Feb 2017: ASRA in the news

ASRA Annual Conference returns for 2017

The ASRA Committee tells us all about the upcoming #asra2017 conference in Brighton...

When? The ASRA 2017 Annual Conference & Exhibition, 9th-12th April, Brighton

Contributors: ASRA Communications and IT Officer Niamh Banks; ASRA Training Officer Einita Sohal; ASRA Events Officer Lynn Wingate; ASRA Secretary Alison Spencer, ASRA Administrator Jennie Mort.

This year, the leading Student Accommodation Conference in the UK and Ireland takes us to the seaside resort of Brighton in the City of Brighton and Hove. We are very excited to be taking the conference to the south east coast and can’t wait to meet all of this year’s delegates.

What can you expect at #asra2017?

Training
- Over 30 training sessions
- Member-led sessions addressing and Expert-led sessions for professional development
- New, multiple leadership sessions designed to boost your enthusiasm
- Sessions designed to challenge the traditional manager style.
- New links with the British Industry of Facilities Management

Exhibition
- 50+ exhibitors
- Even more industry participation
- Fantastic Networking & Knowledge opportunities
- Networking with hundreds of student accommodation professionals
- Access to a wealth and knowledge and experience

#ASRAforLife
As always, we will be getting down to business on Monday morning in #asraforlife with the conference opener and association business. This is a great opportunity for members to find out more about the association and ask questions to the committee.   We will also be electing a new Treasurer to the committee.

ASRA’s new website
We are delighted to announce that launch of our new website will happen at the #asraforlife at the #asra2017 conference. We will be going live on Monday 10th April and it is just one of the many things we have in store for you.  Any delegate who has questions about the new site can pop along to talk to our service providers, Campuslife, at their stand in the exhibition hall.

ASRA’s new look
The decision to develop a new website for the association has created a natural opportunity for us to look at our image.  We are always looking at what the association needs to do to move forward and keep on growing and we have decided that the time is right to give ourselves a much-needed facelift.  All will be revealed at #asra2017.

"For our team, the ASRA show is a massive opportunity every year to catch up with our existing customers and to speak to with the wider university teams. The 2017 exhibition in Brighton promises to be a great event and we look forward to seeing as many people as possible at our stand and throughout the three days.
As one of the UK's leading providers of student accommodation to the HE sector, our team are looking forward to taking you through how our software supports your teams and your students from application to graduation. Stop by our stand and learn more about your opportunities with Kinetic Solutions." - Nick Lomax, Marketing Manager, Kinetic Solutions

The conference location: Brighton
In the Georgian era, Brighton developed as a fashionable seaside resort and continued to grow as a major centre of tourism following the arrival of the railways in 1841, becoming a popular destination for day-trippers from London.  Many of its major attractions were built during the Victorian era, including the Grand Hotel, the West Pier, and the Brighton Palace Pier.

Brighton's location has made it a popular destination for tourists, renowned for its diverse communities, quirky shopping areas, large cultural, music and arts scene and attracts over 8.5 million visitors annually and is the most popular seaside destination in the UK for overseas tourists.  Brighton has also been called the UK's "hippest city" and "the happiest place to live in the UK".

The conference venue: Hilton Brighton Metropole
A beautiful hotel located on the Brighton seafront and set in the heart of one of the most eclectic and vibrant seafronts in the UK, Hilton Brighton Metropole perfectly captures the character of this much-loved city, while still retaining a classic Victorian elegance and charm.  Within minutes you could be strolling down the historic, winding alleyways of The Lanes, discovering a myriad of colourful boutiques, cafes or bars.  All of the guest rooms provide a cosy and comfortable stay for delegates. Our LivingWell Health Club is fully equipped with the latest machines and the hotel also boasts an indoor pool.

ASRA needs you
ASRA Executive Committee Position of Treasurer of the Association

The position of Treasurer on the committee of management falls vacant at this year’s AGM and ASRA is looking to one of you, the membership, to step up and take on the role.  The position is open to all full and associate members of the association and is responsible for ensuring the financial regulations of the association are complied with. 

Here are a few of the Treasurer’s duties:

• To keep a detailed record of income and expenditure which shall be reconciled regularly with the Association’s bank account and to ensure all income is banked promptly on receipt
• To prepare annual budgets and recommendations for expenditure for the Management Committee.
• To prepare reports on the Association’s financial position for each Management Committee meeting.To advise on the financial implications of policy proposals.
• To work with an independent named accountant and ensure that financial information is provided to them in a timely manner to meet UK VAT regulations
• To prepare a budget for the ASRA annual Conference, providing recommendations to the ASRA Conference Officer and Management Committee on delegate fees.
• To take all appropriate steps to recover sums due to the Association eg. Outstanding membership subscriptions or other monies due
• To ensure the retention of all primary financial records (receipts, bank statements etc) for a period of seven (7) years.

Full details are available on our website.

What do you have to do if you are interested?

Before the conference:
Interested parties should contact the current Treasurer with any questions they have.
Interested parties should submit completed members forms by 23rd February and manifestos by 10th March. If you miss this date there is the chance to get nominated from the floor.
Don’t forget, Candidates will need to get nominated by 2 full members of the association.
Candidate’s names and manifestos will be sent to all delegates in advance of the AGM. 

At the conference
Use the networking events to talk to members of the association.
At the AGM, Candidates are nominated again from the floor by voting members.
The election is decided by a majority vote from the floor

ASRA Regional representatives
The Ireland Region and the South East Region

There are 2 Regional Representative positions coming up this year for the Ireland and the South East regions. The regional rep is there to co-ordinate and represent regional activity within a designated region of ASRA. 

Some of the duties expected of a Regional Rep are:

• To arrange 2 regional meetings a year preferably a year and to chair these meetings and circulate minutes afterwards
• Liaise with training officer and regional members for training needs of region
• To welcome and support new members in the region
• Dissemination of relevant information from management committee to members
• To represent the view of the region to the ASRA committee
• To attend the annual conference
• To keep the regional section of the website up to date

What do you have to do if you are interested?

- Contact the outgoing rep 
- Send your manifesto to the Outgoing rep who will send it to the committee
- Region votes on the incoming rep as needed
- The election is decided by a majority vote from the region.