| Description | This section comprises incomplete sequences of records of meetings of the Mason College Union, the Students' Representative Council, the Guild of Undergraduates committee later Guild Council, and of sub-committees and standing committees reporting to these bodies. It largely consists of sets of minutes of these committees, some of which also contain agendas, supporting papers, reports, and loose correspondence. Records of the Mason College Union committee and of the Students Representative Council cover the entire period of those bodies' existence; records of the Guild of Undergraduates committee later Guild Council are also complete up to 1991. Records of the Union committee, Finance committee and Guild Executive committee, are largely complete for the period they cover, though they contain some gaps, but holdings of minutes of other committees are much less extensive.
Despite the gaps in existing sequences and the complete absence of other sequences of minutes, these records are a valuable source of information about the Guild's activities and campaigns over time. |
| Administrative History | There were a large number of committees established by the Guild of Undergraduates, later the Guild of Students, many of which have left no surviving records. For some committees, references in printed reports and handbooks produced by the Guild are the only evidence of their existence. Administratives histories for committees for which there are surviving minutes or other material are included in the relevant descriptions of Guild records, but brief information about other committees is provided here, in alphabetical order. In cases where information has been acquired from the committee reports described at UB/GUILD/C/1, this source is cited.
Air Raid Precautions committee
This committee was formed during the Second World War in an attempt to safeguard university property. The leaders of Fire Watching parties were co-opted to the committee during the 1940-1941 academic session. Information about this committee can be found in committee reports in the bound reports volume described at UB/GUILD/C/1/2
Amusements sub-committee
This committee was formed in February 1929 as the result of a motion passed by the Guild of Undergraduates Committee. It was elected from members of this committee and was responsible for getting reductions for students on rates of admission to places of amusement in the city. The committee was dissolved in 1931 and its work included in that of the Entertainments committee
No minutes exist
Childcare committee
This committee was probably formed in the late 1980s, and was still functioning in the early 1990s.
No minutes exist
Commission for University Problems
A sub-committee was appointed during the late 1920s to consider the possibility of forming this Commission. It was revived to discuss the perceived lack of interest in Guild activities; the multiplicity of Societies and Social Functions; contact between staff and students; and contact between English and foreign students. A full report was given to the Guild of Undergraduates Committee in March 1930. A copy of this report is described in the Union Commission records at UB/GUILD/C/2/7/5
Communications committee
This committee was chaired by the Communications officer, a role originally taken by the Guild Secretary. It dealt with co-ordinating publicity and information including content for Birmingham University Union Bulletin [BUUB] and the 'Around' page of Redbrick from 1973-194. By the 1973-1974 academic session, weekly news sheets were being issued by the Guild including BUUB and Guild Hansard reporting on decisions made by Guild Council and other committees. BUUB and its successor BUGS were produced by the Communications Committee. See UB/GUILD/F for details of the holdings and evolution of Guild newspapers and magazines
No minutes exist
Community Action
This committee was active from the late 1960s. It grew out of the work of the External Affairs committee, and was operating as separate concern by the 1973-1974 academic session, with its chair sitting on the Guild Executive from 1974-1975. It was known as ComAc by 1989-1990 and organised student involvement in social care and welfare work in Birmingham, particularly in areas of deprivation.
No minutes exist. A ComAc publication is described at UB/GUILD/F/13
Dramatic society
Dramatic Society reports are included in war-time annual reports included in records described at UB/GUILD/C/1. It became Guild Theatre Group in 1949.
No minutes exist
Edmund Street committee
The main functions of this committee were taken over by University Overseas Club management during the Second World War. It had a chairman and secretary, and with executive and members of Guild Council and Union Committee was set up to stimulate interest in Guild affairs at Edmund St, rectify complaints and increase amenities
No minutes exist
Education and Welfare committee
Established for the 1968-1969 academic session but split into two executive committees, Education and Welfare for 1969-1970. The Education committee was possibly replaced by the Academic Affairs committee in the early 1990s.
No minutes exist
Events committee
Mentioned in 1968-1969 Guild publications, it merged in 1969-1970 with the Entertainments committee. In 1970/71 the committee had a chairman, secretary, entertainments officer, publicity officer, functions co-ordinator, discotheque and films organisers and representatives from societies, halls of residence and the Guild. In 1971-1972 the Events and Entertainments committee also had a publicity sub-committee consisting of Internal and External Publicity Officers and a Functions co-ordinator. In 1972-1973 the Social Committee replaced the Events committee. The Communications Committee also replaced the communication functions of the Events committee, although both Events and Entertainment committees are listed as standing executive committees during the 1980s.
