Glasgow University Students Representative Council

Sehyr Zahoor

I’m Sehyr, I am currently a 25-year old 2nd year medical student and I am running to be your age equality officer in the upcoming term. I hope to achieve a variety of targets on council if elected next year.
With the upcoming £750 million campus redevelopment, I hope to ensure that mature students are consulted throughout the planning of each new building, and that the views of students across all ages are represented.
This would be a great opportunity to improve post-graduate and mature-student spaces. I would be willing to liaise with those in charge of the development in my own time to ensure that projects that are promised are followed through.
As well as this, I would like to ensure that the University does everything possible to support those students among us who are parents and require childcare to allow them to benefit from their time at Glasgow.
Having completed my previous degrees at both undergraduate and postgraduate level at Glasgow University I will be sure to use my extensive experience and my awareness of University issues throughout the years to better represent students of all ages.
Make a difference – Vote Sehyr #1 Age Equality Officer

Elliot Napier

Hi! I’m Elliot.  I’m a mature student, in my third year at Glasgow, studying Russian language and Central and East European Studies and I’d like to be your SRC Age Equality Officer.  Here’s why:

I already have experience in welfare representation at Glasgow, having previously served in this role on the SRC, achieving successes including:

• Starting a successful programme to make Freshers’ Week more suitable and accessible for mature students, students with disabilities and other non-traditional groups,
• Securing full library access for students with children,
• Providing signposting and support in regular surgeries and meetings with students.

If you elect me, I will:

• Extend rights and support for students with children through the implementation of a parents’ policy,
• Create a dedicated online welfare directory bringing together info on all university, SRC, union and other services to one easy-to-find page,
• Continue pressing for suitable spaces for younger students, students with children and mature students in the new campus,
• Continue holding SRC executive and management to account,
• Work with the Mature Students’ Association and other welfare organisations,
• Regularly consult with students individually or at surgery events.

For experience, passion and a voice for all, vote Elliot Napier #1 for Age Equality Officer.

Riccardo Demurtas

Hello! I’m Riccardo, a 3^rd year Economics and Business and Management student, currently on my year abroad in Hong Kong. Experiencing a different university system has given me a benchmark and a fresh perspective, making me aware of the strengths and weaknesses of our Business School.

If elected, I will:

 

• Urge for improvements in quality and timing of feedback;
• Pressure for lecture recording within the school;
• Confront the school on the new calculator policy;
• Work alongside student societies to make sure that events within the school are widely advertised to students, especially to undergraduates of first and second year who are often not targeted;
• Push for more employability events such as insight days, sight visits, interview workshops and psychometric tests practices; and career-related events with a broader international perspective;
• Promise continuity of work of previous Business School representatives;
• Engage in open and constructive communication with class representatives to represent students’ needs and opinions and to make their voices heard in council and in school management meetings;

 

Thank you for reading my manifesto!

Shannon Donovan

I am currently a third year Film and Television Studies student on exchange at the University of Oklahoma in the USA. Prior to studying abroad I was very involved with the SRC having been a Freshers helper and also helped with various charity events. I have a strong cross campus relationship and good organizational skills having been the Women’s Swim Captain in my second year of study. Whilst studying abroad I have had the chance to see how Oklahoma University unites students through Charities, Clubs and Societies and would want to further this in Glasgow.

My aims:

-Introduce new ways to fundraise for Charities

-I would help make Clubs and Societies more accessible and known on campus, by introducing a social media platform that exhibits a different club and society each week.

-I would also make sure that new Clubs and Societies receive the help and guidance they need to make them a success.

Having been part of a committee and team before I would work well with the elected VP of Student Activities and surrounding council members to make sure Charities, Clubs and Societies are more successful than ever.

Struan McLean

Hi, I’m Struan and I’m running for the position of Charities, Clubs and Societies officer of the SRC!

I’m currently involved in the SRC through being a General Representative, which has given me great insight into the organisation and the many benefits it provides for students. I’m involved in the University Raising and Giving Committee which demonstrates my ability to organize successful fundraising events. Furthermore, I’m president of two societies, having established one myself, therefore, I know what it is like to work with the SRC from a clubs perspective.

If elected I hope to:

• Build on the success of this years RAG committee by working with them to host more fundraising events throughout the year.
• Work with the other student bodies to organize more cross campus fundraisers.
• Include clubs and societies in the organisation of RAG events to allow larger scale events to take place.
• Work with the VPSA to improve communications between the SRC and clubs and societies.

I believe I’m the best candidate for this role because I’m a sociable and approachable student, part of many clubs and societies, and I feel passionately about the role of charities and fundraising at university.

 

Emma Docherty

I’m Emma Docherty, a third year student studying primary teaching with a particular interest in additional support needs.

I am a disabled student myself therefore understand the difficulties you can face while at university. If elected as SRC Disability Equality Officer I would:

• Ensure more students are aware of the service, through the use of social media and by helping to make the ‘Welfare Meet and Greet Team’ further known with more events during fresher’s week to make this time as easy as possible for new students.
• Continue to improve the Disabled Students Network, making it more known and arranging regular meetings in order to create a place for socialising, which would help reduce any feelings of isolation. This would also allow me to meet disabled students and hear any concerns, or satisfactions, they are currently feeling.
• Act as a link between students and the disability service, offering support, if needed, through the process of application while giving a safe, confidential place for students to talk and get advice.

If elected I will work to provide a voice for all disabled students, while ensuring that a wider understanding of the term ‘disabled’ is achieved throughout the university

Xavier Weiss

As environmental officer I wish to create an environmental presence on campus. After all, it is on the platform of conversation that gradual, manageable change towards sustainability can best come about. As we cultivate that conversation, concrete action ―like making campus development ‘greener’― can sweep in. That’s the principle, here are some of the points by which it may be attained:

• Set up a Climate Panel
  • Raises the conversation to an official level, on par with Brexit
  • Livestreamed and open to staff/students for questions
• Create artistic installations
  • Enhance the university environment without damaging the environment
  • Active visual stimulus that stirs discussion
  • Constructed as an open art competition
• Outdoor events
  • Work with societies and SRC to arrange a greater numbers of outdoor events
  • Provide toolkit/framework to assist in this process (working group)

In terms of relevant background experience, I previously founded and coordinated (for three years) my own environmental organization called the Leave Earth Alone Foundation (Leaf). Leaf launched the “Renewable Energy Strategy” ―which is currently still active and moving to install Solar Panels on the school― as well as “Dynamic”: an upcycling festival designed to transform rubbish into various fashion items.

Rafael Crespo Molina

Currently, the University of Glasgow scores 129 of 150 universities in the UK and last among the Russell Group in the sustainability ranking made by People & Planet last year. Although this is truly worrying, I am determined to change it for the better.

I know Glasgow University can do better than this. I know we can achieve the goal of a greener uni. With the campus extension taking place during the next years, I see there is a lot of potential to push for more environmentally friendly buildings, better waste management and efficient energy consumption. If elected, I will take actions on the following areas:

• More sustainable and locally sourced food on campus.
• Improved understanding of recycling among students and efficient management of waste.
• Reduced carbon footprint in all new buildings.
• Better management of heating and energy-saving insulation.
• Establishing a Green Box in the Library or Fraser Building to gather proposals and foster students’ involvement.

Building on my experience as school representative in the SRC and powered by my passion for environmental progress, I will strive to achieve the greener uni we all want.

Make the Environment Green Again!

Hussein El-Ajouz

Hello, I’m Hussein, a 3^rd year Business management & Psychology student, originally from Lebanon but I was born and raised in Kuwait. I am running for international students officer today because I believe I have the required commitment, motivation and experience to take such a role and fulfill it to its maximum requirements.

As an international student, I have faced several problems in the previous few years on campus. These vary from wanting to be more involved on campus but finding it difficult due to miscommunication, wanting to know more about provided opportunities but finding it difficult due to email information overload, or even wanting to meet likeminded students who share the same culture and background. As a result, I am running for the international students officer today to represent the international students community and bring their concerns to the SRC higher management’s attention.

Aims:

 

• Streamline communication between international students and the SRC;
• Involve students in private student accommodation;
• Work closely with the GUISOC and cultural societies on campus;
• Provide drop-ins to provide support and direction for international students on campus;

I am approachable and willing to support you in any way possible.

