This petition aims to forward a discussion to reform the UWE Bower Ashton Media Centre to coincide with the new facilities and new academic year in 2017. We want to reach a cooperative resolution that works for both parties - user and provider.

After hearing numerous people field various concerns with the media centre's policies and workings, I feel the climate is right to assess the appetite for reform.

Some ideas that have been suggested are:

-Abolish late fees: It's obvious late fees incentivise punctual returning of equipment, but to have harsh financial penalties is ridiculous given the poor financial situation students often find themselves in. Inability to pay late fees suspends the user's account, making them unable to book out equipment. To have students who are unable to book equipment to complete the work that is set to them is unacceptable and infringes on the student's ability to achieve to their full potential.

-Proper assessment of damaged items: When an item comes back damaged, an official, fair and comprehensive investigation must be launched to deduce how, and why this happened. This aims to stop student's being treated unfairly and improperly represented.

-Student Forum: A forum should be opened to make communications with the media centre easier. Matters involving reform, official correspondents, equipment requests and student satisfaction will be prioritised in this forum.

-Digital risk assessments/Danger prevention: Many have been disgruntled by the monotonous, ineffective risk assessments that are mandatory to equipment being booked out. Digital risk assessments would make filling out risk assessments much easier, demand less time of lecturers, eliminate having to find a lecturer physically and will save a lot of unnecessary paper. A debate needs to be opened to choose the best form of danger and damage prevention when using UWE equipment.

Got anything you would like to add/change to the suggested reforms? Please join 'Bower Ashton Students' Union' Facebook group