Over the last few weeks, it has become apparent that the University is once again going back on one of the many promises it has made to students. Wednesday afternoons are beginning to become an issue again, as here at LUSU we are learning of more and more students finding it difficult to attend matches even at home – which normally start around 2pm for most sports – let alone away, where teams usually leave at around midday depending on the destination. This is quite frankly ridiculous. For an institution that is likely to see a hike in tuition fees in the near future due to our wonderfully mysterious Vice-Chancellor who is still ignoring the wants and needs of his students, they certainly know how to stir up hatred against themselves.
BUCS, along with Roses, is the most important competition for our University teams and yet due to many seminars, lectures, and practicals being scheduled for later and later into Wednesdays, our teams and being tripped at the first hurdle by people who only a few months ago in May were massively behind our teams. Roses 2010 saw unprecedented support from the University in many different ways, and of course we will be grateful for that, but they cannot pick and choose when they wish to help the clubs and when they wish to totally ignore their wishes. It certainly looks to me in my position that sport is only important every other year here – and that is a disgrace. I would absolutely love to be proved wrong, but with departments carrying out the careless actions that I am seeing, I cannot envisage this happening anytime soon without action against them being sought.
Don’t get me wrong, this is not now just a BUCS issue. Our college teams are being hit with this problem too, and not just the football league that takes place on Wednesdays. Due to the resurfacing of the netball courts, which has finally started 10 days after the date I was promised, the college netball league is also being played on Wednesdays too, so even more students are being affected than first thought. I would appreciate it if anyone who has this problem could come and see either myself or the LUSU Vice President (Academic Affairs) Robin Hughes so that we can build a bigger picture of those affected by this issue. It is about time the University as a whole started taking us seriously; I am always told that “value for money” should be taken into consideration whenever we look at a situation and would appreciate some of the departments at Lancaster to realise that yes – a degree is important, but in case people have forgotten, getting a job is extremely difficult once people leave university. The more we can do in an extra-curricular capacity can only help the students flourish in later life. You are not helping your students, Lancaster – you’re crippling them.
