Harry Chapman and Hannah Walton-Hughes
A group of Impact Magazine writers have looked over the candidate manifestos for this year’s Student Union Elections. Harry Chapman, Katie Sullivan, Emma Burnett, Oli Harris, and Hannah Walton-Hughes summarised and discussed each candidate’s main manifesto points, and gave their views on the manifesto. Voting closes on 15th March 2024 at 2pm.
Ela Taylor:
“I will effectively bridge between student interests and decision-making processes, fostering inclusive and impactful outcomes for our University community.”
Main manifesto areas:
- Accommodation
- Transport
- Sustainability
- Nightlife
Ela wants to strive for cheaper rent in student accommodation, better living standards, including the serious resolution of safety issues such as mould, and more education on coinhabiting with strangers in a harmonious way.
Nottingham hopper bus stopping off at student areas such as Lenton
In addition to wanting better deals for students on public transport, Ela hopes to introduce a University of Nottingham hopper bus stopping off at student areas such as Lenton, and push for safer transport back home after nights out.
Following on from this, a chunk of Ela’s manifesto focuses on a better nightlife experience for students, and reducing risks surrounding it. For example, she wants to work and communicate with the council, the police and club representatives to tackle bouncer violence, and ensure safety schemes such as the Nottingham City Council Community Protection Van are better known about and optimised to reduce “sexual assaults and harassments”.
On a lighter note on the topic of clubs, Ela wants to strive for cheaper tickets and drinks for students, and encourage student suggestions for club music to be taken on board. On campus, she hopes to improve the events hosted in Mooch.
Carbon-zero by 2028
Environmentally, Ela wants to work with the University to achieve carbon-zero for Nottingham by 2028, and enhance the university’s “environmental sustainability”.
Ela has had experience engaging with her local MP in Brighton, Caroline Lucas, “urging her to represent her constituency’s issues”, and even had direct contact with the Home Secretary James Cleverley at one stage.
She also points to how she “took to social media to write [her] manifesto, taking direct communication with 20 students and further researching complaints put into services such as ‘student room’”. This allowed her to compile a list of pressing community issues.
Ela believes that her studies of Liberal Arts means that she has “a broad spectrum of knowledge and cultivated skills in adaptation and understanding diverse perspectives.”
Ela has some really interesting ideas, particularly around improve nightlife safety and transport; the Hopper Bus idea is excellent. However, I feel that, for some of her other manifesto points, she needs to develop her ideas further i.e. laying out how she would enhance the sustainability of the university and secure better deals for students on public transport.
Hope Palfrey:
“I would like to grow a nurturing, thriving, interconnected community where every voice is heard, every need is met, and every individual feels a sense of belonging.”
Main manifesto points:
- Community Events
- Action to alleviate cost of living
- Supporting Campaigns- “I want to listen to students and support them in demanding better from the university. I want to help create a culture where students can campaign for change.”
“I will promote and organise events that help to build real connections between people.” Hope wants to work with societies to host events such as communal free meals, clothes swaps, creative spaces and forums to hear student voices. “I want collective care to be an integral part of the university experience.”
“Affordable and liveable housing on and off campus” [Hope]
“90% of students nationally stat[e] [the cost of living] has impacted their mental health.” Hope wants to tackle difficult living conditions for students by campaigning to lobby NTSU, UoN and the council to work together to provide “affordable and liveable housing on and off campus”. They point to the fact that price of halls accommodation is rising yearly despite maintainance loans remaining the same, and that students in privately-rented accommodation are often forgotten.
In addition to housing, Hope strives to make on-campus life more affordable. Ideas include lowering the cost of food outlets, providing spaces to make free tea and coffee, and keeping the prices in Mooch low.
Helped organise community events
Hope was the Environment and Social Justice Officer last year, so they understand the structures and systems of the university and the SU. They have been involved with campaigns such as Club Safe Collective, and have helped organise community events with groups such as Nottingham Trans, events including an LGBT+ party event. “As a queer person, we are constantly practicing collective care, even though we all have different experiences, we can come together as we try to bring joy and safety into each other’s lives, and that’s something I would bring to the role of community officer.”
