What is the OUSA Branch for?
Branches are points of contact for students like you, and unlike a traditional university provide one of the few opportunities OU students have to meet other students. Tutorials, day schools and residential schools provide the other social opportunities.
Branches are an excellent way for students like yourself to socialise and bounce ideas off other students.
Branch officers know their way around OUSA and the OU, therefore visiting a branch social can be a good way to learn more about aspects that affect you. Branches also provide better access for students interested in playing a part in the OUSA decision making process – from electing representatives to sending motions and delegates to OUSA’s Annual Conference.
You can have your say in OUSA as well as play a vital part. Branches always require newcomers to keep them active and introduce new ideas. You can voice your opinions to the Branch officials or you can become a Branch official and progress the students wishes.
Briefly, in no particular order, Branches are…
• a local point of contact for OU students
• communicators. They pass along information to the students and, from them, to OUSA and the OU.
• organisers of various social events
• organisers of academic related events or visits/trips
• there to provide help, advice and guidance to students
• able to take up any grievances on behalf of students – with the OU or OUSA
• able to produce Motions to alter OUSA’s Constitution or Policy
• able to send a representative to the OU’s regional committee
• an ideal place to start learning about OUSA
• able to nominate a representative to sit on the OU regional consultative committee’s
• run by human beings who are also OU students
