Hey everyone!
It’s been another busy month in the office with plenty of meetings, including the usual ones where we go over the same topics repeatedly. Despite that, there have been some important developments that I’m really pleased to share.
Meeting with the Vice-Chancellor
We met with the Vice-Chancellor to raise a few key issues that students have been flagging for a while:
Wi-Fi Services: The university has now started upgrading its Wi-Fi infrastructure, something we’ve all been waiting for. Hopefully this will improve connectivity across campus soon.
Accommodation Costs: We discussed the affordability of university accommodation and how it compares to private providers. It’s an ongoing conversation, but one that’s on the radar now.
Union Hardship Fund: I’ve requested financial support for the SU’s Hardship Fund to better help students facing difficulties. we’re waiting on a response from the university on this.
Food on Campus: We also spoke about food provision across campus, which remains a recurring concern for students.
Filtered Water for Residents
This month, I authored a document proposing filtered water taps in communal kitchens for on-campus residents. Our Chief Executive has discussed this with the Head of Estates, and I’m hopeful we’ll see some movement on this soon.
You can read the document here.
Meeting University Executives
We also had an introductory meeting with some of the university’s senior leadership including the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Chief Operating Officer, and Chief of Staff. It was a great opportunity to highlight a range of ongoing student issues and strengthen our relationships with decision-makers.
Supporting Disabled Students with DSO
Designed a survey for disabled students in collaboration with Hamza, our Disabled student’s officer to better understand what’s affecting their experience at university. Once we have responses, the plan is to identify where the biggest gaps are and start working on targeted improvements.
Meeting with LGBTQ+ Officer
Held a meeting with Maia to discuss how we can collaboratively work and support the LGBTQ+ community. Maia pointed out the lack of progress by the university on gender neutral spaces, which has been pointed out to the relevant staff and will keep a track on the developments.
Committees:
- Attended the Access and Participation Sub-Committee.
- Attended Trustee Board meeting.
- Served on the Elections Committee for the Autumn Elections.
Quick updates on past projects:
Food Delivery Issue (Isambard Complex): I spoke again with Terry, our Head of Security, and he’s optimistic that proper parking spaces and signage for food delivery drivers will be introduced this month, a small but meaningful win for convenience and safety.
Parliament Tour: I’m also in the process of arranging a tour of Parliament. In the first phase, officers will have the opportunity to take part, and hopefully, we’ll be able to open it up to students in the next stage. It’s a great chance to see how national decision-making works up close and understand how it connects to the issues we advocate for on campus.
Follow-up from MP Meeting: Following our meeting earlier this year with our local MP, who raised student issues with the Minister of Education. We’ve now received a formal response from the Minister. You can read the MP’s reply here.
That’s all for this month! As always, if there’s something you’d like to talk about, share, or raise with me, please do get in touch or pop by the Union office.