1. The Spiral of Pressure revisited

2. AIM & STRUCTURE OF WORKSHOP
Re-visit the original spiral of pressure idea
Highlight patterns of change in SUs nationally
Share experiences of recent change
Identify future financial pressures
Discuss responses and strategies

4. Agenda magazine 76 June 2003

7. Money worries Student trading down 50%
Many SU’s have closed trading operations
More Block grants helped (+44% )
Financial dependence/risk being funder led
Pension deficits
Many issues arise if HEI is struggling
Spiral of pressure

8. Pressure, pressure, pressure
Changes in students and how we connect
Changes in the Universities
Changes in local and national environment
These pressures distort the Triangular relationship between HEI, SU, and students
Pressure to deliver against student expectations not just finances
Show the triangle
Spiral of pressure

11. Discussion questions What have the last few years been like?
How has relationships with Uni changed?
What are your biggest fears about the future?
What do we need to do more of to be equipped to survive the next 5 years?
How are we going to fund development in emergent areas?
How are we going to save money?

13. MANAGING REALLY SCARY STUFF
We are more vulnerable to risk
Our interdependence with uni success
Risks of global complexity & interdependence
More active management of risk
Better contingency planning & containing mistakes
Facing up to the really big stuff & doing something about it
Capacity risks and double whammies
Incorporating university risks –
they may not always be able to bail us out!
Anticipate negative scenarios e.g. riots etc
Managing relationship with the university
Key role for SU leaders including all staff
Get anything you can now –
it could get a lot worse & you need to at least prepare the ground

14. MOVING FORWARD Be honest & open – take everybody with you
Its your job to face down the nightmares
Get the monsters out of the cupboard
Spend more time with university securing future funding
Always talk about trading as impact on student experience
Think about the burglars outside the window
Manage risk more actively
Anticipate scenarios
Do it now and contingency plan
Double whammies & management capacity
Support each other – its stressful
Celebrate and be upbeat about what success is

15. MOVING FORWARD How to respond to hidden cost rises eroding funding
Challenges greater than in 2003
How to reduce cost escalator
Limit hidden cost e.g. be less generous on increments & pensions
Outsource or side source admin costs
SU collaborations / university provision
Other financial pressures
Liquidity / risk
Capital for investment or change
He funding
Spiral of pressure

16. THE ONGOING STRATEGIC CHALLENGE
Whilst managing the financial challenges we also have to meet the expectations of students and the HEI.
We need to retain and extend our impact on the lives of the full student population
We need to engage with the challenges highlighting in surfing the wave e.g. Shift resources to improve student representation

18. Pressure has meant…

19. What have we experienced?