VOTE Hussein#1

Natalia Timoshkina

Hi everyone! My name is Natalia, I am a second-year mathematics and statistics student running for International Students’ Officer position.

The university of Glasgow welcomes students from over 120 different countries. Since originally I am from Russia and I moved to Glasgow 6 years ago, I can personally relate to the struggles that students can have when they dive in a different culture.

I believe that cultural diversity is extremely important. As International Student Officer I would

• provide help to EU/non-EU students in the University with any inquiries
• liaise with the VP Student support to make sure that everyone who has any issues will be helped
• make sure that no one is discriminated based on their background
• interact with the International student societies to bring everyone together and to make sure every international student is settled in well and enjoying university life
• implement drop-in sessions, where we can discuss what things we can improve to make the best of international students’ experience in University of Glasgow
• organise activities during which we can establish a sense of community and get to know each other and hopefully this will make you feel at home away from home

Marco She

Hello, my name’s Marco and I’m a third year Politics student. I’m from Hong Kong and started studying in the UK when I was 15. I also spent a year at Glasgow International College.

Why vote for me?

• I can relate to the struggle of adapting to a new environment with a language barrier, so I can offer advices to those who experience the same
• Being a SRC Freshers’ Helper allowed me to understand the commitment needed to improve student welfare and equality
• As Vice President of Politics Society, I’ve proved I’m capable of organising large-scale events for students to socialise while engage academically

Aims and Objectives

• Prepared to respond to policy changes in regards to Brexit, notably on EU students’ acceptance rate, fee status and the security of the Erasmus Programme
• Revisit UofG’s promise to improve the situation on lecture recordings
• Arrange talks for international graduates-to-be on the prospects of working in the UK
• Encourage collaborative activities among national societies with GUISOC’s help
• Coordinate a series of events dedicated to Scottish culture for all students
• Make crucial information more accessible, especially for students who don’t stay at university halls
• Assist GIC students to overcome difficulties with transitioning to UofG

 

Douglas Iason

Hey Everyone!

My name is Douglas Iason and I am a 3^rd year Sociology student standing for the role of Mental Health Equality Officer. In my time at the University I have had first-hand experience of the mental health services available, and through this experience I have gained an insight on how to make some positive changes to address the flaws I have encountered.  I aim to be as welcoming and receptive as possible to everyone I am representing. I will work hard to listen attentively to any queries, concerns, ideas or general comments regarding mental health in any capacity within the university.

My aims:

• I will support, assist and promote events within the university that aim to raise awareness of mental health issues and decrease the stigma surrounding them.
• I will rigorously promote the services already available, with a focus on those that are less commonly known.
• I will campaign to expand the peer support programme to as many schools as possible.
• I will campaign to increase the funding for the Counselling service, as waiting lists are currently too long to effectively meet the needs of its users.

Fatemeh Nokhbatolfoghahai

We need to talk.

We need to talk about an issue affecting 1 in 4 students.

We need to talk about Mental Health.

I’ve been on council for the past 2 years and I have very much aimed to have an approach involving mental health as a priority affecting students. This year we officially established the Main Library Level 6 Reflective Space which is a huge success!

Along with liaising with the VPSS and Disabilities Officer, here are some plans if elected:

• Work cross-campus to extend the reach of welfare week and it’s mental health reach
• Make University of Glasgow put World mental health day and student mental health day as part of the calendar.
• Mental Health First Aid Sessions
• Ensure wide spread self help material on campus and online.
• Develop exam time support
• Continue to increase the numbers of reflective and quiet spaces available to students

 

Everyone’s mental health and wellbeing is important and the ultimate aim should be to raise awareness and tackle the stigma. Not all struggles are visible – so can we strive to create a better support network for eachother?

Vote Fatemeh for #1MentalHealthOfficer!!

Makhib Choudkhuri

Hello! I’m a first-year medical student who wants to help people struggling with mental health difficulties. Many people suffer from lack of knowledge and don’t know who to turn to.
I hope during my time to:
 Reduce negativity associated with mental health conditions by showing people the array of conditions that one may face. This will allow people to understand the problems that they are facing and not be fearful of seeking help.
 Provide the people knowledge that there IS help out there by promoting different organisations and help lines.
To achieve these targets, I hope to:
 Make posters and flyers and display all around the campus displaying information about mental health problems and the organisations giving support.
 Host workshops/presentations to discuss mental health and give people confidence to those who are struggling.
Everybody faces a mental health challenge at some point in their life; we should try to support them through those difficult times.
Thank you.

Eva Szilagyi-Nagy

I am applying to become part of the Student’s Representative Council as I find it important to keep good communication, carry on discussions and reach agreement between the student body and the University. Good communication leads to higher achievements and greater satisfaction. It is to everyone’s benefit to widen opportunities, reach ones potential and achieve outstanding results. We have to provide equal opportunities to all students to let them thrive and become world changers. Your mental health cannot stop you from becoming the person you want to become at the end of your studies.  There are several ways and programs at the University of Glasgow to promote mental health and wellbeing that can help students cope with difficulties. Communicating these opportunities towards students is essential. During my studies at the University of Glasgow I hardly heard of these opportunities. This is something I would like to change. Glasgow University is a great place to study, let us make the most out of it.

Zak Hussain

Hi

I’m Zak, a 3rd year Aeronautical Engineering student and I’m running for Mental Health Equality Officer. I’ve been a Freshers’ helper for the past 2 years; so have a great insight into the operation of the SRC. As someone who lives with mental health issues, I understand the challenges and stigma faced by many students at our University. I will:

• Campaign for an increase in the funding for counselling services. A freedom of information request conducted by the Tab in 2016 revealed that the University of Glasgow spend £20 per student on counselling services. For comparison, the University of Oxford has the greatest expenditure at £50 per head.
• Help break stigma by challenging stereotypes and misconceptions on mental health disorders by hosting workshops.
• Push for more lectures to be recorded so that those whose attendance is impacted by their mental health need not have to worry about the impacts to their studies.
• Encourage more men to come forward with their issues, as the biggest killer of men under the age of 45 is suicide.
• Raise more awareness of eating disorders and the associated impacts faced by those who are living with one.

Neharika Puligundla

Hello! My name is Neharika and I am a 2^nd year Psychology and Economics student. Being an International student and coming from a country where mental health is so undervalued I understand the importance of representation of mental health in a large context.

Over the past few years, I have:

• Volunteered at a hospital dedicated to charity back home and helped with a research project on depression.
• Helped the Psychology society organise the Mental health conference and other events.

If elected I plan on implementing these policies at the staff and student level

Student level:

• Foster collaboration between various societies working towards mental health.
• Promote peer support groups within campus.
• Make it compulsory for all societies within campus to have a disabilities/ equalities position.
• Encourage talking about Mental health by organising regular meetings between societies already dedicated to Mental health furthering the reach of the “see me” campaign.
• Urge all societies to raise money for charity during social events.

Staff level:

• Ask for more Peer support groups led by the counselling services and promote these particularly on social media.
• Promote use of trigger warnings across all schools.
• Get more funding for the Counselling services to reduce the wait time.

 

Natalie Finlayson

I am a second year PhD student in English Language and Translation Studies, jointly supervised in SCS and SMLC. Through this interdisciplinary project, I have had the chance to work with PhD and Research Masters students across the college, and gain an appreciation of the key issues common to those undertaking postgraduate study in Arts.

I am aware that postgraduate students feel less well represented in the SRC than their undergraduate counterparts, which is important to address given the extent to which the postgraduate experience differs in terms of learning style, network building and extra-university commitments.

If elected, I would offer students a dedicated, attentive and approachable representative with a genuine concern for their views, and a particular interest in:

• building a college-wide postgraduate community, to give students a place to meet others in a similar position and discuss all aspects of postgraduate life;
• working with staff, students and the Mental Health Equality Officer to promote self-care and mental health awareness, and introduce a postgraduate-specific Peer Support system.

In addition to the diligence with which I approach any goal I set out to attain, my part-time student status affords me the time which is needed to see these pledges through.

