online elections. Last month, a motion passed by UCL Council ensured that societies would be allowed the choice to opt-out of the forced switch to online democracy. Though Carl Salton-Cox, the

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Online society elections will now be opt-out

Tonight at an Emergency Council Meeting, the debate over whether President and Treasurer elections for societies should go online finally came to a boil.  The two protagonists of the night were former Sustainability, Engagement and Operations Officer, Zakariya Mohran and this year’s Activities officer Ilyas Morrison. The whole saga began in December when Morrison sent

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iPad debate heats up first successful General Assembly in four years

In a historic night for the Union, Tuesday’s General Assembly was the first since 2014 to which enough people showed up for the meeting to actually go ahead, so that advisory motions could be passed. The biggest talking point of the night was the spirited, sometimes emotional, debate over a motion to prohibit the use

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Logo of the Zero Tolerance to Sexual Harassment scheme

“Zero Tolerance is just a marketing scheme”: Union hypocrisy fails sexual assault victims

“They make you run around in circles until you give up.” Imagine having a drink with a friend in Phineas. All around are posters and T-shirts advertising the Union’s ‘Zero Tolerance to Sexual Harassment’ pledge. Little do you realise just how much this pledge has failed her. Although she’s been at UCL for over two

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UCLU attempt to clean house

Conflict erupted at the March Union Council meeting, as plans were revealed to cut the hours of UCLU’s contracted cleaners by 30% in a bid to cut the Union’s £300,000 deficit by a third. Divisions at Council At March’s Union Council meeting Sustainment, Engagement and Operations Sabb Zakariya Mohran argued that UCLU should prioritise spending

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Bloomsbury Theatre

Bloomsbury Theatre Updates

At last, there is more news of the much-missed Bloomsbury Theatre, as students were finally briefed on the Bloomsbury renovation consultation process. Simon Cane, UCL’s Director of Public and Cultural Engagement at UCL, Frank Penter, the Bloomsbury’s Theatre Coordinator, and Nick Edmonds, Activities and Events Officer briefed arts society representatives. Also present was Matt Aldridge,

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The swimming pool at in the Malet Place ULU building

Wolves at the Door for ULU

Senior managers and academics within the University of London are proposing the closure of the University of London Union (ULU). In documents seen by The Cheese Grater, UoL managers and academics in the ‘ULU Review Group’ advise that the union have its democratic functions stripped and its assets handed over to the University. Under the

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RIP Pi Newspaper (2007-2012)

In an email sent this morning to all members Pi’s president outlined proposals to scrap Pi Newspaper, merging some of its content with the magazine. According to the president, the newspaper has “lost its relevence”. CG are pleased to see an investigative section worked into the planned new publication. The proposal will be voted on

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UCL Provost Malcolm Grant, pictured in 1972. The referendum of no-confidence in Grant was rejected by the vote of the student body.

Referenda Close

UCL Union rejects ‘No Confidence in Malcolm Grant’, becomes pro-choice and will decide international policy through member’s meetings or referenda. The pro-Grant campaign has won motion one of the UCLU Referendum, overturning the decision made during December’s EMM (CG 32) to place no confidence in the Provost. There were also wins for the pro-choice camp

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Censor This

James Skuse and Amy Evans are at it again. Student Activities Officer Amy Evans has attempted to censor Cheese Grater reporting of the misconduct of Democracy and Communications Officer James Skuse. Evans, who listed “transparency” as one of her manifesto priorities when running for office, cited the UCL Policy on Bullying and Harassment in order

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