<div class="fr-view"><p><strong>A new chapter begins</strong></p>
<p>After more than 50 years as the Open University Students Association, we have started a new chapter.</p>
<p>On Wednesday, 21 May, we became known as Open SU – the union for OU students. You may have spotted our new logo on the front page!</p>
<p>Creating a new brand is a big task, and OU students have been involved in every step, from voting for the change <a href="https://www.oustudents.com/assets/site_resources/Conference2024ReportofVoting.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">last year</a>, to sending in thoughts and ideas, to taking part in design workshops for our new branding.</p>
<p>By using the term &#8216;union&#8217;, we hope to help everyone better understand the important work we do, and to raise awareness of the support, representation and opportunities we provide.</p>
<p>Our mission remains the same – to make a positive difference for all OU students. We will continue to work collaboratively with the University to ensure that students are at the centre of decision-making.</p>
<p><strong>Student issues discussed by the Student Leadership Team</strong></p>
<p>During February’s Student Leadership Team (SLT) meeting (held quarterly), the team discussed the top two student issues voted on via the OU students website.</p>
<p>These were “searchable PDF module books” and our “social media” platforms.</p>
<p>Whilst some students in secure environments may not have access to social media platforms or digital media, it is worth noting that the Student Leadership Team made a collective decision to place on hold using X.com, formerly known as Twitter, with a review to be taken after a certain period. The reason for this was due to questions surrounding the values of the student union, and if certain social media platforms aligned to these values. The team also highlighted that some social media platforms’ policies were not always supportive of our students or our values – however, we could not step away from social media altogether as we still engage with students in this environment.</p>
<p>Likewise, in terms of searchable PDF module books, some SiSEs may not have access to these but instead will receive paper copies of the module books, as well as copies of the module virtual learning environment (VLE).</p>
<p>What challenges do you find difficult when studying in a secure environment, and how can the Student Leadership Team support you? <a href="mailto:oustudents-belonging@open.ac.uk">Please get in touch to let us know.</a></p>
<p><strong>Successful by-elections</strong></p>
<p>We recently held by-elections to elect students onto our Student Leadership Team. There were nine positions up for grabs – Vice President roles in Administration, Community &; Engagement, and Student Welfare; Faculty Representative positions in Business &; Law and Open &; Access; Area Representative for Scotland; Black, Asian &; Minority Ethnic Representative; and the new roles of Disabled Students Representative and LGBTQIA+ Representative.</p>
<p>Nominations were opened in March and the results were then announced on Friday, 9 May.</p>
<p>We’re delighted that we now have a full remit of 22 students on our Student Leadership Team, reflecting our mission as Open SU to make a positive difference for all OU students.</p>
<p>If you have an issue that you want a specific Rep to raise for you, <a href="mailto:oustudents-belonging@open.ac.uk">you can get in touch with us</a> and we will pass your message on to them.</p>
<p><strong>Hello everyone!</strong></p>
<p>Thank you for keeping in the loop with everything we are up to at Open SU via The Hoot Newsletter. There are a lot of exciting projects going on at the moment, aimed at improving a wide range of things for students.</p>
<p>I am the Vice President for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion for 2024–26. It was a great privilege to be elected and voted in as VP EDI by my fellow students nearly a year ago.</p>
<p>A little bit about me: I have now completed my studies in Criminology and Law, which I thoroughly enjoyed. This subject interested me a lot and aligned with my passions. Beyond studying, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is my life!</p>
<p>When I first learned that Students in Secure Environments fall under my scope as VP EDI, I was incredibly pleased. I have worked with people in such environments in the past and seen, first hand, how important and helpful education can be. Whether it be providing future career opportunities or supporting mental health, education is such a valuable tool. The Open University has been a lifeline for many individuals.</p>
<p>That being said, I want to hear from you, the students, to hear how things could change to better support you. I will never promise to change every single thing, but I will definitely give it a good go!</p>
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Student Union snapshots
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