The front aspect of Glasgow University Union

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). Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2288x1712, 782 KB) Summary Glasgow University Union in Glasgow, Scotland Taken by user:Finlay McWalter on the 3rd of September 2005 Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2288x1712, 782 KB) Summary Glasgow University Union in Glasgow, Scotland Taken by user:Finlay McWalter on the 3rd of September 2005 Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not... Representation of a university class, 1350s. ... A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modelled after that of the United Kingdom. ... Debate is a formalized system of (usually) logical argument. ... The World Universities Debating Championship is the highest-profile tournament in university debating. ... The Australasian Intervarsity Debating Championships (known colloquially as Australs) is one of the worlds largest debating tournaments, second only in size to the World Universities Debating Championship, and one of the largest annual student events in the world. ... The European Universities Debating Championship (colloquially known as Euros or Europeans) is a regional equivalent to the World Universities Debating Championship (Worlds) held in British Parliamentary style. ... The John Smith Memorial Mace (known between 1954 and 1995 as the Observer Mace) is the foremost student debating competition in the British Isles and Ireland. ... The North American Debating Championship is the premier parliamentary debating championship in North America, sanctioned by the national university debating associations in the United States and Canada, the American Parliamentary Debating Association and the Canadian University Society for Intercollegiate Debate. ... The American Parliamentary Debating Association (APDA) is one of two major intercollegiate parliamentary debating associations in the United States, the other being the National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA). ... The Canadian University Society for Intercollegiate Debate (CUSID generally, and SUCDI in French) is the national organization which governs and represents university-level debating and public speaking in Canada. ... The English-Speaking Union is an international educational charity founded in 1918 to promote international understanding and friendship through the use of the English language. ... The National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA) is one of the two national intercollegiate parliamentary debate organizations in the United States. ... Australia-Asia debate is a form of academic debate. ... British Parliamentary style debate is a common form of academic debate. ... This is a list of top-ranked university debaters from official international competitions, in any debating style. ... The coat of arms for the Cambridge Union Society, which shares much in common with the coat of arms for the University of Cambridge. ... The Otago University Debating Society (OUDS) was established in 1888 and is the oldest Otago University Dunedin, New Zealand society. ... The Oxford Union Society, commonly referred to simply as the Oxford Union, is a private debating society in the city of Oxford, whose membership is drawn primarily but not exclusively from the University of Oxford. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The UCC Philosophical Society the Philosoph is the largest debating society at University College Cork, Ireland. ... The stage of Conron Hall at University College, the main debating chamber of the University of Western Ontario Debating Society Gallery at Conron Hall The University of Western Ontario Debating Society is the oldest student association at the University of Western Ontario, and is one of the largest and most... The College Historical Society (commonly known as The Hist) was founded in Trinity College in 1770 and traces its creation to the historical society founded by the philosopher Edmund Burke in Dublin in 1747. ... The University Philosophical Society (commonly known as The Phil or The Auto-Phil) is a student paper-reading and debating society in Trinity College, Dublin. ... The University of Glasgow was founded in 1451, in Glasgow, Scotland. ... Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic, Scots3 Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II  -  Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  -  First Minister Jack McConnell... Glasgow University Students Representative Council was founded on March 9, 1886 and recognised as the legal representative body for University of Glasgow students by the Universities (Scotland) Act 1889. ... This page is about one of the students unions at the University of Glasgow, and not the students union for Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. ...

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) Glasgow University Dialectic Society The Glasgow University Dialectic Society, re-instituted in 1861 at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, is a debating, logic, ethics and literary discussion society. ... The Glasgow University Medico-Chirurgical Society is the social society for students at the University of Glasgows Medical School. ...

Governance

The Union is managed by a Board in conjunction with an appointed Manager and the Supreme Lord High Chancellor (SLHC). The SLHC this year is Dave Calder and he has command over all union business and can veto a Board of Management decision at any time. The Board consists of nineteen current and seven 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. "Convenors" are board members tasked with specific roles such as the Convenors of Debates, Games, Libraries and Entertainments. The Convenor of Libraries holds a twin position as Editor of the GUUi and Lord High Inquisitor who handles all disciplinary matters within the Union. Under his direction his committee known as the Six Judges, investigates in 'inquisition like' style all matters concerning members behaviour. Due to their notorious role they are the most feared and respected members of any standing committee. "Present Student Members" assist in the operation of various union activities. The current Glasgow University Union executive consists of Jonathan C. Hardman (President), Mike Scott (Honorary Secretary) and Stephen Flavahan (Assistant Honorary Secretary).

