The Student Union Post 1992

In 1992 there was a major change for Liverpool’s student union. That is because Liverpool polytechnic was granted university status and became Liverpool John Moore’s University. The old polytechnic was now a university. From 1992 onwards the union has continued to engage in activities that really benefit students who attend Liverpool John Moore’s. As a union they have promoted nights out, they encourage students to join sports societies and other societies that the student union run. They are a constant for students in the city and that has not changed from 1992 onwards. If anything, since the polytechnic became LJMU the student union has increasingly built its mass appeal. It now operates alongside Cool it and runs student nights out to ensure that students have the best possible time while studying in Liverpool. A perfect example of this would be welcome week that has been running for a few years to help fresher’s get settled in the city. John Moore’s may have gained university status in 1992 but the direction of the student union hasn’t changed. It has simply evolved. They are still offering advice for students and always making sure that the students of LJMU get the best time in university possible. 

The Student union pre 1992

The union in 1991 was based in the Haigh building and the union in 1992 was also based in the Haigh building. However there was a big difference in some ways and no difference in other ways between these two time periods. The student union was not always called the LiverpoolSU as you know it today, it first started under the name ‘The Liverpool Polytechnic Guild of students’. This name only lasted for two years while the union was under the leadership of its first president, Ian Adshead and its second president Geoff Pick. In 1973 while Stan Bradford was in control, the name changed to Liverpool Polytechnic Student union until 1992 when it became Liverpool Student union. The names changed as did the building, starting in Tithebarn Street with hubs around the city and then ending up at the Haigh. The events were just as good as now if not even better, with bands such as Blur and The Stone Roses playing for Liverpool Students. In this section of the website you will discover the events and a case study on a turning point for the student union in 1974, the Walton house occupation. A common occurrence but a really important event in a very troubled time period.

You will find out how the Polytechnic society was formed and also why it formed. This time period is over a huge span of time and a critical one for education in the city.

To focus on a few events and occurrences is the best way to get a flavour for what this time period was like. All you need to know is the drama of this era can be debated but knowing how it formed, how it found its grounding, and the events it offered later on in the late 80s shows in the best way possible how all the work was leading somewhere. For more details check out the further work on the decades on the site. However enjoy an insight into what the union did and why it is here today, because of the aims foremed before the 1970s and developed so succesfully. Formation, protest and events. What more would you expect?