No minutes exist
Freshers' Reception committee
Formed 1978-1979
No minutes exist
General committee
Mentioned in the early 1990s. No further information
No minutes exist
Guild Athletic Union committee
A student athletic club had existed at Mason Science College, and continued to function after 1900 when the University was established. The Athletic Union committee is listed as an Executive committee from 1969-1970. Sub-sections are likely to have included the Boxing club and the Harriers section of the Athletic club
No minutes exist, but minute books of the Boxing club and Harriers section of the Athletic club are described at UB/GUILD/A/9 and UB/GUILD/A/10, and other records of the Athletic Union are described at UB/GUILD/C/3
Guild Commission
Appointed by Guild Council 1949-1950 with the Pro-Chancellor as Chairman, to investigate and report on the finances and administration of the Guild. It appears to have ceased functioning 1958-1959
No minutes exist
Guild Problems committee
This committee was created for the 1937-1938 academic session to take over the work of the Lecture System Committee and other problems relating to student welfare. The Lecture System Committee had been appointed for the 1935-1936 session and produced a detailed report to be forwarded to university authorities. The Guild Problems Committee was still functioning in the 1945-1946 session.
No minutes exist
Guild Relations committee
Existed to co-ordinate the various activities of Guild societies and tried to keep alive those societies that were not very active. Re-organised 1940-1941. Little further information found
No minutes exist
Guild Television
Formed 1968-1969
No minutes exist
Health Students committee
Formed in the 1980s for medical students. It was still in existence as a standing committee 1989-1990
No minutes exist
Joint Advisory committee for University Life and Discipline
Sub-committee in existence during the late 1920s and early 1930s. The Guild received no official report of the findings of this committee
No minutes exist
Joint Standing committee on Social Life
Active during the 1923-1924 session
No minutes exist
LGB students committee
Formed in the early 1990s
No minutes exist
Library (Selection) committee
Existed during the late 1930s and was still functioning in the 1945/46 session.
No minutes exist
National Union of Students committee
By 1930-1931 the Guild was affiliated to the NUS and through that body its members became members of the International Confederation of Students. The Guild became more involved with NUS Council in the years following the Second World War. The NUS committee was added to the list of Guild standing committees in 1963-1964, and by 1967-1968 it had a grants and welfare secretary and a concessions secretary who negotiated discounts for students. There was also a vacation work secretary and an international secretary. The NUS conference affairs organiser sat on the Guild Executive committee from 1975-1976
No minutes exist
Overseas Students committee
Formed in the early 1990s
No minutes exist
Poster Combine
Produced Guild publicity material but also advertisements for society functions
No minutes exist
Post Graduate committee/Postgraduate Centre committee
Originally known as the Post Graduate committee which represented the views and needs of postgraduate student members of the Guild. There were proposals for raising this to the rank of standing committee in1959-1960. In 1973-1974 it was renamed the Postgraduate Association and was run by an elected executive committee with events organised by an elected social committee. In 1981-1982 the name changed again to the Postgraduate and Mature Students Association [PMSA], which was still functioning in the early 1990s.
No minutes exist
Publicity sub-committee
Responsible for posting official Guild notices. It had ceased to function by the 1932-1933 session
No minutes exist
Refectories committee
Discussed matters concerning refectories in the University buildings at Edgbaston, and at the Union at Great Charles St. The Guild had four representatives on this committee. It was first mentioned 1930-1931 and was still functioning 1944-1945.
No minutes exist
Reprographics committee
Formed in 1976-1977 to provide printing services for the Guild and university, it also took on outside commissions. It was renamed the Publication and Reprographics department in 1980-1981
No minutes exist
Student Advice committee
First listed as a standing committee 1989-1990, still listed early 1990s. It is likely to have been responsible for running the Student Advice Centre, which became Advice and Representation Centre in 1996-1997 by which time it also oversaw Campus Law and the Student Housing Office under the management of Guild Welfare Services
No minutes exist
Student Reception committee
Established in 1973-1974 and still listed as a standing committee in the early 1990s. The chair of this committee sat on the Guild Executive.
No minutes exist
TB Fund committee
Set up by Guild Council to deal with appeal for funds towards building a National Student TB Sanatorium. It may have been connected with the Commission on Inter-National University Sanatorium Scheme, mentioned in Guild papers dating from the 1940s.
No minutes exist
Union Opening committee
Special committee formed for the 1930-1931 session
No minutes exist
War Work committee
Active during the Second World War, and responsible for coordinating work opportunities for students in and around Birmingham.
No minutes exist, but Reports of the committee can be found in the compilation of reports of Guild committees presented to Guild Council described at UB/GUILD/C/1/2
Women's committee
Formed 1980s. Known as Women's Association by 1989-1990, and still existed early 1990s
No minutes exist. A Women's Committee publication is listed at UB/GUILD/F/14
Internal evidence in the Guild of Students records also provides information about other student facilities, comprising the Student Academic Representation Programme [STAR], introduced in 1994-1995 as a training and information programme for students who were representatives on academic committees at all levels of the university, and the University Appointments Board, established 1930-1931 as the official central channel to which all graduates had access to information and advice about job vacancies. Students applied to the Secretary at the Registrar's office to have their names placed on the official register. This facility had become the University Careers Service by 1971-1972. No minutes exist for either of these bodies. |