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". // Walter Elliot Elliot 1 (1888 – 1958) was a prominent Scottish Unionist Party politician in the interwar years. ... James Bridie was the pseudonym used by Osborne Henry Mavor (January 3, 1888, in Glasgow - January 29, 1951 in Edinburgh) who was a playwright, screenwriter and surgeon. ...

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.

More recently 10 Hour Hive has also been popular on the last Friday of each term.

Debating

The position of "Convenor of Debates" on the GUU board is elected from the Union membership. The Convenor 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 Glasgow University Dialectic Society 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. It currently holds the record for the most overall wins with a total of 15. Debate (North American English) or debating (British English) is a formal method of interactive and position representational argument. ... The World Universities Debating Championship (WUDC) is the largest debating tournament, and one of the largest annual international student events in the world. ... Glasgow University Dialectic Society The Glasgow University Dialectic Society, re-instituted in 1861 at the University of Glasgow, Scotland, is a debating, logic, ethics and literary discussion society. ... The John Smith Memorial Mace (known between 1954 and 1995 as the Observer Mace) is the foremost student debating competition in the British Isles and Ireland. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the King (Queen) England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II  -  Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification  -  by Athelstan 967  Area... Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic, Scots3 Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II  -  Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  -  First Minister Jack McConnell... This article is about the country. ...

The union is notable for its five annual "parliamentary" debates, where the debate is held between five "clubs" representing political parties such as the Scottish National Party, the Tories, the Whigs, the Independent Socialists and the World Distributist League. 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. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The term Tory derives from the Tory Party, the ancestor of the modern UK Conservative Party. ... The Whigs (with the Tories) are often described as one of two political parties in England and later the United Kingdom from the late 17th to the mid 19th centuries. ... Socialism is any economic system in which the means of production are owned and controlled collectively or a political philosophy advocating such a system. ... Distributism, also known as distributionism and distributivism, is an economic philosophy held by such Catholic thinkers as G. K. Chesterton and Hilaire Belloc. ...

The current champions are Hey Majesty's Loyal Tory Club

Games and entertainments

The Union offers an array of regular entertainments and competitions for members and non-members alike. The Beer Bar Quiz takes place on a Monday at 8pm, while Open Mic and Bandwagon (featuring unsigned local bands) run on a Tuesday and Wednesday respectively (both 9 p.m., Deep 6).

The Union's nightclub, The Hive, is open on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday until 2 a.m. A new games event for Friday nights in 2006/07 is Boys 'n' Girls, a battle of the sexes with large prizes on offer. This takes place at 11 p.m. on Fridays in Deep 6.

Smaller competitions, such as darts (Fridays, 5:30 p.m., Beer Bar), snooker (Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m., Billiard Hall) and pool (Fridays, 7:30 p.m., Altitude) also take place regularly.

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. Donald Campbell Dewar (August 21, 1937 – October 11, 2000) was a Scottish politician and the first First Minister of Scotland after devolution in 1999. ... Rt. ... John Smith QC (September 13, 1938 – May 12, 1994) was a British politician who served as leader of the Labour Party from July 1992 until his sudden and unexpected death from a heart attack on 12 May 1994. ... Sir Walter Menzies Campbell, CBE, QC (born 22 May 1941, Glasgow), commonly known as Ming Campbell, is a British politician. ... Alexander Andrew Mackay Irvine, Lord Irvine of Lairg, QC, PC (born June 23, 1940), known as Derry Irvine, is a British lawyer and political figure who served as Lord Chancellor under his former pupil Tony Blair. ...

Other notable members (and board members) include John Buchan (author), John MacCormick (one of the founders of the Scottish National Party), Walter Elliot (UK politician) and Robert Stevenson Horne (Chancellor of the Exchequer) John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir (August 26, 1875 - February 11, 1940), was a Scottish novelist and politician who served as Governor General of Canada. ... John MacDonald MacCormick, 1904 - 1961, lawyer and Scottish Nationalist. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... // Walter Elliot Elliot 1 (1888 – 1958) was a prominent Scottish Unionist Party politician in the interwar years. ... Robert Stevenson Horne, 1st Viscount Horne of Slamannan (1871-1940) was a Conservative British politician who served as Minister of Labour, President of the Board of Trade and Chancellor of the Exchequer under Lloyd George after the First World War. ...

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 UK to have a single-sex membership. In 1977 there was a referendum to mix the two Glasgow University unions, GUU (the men's union) and QMU (the 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 a GUU general meeting voted to admit women into membership, under threat by the university court of losing the lease on the extension to its building, with just 139 votes against.

Politics

By reputation the GUU is regarded as the "traditionalist" and sports oriented student union at Glasgow, while the QMU is considered the more "alternative" and music oriented union.

External link

• GUU Website