Surprise surprise; being a Sabb's not the easy life it's cracked up to be: I'm in the middle of trying to type up my meeting notes from the last two-ish weeks, and I've managed to expand three credit card-sized sheets of scribbles into about 500 words. So much for conciseness. There's so much paper on my desk it's starting to resemble an explosion in a stationers...
The last couple of weeks have been a blur of meetings - meetings with the University directorate, An Audience With John Craven (Uni Vice Chancellor. He didn't sing though - shame...), a couple of free* lunches courtesy of the University, Management Development training (which involved us being videod giving a presentation. One definitely NOT going on YouTube), lunch with the Deans of Faculties (a wonderful occasion: (me) "Hi... What do you do?" (them) "I'm the head of <so-and-so school> and I'm in charge of a million people. What do you do?" (me) "Err... Not really sure yet..."), and then off to Reading University for the day for the NUS to tell us their plans for the coming year, tell us how well they did last year, and ask us what we're planning for the next year (me - "Err... Not really sure yet...").
In all of this, I've also had to deal with having a Real Life (comes complete with realistic Bills and Rent To Pay), and working on my resits which, frankly, sucks - if there's one thing I'd like to wake up without, it's the sense of impending doom cast by the fear of not passing my resits. Still, it wouldn't be "Life" if it wasn't challenging ;o)
If there's one thing I've learnt so far in all this Being A Sabb stuff, it's that I don't know anything (and the things I think I know are wrong, too). I'm not saying I'm an idiot... ok, I am a bit... but as I'm starting to get a wider view of how the Union and the University operates, whole swathes of the things I thought I understood turn out to be completely different; it's like going down a never-ending rabbit warren.
This, of course, is probably stating the bleedin' obvious to anyone who's worked in some form of management at a University or Students' Union. Things like the committee structure of the University, which doesn't look entirely dissimilar to the Royal family tree I expect, are absolutely mind-bogglingly complex, and don't even get me started on etiquette in important meetings (hey, no-one told me it wasn't acceptable to fall asleep...).
Note to self: when in a meeting with the University head sheds, avoiding speaking is the best way not to confirm everyone's suspicions that you're a fool, and never ever start a sentence with, "This is probably completely wrong, but...", because you're right - it *is* wrong. So don't say it... ;o)
* The phrase "No such thing as a free lunch" has never been truer than when uttered in reference to these meetings; the University know that, being students, free food will almost always entice us out of our hiding places, and clearly they're keen to get to know their enemy.
Ok, reality check: I know it's no free ride when you're a Sabb - I never thought otherwise to be honest (just take a look at my elections manifesto - not exactly the words of someone planning a year off hard work!); I also have to say it must take a helluvalot of of work to get all the directorate in one room just to meet with us Sabbs. Likewise, meeting with the people I've met with this week - each and every one of them a manager of some sort, working under pressure and with barely a free minute in most of their schedules (no, I'm not being sarcastic here) - has been something of an honour since they're obviously going out of their way to meet with us.
I stand by my assertion that there's no such thing as a free lunch though - I have no doubt the University are keen to keep good relations with the Union and, in turn, the students we represent. It's one aspect of the job I admit I hadn't paid much thought to until now, and I'm actually surprised - in a good way - at how the University as a whole seems to see the Union as a very representative voice for its students.
That, doubtless, is a Very Good Thing for the Union, but only on the proviso that we continue to work hard to represent your voice, both collectively and individually. It's no small challenge, but I reckon it's one that the 2007 Sabb team can do a very good job at.
I hope so, otherwise you (the students) will sack me. Which isn't part of my plan for World Domination (something along those lines, anyway...).
/al - needing more sleep
Disclaimer: as always, everything printed here are my own ramblings. The only people I take the mickey out of here are myself and large, faceless organisations - such as Virgin Media - and I certainly mean no offence to anyone so, if you think I've written something nasty about you, I haven't. Except when I have, in which case you probably asked for it.
