SOAS Student’s Union Newsletter

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Weekly Highlights

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Exams 

We hope you are having a restful Easter break and preparing for exams is not being too stressful.

In case you haven't found this information yet, the School Exams Timetable is now available and accessible via MySOAS, where there's also a FAQ section :)
If you have any questions that you can't find in the FAQs, you can raise a ticket on SID or book an appointment online here

When personalised timetables will be sent, they will also include informations on the in person exams specific locations, whether there are multiple locations as well as informations about the SIP, for those who have one.

Ackowledging the difficulty that moving back to in person exams might cause, some forms of support, as well as Exams Workshops have been made available and information is accessible through this link

In person exams workshops

online exams workshops

Remember that you need your SOAS ID to access in person exams. If you have lost your ID or the one you currently have does not show your student number you are encouraged to request a new card. The request must be done before the 25th April to be able to recieve the card in time. 

Good luck!

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Late Licence

The next Late Licence will be taking place on Friday the 28th April!

To kick off the third term, join us for a bassy journey through all the good stuff - from dark groovy electro to acid house and banging techno - by two DJs making waves in the London scene! For one night, put aside all the essay & exam stress and get your groove on! You ready to come dance with us?

We are excited to have DJs @anahitashamsaei and @__ronisa__ playing on the night!

Anahita Shamsaei is an underground Techno DJ and founder of @makaan___ Collective. Born in Sheffield and raised in Tehran, music has always been a crucial part of her life. Anahita's love for Techno led her to teach herself everything she knows about this genre and develop her DJ practice. Her brain syncs with Techno and she sees her sets as a manifestation of her brain processes.

RONISA is a DJ and producer from London. Immersed in both visual arts and music for almost two decades, she is known for her groovy, mix-genre sound that fuses electronic production with sounds from her Iranian-British roots. Starting out in Manchester’s early drum and bass scene, she creates a bassy, jump-up electronic vibe that gets bodies moving! Recently, she has delved back into production, blending fast emotive percussion, UK garage breaks, middle-eastern drums and trancy vocals. As well as regularly DJing at a roster of London clubs, in 2022 she headlined Femme Fest in the UAE, with Adidas featuring her as ‘an original creator’ from the region. In 2018 she co-founded @mehmooni.london, an evolving musical space for the diaspora that elevates and platforms a host of SWANA and POC artists, while advocating for more representation in the electronic scene.

9:00pm-2:30am
Friday, 28th April
SOAS SU Bar

LAST ENTRY MIDNIGHT
Free entry for SOAS students
£5 tickets for non-SOAS students*
ALL attendees who are not SOAS students will require a ticket for entry, no exceptions

*To purchase a ticket online, please set up a guest account first

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SOAS SU Student Trustee Applications Close Next Monday!

SOAS SU Trustee Board are looking to appoint additional Student Trustees. If you are interested in legal, financial and reputational aspects of the Union and want to ensure that the SU pursues its charitable objects and strategic purpose then this might be the role for you.

Being a Charity Trustee is a fantastic opportunity, not only to support the work of the SU, but it is will ensure that you develop key skills and will give you a step up when entering proffessional employment. So if you are a SOAS SU student with at least one year left of study you should apply.

Click here to read the application information

Applications Close: Monday 24th April, 12pm

Interviews: Wednesday 26th April, 2pm - 4:30pm

Please ensure you have read the recruitment pack prior to applying.  

To apply for this role please email SU@soas.ac.uk with a CV and covering letter. Your covering letter should be no longer than two sides of A4 and include your Name, Student Number, Course Name, Course Start Date, Course End Date.  You must also show your suitability for the role by answering the following questions:

• Please provide an example of when you have shown the ability to critically evaluate  

• Please provide an example of when you have shown the ability to network and influence  

• Please provide an example of when you have shown strong communication skills  

• Please provide an example of when you have shown attention to detail in the context of strategic decision making  

• Please provide an example of when you have been able to make rational and objective decision 

You can use examples from your course, extracurriculars (Clubs and Societies, Student Reps, etc), or part-time work to illustrate the skills required to be a Trustee. 

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Union Forum and Your Ideas

At SOAS Students’ Union, representing students' views is at the heart of everything we do. Students get to have their say over what the SU works on by voting for a Co-President that is passionate about the same things as them and by setting Union Priorities, which are objectives the SU is mandated to deliver. These priorities are decided by students and can cover a range of different things. 

