What are UPSU and UPEL?

The Union is run by three companies: UPSU - the Union's charity which runs clubs, societies, volunteering and democratic processes - whose mission statement is to "promote, extend and defend the rights of students", UPEL - the Union's trading company - which takes responsibility for running the Union's entertainments and bars to the highest possible standard, and the University's catering department, which manages the Union's catering services in conjunction with UPEL.The split: Summer 2005

In the past the Union was made up of the UPSU (charity) and UPSU Trading Limited (a subsidiary trading company) so that any profit made by the trading company would be covenanted back to the charity to support its charitable objectives.

Since moving into the Student Centre in 2002 it became apparent that the trading subsidiary would struggle to make a bottom line profit having a client base of only students and being able to trade for only 33 weeks a year.

The situation was therefore discussed at great length and a decision was taken that the UPSU could no longer sustain the UPSU Trading Limited in its present format.

After taking legal advice it was agreed that the trading company would be put into administration. To preserve the assets and facilities available to the student membership the decision was made that the University through their own subsidiary company University of Portsmouth Enterprise Limited (UPEL) would purchase and run the trading side of the Union’s facilities.

This meant that when students returned, in October 2005, they were able to enjoy full use of the Union’s facilities as they had always done.
The Current Situation

UPSU and UPEL are working alongside each other to provide representation, membership, social space and activities for the student body.
Who runs UPSU?

Ultimately you, the students of Portsmouth, do!

Therefore by getting your voice heard, things can be changed to the way that you want them to be.

However the practicalities are that all 18,000 registered students couldn't run the union, so each year the students of Portsmouth vote in a team of six Sabbatical officers to run the union in the elections.

They, along with two representative union council members and a university nominee, form the trustees of the union.


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Hello all, Below is a link taking you to a facebook group where an intersting debate is occuring with regard to making the Students Union better. Take a look and join up. All comments will be compliled and used to try and improve the situations.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=15487715974

Ive just heard the unsurprising news that there is no water in James Watson Hall. Why does this not surprise me I hear you ask? Well the lovely people called UNITE who own the halls have a tendacncy of cutting through pipes and laying pipes liable to bursting. My mind is cast back to my first year when we went 3 days without water because some plonker cut through the pipe. On that occasion we were issues with 1 X 500 ml bottle of water to last us each day, and £10 which was supposed to pay for breakfast, lunch and dinner. As far as washing was concerned we were invited to go and shower at the Nuffield Gym. Lovely and private those showers in the gym. Of course our exams and coursework suffered and as did our bank balance, although the very kind Dr Craven gave us a £50 refund at the end of the year. 

 This time round I doubt you will be so lucky, I have heard stories of poeple not getting water. Although you are being given plastic knives and forks to eat your deli too's with. So if I were you I would walk down to University House now and demand answers. UNITE are useless - FACT. Hopefully one day the University will realise this and ditch them. We have to pay over £3000 for the privilage of living in the dumps (which by the way is more than the basic student loan!) so the students should have some say. So stand up and hold the people who run this place accountable. 

 And for all of those students coming here in the future, avoid the UNITE halls, unless of course you like living like a tramp.