Glasgow University Students Representative Council

Hi everyone!

My name is Fatemeh and I am this year’s Vice President Student Support. I’m actually a final year medical student, so I’ve taken a year out before I finish my degree to represent your views on student welfare full time!
My passion and goal is to ensure students have a chance to engage fully with what University has to offer… Regardless of their background, protected characteristics, or challenges they may face whilst being a student. Everybody should have to chance to access the wealth of opportunities, whether that is in their studies or the various extra-curricular things on offer!
So here is what I’ve been doing when we’ve not been drowning in the thousands of emails…

Welfare Campaigns

Equipped with a team of fantastic welfare and equal opportunities officers at the SRC, we’ve organised and run a range of welfare campaigns this semester.

• World Mental Health Day: tea and meditation session + a free Mind Your Mate Suicide Prevention Workshops.
• Black History Month: “Celebrating Diversity in Academia” which included a wide range of perspectives looking at the BAME experience in Universities and some of the barriers and successes. We also did a book group with the Library on the book “Why I’m not longer talking to white people about race”.
• Trans Day of Remembrance: flag raising followed by a tea and chat + a candle lit vigil with speakers and poetry in the evening in collaboration with GULGBTQ+.
• UN International Day of People with Disabilities: panel event looking at the disabled student and staff experience in higher education. We also did a joint lunch with the disability service as part of our Disabled Students’ Network with huge amounts of pizza and hummus. Hummus is life may I add!
• World Aids’ Day: Coffee morning in aid of the Terrance Higgins Trust

Exam De-stress

Ahhh December brings exams and assignments… the caffeine is on an all-time high and the stress and lack of sleep has hit a whole new level. I can totally relate this to all 4 years I’ve been a student up till now!

That’s why the SRC and the other student bodies have teamed up together to bring you a programme of fun events, physical activity and FREEBIES to help you take some time off studying to unwind and relax. We’re handing out free de-stress goodie bags in the library right next to an awesome de-stress doodle wall (Yes, you can write on the wall!), we have therapet dogs, free tea, and a prize wheel just to name a few!
Follow the Facebook event for more details.

Influencing Policy

Apart from events and campaigns, the SRC have been working to develop and improve policies that are central to the student experience.

We’ve been involved with developing the British Sign Language Policy after recommendations from the Scottish Government. You can find the policy here.
Last year, we were heavily involved in developing the Accessible and Inclusive Learning Policy which is currently undergoing a review. We’ll soon be looking to get feedback from students on how well the policy is being implemented, so watch this space!
We have also been consulted on the safeguarding and personal relationship policy and continue to highlight areas for improvement.

In addition to all of the above we have continued to run our regular open sessions for Let’s Talk About Sexual Violence and Mind Your Mate and have run lunches for our disabled students’ and student carers’ networsk. I’ve managed to achieve so much for this semester (which I could not have down without my amazing fellow sabbs and fantastic welfare officers).

Please email me if you’d like to chat f.nokhbeh@src.gla.ac.uk. Also, I love twitter so follow me! @GUSRC_VPSS

All the best and have a great festive break when it comes! ?

Fatemeh