Update May 2010

The What a Mess campaign is gathering pace as SUARTS launch a fresh set of demands to the University on how they can address the substandard timetabling that is rife across the University. To read the latest news on the campaign please click here.

// What are we doing?

We are campaigning to have one single electronic timetable that is linked into the Portal. Students should receive their timetables a month before the start of term;

any changes to this with more than a week’s notice should be sent out by email and on the website, any changes made with less than a week’s notice should be notified via text, email and on the website.

// Why are we doing this?

Timetabling at University of the Arts is a MESS! Students don’t receive proper timetables, but even when they do they are haphazard and contain rampant inaccuracies. Changes and cancellations are regularly made with little or no notice – often with just a note on the door to say it will no longer take place. Not only is this unfair and unreasonable for all students it particularly discriminates against students with caring responsibilities or those who want to get a job!

// How are we doing this?

At the Big Fayre at Truman Brewery, Brick Lane at the beginning of the year the Students’ Union unveiled our ‘What a Mess!’ UAL timetable.

This was presented to the University and over the course of the year we have been asking you, our students, to campaign and take action in a number of ways, by:

// More Information

>add your timetable FAIL photos to the flickr pool!!!

> If you have any questions or would like to get involved please email campaigns@su.arts.ac.uk

• Logging pictures and text messages from students whose classes have been cancelled or changed at short notice

• Training Course Reps to take action

• Visiting classes where students are still yet to receive their timetable to find out why

• Collecting case studies on how this affects you, our members

As well as this public campaigning we have also been working hard behind the scenes lobbying the University to meet our demands through a variety of different processes, formal and informal. The tide is turning....

// What have we achieved?

We have taken your views straight to the heart of the University, demanding that action is taken. There is acknowledgement from the University that in some areas across the University timetabling is shockingly inadequate. We have had agreement on some of our objectives that are actively being explored by University management alongside SUARTS. But the fight must continue.

// What can I do?

• If your lecture or class is cancelled at short notice with just a note on the door (we know this happens!) take a picture of it on your phone and add it to our flickr pool...

• Tell your Course Rep, or Course Director, that you just want to plan your time better

• If you have had a poor experience of timetabling at UAL email campaigns@su.arts.ac.uk with a copy of your timetable to expose what we have to put up with!