 

Kirstin Leslie

Hello! I’m Kirstin, a first year Precision Medicine PhD Student based in the main campus. Having completed my undergraduate degree at UofG, I’m familiar with the University, and previously sat on council as the School of Life Sciences Representative as I’ve always been passionate about improving student representation. During my time on council I was involved with Learning and Teaching committees and worked to engage with class representatives within the school, so would be keen to evolve this to the college level.

Throughout my studies I have also spent time based at the Garscube and QEU campuses, so I’m familiar with the different challenges unique to these areas. If elected I would be keen to carry on the work of my predecessor to provide key skills courses away from the main campus, and improving transport links for these students. I would also aim to:

-Work to represent postgraduate students, to ensure your voices are heard in council

-Champion the development of interdisciplinary collaborations

-Continue PG drop-in surgeries to maintain transparency and ensure regular contact between myself and students, so that concerns can be raised or new ideas brought forward

Please vote Kirstin for your #1 PG MVLS Convenor!

 

Kate Powell

As your President I will challenge the University and always put the interests of students first.

My experience as Vice President Education and of representing you across the University means I know what the priorities should be and what I can deliver.

Marketisation of Universities
The University has increased student numbers to help fund the new campus. Income is being prioritised over the student experience and welfare. We must:

• Lobby the University to limit student numbers.
• Campaign to stop fee rises for rest-of-UK students.

Accommodation
Dodgy landlords and overpriced West End accommodation must be addressed. I will:

• Create a ‘rate your landlord’ scheme to highlight poor housing, identify difficult landlords and help students get value for money.
• Lobby Glasgow City Council and Scottish Government to introduce a rent pressure zone in the West End.
• Work with the University to improve the quality of student halls.

Hospitality
Food on campus is overpriced and poor quality. The SRC should:

• Lead a campaign to review Hospitality Services.
• Provide space for student-led catering initiatives.
• Push for more fresh food and healthier options.
• Demand consistent and fair prices.

Support
The University needs to invest properly in student support. I will:

• Push for peer support to be rolled out across the University.
• Introduce mandatory lecture recording.
• Improve facilities for student parents by providing child-friendly study space.
• Increase the level of English language support offered to non-native speakers.
• Provide better opportunities for those who are studying on non-vocational and professional courses by working with the Careers Service.

SRC
Students frequently say they don’t know what the SRC does, we need to:

• Promote the work of the SRC in areas such as sexual violence prevention training and the creation of the Carers policy.
• Create a petitions system whereby students can bring issues to the attention of council.
• Give general representatives responsibilities for underrepresented groups and for pressing student issues: students of faith and belief, home students, engaging with the community and accommodation.

Accessibility and Inclusion
Every student should have the same opportunities regardless of their background or circumstances. I will:

• Challenge the University to provide access for all.
• Demand student facing services are in physically accessible buildings.
• Ensure that equality, access and inclusion are always on the agenda of the SRC and Senior Management Group.

Experience
Three years of council and senate experience and one year executive experience, setting up conferences, speaking to senior management and committees of academic staff, liaising with University Officers and providing training for representatives. In addition, I have:

• Successfully pushed for the University to stay out of the fee-driven Teaching Excellence Framework.
• Worked with Central Timetabling to review the exam timetable.
• Increased the number of study spaces on campus during exam time and secured two ‘open buildings’ for the Summer diet.
• Ended the practise of preventing students from graduating if they had non-academic debt.
• Improved the accessibility of students’ course feedback.
• Provided a platform for information sharing for class representatives.

For a strong candidate who will fight for you, vote for Kate! #dediKated

Aleema Sardar

Hi People!

I’m Aleema Sardar – a first year medical student. I, very firmly, believe that everyone, regardless of their cultural heritage and background should feel included and respected. Having first-hand experience of racial discrimination, I am extremely passionate about the issue and understand the importance of exerting force towards its eradication.

Since starting Glasgow University I have been very involved with different societies. Having had representative roles before, I am comfortable with voicing my opinions and debating rationally to have my views considered.  Apart from my communication, the qualities that really put me in good stead for this role are my zeal and passion.

In recent times the importance of embracing diversity has grown exponentially. I feel we need to celebrate the kaleidoscope of cultures we have on our Campus. Therefore, if elected I hope to run events such as interracial carnivals and international food stalls in conjunction with different university societies. While it is important to nurture, embrace and expand our racial vibrancy, taking a stand against racial discrimination is just as vital. So I hope to host regular open surgeries where students can bring to me their concerns regarding this issue.

Vote ALEEMA for Race Equality Officer!

Kyle Brownson

Hi, I’m Kyle! As a second-year Chemistry student I’ve had adequate time to consider, discuss and empathise with the issues experienced regularly by chemistry students at our university. Through these experiences and after working through first-year as a class rep, I’d like to approach the following issues during a session as School of Chemistry Representative:

• Improving Communication – Students in our school feel as though communication could greatly be improved between the teaching staff and the student community. Through regular meetings with the class heads, I would look to improve and increase the level of communication between the two parties.
• Improving Feedback – A major issue raised by other chemistry students is the feedback received on submissions such as ITUs, or class tests. I would discuss this with the teaching community within the School of Chemistry to see if there were any potential options in improving this for the student body.

As well as these two key considerations, I would raise all concerns brought to myself by the class reps or fellow chemistry students appropriately to the relevant parties, to provide students with the best opportunities possible within our school. Thank you for your consideration.

 

Stephen Brown

I’m Stephen, a third year software engineering student in the School of Computing Science. I have been a class representative for the past two years, and have been relatively successful in that position. I have worked with other class reps to improve the software installed on the lab machines, reintroduce additional programming challenges in second year, and introduce class-wide extensions for poorly designed/communicated coursework. I try to communicate the results of all meetings and feedback to students in a clear and engaging manner.
If elected, I will fight to implement the following policies
– An end to graded peer review. All students deserve quality feedback on their Assessed Exercises, not just those who ‘win’ the Aropa lottery
– Give computer security the priority it deserves. Ensure that all first and second year courses discuss relevant security issues
– Ensure that all examinable material is available either electronically via moodle, or in the library
– Push for all undergraduate students to have Linux accounts

Leah Henssge

Hello, I’m Leah, a third year English Literature and Language student. I’ve been your Critical Studies representative this past term and a class rep for both my subjects, giving me the relevant experience for this role. I have attended a range of meetings with class reps and staff and gathered feedback to establish areas of concern. In this role I have learned how lengthy and complicated a process it can be to make any actual changes, but now that I have been able to wrap my head around university policy I feel I can make a real difference. As your Critical Studies Representative I would like to keep working on the following three main areas alongside many others:

STUDENT SUPPORT

• Actively liaise with the College of Arts advisory team to ensure students know who to approach if they have a problem.

COMMUNICATION

• Seek to enhance communication between subject areas to foster more co-operation. For example, the issue of rooms for successive classes being at opposite ends of campus.

SUBJECT RESOURCES

• Ensure subjects have clear information sessions about the honours process before making their choices

I hope you will give me another year in this position. Please vote for me!

Ryan Rutherford

Hi there, my name is Ryan Rutherford and I am running to be the School Rep for Culture and Creative Arts for 2017/18.  I am currently a third year in honours Theatre Studies. I have been heavily involved with the university over the past years being in multiple societies such as STAG where I am the publicity officer, as well as being elected to this very position on the SRC council, last elections.

Over the past year I have helped ensure that the voice the culture and creative arts school has been heard. I have a good working relationship with both staff and students and in my second term will ensure that this link is more effective.

I will strive to:

-Ensure that we continue to strengthen the relationship between staff, students and the SRC

-Make sure that the school of culture and creative arts is at the heart of the new developments being made in the university

-Make sure the voices and concerns of the students are properly represented within the university

• Continue to strengthen ties between societies in the arts and the SRC

• Continue to work on making feedback given to students, constructive and sufficient.

Mohammed Giga

My name is Mohammed Giga and I am currently in my second year studying

Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

Settling into the University of Glasgow was no challenge for me. I strongly believe this was possible due to the presence of the SRC and the endless work they put in to making students feel at home here. This has inspired me to want to give back by becoming a part of this great force for good within the university, and ensuring that every other student is able to enjoy their time at university as much as I have.

I have taken it upon myself to get involved from day one: I was elected class representative during both my first and second years. Alongside this, I was elected Events Manager for the GU Robotics Society during my first and Secretary in my second year. These have allowed me to strengthen my management, communication and organisational skills.

