Since my last blog, it’s been a busy and productive period, with a lot happening both behind the scenes and more visibly across the university.
Disabled Students Survey & Action Plan
One of the biggest pieces of work since my last update has been rolling out the Disabled Students Survey, which I worked on closely with the Disabled Students’ Officer. The aim was to better understand the real experiences of disabled students at our university - what’s working, what isn’t, and where support is falling short.
I’m really pleased that this hasn’t just been a “survey for the sake of a survey”. Based on the responses, we’ve already developed a clear action plan that will guide the changes we’re pushing for. This is about making sure student voices are heard and acted on, and I’ll keep sharing updates as we move forward with this work.
Faith Spaces & Ablution Facilities
I’ve been in ongoing contact with the Projects Department about the need for an ablution facility in the multi-faith prayer space. This is something that has been raised by students repeatedly, and it’s an important part of making our campus genuinely inclusive and respectful of different faith needs. These conversations can take time, but it’s an issue I’m committed to following up on, and I’ll continue to push for practical progress rather than vague promises.
Antisemitism Framework
I’ve written formally to the Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor to ask the university to adopt a clearer and more robust antisemitism framework. This is about ensuring that antisemitism is properly recognised, addressed, and challenged within the university, and that Jewish students feel supported and protected. This isn’t a one-off letter, I’ll be continuing to follow up and push for meaningful engagement and action from the university leadership.
You can read the letter here: Antisemitism Framework
Water Refill Stations on Campus
I’ve also been speaking with the Estates Department about increasing the number of water refill stations on campus. This includes a particular focus on lecture centres, where access to water can be surprisingly limited, but also looks more broadly at campus-wide provision. This is a relatively small change that can make a big difference whether that’s for sustainability, accessibility, or just getting through a long day of lectures and it’s something I’ll keep raising until we see improvements.
Gender Neutral Spaces
Working alongside the LGBTQ+ Officer, I’ve been following up with the university about gender-neutral spaces on campus. We’ve been asking what already exists, where the gaps are, and how the university can do better in making these spaces visible, accessible, and fit for purpose.
This is ongoing work, and we’ll continue to challenge the university to move beyond vague commitments and towards real, practical changes.
Rent Freeze Campaign
As an organisation, we’ve been working together to push the university to agree to a rent freeze for next year. With the cost of living still putting huge pressure on students, this has been a major priority and a key focus of our collective campaigning. It’s been really encouraging to see staff and officers working together on this, and I’m proud of the strength of the case we’ve made to the university.
Meetings & Representation
Alongside campaigning and project work, a lot of my role happens behind the scenes. Over the last period, I’ve attended Senate meetings, the Access and Participation Sub-Committee, the AGM, Trustee Board meetings, Academic misconduct hearings, and Disability and Neurodiversity steering group meetings. While these meetings aren’t always the most exciting, they’re incredibly important spaces where decisions are made, and I’ve been making sure student perspectives are represented and challenged where needed.
Important Life Skills (aka Cooking Pasta)
On a slightly lighter note, I’ve also featured in the union’s cooking videos, where I was taught how to cook pasta. It was equal parts educational and humbling and hopefully gave people a good laugh and maybe even inspired someone else to give cooking a go.
Life Update
Outside of officer work, I travelled to Turkey and Pakistan over the holidays, which was an amazing experience and a much-needed change of scenery. That said, I’ve also been ill for what feels like most of the last two months, so thank you for your patience if I’ve been slower to reply or less visible at times.
I’m feeling much more back on track now and looking ahead to the work still to come.