DUSA's dovetailing vision

Dovetailing neatly with the strategy for the Campus in the City is DUSA's own vision for strategic redevelopment - a vision which creates a union "that will continue to set new benchmarks and attract students to the University".

The plan, presented to Court by outgoing DUSA president David Cunningham after extensive discussions with parties across the university ranging from the nursery to the Principal's Advisory Group, outlines five core options ranging from a zero cost "do nothing" to a £9m "demolish and newbuild".

Driving the new vision is the increasing demand from students as "customers" of higher education for a top quality all round student experience.

He contends: "The non-academic life needs to be world class or quite simply, the customer will take their business, and money, elsewhere." In addition, notwithstanding DUSA's excellent reputation as one of the best student unions in the UK, competition could be on the horizon from Abertay who have announced plans for their own new build student facility.

"If we don't take heed this could unravel the success of DUSA over the last five years and return us to financial dependence upon the University."

The favoured option commits DUSA to significant £4.5 m redevelopment. But David Cunningham was at pains to stress that the association was not asking the University Court for money.

"DUSA is able to generate funding of up to £2.3m for redevelopment over the next five years but in order for DUSA to maintain a degree of autonomy in operation and preserve the University's core interests, it is important that the source of necessary 'top up' funding is not derived from either the business or commercial sectors but from the University or SHEFC or both," he reported.

The redevelopment, which would be phased over three years, includes an extension to the north of DUSA facing onto a new college green, extensive refurbishment internally, and the relocation of the bank inside the union building. Work could begin in July 2002.

The Court warmly received the DUSA plan.

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