If elected for this position, I will strive towards giving each student within the School of Engineering the voice they need. Objectives I hope to achieve include, but are not limited to:

• Increasing access hours for Engineering students to laboratories
• Improving inter-society collaboration within the School.

Margarita Ivanova

Dear all,

My name is Margarita and I am a 3^rd year Biomedical Engineering student. I am a passionate, hard-working individual who would be honoured to represent the School of Engineering.

I have been a class rep for the first two years of my degree and I have a solid understanding of the way that the School of Engineering runs and how it is integrated into the rest of the university. I have worked alongside other class reps and members of staff to improve the student experience.

If elected, I will:

• enhance the communication between all cohorts’ class reps, staff and SRC
• work alongside class reps to provide better feedback system
• provide more support for the first and second years and make sure students know that the SRC and other university Services can help them if them have problems
• work closely with staff to introduce more software on computer machines on campus, like in the main library
• effectively represent the school of engineering at faculty meetings
• represent engineers and their ideas for the new learning and teaching hub going to be constructed on the site of Western Infirmary
• work along with other school reps and exchange ideas and improvements

M’Been Zafar

My name is Ahmed M’been Zafar and I am currently a second-year Biomedical Engineering student. Throughout this year, I have been a class rep and I wish to take this further by helping to make changes for those studying engineering. Besides from being a class rep, I have had much experience working with charities to help raise funds for orphans and the homeless. Through this I have had a great deal of experience in organising events and working with superiors in order to implement changes and I wish to use this experience to help those studying engineering.

As your Representative for the school of engineering I will campaign to make changes to the way coursework is currently done by engineers. Often, for online tests, engineering students are required to use software that are only available on a few computers in JWS. I promise to ensure that such software packages are installed on more computers across campus. I also wish for a dedicated 24-hour computer lab with full software packages essential to those enrolled in the School of Engineering installed (MATLAB, SolidWorks, CES etc.).

Emma Hardy

Hi, my name is Emma Hardy and I’m a second year History and Archaeology undergraduate and I am hoping to be the School of Humanities Representative for the next academic year. I feel like I would make an enthusiastic representative for Humanities and have been heavily involved in student life around campus-I currently volunteer in The Hunterian Museum as a tour guide, sit on the SRC’s Raising and Giving Committee, and take part in several other societies.

As Humanities Rep I will ensure that communication between students and faculty stays at the forefront in order to make sure students feel they can have an impact and have their voices heard within the school.  This would include working with class reps to understand any issues students may have, as well as encouraging the use of class groups on social media to allow students to express their opinions in a more informal manner. I would also like to work on a larger scale with the Undergraduate Arts Convenor and other members of the Council in order to make sure Humanities is represented on a college level and beyond.

Thank you for reading my manifesto and I hope you vote for me!

Leonie Lepple

My name is Leonie Lepple and I am a first year student at the School of Interdisciplinary Studies. I am originally from Germany, but moved to the Dumfries Campus to study Environmental Science.

Even though I am new to the University experience, I am already very integrated into the life in and around Uni. I believe I am suited to represent my School, as I am one of the class representatives, a student ambassador and part of the committee team of the CUCBC (Crichton University Boat Club), where we organize trips, fundraisers, training programmes and social gatherings.

This not only shows that I have experience for the position, it also demonstrates that I am passionate about the Dumfries Campus lifestyle.

If I am elected to be the Interdisciplinary Schools Representative this year I pledge to make the following things my priority:

• Improve links with the main campus
• Healthier food options on campus
• Make the campus “greener”

I will try my best to represent this unique Campus and make sure that the problems we have will be heard.

Harris Bin Shahid Mahmood

Primary 1. REJECTED. Primary 2. REJECTED. 3,4,5,6,7 all REJECTED. Yes that’s right, I was rejected a record 7 times by my Primary school classmates from becoming head of the Pupil Council. A part of me thinks it was because my only motivation for standing each year was because my BMI was well above average for a child of that age and we got free digestives and orange juice at the meetings.

However setbacks are part and parcel of life and in Secondary school I developed a new ethos to life. Why get people to vote for you, when you can just run your own authoritarian organisation. Here I created the Hutchesons’ Grammar School Political Society where people could share political views in a free and open setting.

Seriously though, every day I am proud to study at one of the most prestigious universities in the country. Studying Law in first year and being taught by the most learned professors in academia truly is an experience like no other. Of course, becoming an elected representative is no easy task, but I hope it will be thoroughly rewarding both for me and my university.

Soud Alkhalaf

Hey everyone! My name is Soud AlKhalaf, and I am a 2^nd year Life-Science student (inspiring to become a Biochemist).

What would I do if I was elected?

• Promote the importance of Life science students thoughts and ideas with regard to college’s decisions
• Creating revision sessions held by several societies (specifically life science based societies)
• To provide a better insight on what the student wants to major in by;
  • Organizing socials where professionals from certain fields would talk about things in general that are not learned behind desks i.e.; an individual’s life style.
• Provide lists of information of various organizations that would accept, UK, EU, and international Non-EU students to participate in various internship programs
  • Including organizations that will accept students for an integrated master’s course increasing the availability of space.
• Cause the availability of published past papers to be presented on Moodle
• Cause the availability of recorded lectures (Preferably video recording with audio)

My Experience

• Current GU British Red Cross Advocacy Coordinator.

I’m an approachable individual who is willing to hear from YOU at all times weather its feedback or ideas.

Vote for me to represent YOU, as a Life Science Student in the University of Glasgow.

Martje Rave

Hi, I’m Martje Rave and I am running to be your maths and stats school rep 2017-2018. I am currently in the second year of my second degree which is maths, following a degree in economics and business administration.

I currently enjoy being the level two statistics class rep which enables me to have lots of exciting discussions with lecturers and course coordinators. I find it particularly interesting to be a part of the development of the courses and their content, and I would love to do some more of it on your behalf.
I really believe that your, our, voice matters and needs a strong person to bring it to the people who can change things for us. Especially we, the mathematics and statistics students have extremely exciting, even adventurous times coming our way: – the building, -the course changes. My goal is to represent you in the school and in the university the best I can so we can improve things together and try to make our education, the education we deserve.

Matthew Walker

Hey folks, my name is Matthew Walker, a 21-year-old 3rd year single honours Mathematics student and I’m running to be your next Mathematics and Statistics School Representative!

The school of Mathematics and Statistics is currently going through a bit of a disruptive period with the new campus development and prospective demolition of the current school building. Therefore it is more important than ever to make sure the voices of the school’s students are heard. I hope to act as this bridge and work to ensure no one is negatively affected by the transition.

I have experience working with the SRC – twice as a Freshers’ Week helper and as part of the Publicity team. This experience means that I am already aware of how the council functions and therefore will be an effective voice for the school from the outset.

I also aim to continue the work of the previous school rep by supporting MacSoc and collaborating with class reps to tackle any issues that crop up throughout the year.

Thanks for giving this a read and vote for me for Maths and Stats School Rep on 1st-2nd of March! Cheeeeeers

Muhammad Fahd Asif

“Do you like maths? Maths is seen by many as a tedious subject but when you truly understand it, solving problems becomes extremely enjoyable and that is what I wish to convey to everyone. Above that I enjoy helping others, often by teaching them difficult mathematical or statistical concepts which they otherwise would not be able to understand. As the representative I would make sure that students would be clear on what they have to learn, I would also like to bring some effective changes in the resource material because many students might find themselves in situations where they either don’t know how to solve questions or even know where to begin. I also want to improve the persona of maths by organising events and make it a more enjoyable experience. With me as your representative you will see visible change in the departments by working actively for the betterment of the university. I will bring life into the dull subject called maths and I will make sure that you start enjoying it from the bottom of your heart. So please do vote for me as your mathematics general representative.”

 

 

Rafa Abushaala

Hi,

I’m Rafa Abushaala and I am a third year medical student running to be the School of Medicine Representative.

The University is keen to hear our feedback and I am determined that your concerns are heard and responded to appropriately.

Being actively involved in the REACH programme that aims to widen participation, I’ve supported students in applying and understanding a profession in medical sciences. This has given me the chance to develop my communication skills and actively listen to the concerns of students on how to improve our services. This has encouraged me to take the next step on a wider scale and run as your school representative.

