Welcome to our final update on the latest news and events from Teesside University Students’ Union (TUSU) for this academic year. We get in touch every month from September to May unless you ask us to stop by unsubscribing.
In this edition, we are looking ahead to the amazing week of events that make up The Big Summer Send Off culminating in our huge end-of-year party on Fri, 19th May. We thank Teesside University for their help in ensuring the events are either free or heavily discounted, and we hope to see as many of you as possible at them. They are for EVERYONE to enjoy and a chance to sample other cultures and get to know a wider range of fellow students. Find out more about everything coming up in the article further down.
We are also looking ahead to the summer months, which will include another joyful Graduation Week and, for many, will mean exciting opportunities to travel and work in other parts of the country or abroad. We have some top tips on staying safe and healthy while you do so.
And we also reflect on what we think has been another excellent academic year for the SU, with international recognition, new records, and high student achievement amongst the highlights, in our TUSU in Review publication which is available from Friday, 26th May.
Finally, we want to wish everyone who will be leaving Teesside Uni this summer the very best for the future, we hope that whatever you end up doing, you keep in touch with TUSU and utilise our spaces and events whenever you can.
And, for two of us (Eby and Nigil), it is the last time we will write to you before we leave our positions at the end of June. We thank everyone who has supported us and given us the honour of being part of the first-ever all-international Student Officer team. We also wish our successors (more about them in an article further down) the very best of luck.
Eby, Femi and Nigil – Student Officers 2022/23
Teesside University Students’ Union (TUSU) is inviting students to end the academic year in style with a week of fun, inclusive events in our venues and Campus Heart from Monday, 15th May, culminating in The Big Summer Send Off on Friday, 19th May! We thank Teesside University for their kind sponsorship of them.
Guests at the Send-Off event will be able to enjoy:
AND…Don’t forget we have FREE ENTRY events every night to kickstart the summer, including a Sendoff Special of our massive Monday Night Quiz, two unmissable evening events celebrating Bollywood and Afrobeats culture and the chance to sing your heart out to your top tunes at the last Karaoke event of the year.
Teesside University Students’ Union (TUSU) reverts to holiday opening hours from Saturday, 20th May, until mid-September. The availability of the building, Student Officers and our various services/ spaces are affected as follows over that period:
Find out more about all our current campaign work through tees-su.org.uk/officers.
The current Student Officer team will complete their period in office at the end of June, at which point Eby Eldho (President Education) and Nigil Narayanan Thathron (President Activities) will leave their roles, and Femi Abolade (President Wellbeing from July 2023) will continue for a second and final term.
Michael Adewunmi (President Education Elect) said: “I thank Eby on behalf of TUSU for his contribution to the first-ever all-international Student Officer team. He has led our Board of Trustees during a challenging time and done important work improving student understanding of issues around academic misconduct. He has also offered personal help and advice to many students encountering difficulties with academic issues. We wish him well with his future studies and career.”
Nevin Edwin (President International Elect) said: “We are grateful to Nigil for his enthusiastic approach to encouraging more students to participate in the activities that TUSU and the University offer. I know he has been an important source of support and advice to students on a range of other issues as well including finding accommodation and settling into student life here. Good luck to him for the future.”
Michael, who is originally from Lagos in Nigeria, and Nevin, who is originally from Kerala in India, begin their induction and training in mid-June before taking officially joining Femi on Monday, 3rd July. Find out more about them and watch a video of them speaking about their plans for next year through tees-su.org.uk/officerselect.
The Student Opinion Counts (SOC) survey is the single biggest piece of market research conducted by Teesside University Students' Union (TUSU). It is a chance for ALL current students to tell us more about your student life, the challenges you face when studying, where you want TUSU to fit into your student experience and how much you know about us as well as what you think of the way we are led and the impact we have for all students. Your feedback will help Student Officers, Student Reps, and staff to keep improving the services, spaces, events, activities, and campaigns we provide.
PRIZES TO BE WON
Alongside the importance of your feedback to helping us improve, you could win some GREAT PRIZES for taking a few minutes to respond to the live survey. Every student who responds is entered into a draw to win ONE of the incredible prizes below. We thank partner organisations for their generous donations; you will be contacted once the survey closes if you win a prize, and you can read the terms and conditions of the prize draw below.
WIN £300, £200, or £100 cash (3 separate payments available) from Teesside University Students' Union (TUSU).
Our friends at Stagecoach are offering an incredible incentive to everyone who completes the survey! Win an ACER Aspire 14-inch, 128GB laptop! The winner will be contacted in May, but before that, why not find out more about the amazing savings on travel for students they offer by clicking here.
Our friends at Head Quarters Barbers and Beverages, one of the coolest men's hair stylists/ venues in Teesside, are offering 5 x £20 off vouchers to use at their establishment. Prizes are handed out in May, but, before that, why not find out more and make a booking now anyway, click here.
