I’ve been asked a few times these couple of days about my experience.  The obvious question is, how can a first year know the first thing about representing an entire school of students?  Well although this is my first year at Dundee University, it most certainly isn’t my first time in Student Politics.

Before I decided to start my career at our School of Computing, I’d actually attended three different higher education institutes, working in student representation at all of them.  If you have the time to read this, I’d like to go over a few key successes I’ve had in the past.

First I’d like to start at secondry School, not higher education I know but it is where I started in student politics.  My school was once the best in Scotland, however when I joined, a radical change in staff was taking place.  The chosen staff all shared a similar view on dicipline.  Detention was always something I felt was criminal treatment of children but our school went further, for us we had room 10.  This was in effect an isolation chamber.  When people were seen to misbehave, they could be kept in this room to get on with there work with no contact with friends for several days.  There was an incident where I shouted at my guidance teacher in tears that I didn’t know the name of the person who was punching me and would he please stop asking; I was put into this room for three days, for cheekiness of course.  After spending three days not being allowed the support of my friends, even given different lunch breaks to make sure I wouldn’t come into contact with them, I decided that the dicipline system of our school needed to be changed.  I campaigned for year representative and was voted in due to a poster campaign showing all the interviews I’d made showing what people actually wanted in the school.  I have to admit that I failed to have room 10 isolation stopped.  Meetings were always cut short with my agenda items always being pushed to the next week.  A poster campaign about freedom of speach by all ages was quickly torn down within hours of me putting it up, and I was being kept seperated from my friends more often than anyone else in the school.  However, I do know this, people voted me in because they knew I would work toward making a difference, they knew I did try and more importantly, when I left school at the age of 16 because I couldn’t stand being bullied by teachers anymore, I left a number of people who knew they could work toward making a difference.

After school, I went straight to Dumfries and Galloway College of Technology.  Here I studies a national qualification in Computing.  I was quickly chosen as class rep as I was the only person to volunteer.  Here I think my greatest success was with a guy in my class who was getting the lowest results.  Being to shy to ask, I asked on his behalf to arrange for private tuition, unfortunately I was informed that private tuition wasn’t in the budget and staff didn’t have time for it.  The result here was that I myself began teaching in class, anyone who had missed a lecture or had just struggled to understand would gather round a spare table I’d reserved and take notes and ask questions on demonstrations I gave.  Often as many as a dozen students who the college were failing would be gathered.

At 17, I went through an odd stage, I decided I didn’t like computing at all, I didn’t think that it was just I didn’t like the course because at that age I wasn’t thinking anything through properly.  I went to Cardonald College in Glasgow to study of all things, Television Production, after a few months, Class Reps were chosen and once again I was nominated.  I’d been chosen as I had the best relationship with staff and knew who to talk to about various issues.  Here our studio was on the ninth floor of the building, all our disabled students were continuelly late as the students who could easily use stairs, were using the lifts, actually pushing in front of wheel chair users because they knew they couldn’t move quick enough.  At college commitee meetings, where all the reps met each month, this was brought up, we decided that a ban on using the first two lifts unless you actually needed to was required.  The effect was instant, all disable students were able to get to class on time, and frankly a lot of people lost some weight.  I’d like to go into two other cases at Cardonald but they involve confidential details about students so I’m going to leave them.

I spent a year working after Cardonald before moving up to a quieter area, I decided to attend Perth College, at this point I’d realised that computing was my skill and I was desperate to pursue it.  I actually wanted to attend Dundee University but it was decided I’d need to top up my qualifications first.  At Perth College, I once again was nominated as class rep and after a few months, voted as head of IT in the Perth College Student Association.  This northern region of Scotland is generally a very pleasant one, everyone get’s along well.  In fact it is the only place I’ve ever lived where I’ve not had to listen to racist rants about my being English.  For this reason my greatest success at Perth College did not involve any unpleasantness, or malpractising teaching staff.  In fact the only big issue we ever had was that of equipment.  The two main computing labs were using old machines that just weren’t capable of doing the task required of them.  I conducted an experiment with four other colleagues that showed that the average start up time of the machines was over ten minutes.  With this data I compiled a report and submitted it to the ICT department, they were thrilled with the report as they were able to show it at a board meeting and have their annual budget for IT spending increased.  Although I didn’t stay to see them, I know that this years students are now enjoying fast computers which are more than capable of what they’re asked of.

