What are your priorities in post over the next academic year?
Sihem: My priorities this year are simple: ensuring every student feels heard by its Students’ Union, by doing everything we can to guarantee students are impacted by COVID-19 as little as possible, with particular emphasis on BAME students given statistics do highlight how our Black and Ethnic minority students are disproportionately affected by the pandemic. I am passionate about making sure the university also uses the pandemic to its advantage by promoting courses such as coding and language to boost our students’ employability.
Evangeline: Over this next academic year, my highest priority and focus will be the mental and physical health of students. I aim to be an accessible person for students, so that they can voice their concerns, thus allowing me to make changes that would best suit their academic careers at Brighton.
Ramy: The officer team and BSU as a whole is committed to addressing racial and structural inequalities, and the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on students of colour, so that no voice goes unheard. It’s crucial to embrace a learning and teaching experience which eliminates additional course costs, enhances learning support plans, diversifies assessments, broadens mitigating circumstances and addresses digital poverty to ensure a level field for students of colour. Equally important is the development of a sense of community and belonging for all students.
Meg: My main priorities over the next academic year are to help all activities develop and grow, despite the unfortunate circumstances of COVID-19, by giving them plenty of support and new opportunities. Another priority of mine is to raise more awareness for important issues such as Black Lives Matter, LGBTQIA+ and sexual misconduct. Overall, I am focused on making every single student feel included and accepted at university.
During your time here, what do you think the university does well and what are you determined to help improve?
Sihem: The university is evolving and changing constantly. That’s great for students and the SU as it means change is never far away, and in my time at university, our SU does a great job of being a listening ear. It’s passion to be educated as well as enhance student experience is inspirational. Now it’s time for us to push our action plans.
Evangeline: The 茄子视频 is made up of a community that is extremely diverse and we celebrate that diversity. As we are composed of so many different types of students, I would like to improve the equality and equity that the students experience. I would like each student to leave the 茄子视频 happy with the experience they’ve received. At the end of the day, we are here to help you, we are here to make sure that you get the best university experience you could ever ask for!
Ramy: In addition to skills needed to attain a degree, the university focuses on offering a springboard for students to find their calling in life. BSU provides a diverse mechanism for that, drawing out the best in them so that they, in turn, able to contribute to the community and wider society. I’ve had the pleasure of working with many colleagues across the university, both academics and professional services staff, and I look forward to continuing that partnership. I’m determined to help reform the university’s approach to the lived experience of underrepresented groups and the ongoing inequalities they face to ensure fairer access and accelerate the decolonizing of curriculums.
Meg: Something I think the university does well is it promotes a variety of activities, both university and BSU led, whether it is sport, societies, student media, volunteer work, charity work etc. This wide variety gives students so many options to choose from. My aim is to widen this variety even more, to ensure that every single student has a chance to get involved.