The 2022/23 academic year has been another challenging but highly successful one for TUSU. We have worked hard to adapt to the needs of a constantly changing student body and thoroughly enjoyed the many benefits of another large increase in international students at the Uni.
There has been global and national recognition for our services and support for students while new records were set for participation in societies and the votes cast in our annual elections. And we celebrated the exceptional achievements of individual students and groups.
You will be able to read TUSU in Review 2022/23 online from Friday, 26th May and pick up printed copies from the SU Welcome Desk from that day.
One of the biggest highlights of every year at Teesside University is Graduation Week. We cannot wait to celebrate with all of our wonderful Graduates and their families from Monday, 17th, to Friday, 21st July!
We will be open throughout the week for:
Find out more about Graduation Week through tees.ac.uk/graduation.
As the summer break approaches, we know many students will be looking for new accommodation. It is increasingly difficult to find in central Middlesbrough. You may need to widen your search area and live outside of the town. This will mean travelling to campus daily, so you must also factor in the travel costs for each site on top of your rent and living costs. We have a wealth of information and useful links on our dedicated accommodation page tees-su.org.uk/accommodation, and there are also useful tips below.
Public Transport:
There is plenty of public transport from the surrounding areas into Middlesbrough itself. Both buses and trains run daily from most areas, and often weekly or monthly passes can be purchased at a reduced rate.
Temporary Accommodation:
Whilst looking for accommodation, you may need somewhere to stay temporarily. Below are some options for this:
Air BnB – This is a popular website that allows you to rent a room or entire property. If you are here with friends or family members, this is a good option as you can split the rent and choose a property size to suit your needs.
Hostels - A hostel is a great option for students travelling on a budget. You can often get a bed in a shared dorm for around £20 - £30 pounds per night.
independenthostels.co.uk/hostels-with-private-rooms/ has hundreds of hostels across the country. Find one near you, call them or book it online.
hostelworld.com/st/hostels/europe/england/ may also be a useful site to take a look at.
Hotels - If you're looking for a bit more luxury, then staying in a hotel is an option. However, this option is often more expensive, with rates starting at around 50 pounds per night. Check out the links below for more.
We know the summer break hasn’t even started yet, but before we all know it, TUSU Freshers 2023 and a brand-new academic year will be upon us. If you are back in September, you can expect to hear lots from both ourselves and the Uni over the summer about events, activities and support that will be available to you from Saturday, 16th September, onwards.
And remember to stay connected over the summer through our Freshers minisite and Official Freshers Facebook Page. Beware unofficial social media and web pages claiming to be part of Teesside Uni Freshers, ours are the ONLY place to get official info on TUSU Freshers 2023.
Congratulations on completing your final exams, assessments and placements! We hope you all now have some time to relax and recharge. As we approach the summer, you may be thinking about your results or graduation. We hope that everything works well for you and you get to celebrate all your hard work. However, we understand that this time can be difficult for some. If you do not know what support is available, the school reps can give you details of the correct person to contact.
Do you want to be a Course Representative next year? We are recruiting Course Reps in September. All you need to do is register your interest with your course leader. They will then hold a class vote. Once this is complete and a rep is elected, the course leader will fill out a short form. You will be invited to a training session and added to our Course Rep group. It is an excellent opportunity to become more involved in the University and the Students' Union. You will be rewarded through Volunteers, get a free hoodie for attending training, and have the opportunity to win Course Rep of the Year 23/24! We would love to hear your feedback, including success stories, positive comments and issues or concerns. You can contact us via E-mail, Facebook, or Instagram. The representation team will be available to take messages, even during the summer. We wish you all the best of luck in receiving your results. Finally, a huge congratulations to all those who will be graduating this summer.
We know that most students are feeling the pinch right now as living costs spiral, but you still want to have some fun where you can as the summer approaches! One fantastic way of saving on eating out, fashion, music, cinema, travel, and more is the TOTUM app and card. It is the only OFFICIAL student discount app and card, the only one offered by the National Union of Students (NUS) and the only one we recommend!
TUSU works closely with the University and a range of key external agencies such as Cleveland Police, Cleveland Fire, and the NHS (National Health Service) to keep students safe while studying and living here in Teesside and in other places.
This month, we want to take a moment to remind you about staying safe and limiting your chances of being affected by crime over the summer, whether you are remaining in Teesside or travelling elsewhere for some or all of the break.
We also want to remind you that the University and Students’ Union have partnered up to produce a series of short, informative video guides designed to help you avoid being affected by fraud or scams. These will cover finding employment and accommodation as well as typical money-related crime both online and in person. Head here for more info and to watch the videos.
If you are going to be away from rented accommodation over the summer period:
If you are going to be travelling/ socialising over the holiday period:
We know the lengthy summer break can be a busy period for catching up with friends and family or meeting new people while you travel and work. We hope you have a wonderful time, and here are a few suggestions on how to make sure you stay safe.