With an HNC in computing done, I was able to attend Dundee University, which brings me to you now.  Just in the few months I’ve been with you, I have become class rep and worked hard to do as much for you as I can.  Last semester I wasn’t able to make it to staff student meetings due to clashes with classes but I’ve actually changed my modules this semester to such that I can be sure to attend all these meetings.  I’m learning alot about what the school wants because of this.  Already I’ve been helping students, when marking was late or inconsistant, it’s been brought up with lecturers.  When a member of a grouped pair was being violently bullied by their team mate, this was brought up and marking was taken into consideration under the exceptional circumstances.  I’ve helped organise the arduino competition which I have a great intrerest in.  And I’ll do more.

My fellow candidates have both pointed out things that need to be done, these are things that are obviously very important and I’ve added to my notes to be brought up.  If elected I want you and them to know that I plan to work closely with them, after all this is not an election for a man, it’s an election for representation of all of us.  I’d be an idiot to ignore the intellegence that both my fellow candidate obviously poses and I’m sure their input would help with decisions that’ll make great results in our school.

I’ll be coming into the labs soon and hope you can approach me if you’ve any issues you want raised.  I’ll give a reminder that at 4pm, there will be a Q&A session in the user centre and I look forward to meeting many people and seeing what people are looking to their president for.

Thanks for your time.

Andy Barratt
1st Year Class Rep.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls, Dogs, Goldfish, Reptiles and Cats (with or without pipes).  This Thursday and Friday the time it comes for you to vote, for your Student President of The Dundee School of Computing.

A simple and beautifully lazy method of voting this shall be, suited to us, computer scientists.  Elections will be online, and all we’ll have to do is logon to my dundee and click a button.  But who??? Who shall one vote for???  Well of course, I know who I think you should vote for.  Please, allow me to tell you about the candidate that is me, Andy Barratt.

Truth be told, I’m already doing this job.  As Year Rep for first year I’ve been approached on several occassions not just by first years, but by members of all years and staff.  Whether it be issues that have appeared, or even praise that has been wanted to be passed onto staff, I’ve devoted my time to doing this for you.

I don’t only attend staff student meetings, I try to keep a good relationship with all staff to be able to approach them at anytime.  Due to this I’ve been able to speak directly with staff about all sorts of topics.  From issues with grading inconsistancies, concerns about lack of space in labs and even, though unfortunately, issues with students being bullied by other students.

If you choose to vote for me as Student President, I’ll be able to attend School Board Meetings, work alot closer with DUSA (Dundee University Student Association) and therefore have a much better understanding of what’s happening throughout the School and University.  This will make helping you alot easier.

I guess what I’m saying is this.  I’m going to always strive to help at the School of Computing.  I’m always going to be available to talk to and I’m always going to work to make things better for you.  However, if you do choose to vote for me, Andy Barratt, this Thursday and Friday, my helping you will be made an awful lot easier.

Thanks for your time.

Andy Barratt

1st Year Class Rep

p.s.  Still not sure who Andy Barratt is?  Visit my website, it’s a portal to my twitter, facebook, blog and even me acting a fool with a wooden fish on youtube.  Delve into my life at www.andybarratt.co.uk

p.p.s. I’m open to all topic of questions, just shoot.

A few people have been asking me what arduino is. My response is this, arduino is anything.

An open source language combined with a low cost micro computer the technology called arduino which can be hooked up to sensors, lights, buzzers, speakers, other computers, mobile phones, internet connections and so much more. It comes in different forms such as basic chips and flexible boards that can be sewn into clothing.

There’s a workshop today at 2 in the user centre, queen mother building. So if you want to make a coat that flashes messages across you with your gruesome chat up lines, or if you want to make a rover that roams through disaster zones and monitors survivors vital signs, we hope to see you there. All ready I’m meeting people who have hooked up their sofa to inform twitter when they’ve sat down.

Make anything you want. Two hours is all it takes to get you started. See you there.

Most classes have been cancelled and most buildings are closed.  Yet Dundee University is amok with students.  The snows that were nearly all melted have been replaced by a shower that having started in the early hours of the morning has only just yielded in the last few minutes.

The green outside the union is overlooked by a snowman towering higher than any student in attendance, having been constructed by dozens of large snowballs, each three times the size of a bowling ball.  Here in the warmth of the School of Computing, an individual cannot walk to the shop without the compulsory snow ball fight as some form of right of way.  Though the lack of classes, the campus is busier than ever.

A group of half a dozen roll by a snowball bigger than themselves with great care not to get trapped underneath.  They struggle with the ball as they get it onto the green where after a great war of snow, the massive structure cracks in two.  No spirit is lost as one student shouts “that can be the head” and the mass is turned into another figure to observe the days goings on.

Planned events come and go weekly on campus, but this unscheduled extravaganza has attracted more than any other will, at least until next snowfall.