This is a passionate manifesto overall, and I particularly admire Hope’s focus on creating an inclusive and community-driven campus, with events/initiatives that everyone can enjoy. Their focus on the issue of housing is very important.
One question I have is how Hope would strive to lower the price of food outlets on campus, such as Mooch, Portland coffee etc. How would they convince the SU and the University that this would be viable?
Josie Fowler:
“I strive to improve our student community to make it an even more equitable, supportive and inclusive space for everyone!”
Josie is a third year International Media and Communications student.
Main Manifesto Points:
- To support and develop student community
- To support and improve safety and sustainability
- To facilitate campaigning and volunteering opportunities
Josie hopes to “empower staff and students” through training in issues such as tackling mental health issues, antisemitism/anti-racism, and consent.
Another key point in their manifesto relates to supporting international students. This includes “diversifying the councilling service to reflect the student population” and “translating SU resources into multiple languages”.
Ensuring inclusivity is central
Josie wants to create inclusive community spaces, including safe spaces for marginalised groups, and ensuring inclusivity is central during the development of the new Castle Meadow campus.
Josie pledges to host office hours across all campuses.
Safety was raised in Josie’s manifesto as well. They want to empower residents to maintain community safety, collaborate on safety measures with organisations such as the Police and Community engagement, and set up engagements between students and local authorities to address safety concerns. They also want to improve “support for survivors of sexual violence with local services, streamlining the reporting process to reduce barriers to receiving support.”
Run quarterly campaigns
In terms of improving living standards for students, Josie wants to improve tenant rights and protection, implement food security initiatives for students, and advocate for students workers’ rights.
They plan to provide more support to Student Led Community Projects, and run quarterly campaigns to address local community and student issues, as well as encouraging support of local charities.
Finally, Josie wants to increasing volunteering opportunities that are linked to employability programmes and skills, and reinstate the Volunteering Awards.
Welfare Liason on the SU Activities Executive
Josie has had a lot of experience on campus; they are Vice President of Students Against Sexual Violence and Sexism, the Publicity Officer and Treasurer for Karnival (Raising and Giving), and have been Welfare Coordinator for Welcome 2023 and Welfare Liaison on the SU Activities Executive, as well as acting as co-host for URNgasm “a sex and relationships podcast, to spread a postivie message about healthy relationships.”
This is a very thorough manifesto, that covers a wide range of areas which the role of Community Officer encompasses. Their focus on working with local authorities to improve safety, is important.
It would be good to have a bit more clarity as to how for example local residents will be provided with resources to maintain community security.
Minjay Wilson:
“I am enthusiastic about acting as a catalyst for positive transformation among our dynamic student population.”
Events to get students “out of their rooms”
“As Community Officer, I am devoted to creating projects that improve the student experience on and off campus and meet the needs of our diverse student body.” A main focus of Minjay’s manifesto is around student experience in halls; she wants to provide both Hall and University-wide events to get students “out of their rooms.” She wants to use organised events and recreational activities to foster a “campus with strong friendships and a supportive community.” She also pledges to collaborate with SU Student Staff and Residential Experience to improve the living experience in Halls.
In order to make sure students’ voices are heard, Minjay aims to host regular forums, with the hope that the SU will then respond to students’ concerns.
Minjay’s recognises the financial issues that many students face, and aims to create “a student-friendly goodies programme”, to give out stationary, toiletries and basic groceries to those students on the lowest incomes. She believes this shows her “dedication to providing an environment where every student, regardless of socioeconomic background, can succeed and focus on their studies.”
Provide opportunities for students to volunteer
Volunteer opportunities are also raised; Minjay’s wants to work with local organisations to provide opportunities for students to volunteer; this “instills a sense of social responsibility” and “provides them with significant experience that will help define their future jobs.”
Outside of campus, Minjay’s says she will hold quarterly meetings with local MPs and municipal representatives, “to advocate for students’ collective interests by actively engaging in regional and national dialogue”, and influence issues such as housing which massively affect students.