From my engagement with numerous societies and being well connected with various year groups, I am confident that I have the ability to represent you well and voice your concerns and ideas to enhance your university experience

If elected, I aim to:

• Ensure students of the school of medicine feel integrated with the rest of the university.

• Ensure an adequate level of support is present for students.

• Be approachable and accessible to students, working alongside the class representatives to provide the best outcomes for students.

Ellie Young

I’m Ellie and I’m the current SMLC representative and I was elected in October 2016. In the last 5 months I have immersed myself in the role and understand the responsibility it holds. During this short time, I have achieved quite a lot working with staff to make honours choices clearer, having the dissertation process made simpler and allowing students to have more choice for their dissertation. I am also working to have the study abroad application changed so that there is a different process for SMLC students. I have liaised with class reps from every year group to ensure we work as a team to get the best outcomes for students.

My goals are to:

 

• Continue developing partnerships with language societies so that students can have more speaking practice outside of class.

 

• Continue offering support for students applying for their year abroad and have more events like the one I recently organised for students going abroad as language assistants.

I am rerunning for this position because I still have lots of ideas and would like to keep representing students. My awareness of issues and processes needed to implement change make me an ideal candidate.

Haiqa Jamil

Hello, my name is Haiqa Jamil and I am a third year Physics with Astrophysics Student. I am currently involved in different societies on campus however this year I have become more interested to take part and do some work relevant to my course of study.  I have learned many skills working with different student bodies and I would like to apply this to the School of Physics and Astronomy to help make improvements. In the Kelvin building there is not really an open space for silent study. We have the common room and computer clusters which at times can be very busy and noisy. I often do not study in my building as I would not know where to study and I feel this is a disadvantage to not only myself but other students. We are missing out on prime access to useful resources. If I was elected I would like to try and improve the spaces within the Kelvin building to help accommodate and cater to the needs of the students. Please vote for me for your School Representative, watch this space!

Gregory Kokkinidis

My name is Gregory Kokkinidis, I am currently a first-year undergraduate studying Psychology at the University of Glasgow.

As a first year, I am familiar with the struggles and issues students encounter. I am aware of the stress caused by gradually finding out what is required of you from the course. Additionally, as a current and active member of the Psychology Society, I interact with students of all course years, and I therefore keep up with issues that arise in other years. Furthermore, as a current Class Representative I will have an idea of how the SRC works by the time I am elected School Representative for Psychology.

My main reason for applying for this role is to facilitate the flow of information between students and the university. The main issue that has been raised from psychology students around me is the vagueness of information, and the uncertainty of who to approach to raise any issues, e.g. elaborate feedback.

As I am involved with the SRC as a class representative, and am a member of the Psychology Society, this provides me with adequate knowledge and resources to undertake and succeed as the role of a School Representative.

 

Andrea De Palma

Hello, I am Andrea, I am a second year Psychology student and I am running for the role of School of Psychology Representative. I believe I have the skills required for this role. Indeed, I have developed experience in a representative position in the past as I was Class Representative during high school and I have already worked actively with SRC as I am a member of the GUSH society.

I understand that sometimes it can be difficult to speak up and express publically an opinion, especially if it is directed to someone in a higher position. This is why I think that the role of school representative is extremely important to stand in for everyone and guarantee that their opinions will be put into practice. Hence, as a School Representative, I will ensure that your voice will be heard as I aim to:

• Be a key mediator between students and the Psychology course team
• Gather constantly feedback to help more students be represented in the council
• Increase the use of social media to encourage students to express their opinion/problems regarding the Psychology course

Thank you for your attention 🙂

Xenia Stieger

Hello to everyone who decided to go on the journey of psychology!

I am Xenia and a 3^rd year joint honours Psychology & Business student.

Experience

For three years, I have been an enthusiastic class representative for psychology and am a member of the peer assisted learning. I frequently engage in events that aims to improve the psychology course such as focus groups, pilot laboratories or the BPS review. Through these experiences, I know the department very well, have a distinguished understanding on how the school functions and am aware of many concerns that students experience through all years.

If elected, I want to…

… work closely with all relevant bodies that influence the psychology student community (including class reps from all levels, the staff and the GU Psychology Society) to improve every member’s satisfaction and well-being

… improve the feedback system for both assignments & exams

… decrease the psychological pressure that many students experience in second year

… increase the department’s transparency & standardisation of marking

… focus stronger on positive feedback to keep up the good work

… express concerns in a considerate yet constructive way & with an open mind

Thank you for voting. 🙂

Claire McCormack

Hi, I’m Claire, a Second Year Sociology student. I’ll be running as your School Representative for Social and Political Sciences. I’m currently a class representative for my course and have enjoyed being a part of positive change in our education. However, there are still improvements to be made in the school.

As a student I have been thoroughly involved in GU Amnesty International, and last March was appointed to the position of Social Secretary. This has taught me a range of transferable skills that I think have improved my ability to listen to what people want and give them that change. Last Freshers’ Week, I was an SRC Freshers’ Helper and took pride in being part of something so important. This makes me familiar with the workings of the council and the services that they offer.

If elected, I will strive to:

• rally an enthusiasm to get students involved with positions such as class representative

• continue to pursue the issue of recorded lectures, and at the very least, the provision of thorough lecture notes

• gauge interest in course feedback in Week 6 in addition to the end of term

• have a standardised Moodle layout for courses

 

James Richardson

Hey, I’m James Richardson, 3^nd year Economic & Social History student, Mancunian, and your current Social & Political Sciences Rep. I’ve enjoyed it so much I’m running for aanother term. Hopefully I’ll get your votes.

 Over the past year I’ve been getting to grips with the complex (and often very longwinded) processes you have to go through to get changes made within the School, and feel another year would allow me to properly make change. We were promised recording of all lectures – lecturers are still refusing. Turnaround times for essays are still far too long. And the planned selling off of the Adam Smith Building and Lilybank House is going to be a cause of anxiety moving forward – I will tackle this.

The most recent NSS results have highlighted this to uni management, but it’s going to take time to get the solutions implemented.

 On the wider SRC sense, I’ve been very active in arguing the case that university employees are paid a proper living wage, and not shunted onto unethical ‘self-employment contracts’ which in reality are no such thing. I’d love the opportunity to continue to be annoying to uni management.

 Vote James Richardson #1. 

Daniel Nixon

Hi! My name is Daniel Nixon – I am a second year student studying Politics and Social and Public Policy. I have spent the past two years as a board member for the Glasgow University Politics Society, serving as first year representative and now treasurer. In these roles I have assisted in the organisation of many events, including subcrawls, cross-party socials and a US Election night event.

I want to make a real difference for students studying in this school, which is why I have decided to run in the forthcoming election. I feel that not enough is known amongst the student body about this role within the SRC, so I would aim to reach out to as many of you as possible in order for your views to be heard. I consider myself a strong team player and would ensure effective communication between myself, class representatives and the college convenor, while endeavouring to make your views heard amongst university staff.

The SRC is run for the benefit of you, the students of this great university. I intend to make sure your views are heard and issues resolved so that your university experience can be enhanced as much as possible.

Cristina Chueca Del Cerro

Hello! My name is Cristina Chueca, a third year Politics with Quantitative Methods undergraduate and I would like to become the new Representative for the School of Social and Political Sciences.
This is my third year as Politics Representative. I started when I first came to Glasgow three years ago with the enthusiasm of making things change and the student’s opinions heard. This year the feedback form for essays changed, which was a big success as a class rep. Now all students get more specific feedback that could help them improve their future assessments. As a School Rep, I would like to continue pushing on these areas but also:
 Celebrate an annual meeting for each cohort year were all students will meet their peers, have the time to meet their lecturers and engage more with the department staff.
 Focus groups for all the levels in order to get further feedback to improve the course. Maybe refreshments and savouries will be provided to increase the attendance levels.
 Promote the use of Quantitative Methods among Social and Political students as this is a very desirable skill that seems to be lacking attention. This could be done by running workshops during the semester.

