My manifesto is based on achievable promises which both build on the good work EUSA does already and introduce new ideas to the debate. I will always be looking to engage with students and find out how they want their Students Association to work.
Better access to doctors.
This year the University’s Health Centre was forced to turn sick students away after it became oversubscribed. If this situation arises next year, I will have EUSA act fast to ensure students can sign up to other doctors surgeries and be treated as quickly as possible.
Support the Counselling Service, Careers Service and Disability Office as the University shifts them around.
There isn’t enough awareness of these amazing services as it is, and moving them to the library, as the University plans to, could hurt this even more. While there are potential benefits (especially if the library is 24 hours) the suggestion that they might not have the facilities they need needs to be sorted out. I’ll campaign for the services to get the space they need as defined by the staff who work there.
Push the university to support student parents and students who become pregnant during their studies.
Students with children face great difficulties in juggling academic commitments with taking care of their kids. I will support the ongoing Parent Trap campaign which lobbies against the scandalous lack of support for student parents nationwide.
Most of Edinburgh’s student parents have to rely on expensive and inconvenient private childcare at the moment. I will aim to make the University’s existing childcare facilities more accessible to students here at the University.
DoS training
The Director of Studies system is currently up for review. Just now, DoSs are supposed to be the first port of call for almost all issues students face, and in many cases they’re not up to the task.
DoSs should be trained in how to deal with student welfare issues. This includes dealing with students who have mental health problems, financial difficulties and having a clearer policy on supporting students who become pregnant during their studies. I want students to have a DoS who they can trust to deal with their most serious problems.
Standing up for Societies
Societies Council
The Societies Council is the societies’ senate, and it is made up of office-bearers from all of our 220+ societies. Unfortunately too few of them know of its existence, and the meetings are generally lost opportunities. I believe the Societies Council could potentially be a far more representative body than things like the SRC (Students Representative Council), as it is made up of the unsung heroes who are working hard to make our student community so great.
A well attended Societies Council could decide on issues like having a dedicated ‘societies support space’, and where to spend any extra money that EUSA’s societies come in to. Also, if the SRC passes a motion which affects societies, it will allow society leaders to either put it up for a campus-wide vote, or veto it altogether.
I will push for this to be included in EUSA’s ongoing governance review, and implement as much as possible beforehand. I will make sure societies' voices are not lost as EUSA changes.
Transcripts.
I will work with the University to look into having participation in student societies being credited alongside academic qualifications.
Make sure societies get as much funding as possible.
I'll revamp the Societies Development Fund, and aim to get more commercial money pouring into our societies.
The Societies Development fund has come on a lot in recent years, but there’s still work to be done to make it fairer and more accessible. Certain societies apply year after year for large sums of money. For things like Nightline, there’s a case for giving them a dedicated fund as they represent a service for students, freeing up money for societies which need a cash injection.
Development fund money could also be delivered to societies quicker, though this can’t come at the cost of rushing through applications and not giving proper oversight.
It’s vital that big companies who spend money advertising to Edinburgh University students spread that wealth to our societies. EUSA already promotes companies to advertise with our student media through a ‘student media pack’. In order to get money going to more societies, I will encourage companies to sponsor societies through the same means. Sponsorships can bring in hundreds of pounds for a society, but taking them up will of course be voluntary.
Bring back Societies Dragon's Den.
This was a fun way for societies to get much-needed cash by pitching ideas to a panel of business ‘dragons.’ Unfortunately it stopped last year after the sponsors pulled out. If we can’t find corporate sponsors again this year (and in all likelihood we will) I will get EUSA to put up the money for this.
Have more, and better, training for society treasurers and the like.
This year’s training session was poorly attended. I’ll get a more engaging, informative session set up with input from experts, which students can be proud to put on their CVs.
Make sure the new electronic room booking system for societies is implemented as smoothly as possible.
This has taken ages to be introduced, and when it finally does there’s bound to be glitches with it. I will keep a close eye on the system so that when a problem pops up and a society looses its room, alternative accommodation can be found as quickly as possible. If EUSA’s mistake means a society has to pay for alternative arrangement, it’s reasonable for EUSA to have to put up some of the costs.
Get a cash machine in the Pleasance, along with better facilities for societies.
I will push for the next round of capital expenditure money to be spent on improving The Pleasance. Things which could be included are a band practice room and more rooms for dancing societies.
Improve EUSA’s communication, and advertise society events better.
Bringing back a proper centrefold listings page in The Voice will help with this. When I was editor of The Student I launched our society advertising service, where societies could get ads designed for them on the cheap, and I will promote this more within EUSA. EUSA’s website and MyEd’s news feed could also be better utilized. Sports clubs events could be included in joint publicity campaigns.
I’ll continue the excellent Societies Newsletter. I will also be proactive in contacting societies regularly so that problems can be identified before they become damaging, and make sure emails and phone calls get answered.
Improve EUSA's transparency, including sabbatical officers' expenses.
Sabb’s expenses will be published online, and released to the SRC. In general, I want to foster a culture of putting more of EUSA's documents, applications and services online.
Make sure things like The Student and The Journal reach as many campuses as possible.
There’s a cost issue involved with getting some of our publications out to satellite campuses. If we can’t sort this out I will haul them there myself.
A diverse Freshers Week.
I’m all for a rowdy, raucous Freshers Week, but I feel there should be more events which don’t focus on alcohol, and not just the token coffee crawls. I will work with the Freshers Week Coordinator to ensure we have a diverse, exciting Freshers Week.
Promote opportunities for students to volunteer around the city.
A bigger, bolder Student Volunteering Week will help with this. I will also promote student volunteering opportunities right from Freshers Week.
Looking to the future…
Edinburgh University could potentially merge with the Edinburgh College of Art over the next few years. If this happens I will make sure students at both institutions get the best out of each others facilities, and we have an even bigger, more vibrant student community.