“Advocate[d] for student interests” and develop[e] leadership abilities
Minjay’s was a student residence coordinator, developing her organisational and adaptability skills, event coordination and resource managaement skills, and delivering “efficient response to new difficulties.” The role allowed Minjay to “advocate for student interests” and develop leadership abilities. In the role, Minjay arranged a range of events encompassing issues such as sexual health education.
This is a very comprehensive manifesto, with really interesting practical ideas, such as the student-friendly goodies programme, which could be achieved via donations etc. Minjay’s role as student residence coordinator clearly allowed her to develop skills necessary for this role, and gave her an understanding of how to go about improving students’ lived experience on campus.
It would have been helpful to structure the manifesto under clear points, to make it easier to navigate.
Natalie Chui Yan Fong:
“I am dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment where every student feels valued and supported.”
Main manifesto points:
- Coping with loneliness
- What if it goes wrong (Housing Edition)?
- Promoting Sustainability and Community Enhancement
In regards to coping with loneliness, Natalie wants to host workshops in order to give students the confidence to set their boundaries, especially in social settings. She also pledges to launch a drug and alcohol awareness campaign at the start of term, to combat any peer pressure that students may face. Finally, through collaboration with the Welfare Officer, she wants to open up conversations about the issue of loneliness.
Another day that Natalie wants to introduce is an International Day, to be held in the second semester, to celebrate inclusivity and diversity.
To assist students in how to handle housing disputes
Natalie focuses on both on and off campus accommodation in her manifesto, committing to developing an “online campaign” to assist students in how to handle housing disputes for example in relation to deposits, in addition to engaging in effective communication regarding Hall changes, and providing support through ResX, in order to ensure “a safe and supportive living environment”.
To promote sustainability, Natalie wants to promote accessibility and provision of inclusive inter-faith networks, and minimise food wastage through schemes such as “too good to go” bags in Halls catering.
Finally, Natalie wants to tackle the cost of living crisis for students by initatives such as advocating for reduced transport fares on trams and buses, and maintaining the housing event introduced by the previous Community Officer.
Natalie opened up about her own experiences with addiction and depression in her second year of university, driving her “commitment to ensuring no students face challenges alone.”
She states she has shown her “dedication to supporting vulnerable communities”, through her work leading a social enterprise for autistic adults, and translating materials for a special needs school in Malaysia. She believes her “leadership skills” have been demonstrated by her role as entrepreneurship director for “Icube”.
“Reflects my passion for advocating for vulnerable groups” [Natalie]
Finally, Natalie points to her dissertation in law, analysing criminal justice system safeguards, which “reflects my passion for advocating for vulnerable groups.”
Natalie’s manifesto demonstrates a clear aim. Her focus on tackling loneliness in particular stood out for me as an extremely important initiative.
A reference to how Natalie might work with local leaders, such as MPs and Councillors to further influence decisions e.g. around housing that affect students would have been beneficial to see.
Yan Yan:
Main Manifesto Points:
- Achieve self-breakthrough
- Better living environment for international students
- School-student relationship
- Tolerance within society
They […] acknowledge the role that individual schools play in non-academic areas, and wants the Community Officer’s role to focus on that
Yan Yan highlights the importance of the community to students in their manifesto. There is a focus on international students throughout, as a student from abroad themself, and Yan Yan understands that the Community Officer can play an integral role in helping other international students settle into Nottingham. They also acknowledge the role that individual schools play in non-academic areas, and wants the Community Officer’s role to focus on that. Finally, Yan Yan concludes that a stable, peaceful community is positive for everyone attached to the university.
Yan Yan’s manifesto makes points that are relevant to the Community Officer’s role. It is structured and should Yan Yan be elected can be made into more nuanced points to focus on throughout the next academic year, even if is a little difficult to read.
Yan Yan quotes their experience in a leadership role during college as a positive. They are clearly proud of their Chinese heritage, and there is a lot of substance for international students to vote for here. Some of the experience listed is personal descriptives as opposed to qualifications for the role, but allows anyone reading their submission to get to know them, as it is crucial for the Community Officer to be sociable and have the interpersonal skills to get along with students from all backgrounds.
Full officer manifestos can be read on the UoNSU website.
Harry Chapman and Hannah Walton-Hughes
Featured image courtesy of Korng Sok via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
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