Rosie Makes a Post: an update -#CutTheCosts & manifesto pledges

Heyyyy Edgehillians.

Hope your January exams and assignments have gone well! (Or maybe we’re best not talking about that…)

It’s been a hectic first few weeks of the new term for us here at the Students’ Union, so let me give you a quick update from your Vice President Academic Representation!

Higher Education Green Paper response

I finished and submitted Edge Hill Students’ Union Higher Education Green Paper response.

Thank the God of HE it’s over.

As well as writing our response, I also had a meeting with the University about how they were going to answer Question 20, which was around the clarity and accountability of Students’ Unions.

Our full response will be published on the Students’ Union website, but for now, take a peak at the University response to the question, which pretty much surmises my own:

I’m very proud. (And big praise to your Vice President Welfare, Lauren Blundell, for her work on the EHSU <3’s Consent campaign. I felt it was hella important that we recognise the important work that we do as Students’ Unions in wider society. The Consent campaign exemplifies this.)

#CutTheCosts

Alright, this ones a wild one.

Basically, the Government tried to push through scrapping maintenance grants in a small committee, made of 18 MPs.

NUS and Students’ Unions up and down the country were outraged. And through lobbying and calling out the Government on this underhanded attempt, the student movement forced a debate on maintenance grants in parliament. Go team!

At the debate, very disappointingly, had very few MPs turn up to debate, only showing up to cast their vote.

It also went under the ‘English votes for English laws,’ which is ridiculous, as students from the nations will be affected by this too.

In the end, maintenance grants were scrapped by 11 votes. 11 votes.

Also Minister of State, Nick Boles MP, called the National Union of Students the ‘National Union of Shroud-Wavers’ during the debate. Despite outcry from the opposing benches, with an Scottish National Party MP standing up to demand the comment be retracted, that comment was allowed to pass.

Take our grants, AND insult us in parliament, demo anyone?

Now NUS and Students’ Unions are taking the fight to the House of Lords.

This is not over.

Manifesto Pledges

So, remember how in my manifesto I pledged to try to get Skype tutorials for students while they’re on placement?

Well, I have a meeting on Monday about that. Not to use Skype, but to use different Software which is more user friendly and is more conducive to aiding in your academic experience!

I can’t say much more right now, but just now that exciting things are in the works. Very exciting.

So, that’s my quick for-now update, if you have any questions about anything that I’m up to, or think I should be doing something but I’m not, feel free to drop me an email at suvpacademicrep@edgehill.ac.uk

ALSO, you should come to the Big Student Voice meeting, this Tuesday, at 5pm in B001.

You can find more information about that here, but it’s hella important that you be there to discuss policies that shape your Union, and hold your elected officers to account.

I hope I see you there!

Mr Potter. Our. New. Celebrity.

So… First things first, it’s been bloody ages since I’ve blogged which I’m sure you’re all glad of. To those of you who actually give a shit about what I say, then I must apologise. I’m awful at blogging so try to avoid it as best as possible!

 

 

The purpose of this blog? To inform you of my priority projects for the remainder of my term! 6 months and counting! So yeah, as boring as some of you may find this please take time to read! Would be amazing to get questioned and find some help/input on these projects where possible!

Firstly… BIG BIG BIG projects for the entire union…..CutTheCosts or whatever the fudge NUS are going to call it next. I’m sure you all know this ridiculous government had a 17 person committee finalise plans to abolish maintenance grants. Scum, scum, scumbags. We will continue to fight the government on this decision and their decision to remove NHS bursaries. I hate them, so so much.

Referendum is fast approaching where you can vote YES or NO to replace the role of President with an Equality & Diversity Officer. This is a presidential blog so I’ll keep my personal opinion out of it, but please please please vote. 500 people for it to count! Help shape your Union! 18th-22nd January! http://www.edgehillsu.org.uk/

The Big Student Voice (Our annual members meeting) where you’ll have a brief insight into our accounts, hold your officers to account, get to pass motions to mandate your Students’ Union to work on specific areas and finally to find out about all new things EHSU! TUESDAY 26th, 5pm, B001. FREE FOOD AFTER WHOOOOOP.

(PS you can also feed your ideas into the Big Student Voice by visiting… http://www.edgehillsu.org.uk/thestudentvoice once your idea is submitted, we’ll get in touch and discuss how to put a motion together :) )

Elections! OH MY GOD I cannot wait, so so so exciting to see so many people placing interest in our positions! Nominations for positions will open at the end of the month, and we’ll even have a nominate a mate type thing going on this year too!! Oh yeahhhhhhhhhh!

 

SU ROADSHOW! We’re rolling out SU roadshow where we can try to get round all faculties, on Fridays to ask you what you’d like to see us do or talk about any issues you encounter on your course, on campus or any area of University life! Keep an eye out for our funky new banner

 

Now, my projects! So excited for some of these!

 

Inclusion of LGBT+ community in our sports teams! In the coming months (PS LGBT history month is February) where I’ll work with sports teams around the barriers that language and behaviour can put up for the LGBT+ community here at Edge Hill.

Closing the BME attainment gap! It’s a national problem, and it’s also prevalent here at Edge Hill. This is a massive project which will take more than just me, or my term in office to help. But with the right direction, campaigning and help I genuinely feel we can put some steps in place to help close the gap between attainment of our white students and our black minority ethnic students.

Anonymous Marking! First up is to try and get the University to introduce anonymous marking where possible. This will hopefully not only help closing the BME attainment gap, but will also help those students who feel they face prejudice from their lecturers for whatever reason.

Halal & Kosher Food Provision! I want to try and get some form of halal food and kosher food on campus so our Muslim and Jewish students feel welcome and have adequate food choices. All too long have some of our students had to settle for simply cheese sandwiches or some bullshit because we don’t provide them a meet choice! Imagine fasting for 12 hours and having to eat a cheese sandwich after because there’s nothing else to choose from?!?!?!

Preventing Prevent! Oh God, where do we start with Prevent? It’s a government counter terrorism policy which I, and the Union firmly believe is letting the government be legally islamophobic and placing huge harassment on the Muslim Community. Although the University must by law comply with Prevent, we most definitely do.

Everyone at University has the right to a free life without being monitored. There’s been cases around the UK where Prevent officers have rang Unions asking for all names of people in their Islamic Society.. For what reason?!?!? Simply because someone is Muslim does not, DOES NOT, make them a terrorist. Imagine this was someone ringing for all members of the Christian Union as they believe they may be a terrorist or part of a white fascist organisation which aren’t unheard of here in the NW???

I am also carrying on my drugs and alcohol awareness stuff, and hope to have drop in drug counselling sessions implemented in the next couple of months! I am so excited and will keep y’all updated!

Well, that’s it. If you’ve any questions please drop me a message on FB! 6 months to go, and I will work hard to leave a lasting legacy behind!

Pres out