It's now almost a week since we announced the results of the Student Elections 2021.
Following a very different Elections period to usual, we checked in with your Sabbatical Officer Team Elect to get to know them better, give them an opportunity to thank you, the voters, and asked them the following questions:
- How did you find Voting Week?
- What was the first thing you did when you found out you'd won?
- What's the first thing you plan to do when you start your term in office?
Your Sabbatical Officer Team Elect will start a handover period with your current Sabbatical Officer Team on Tuesday 15th June 2021 and will take office on Thursday 1st July 2021.
Here's what they had to say...
Emi Dowse, President Elect
Emi Dowse is currently your VP Education and has been elected as your SU President for 2021/2022 by students across the University of Plymouth. Emi received 901 votes in the Student Elections 2021.
Emi's three key points are:
- Endeavour to increase understanding of the representation systems in place within the SU and how students can hold their representatives accountable and utilise them effectively. I will do this by creating an officer communications strategy and holding regular representative drop-ins.
- Run a campaign aiming to empower students about their rights within the University and the SU. I'll educate students about the complex processes in place by making them accessible, and student-friendly and I will create how-to guides for escalating issues.
- Create a plan to address the long-term effects of the pandemic on students. I will lobby the University for transparency about what learning will be like in 21/22 and to implement extra support measures for the reintegration into campus life.
Read Emi's full manifesto here.
Charlie Atkinson, VP Education Elect
Charlie Atkinson is your VP Education Elect for 2021/2022. Charlie was voted in with a total of 1255 votes in the Student Elections 2021.
Charlie's three key points are:
- Work closely with the University to improve communication about the successes and failures of blended learning, by working with student groups already in place, empowering individual students to express their issues with the current system to the University.
- Assist students to take advantage of placements, volunteer roles and jobs that the University currently offers to aid development and employability, by raising awareness of the opportunities through the SU website, as well as other SU publications.
- Raise the voices of Postgraduate students. This will be done by working with the relevant officers, as well as course reps, to ensure that students on Postgraduate courses feel as involved in the SU as any other member.
Read Charlie's full manifesto here.
Fawziyyah Ahmed, VP Wellbeing & Diversity Elect
Fawziyyah Ahmed is your current VP Wellbeing & Diversity and has been re-elected by University of Plymouth students for a second term with 649 votes.
Fawziyyah's three key points for the next year are:
- Call for better wellbeing provisions, including more resources for counselling and mental health training for staff so students feel secure and supported. Using forums and roundtables as a platform for students to feedback the changes they want in support services.
- Campaign for better accommodation and raise awareness of student's rights in halls and private housing. I will launch a housing enquiry to understand issues faced by students, with the feedback I will engage with housing agencies to tackle these issues.
- Empower under-represented groups by running campaigns that make students feel celebrated and allied with the aim of creating awareness of prejudices and decolonization of campus culture. Will be achieved by calling for student engagement in the University's Equality and Diversity approach.
Read Fawziyyah's full manifesto here.
Madeleine Morton, VP Activities Elect
Your VP Activities for the 2021/2022 academic year is Madeleine Morton. Madeleine was elected with a total of 662 votes.
Madeleine's three key points are:
- Inclusion and Celebration: Following a difficult year, I want to continue to celebrate student groups and strive to create a #TeamPlymouth? family in which all student groups respect and help each other.
- Mental Wellbeing: Increasing awareness into the positive effects physical activity has on mental health, as well as how the sense of family within student groups can provide incredible support, and to continue to build on the use of wellbeing advocates within clubs.
- Sustainability: Implementing a waste management initiative to help educate students on how managing waste can be beneficial to the environment, and to encourage students to use shared transport when going to events and fixtures, to reduce unnecessary carbon emissions.
Read Madeleine's full manifesto here.