So it has been a ridiculously busy time now for everyone across the country, moving back into universities, or perhaps moving for the first time into university campuses, and experiencing what can only be described at some campuses as the ‘scrum’ that is fresher’s fair.

The UJS team has also had its busy time of year for now. We started off with the Campaigns summit, an event that attracted over 50 students from across 15 different campuses. Speakers ranged from Ed Husain, to debating training with Adam Berlin, and discussion of human rights and their application across the world with Sarah Kaiser from René Cassin.

We made some changes to summit; we opened up the concept of campaigns to include more social action, more interfaith and keep the politics as well. We held our first (and what will hopefully become annual) social action and interfaith recruitment fair with over 20 charity organisations (including Tsedek, Jewish Volunteer Network and Tony Blair Faith Foundation) setting up stalls and creating a market type place, where activists had the opportunity to sign up to a whole host of different projects. The idea was that students who attended could help establish volunteer projects back to their respective campuses, and perhaps some contacts made for people to build on!

Probably the most non controversial and simple process (sense the sarcasm) was the passing of the new UJS constitution!

The lively debate that took place was helpful and started the process of making UJS more democratic, ensuring that students hold the UJS team and Chair (to be changed to President next year) more accountable. It was a step, in a long series of steps that will be taken, to make UJS an accountable, transparent Union. I hope everyone will see the changes and efforts being made this coming year, and hopefully everyone will get involved, let us know what you think, keep feeding back to us, thoughts, ideas, suggestions and any changes you feel strongly need to be had, we need/want to know!

The Campaigns summit, never mind how hectic it was, and never mind how hindered it was by tube strikes and the like, was just the start of our year, just the launching pad for what should be a busy and intensive year.

You should be seeing, or have seen already all of us across different campuses already helping out for fresher’s (check the photos on our facebook fan page), travelling from Sussex, to Edinburgh, to Durham, Exeter, Leeds, Sheffield, London, St Andrews, Newcastle and more this coming week. Come say hey, or let us know if you want to grab a coffee at some point and chat, we would be more than happy to do so!

So will leave this here before it becomes far too long for anyone to want to read, look out for the upcoming Campus Training Programme coming soon.