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R03 - The Open University Students Association in the South West
The current E C M for O U S A in
the South West is Alison Kingan.
"I began studying with the O U in 2001, mainly
in Psychology but also History and Statistics. I have been involved with
O U S A since 2006, as Conference delegate; Regional Forum Branch delegate;
Branch Secretary and Treasurer; Disabled Student Link; and Disabled Student
Group’s Communications Officer - fortunately, not all at the same
time. I stood for the Region’s E C M post because I wanted the region
represented on the Executive Committee and to help facilitate branch activity
throughout the region in ways that suit the individual branches."
Contact Alison
O U S A in the South West covers a very large, mainly rural, area. As students you have probably encountered challenges in attending tutorials or exam centres and as a Student Association we encounter similar challenges arranging face to face meetings. As a result O U S A in the South West was at the forefront of moves to utitlise the online technologies available. The Somerset branch was the first in O U S A to operate solely online and the Regional Forum has pioneered the use of online meetings alongside face to face meetings.But that sounds far too like business! The benefits of meeting fellow students online are many and varied.
The Regional Forum is a group
of students who volunteer their time to meet and discuss issues affecting
students in the region. We consist of officers and representatives of
branches in the region, as well as a member of the Executive Committee.
The Current Regional Forum Officers:
Chair: Martin Allen
Secretary: Rececca Consalvey
Treasurer: Mark Griffiths
Communications Officer: Vacant
Webmaster: Diana Isserlis
Branches
O U S A has branches at a local level. Not all branches
meet in person and not all are active at a formal level within O U S A.
But all branches do have a forum on First
Class where you can meet other students online.
See the link in the menu bar for more information about First Class. Where
newsletters are
linked these are in Word format and some personal contact details may
have been removed. Where websites
are linked these are managed by either past or current students so are
not under the direct control of O U S A. The Open University Students
Association is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Branch
News
Newsletters are linked from the Branch name where highlighted.
For info about meetings and other events please see the Local
Events page.
Bath
Bristol
As a branch of the Open University Students Association we aim to provide support to current Open University students in the Bristol area (South West, Region 03). We arrange monthly meetings and other social activities. It can be lonely being an OU student, but we are here to offer help and support. OUSA Bristol Branch has been an active group for quite a number of years now and we aim to create a forum where all OU students based in the Bristol Area can come together and take part in branch activities. These activities, venues and social interactions are very much dependent on your input and suggestions.
Monthly Pub Meetings
Throughout the year we meet on the first Wednesday of every month. Please join us. The meetings are currently held at the Horts pub in central Bristol: Horts City Tavern, 49 Broad Street, Bristol, BS1 2EJ. We meet from 20:30-ish onwards. To find us, look for a table displaying the O U Logo. We also issue O U S A membership cards at these meetings.
branch
website
Cheltenham
Branch Meetings Location Change
Recently we changed our meeting place – unfortunately upstairs at the Lansdown Pub in Cheltenham is no longer open on Wednesdays, so we are returning to the newly refurbished Norwood Arms, Leckhampton Road, Cheltenham (leather seating, no sport on TV, improved menu…). We still meet on the second Wednesday of each month at 19:30hrs. Everybody’s welcome. Please contact us if you would like more details.
contact OUSA in
Cheltenham
Chippenham
Cornwall
contact
OUSA in CornwallDevon Districts
OUSA Devon Districts needs help from you! By letting us know what you would like from us, your suggestions for social meetings and events, for example. Would you be interested in having social groups for various hobbies – photography, art, writers group, wildlife, ramblers, etc? The possibilities are endless, but we can only get them started if we know what you’d be happy to partake in. To help us find out your likes and desires, please contact us.
contact
OUSA in the Devon Districts
Exeter
contact OUSA
in Exeter Gloucester
Branch Meetings
Gloucester Branch has a social meeting on the first Thursday of every month in the Robert Raikes's House pub, 36-38 Southgate St., Gloucester, from 8pm. There is an online meeting in the Gloucester Branch conference on FirstClass during the week preceding the social meeting. Everyone is welcome to attend either, or both. If you would like more information, the Branch officers can be contacted via the Branch conference on FirstClass, you can follow us on Twitter - http://twitter.com/OUSAGlaws or email the Branch.
contact OUSA
in Gloucester
Somerset
The
Somerset Branch of OUSA was created when the dormant East & West Somerset
Branches merged and came back to life as an online branch. We have an active
forum on the First Class Conferencing system and our own mascot in the shape
of Shaun the Sheep. You are welcome to come join us but be warned that we
have a reputation for being a bit barmy. Past online events have included
a virtual Cider Tasting that went on for over a week and attracted visitors
from far away and games of virtual Hangman that became quite addictive.
A group of Somerset students recently met in person for the first time and
there are plans to repeat the experience. Check our First Class forum for
more info.
contact OUSA
in Somerset
Swindon
As we are currently an "inactive" group, the Swindon group are mainly about meeting and getting to know other OU students. More info in the Facebook group or on the First Class forums
Phone +44(0)1908 652026 Fax +44(0)1908 654326
www.ousa.org.uk