Antonia Da Fonseca Ioannou

After being in vet school for two years, I am no stranger to the divide between the vet school and main university. As school representative I hope to change that. The lack of SRC shuttles means that there is currently no university-provided transportation from the West End. This puts a financial burden on all students, especially on those who have classes in both campuses. I hope to address this issue by encouraging a transport link between the campuses. In addition, I want to push the university to include veterinary resources in the main library to ensure all vet students have access to the material they need. Lastly, with many vet students experiencing mental health problems, I want ensure the university allocates appropriate resources to help struggling vets. I can help address these issues as I have been a year representative, and therefore know how to communicate with the vet school’s students and staff. Furthermore, I am involved in many clubs and societies. This ensures I will represent a variety of students’ views. I believe that I have the skills to help address these issues, and I can help fix them one step at a time.

Usman Abdul-Quayum

Hi, my name is Usman and I’m hoping to be your next undergraduate MVLS Convener!

I’m currently in my third year at Glasgow University and so I’ve had the chance to network and connect with people across the University campus, but particularly within the college of MVLS. I’ve identified some key issues which I think are the focus of concern for many students, however I’m definitely open to new ideas that you can let me know of to fight for at SRC council meetings!

I’ve been involved in various positions and responsibilities within the University in the past 3 years, teaching me essential management and communication skills.

If elected, I will make it my priority to represent every student in MVLS by:

• Ensuring that the £1 billion redevelopment of the University campus is used effectively to enhance MVLS student experience
• Ensuring that the MVLS student voice and opinion is heard at every SRC meeting
• Enhancing communication between all school representatives within the college of MVLS
• Promoting equality and diversity across the University campus

Help me make a difference this year

Vote Usman #1 MVLS College Convener!

Mahi Siddika

Hey guys! I’m Mahi, a second-year maths student running for College of Science and Engineering UG Convenor.

Throughout my school career I have devoted myself to roles which give voice to the student population. All the positions required me to understand and express the issues the students wanted resolved rationally. Hence, I am confident I can carry out this role effectively, represent you successfully and dedicate myself wholeheartedly.

Currently, I am class rep for Arabic and last year I was rep for both Maths and Computing Science.  Having thoroughly enjoyed these posts I would love the opportunity to continue to represent you at college level.

I have always been involved in student council, something I am immensely passionate about and value highly.

Being on the SRC, I will:

• Coordinate regular meetings between the two bodies to establish a strong relationship with continuous communication,
• Liaise with school reps to hear and implement your opinions and ideas,
• Raise and address any concerns you have,
• Keep you routinely informed of progress,
• Organise drop in study rooms for during the year,
• Work with the college to find more study spaces for busy exam times,
• Arrange more department/students’ correspondence, especially for exam feedback.

Thank you!

Bilal Khan

Hi there, my name is Bilal and I’m hoping to be your College of Science and Engineering Convener.I’ve had many positions within University societies and I am also organising one of the largest society events of the year in the coming weeks!

I’m currently a third-year aeronautical student and if elected I hope to:

• Get all lectures recorded for every student in this school
• Have science and engineering dedicated spaces and extra computer clusters
• I will make it my priority to ensure that the £1 billion campus redevelopment at this University is equally distributed amongst all subjects and will make it my priority to fight for our school!
• Ensure that equality and diversity is promoted at all times
• Maintain and introduce reflection spaces across campus to be used by all students at flexible hours
• Maintain communication between all school representatives within our college

 

Help me represent our college and University!

Vote Bilal Khan #1 College of Science and Engineering Convener!

 

Iris Chong

Hello, I’m Iris, a Year 2 student studying Economics and Business & Management. I am running to become your next Social Sciences College Convenor.

I am from Macao, a city next to HK. I am currently the Secretary of the GU Business Club. From my background and my experiences, I believe I have the ability to represent all Social Science students as I am always aware of others’ needs while my motto is “Be willing to help rather than being asked to help.”

Since I am one of the board members of the Business Club, I am responsible for facilitating professional business skills workshops as well as help organising social events which bring about innovation and new ideas through networking.

Aims:

• Bring all Social Sciences Colleges together— business is not purely about business, but sociological humanities.
• Connect GU and MYLUK, encourage more great Macao students coming to GU.
• Enhance possibilities of working in the UK after graduation for the international students.
• Promote a communication platform between the freshers and the currently students to know more about the lecturers and the tutors.

I have a strong will to help you experience a better GU study life. Thanks!

Megan Snedden

I’m Megan Snedden, a 3^rd Year Social and Public Policy student hoping to become your College of Social Sciences Convenor! I’m an experienced, dedicated and welfare-minded candidate who will work hard in the interests of students.

Experience:

• GULGBTQ+ President (2015-2017):
  • Sat on Gender and Sexual Diversity Group for 2 years, representing students and supporting the Equality and Diversity Unit.
  • Organised transgender awareness training sessions for 600+ staff and students.
  • Ensured staff Equality and Diversity training was updated to be LGBT+ inclusive.
• SRC:
  • Freshers’ Helper on Welfare Team.
  • Active member of Publicity Team.
  • Member of Campus Development Committee.

Aims:

• Increase the availability of mental health support to all students by pushing for the expansion of Peer Support system across the College.
• Highlight the importance of welfare issues within the learning and teaching context:
  • Advocate for a more inclusive curriculum (in line with Public Sector Equality Duty aims) and the enforcement of the Accessible and Inclusive Learning Policy.
• Work with School Reps to ensure issues are dealt with effectively and encourage them to share best practise.
• Continue predecessor’s work on improving assessment and feedback.

Vote Megan #1 CoSS Convenor!

Josh Horsman

Hi, I’m Josh, I’m studying 3^rd year Business Management and I want to be your next UG Convenor for the College of Social Sciences.

I’ve been heavily involved in the SRC as a freshers’ helper and on RAG committee, so I can offer valuable experience and a strong understanding of how the SRC works and how to make things happen. I also gained experience engaging with fellow SocSci students as president of GU Politics Society this year.

As your convenor, I will be present and approachable, listen to your experiences or concerns, and raise these issues at the highest level. My goals as convenor are:

• Work with school reps to create a unified strategy for collecting student feedback and raising it at the highest possible level, so that your voice is heard.
• Raise awareness of who represents you amongst all students, and who to contact with your feedback.
• Work with academic staff and students to look at ways to improve the transition from Level 2 to honours in SocSci courses.

If you give me your vote, I promise to work tirelessly to make your voice heard within the college, and still make it to HIVE every Thursday! #BackTheRightHorse

Moa Schafer

Hi, I’m Moa, a second-year Business & Management/Psychology student.
This past year I’ve been the TEDxUniversityofGlasgow Project Manager and
President of UNICEF On Campus – two roles I enjoyed immensely!
A key experience I bring from these societies is a thorough understanding of how
the university operates, which I believe is very beneficial for a College Convenor.
Communicating with students and staff is also something I enjoy and am used to.
I’ve learned that making a phone call to address an issue can be much more
efficient than sending emails that get buried in an inbox* – and that’s where I
come in! You don’t have to make the phone call/meet with university staff – you
just need to let me know and I’ll take it from there! Everything from academic
concerns to bringing back Library study room bookings** – I’m your person!
*Regarding email overload – I want to address this. It was mentioned at the SRC
International Symposium I spoke at this year and I would like to follow up on
this to ensure changes are implemented.
**I’d like to reintroduce this
In sum:
Reduce emails
Re-introduce study room bookings
Your inquiries heard and acted upon effectively

Mauro Dellisanti

I am Mauro Dellisanti, 21, EU student from Italy. I am a Junior Honours Economics student and I study Chinese at the Confucius Institute. My aim is to improve our student life. I have been student rep for Econometrics and Micro/Macroeconomics, I have been a conversational English volunteer. I am also a member of Youai Scotland. I have done my best to let our voice be heard in the SSLC listening what students say and through the surveys I regularly arrange before such meetings and when situations take place. I want to take this to the next level, to serve the entire Social Sciences college.
If elected, I will:
-keep an eye on the Brexit situation. EU students, like myself, are concerned with the outcome of negotiation that will start at the end of March;
-work with professors to make sure students are receiving sufficient feedback;
-support school/class reps;
-work with school/class reps so that more information about any news related to Social Sciences degrees are being promptly given to students.
I look forward to represent you and work with staff and students to improve our experience here in the College of Social Sciences. Vote MAURO DELLISANTI #1!

