Mature students

[Ashy]

I think that it is a serious mistake to suggest that the MSA is the
same as the HRC, I have been a member of both and they are operating
on a completely different level. Apart from one person at the MSA I
was largely ignored and did not find that it was easy to make friends
it seemed really quite clique. It is also mainly used as a study space
rather than for socialising. The other issue is that it is open to all
mature students which include undergraduates, Masters students and
Post graduates not just for undergraduates.

The HRC in freshers week three years ago however provided me with a
base to meet people and make friends, which is one of the most
important things for all older students to find people who share
similar problems and also ideas.As a mature student with a husband and
children I had to leave in Oban on a weekly basis this enabled me to
continue at university and to overcome feelings of isolation that many
older students feel. To suggest that it should be a post-grad/
international students is effectively removing a membership of
approximately 1600 students. It is my understanding that universities
are keen to attract more mature students, they are reliable and they
are more likely to go on to further study providing the university
with much needed funding.

I think we should be looking within our business plan to be attracting
mature students, post grads and international students from all
Scottish universities offering them membership without voting rights.
The business plan must include not exclude finance is the biggest
issue so we must find as many ways as possible to improve our long
term financial status.

From being in the HRC on an almost daily basis the majority of the
people I spoke to are mature undergrads or international students.

[Michael Comerford]

I've not been following all the threads about membership. However, I wouldn't worry I don't think it was the view of the public meetings or most people on this group that we would ignore mature students as you state they are an integral part of the membership.

[Seumas Bates]

Ashy, it's not been my impression that anyone has suggested that
Mature Student Undergraduates be removed from the membership. If
someone has, please link the thread here and I'll happily join in to
argue in favour of keeping them as part of the family! A part of the
business plan that is being developed is actually to improve the
Club's provision of support for Mature Students (and others) whom - as
you are clearly well aware - often have somewhat different problems
and complications then their younger peers.

However, there is no denying that the business plan in general will
probably end up talking more about Post-Grads and International
Students then Mature Students. These two groups far and away outstrip
any other demographic in terms of who the University wants to attract
to study here and thus I believe it is important to make our pitch in
a way that they will find appealing. Don't forget that this business
plan is intended for the eyes of the University big-wigs rather then
the public at large. When we make it we'll need to be seen to be
fitting into their strategy.

On your point on membership, and of opening membership to all Scottish
Universities, I'm not sure a) whether the Uni big-wigs will like that
as it takes away one of the unique selling points Glasgow has b) from
a technical point of view as a part of the Glasgow Uni I doubt we
would be allowed to open out to such external groups.
I'm not saying that I personally am against opening out membership in
the way you suggest per see, I just don't think it would work either
tactically or technically.