Loughborough Students’ Union has released their plans for student activities, with most – if not all – activities to be held online “as much as possible”.
This comes after both a statement by Matt Youngs, Union President, on Friday, and the reveal of the Freshers’ Line-Up on Monday.
In the statement, the Union re-iterate that the majority of sectional activities should, and in the most part will be “delivered digitally”, but certain meetings, training events, and sectional events will be going ahead due to an ‘exemption’ detailed in the government guidelines in regards to charity and educational activities.
Each Union Section has briefly outlined how they will operate this academic year:
Action
Action projects involving interactions with vulnerable or elderly individuals will not be going ahead, and instead replaced with digital alternatives.
LSU Action is making plans for the eventual “safe return” of the projects that are currently unable to run. Those that are going ahead will be being advertised in the next few weeks.
Education
The vast majority of the Education section, including reps meetings and student-staff liaison committees, will be digital.
Enterprise
All Enterprise activities will be delivered digitally for the 2020-21 academic year, including “development workshops, 1-2-1 sessions, Hackathons, showcases, and forums” as well as the occasional “special guest”.
Media
Media will be delivering “COVID-secure training sessions” which will be available both online and in-person, as well as offering “fun filled” projects and opportunities in the media industry.
LSU Media have also created a Coronavirus page on their website to keep you updated with the policies and procedures being put into place for Media.
Rag
Rag fireworks will not be taking place in November 2020. LSU is continuing to plan for some internal Rag events to take place, although this may not be until 2021.
Events such as Colour Dash are unable to run in Term 1, however, Rag has made plans to introduce them in Term 2.
Societies
Societies will be able to offer “some face-to-face” group activities, but where possible events should be “virtual”.
There will be no social sport activities this academic year unless government guidance changes.
Society activities must follow the government guidelines, as well as Track and Trace information being collected. Events and activities must now be booked through “LSU’s dedicated COVID-19 Event Booking System”.
Athletic Union
Some sport club trials and taster sessions will be being run over a longer period of time to limit the gatherings of people. Club-specific information is due to be released individually by each club over the coming weeks and they encourage you to follow specific clubs on social media if you are interested in joining them.
Welfare & Diversity
Welfare & Diversity Executive Officer, Alex Marlowe, added “In spite of the circumstances, we still intend to champion, represent, and support students” within the government guidelines. “Our Sectional activity will be heavily planned” as well as being “organised, flexible; ready to adapt moment-to-moment”.
Activity involving travel, both national and international, are still recruiting, but these will only be taking place in 2021, subject to future government guidance, and the status of the novel coronavirus.
More details have also been released about the Sport and Activities’ Bazaar. The bazaars will be run over two weekends (3rd & 4th and 10th & 11th October) and will use the “SUMS Virtual Fayre” module, which will contain key information, a live chat widget, membership information, alongside the option to register your interest.
You can view the full plans released by the Students’ Union here.
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