Jenny Benson

I am the best candidate for this job. Let me tell you why…
I am a hard-working, active council member, and a final year student. I have proven that I care about students, the SRC, life on campus and the University through my experiences on council over the past two years, as co-founder and co-president of the French society, and as a three-time Freshers Helper.

Not only have I consistently represented the views of students within meetings and committees in my roles on council, I have actively worked alongside other council members, individual students, and staff members in order to improve the student experience for as many students as possible.

MY EXPERIENCE

• 2 active terms on council; as General Representative and Undergraduate Arts Convenor. Including sitting on influential committees; as a member of Senate, and elected to University Learning & Teaching by council members.
• Ran a workshop for students and staff on Feedback and Assessment in order to improve communication between staff and students, and received very positive feedback about the session.
• Was asked to take part in the Master of Arts review group where the entirety of the MA is being assessed in order to improve students academic experience.
• Involvement in running an academic student-facing conference (upcoming).
• Worked closely with School Representatives to create a college-wide report on various questions posed to class representatives.

WHAT I WILL ACHIEVE

• Work with the Second Hand Bookshop to run a bookfair in Freshers’ Week where students can buy and sell used textbooks.
• Ensure that the SRC runs campaigns and uses their uniquely strong position to support issues that are important to students.
• Revive the class representative role by improving training and ensuring class reps are taking students’ issues to the SRC.
• VP Education can be a staff-facing role, but it doesn’t have to be. I want to make sure that students and staff are communicating with each other through academic workshops, and I hope to run a staff-student conference alongside future academic representatives.
• NSS results show that feedback is an issue for students, and we need to ensure that assessment and feedback is relevant, diverse and meaningful. I will continue to work on getting staff and students together to discuss feedback in workshops. Additionally, I will continue the current VP Education’s work in developing a feedback ‘portal’ on Moodle so students have access to all their feedback in one place.
• Work closely with other SAABs, particularly the VP Student Support, in promoting progress in teaching becoming more diverse and equal.

My predecessors have made progress in supporting issues that are important to students and I want to continue this. This includes issues such as: free tuition for Scottish students, lecture recordings, earlier release of exam timetabling, free Wednesday afternoons, dictionaries in exams for international students, and opposing rising international and rUK tuition fees.

Vote for an experienced, determined & approachable candidate by voting #1 JENNY BENSON for VP Education.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1669805729986909/

 

Ali Bhatti

Hi everyone! My name is Ali Zain Bhatti and it would be an honor for me to represent you as Vice President Education.

I want to make these things happen:

• Videos for all lectures: Over 90% of our lecture halls have the necessary equipment to record all the lectures, but you still have to wake up at 9AM for a lecture which has perhaps only 10% relevant content. It’s time to stop this ridiculous farce, for too long you’ve been promised recorded lectures by SRC candidates, it’s time to get videos lectures for all classes. #MakeLecturesRecordedAgain.
• More study space: How often you roam around the university library to find a space to study but you have to give up and go home? Many times! ”I will build a new building for giving you space to study. What’s more, I’ll get the University to pay for it. #Buildthatbuilding
• More copies of books in the library: You spend 50 pounds for one textbook and you use it only during your assignments or exam week. Isn’t it better if you borrow the textbook from the library to make assignments and prepare for exams? Yes! Therefore, I will liaise with the management providing far more copies of a textbook especially during the exam period and when the class strength is high so that you are able to borrow at ease. #MakeBooksAvailableAgain
• Improve the system of feedback between staff and student body: How often during the semester you totally have no idea about what is going on in the lectures even though you are trying hard so you wait till the end of the semester to provide feedback which is used to make improvements for next term? Isn’t it better if class representatives distribute questionnaires in their respective classes every week to acquire feedback and pass onto management to assist the lecturers in adjusting their ways according to needs of those students within that semester. Together we will make this happen. #MakeFeedbackBetterAgain

It’s about time that someone delivers on a promise made by so many before me. Having been associated with SRC for nearly two years now, I believe this is the right time to step up and take the responsibility of representing your views at the top level using the experience and skills I possess.

After being elected as Business and Management Representative in my second year, I successfully managed to assist the institution and Glasgow University’s Student Representative Council by helping create solutions to negative feedback and continuously improved the student learning experience along with contributing to institutional activities.

During the same time, I was elected as the Secretary of Glasgow University Entrepreneurship Society and have been promoting entrepreneurial spirit on campus with entrepreneurs by organizing top quality entrepreneurial events on campus and helping students to enhance their entrepreneurial knowledge while at university.

Therefore, I am extremely passionate about improving the standards of learning and teaching further to make our university even better!

 

Hannah -May Todd

Manifesto

For the past year I’ve been on council as the Humanities School Representative, liaising with staff and students, to make sure the student voice is at the heart of everything the university does. My manifesto encompasses goals which would positively affect every student across campus and which are achievable.

Throughout the new campus development, as VP Education I would make sure the university is held accountable for every decision they make and that students are at the core of this decision making process. Also I will make sure that amidst this change, current students receive the support they need for effective learning.

My pledges for the year:

• 24 Hour Library/ Study Space Access: I will push for a study space on campus that is available 24 hours- be it the library or an alternate space. This would be an important development for the university, especially for students with families and those who work unconventional hours.
• Expanded Use of Lecture Recording: Lecture recording is underused within the university. I aim to encourage greater use of the technology available by holding workshops for staff about how it can be utilised and the benefits this has for students, especially those who suffer from mental health issues and disability.
• Exam Feedback: Students have a desire for exam feedback, I want to implement a system where students could gain this feedback more easily and effectively.
• Moodle: Moodle is not used to its full potential; I want to hold e-learning training sessions for staff to explain all of its functions. I also aim to continue my predecessors work to move towards a user friendly IT system, which means students don’t have to navigate between Student Voice, Moodle and Mycampus.
• Support during exam periods: I will continue to work with the VP Student Support to help students during exam periods with de-stress packs and events, promoting underused study spaces around campus.
• Feedback for students: I will continue my predecessors work in creating a feedback portfolio which will allow students to access all feedback easily in one area, even after they graduate.

My Experience

For the past year I’ve sat on the SRC Council as the Representative for the Humanities School, throwing myself into promoting the SRC and learning about higher education policy:

• I’ve sat on Learning and Teaching committees as the student voice, taking forward issues and queries from the wider student body.
• Held class representative meetings, fostering strong ties with students and collating reports after these meetings
• Attended workshops with staff and students on assessment, feedback and e-learning, criticising and praising good and bad practice.
• Been involved with the campus development plan at its current stage
• Sat on Academic Forum, working with other school representatives to improve assessment and feedback across all schools.

As VP Education I will work to communicate the vital support and services the SRC provides for students. Moreover, I would make sure that every aspect of the student learning and teaching experience across campus is held to the highest possible standard.

Pritasha Kariappa

Hi!

My name’s Pritasha Kariappa and I’m running to be your next Vice President of Student Activities.

As the current Charities, Clubs and Societies Officer for SRC, I have worked closely with the VPSA to regulate a variety of different activities and fundraisers. I have dealt with club/society affiliations, been a member of cross-campus fundraising committee and a member of the Raising and Giving (RAG) Committee! This has given me insight into the skills and knowledge required for such a position and I believe that I will be able to use my past experience and build upon that in the future.

Objectives for the upcoming year/what I could bring to the role:

Freshers’ week: I will work closely with members of all 4 student bodies in order to create a welcoming experience for new students at Glasgow University. This will be inclusive of more day time events: I will work in collaboration with clubs and societies to help showcase the diverse selection of activities possible on campus. I would also include the input of the Charities, Clubs and Societies Officer to make sure they have more involvement during this period.

Set up a volunteer team for SRC related events: It is not always been possible to get a group of volunteers to assist with events and I think a team set up at the start of the year will ensure that there are always people to act as volunteers.

Changes to SRC website: Myself and current general representative Sophie Gill are actively working to establish the idea of including an events calendar and a search bar for clubs and societies on the SRC website which we believe would bring a more dynamic and interactive element to the page for students (still working progress). If successful, I will continue to oversee the process of these changes.