Visit the Ideas Portal to propose anything, from big structure changes, or quick wins. There are instructions on this page about this information you need to include for your submission. Make sure to vote for the ideas that you like the most, an idea needs at least 25 votes to be taken to a Union Forum.

Union Forums are an opportunity for students to discuss and develop ideas for change. Once an idea reaches the threshold it will be taken to the next termly Union Forum. There are three Union Forums, each looking at a different types of ideas for change. 

1. Influencing SOAS – for ideas that relate to the Institution and its provision
2. SU Operations – for ideas that relate to the services of the Union, including clubs, societies and commercial services.
3. SU Campaigns – for ideas that relate to the wider campaigning role of the Union and its membership, to influence the world beyond SOAS.

During a Union Forum students can suggest amendments to the idea and propose alternative solutions. Once discussed at a Union Forum the ideas will move forward to Preferenda. A preferenda allows all students to vote for which solutions they would like to see become a Union Priority. During a preferenda students can vote in order of preference. 

KEY DATES:

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Register to Vote!

Although not for London Boroughs, Local Council Elections are taking place this year. You can find out which areas are holding elections this year here.

Did you know that if your home (non term time) address falls into one of these areas you can still vote. 

You now need to show photo ID to vote at polling stations in the next local and General Elections in England and Wales. This was already the law in Northern Ireland and does not extend to Scotland.

All voters need to show photo ID to vote but student ID’s or youth travel cards aren’t accepted. 

The photo ID needs to be the original version and not a photocopy. Accepted forms of ID include: Passport, Drivers licence, blue badge, PASS card, Voter Authority Certificate and more.

NUS have teamed up with Citizen Card to offer students a free voter ID with the code NUS

You can get a voter ID from Citizen Card (usually £15) for free using the code NUS or by clicking this link

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Moon Cups Back In The Shop

Head to the SOAS SU Shop to purchase a Moon Cup

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SOAS Community Events

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In Conversation with Shahbaz Taseer

Click here to get a ticket 

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Department of Unruly Histories

Preview: 6 - 8pm, Friday 14th April 2023

Exhibition: 15th April - 25 May 2023

Open: 12 - 6pm, Wednesday - Saturday. 

Department of Unruly histories is an artwork produced by Meera Shakti Osborne (she/they) consisting of a collective sonic and material archive built on post-colonial migration stories in London. In conjunction with an exhibition at Cubitt Artists, curated by Mariam Elnozahy, ten audio pieces are installed in various satellite sites across London. These ten sites were chosen by the participants based on intimate affinities with certain neighbourhoods, or where they felt they wanted their work to be heard.

Here at the SOAS Student Union, artist, activist, and DJ Angelica Udueni talks about the struggles faced during her university experience at SOAS, and her journey to discovering her neurodivergence and starting her initiative entitled "Embracing Difference." Her experience is extremely resonant with many black students and students of colour who also experience neurodivergence within the university system and struggle to navigate it. This piece offers an opportunity to learn about an experience that is so common to many university students, yet often dismissed and ignored

Bio: Angelica Udueni (she/her) is the founder of Embracing Difference podcast and a co-founder of adhd babes. Their work is focused on amplifying black, queer and neurodivergent voices.

Click here

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Spiritual DNA Teh Art of Tim Yip

Click here

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Sound and Space

The People's Sessions are a monthly music series hosted by @soundsandspace in celebration of traditional, global, and diverse music styles. It's an event to engage with diverse sounds and to give space to local musicians, not only to share their music, but the histories and stories of their songs and instruments. We have two performances each month, and then an intimate, cosy open mic space for song / voice sharing. We're trying to make a space where musicians / non-musicians / music lovers / listeners can coexist and really support each other. Our priority is to create a safe, supportive container for sounds, voices, and music to be shared. Please follow us on Instagram and facebook to keep updated: @soundsandspace, and register tickets here:https://linktr.ee/soundsandspace 

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Need support? Click on this link to see the Report and Support options available to you at SOAS. 

If you would like your event to be featured in this newsletter, please register your event on the SU's website through your society page. 

If you have anything else to contribute to the newsletter, please email: SU@soas.ac.uk   

SOAS Students' Union
Thornhaugh Street
London, WC1H 0XG
su@soas.ac.uk