Glasgow University Union
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Glasgow University Union (GUU) is one of the students' unions operating at the University of Glasgow. Unlike the other Scottish universities, Glasgow does not operate with a Students Association, and consequently has various bodies that co-ordinate different aspects of student life at the university. The GUU is unlike many other 'student unions' as it plays no representative role for students at the university (this role belonging to the Glasgow University Students' Representative Council (SRC)). Rather, the GUU plays a role in organising the social affairs for its members (also unlike most other universities, students have to opt-in to membership of one of the other unions, the other being the Queen Margaret Union (QMU) or choose not to be a member of either).
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Foundation
The GUU was formed as a gentleman's club for students at the university in 1885. It was not until 1890 that they managed to raise sufficient funds to build a residence for their activities. The union's formation was driven by the Glasgow University Dialectic Society, the Glasgow University Medico-Chirurgical Society and the Glasgow University Athletic Club (now replaced by the Glasgow University Sports Association)
Governance
The Union is managed by a Board in conjunction with an appointed Manager. The Board consists of 19 current and 7 former Union members and is voted in annually. The President, Honorary Secretary and Assistant Honorary Secretary are members of the day to day "Executive" together with two Vice-Presidents and the Honorary Treasurer who are former members. "Conveners" are board members tasked with specific roles such as the Conveners of Debates, Games, Libraries and Entertainments (the order denoting seniority). "Present Student Members" assist in the operation of various union activites.
Services
The GUU is a social hub for campus, providing games rooms, bars, music and nightclubs. In addition, members can eat in the various facilities, get the essentials in the Union Shop and Bookshop, and even do laundry.
The two libraries and the Reading Room, are available for study and for booking for social events. The Elliot Library is named after former interwar Cabinet Minister Walter Elliot and the Bridie is named after Osborne Mavor, physician and dramatist who wrote under the name "James Bridie".
The main social event at the GUU is held just before Christmas and is referred to as "Daft Friday". The entire union building is generally devoted to the festivities.
Debating
The position of "Convener of Debates" on the GUU board is elected from the Union membership. The Convener heads the Union Debates Committee and is responsible for the internal and intervarsity activities of the GUU. The GUU is well known as being strong for the number of university debaters it has produced. It hosted the first World Universities Debating Championship in its current form in 1981 and again in 1990 and 2001. The Union won the Championship five times, in 1983, 1987, 1992, 1994 and 1997. In addition, the GUU has a distinguished history in the John Smith Memorial Mace, a competition between the winners of regional competitions in Ireland, England, Scotland and latterly Wales.
The union is notable for its six annual "parliamentary" debates, where the debate is held between five "clubs" representing political parties such as the SNP, Tories, Whigs and Independent Socialists or whimsical groupings such as the Distributist Club. While some members join clubs they are politically aligned to, others join clubs with the possibility of vacancies in desirable portions of the debate. A Bill of three clauses is argued over the course of about nine hours of debate, concluded by the "Prime Minister" who typically gives a speech of between thirty and sixty minutes to sum up the debate.
The Union co-operates with the Glasgow University Dialectic Society, the latter holding training sessions for novices in the Union building.
Notable members
It is also well known for the number of high profile political figures who have been members. Both Donald Dewar and Charles Kennedy have been union presidents in the past, and figures such as John Smith, Menzies Campbell and Derry Irvine were active there too.
Admission of women to the Union
An interesting aspect of the GUU's history is that it was in fact the last student union in the world to have a policy of allowing only men to become members. In 1977 there was a referendum to mix the two Glasgow University unions, GUU and QMU (the former women's union) but this was defeated by a large majority. A mixing campaign got seriously under way in 1979, at one point the all-male "Beer Bar" was occupied by a large mixed group of students, then a general meeting of QMU voted overwhelmingly to admit men into membership, which subverted the whole structure of separate unions. Eventually in 1980 GUU decided to admit women into membership, under threat by the university court of losing the lease on the extension to its building.
Politics
By reputation the GUU is regarded as the "traditional wing" student union at Glasgow, while the QMU is the "left" or "progressive" union. GUU members were in the vanguard of opposing SRC involvement in protests opposing the first Gulf War and in opposition to joining the National Union of Students.
External link
- GUU Website (http://www.guu.co.uk/)