RAG Committee: Last year, the VPSA and I established a RAG Committee where we worked together throughout the year to fundraise for various different charities. This includes the collection buckets for Poppy Scotland, Paws for Stress, RAG day & the Burns night ceilidh. Cross-campus fundraising committee: This method of fundraising worked extremely well, unites all 4 student bodies and brings in more student engagement (includes Living Below the Line/and upcoming Jailbreak). Will work to continue both of these into the following year.

Promote facilities offered by SRC:  There are a lot of great incentives run by the SRC that I believe a lot of students are unaware of. A hall crawl organised earlier in the year proved to be a successful method of informing students of the SRC and if elected, I will ensure that new students are introduced to the SRC at the start of the year either during fresher’s week or the first few weeks afterwards.

Student media: Work closely with student media and ensure that they are being provided for. I will be a point of contact that is approachable and dedicated to assisting them in any way possible.

 

Thais Ramdani

Hello! I’m Thaïs Ramdani, a final year Psychology student, and would love to be your next Vice President Student Support.

As Gender Equality Officer for the past year, I have been vocal in fighting for the welfare of students. With changes coming to the way student support is being dealt with amongst University committees, now is the time to ensure that the SRC will continue to remain a strong voice. This will allow for better opportunities for policy making, and better support provisions.

 

Student-led training initiatives have grown in the past year. I will ensure they continue to do so:

• Let’s Talk about Sexual Violence will evolve to better achieve its aims, increasing its reach;
• GULGBTQ+’s renowned Pronoun Pledge lacks resources, and moving to an online platform will allow it to thrive;
• Training needs to target groups interacting with students – student councils, freshers’ helpers, support staff, and advisors of study;
• They need to be publicised through different channels – inductions, student media.

 

The curriculum is a vital part of our time at University and requires better equality-related content, as highlighted by the Equality and Diversity Unit. I will work with the incoming VP Education towards:

• Increasing material and research by underrepresented groups – women, LGBT+, BME, disabled;
• Using gender neutral language in classes.

Aspects of University life are inaccessible to a number of non-traditional students. I will push for:

• Specific financial support for student parents and carers;
• Expanding the welfare-dedicated Freshers’ Helpers team;
• Increasing the current number of family-friendly/quiet/reflective spaces.

 

In the longer term, provisions need to be made regarding the campus redevelopment. We need:

• Fluid and changeable spaces, allowing for a balance between study and family-friendly/quiet/reflective spaces;
• Consultations to secure gender neutral facilities, accessible and eco-friendly buildings.

 

Mental ill-health is common amongst many students. They need:

• Support even when abroad or on a different campus;
• Peer support, regardless of their school;
• Advisory staff trained in mental health first aid.

 

Working with the other student bodies is vital in order to best assist students. As a whole, we need to:

• Maintain cross-campus relations for Freshers’ Week and beyond;
• Support clubs, societies, and the wider student population in their fight for change;
• Maintain a focus on welfare issues and address them as a group.

 

I have shown my dedication through:

• Representing students on the Student Support and Development Committee and the Gender Equality Steering Group;
• Bringing societies together for an even bigger International Women’s Week;
• Being a Sexual Violence Prevention trainer;
• Adding pronouns to Freshers’ Helpers’ passes;
• Publicising the SRC as a member of the Publicity Team;
• Being the Vice President Treasurer for GULGBTQ+.

 

Following Brexit, the increase of fees, the soon to come progress report on divestment from fossil fuel, the SRC needs to be able to adapt. As VP Student Support, I will ensure welfare remains a priority, and that student voices are not being ignored.

 

https://www.facebook.com/events/744804749028083/

 

Lauren “Shoogle” McDougall

Hi! I’m Lauren “Shoogle” McDougall, a Scottish literature graduate now studying creative writing and I’m standing to be your next SRC VP Student Support.

I’ve served two consecutive years as your SRC Disability Equality Officer and this year I was elected as one of only two student representatives to sit on University Court, the university’s governing body. This role has provided me with a strong working knowledge of current higher education policy, which is vital in this current climate of change and uncertainty on our campus and beyond.

Whilst at UofG I have:

• Represented the barriers faced by disabled students at the highest level in Scotland as the only student representative invited to scrutinise the Government’s draft budget at the Scottish Parliament
• Extensively consulted on the Campus Redevelopment Plan and secured guarantees of gender neutral toilets in every new building, more quiet and reflective space, child-friendly study space and facilities for breastfeeding
• Developed and led the SRC’s first ever dedicated Welfare Team during Freshers’ Week to ensure that all students were able to get the most from their FW
• Successively lobbied the Disability Service to overhaul their discriminatory dyslexia screening policy and improve their pre-entry advice
• Served as GULGBTQ+ President and a member of the Gender and Sexual Diversity Group

I have a strong track record of holding the university to account, and achieving significant and measurable change to enable all students at Glasgow to reach their full potential in a supportive and inclusive environment.

Going forward we need commitment from the university that our welfare is a priority. Our campus is stretched to capacity and our support services are struggling under increased pressure and flatlined budgets.

Elect me VP Student Support and I will:

• Pressure the university for central funding for mental health Peer Support so that it can be introduced in all Colleges
• Guarantee a smooth roll out of suicide prevention training across campus
• Work closely with the university, our students and the Let’s Talk campaign to develop the sexual violence prevention training out of its pilot phase and into a robust and sustainable project for the future
• Lobby the university, in their duty as a Corporate Parent, to provide more holistic and consistent support for care-experienced young people throughout their degree
• Push for more awareness and support provision for the 1076 UofG registered student carers
• Ensure that the university commit to providing ongoing and comprehensive support to retain at-risk students recruited through the Commission on Widening Access agenda.
• Develop a befriending programme which would train student volunteers as buddies to enable more students to benefit from involvement with clubs & societies and attend campus events
• Actively engage with underrepresented groups to create a more inclusive SRC which represents the increasing diversity of our student population and fights discrimination on campus
• Continue to ensure that student welfare is at the heart of the Campus Redevelopment, and that the wellbeing of current students is not compromised

For an experienced and passionate voice vote Lauren “Shoogle” McDougall #1 for VPSS

 

Tia Manavis

Hi, I’m Tia and I’m running to be your Vice President of Student Support. I’ve worked extensively with the SRC on behalf of the Isabella Elder Feminist Society and the Let’s Talk campaign, and think the SRC can provide more support to its students and its societies.

VPSS involves looking after your wellbeing, whether that’s your mental health, your sexual health or your financial stability. My policies will make sure you are properly taken care of while you study.

 Taking Care of Your Brain and Body

• Stress relievers year round to alleviate the strain on the Counselling and Psychological Services. This will be everything from sport to yoga to mindfulness to colouring.
• Equality and Diversity training mandatory for all staff
• Fighting for more funding for mental health services and raising awareness of what services are provided by the university

Let’s Talk About Sex

• Providing free condoms during Freshers Week and in halls year round
• Providing free sanitary products in university shops
• STI testing services in Glasgow are overrun and underfunded, I’ll make the SRC provide regular STI testing on campus at GU
• Providing sexual violence prevention training sessions with the Let’s Talk campaign, extending the sessions to more students and making them accessible for new students

 Make the SRC Hear You

Actually opening up communication between the SRC and societies and

unions.

• Ensuring transparency and open communication with societies and unions to streamline projects

• Releasing regular reports about SRC activity and holding meetings throughout the year with student unions and societies to increase communication, ensure accountability, and encourage support across the student bodies

Making Space For You On Campus

The upcoming campus redevelopment is a huge step for the university, and  student welfare should be at the front of the project.

• Gender-Neutral toilets should be created for all parts of the new campus and placed in all buildings at the current campus
• Increased support for postgrads, carers, home students, and mature students

• Providing locker spaces
• Hospitality services that cater towards atypical schedules (access to microwaves, fridge space, cooking areas)
• Extending the nursery service
• Providing a safe space on campus for when a night out goes wrong and providing safe ways to get home through pay-later taxis.

Penny Pinchers

One of the hardest things about being student is managing a usually very small budget. I’ll create Penny Pinchers, a forum where students can learn and share how to budget. It would

• Include a spending tracker
• Provide tips from financial experts on how to breakdown your budget
• Include an open forum where students could share cheap options for food and entertainment
• Post regular videos and articles on good ways to save money

The SRC should put student welfare at the top of its agenda, making it reliable, accessible and fun. Vote Tia on March 1st and 2nd to make that happen.