CUSU Elections 2015 - Little Book of Manifestos

WELCOME! It’s CUSU-GU elections season! The seven full-time sabbatical officer positions elected this week will work to lead your students’ unions over the next year and voluntary roles such as University Councillor and NUS Delegate will ensure that the interests of Cambridge students are represented at a University and national level.

Make sure that the right people are representing you by learning about who is running and, most importantly, using your vote.

We have compiled this book of manifestos so that you can find out more about all the candidates. If you are still finding it difficult to make up your mind, keep your eyes peeled for their campaigns which should be able to provide you with even more information. You can also check out our elections site for more information about what the roles involve and the people who are running: bit.ly/cusuelects15.

Remember: this is your opportunity to have a say in who represents you to the university, in the local area and even to national government. It is also a key way that you can shape the direction CUSU or the GU will take over the next year.

You don’t have to agree with everything CUSU or the GU does to vote – in fact that may give you even more of an incentive to ensure that you and other likeminded people DO turn out to vote, so that your voices are heard during the election.

Thank you for reading - and remember: it’s in YOUR hands.

Helen CUSU President 2014-15, on behalf of the CUSU Elections Committee 2015

FOLLOWING THE ELECTIONS You can follow the 2015 CUSU Elections in the following ways:

www.cusu.co.uk/elections facebook.com/CUSUonline @cusuonline Provisional results to be announced at the GU on the evening of

WEDNESDAY 4TH MARCH NUS Delegate results & official results announced

THURSDAY 5TH MARCH

WHERE TO GET

STARTED

My Experience Includes:

Making CUSU Relevant

JOin the Discussion: PM507

@PrisMens

#PrisForPres

- Milo will rename Jesus Green in honour of Professor Mary Beard, henceforth calling it ‘Professor Green’.

- Milo will hold referenda on key issues, including a reading week.

- CUSU will provide subsidised Freddos, so we can relive the glory days when they were 10p.

- CUSU will provide free tampons for anyone who needs them.

- Milo will end the tyranny of the buttery card minimum by campaigning for a cash machine at Sidgwick. Stop the panini oppression.

- Milo will campaign for intermitting students not to be prodded, probed and pathologised by university committees.

- Wider beds and more free condoms to promote the de-stressing benefits of sex. Those not into sex can try bed yoga, or condom balloon modeling.

- Milo will campaign for Wednesday afternoons off for students to play university or college sport, make use of the extra condoms and wider beds, or anything else.

- Milo will petition Cambridge to make a biopic about Eddie Redmayne, starring Professor Stephen Hawking.

- Milo will make jam sandwiches for university members throughout the campaign.

- There will be a Reading Week, during which all students must go to Reading.

- Milo will look into the university’s unethical investments, selling the blood diamonds and replacing them with hemp and ice cream.

- Milo will ensure that University research focuses on questions that people really want answered, so the direction of research will be dictated by the most popular Google searches that begin with “why”, such as “Why is my internet so slow?”, “Why did Gemma leave the jungle?”, and “Why does it always rain on me?”.

- The Vice-Chancellor is not fulfilling the “vice” side of his job description. Milo will ensure that he is attached to a workbench and used to grip things.

- Milo will make D-REAM’s “Things Can Only Get Better” the official song of the University.

- The current CUSU logo is dull and so Milo will host a competition to design a new one. Extra points will be awarded for including bears and birds of prey.

- Milo will sing the BNBN song, on demand, to any student.

- Milo will institute a network of canals, such that Cambridge will be known as ‘The Birmingham of the Fens’.

perhaps

Leo Kellaway for CUSU President!

Vote for Leo if you want a proper Student Union.

We’re in a time of record political disengagement and student apathy is especially noticeable. After the apparent failure of mass student mobilisation in the 2010 protests to effect change, this is understandable.

But harsh measures continue to be imposed on students and many people whom we live alongside. A reason for this, is a weak university Student Union. CUSU has a negative perception across Cambridge - student do not feel an attachment to their union, and thus, are weaker when tackling big issues. My main aim for this year, alongside CUSU's continual campaigning for fairer tuition fairer, lower living costs and better welfare provisions, will be to establish a proper student union building.

Continuing CUSU's work;  Fairer Tuition Fees. After the general election, there is a strong possibility that the new government will attempt to change tuition fee policy. We need a strong union to campaign effectively to ensure the best for students.  Affordable Living Costs. Cambridge students are in a peculiar position, being tied to a college, and so students are restricted to college hall prices and rents.

CUSU needs to lead a campaign to ensure students are not out priced. This means an effective database comparing colleges and supporting individual JCRs in their efforts.  Better Welfare Provision. The collegiate system means that welfare provisions are patchy, opaque and unaccountable. It is CUSU's role to ensure that there are suitable provisions for all students.

Hopefully this gives a brief overview of what I’d do if voted in!

But please get in contact if you have any questions – my email is lk362@cam.ac.uk

Check out the Facebook event for more information.

Campaigning for a Student Union Building;  Why do we need a proper student union building - we have CUSU offices? We have a student union building, it's in New Museum Site -but how many people have been there? We need a proper student union building to facilitate better engagement with CUSU. Other university student unions are fantastic. They act as a central hub of student activity - bar, cafe, study spaces etc. CUSU needs to be more than a building unknown to the student population, it needs to be a part of Cambridge life.  But we have college Bars?! Yes, we do.

And we would not work on a union building on the scale of other universities.

But there is the need (and demand) for a union building which suits our needs.

EXPERIENCE Have experience organising and leading student campaigns  Ran the KCSU Living Costs campaign this year - including a show of student support against high hall prices that provided alternative food for the student body.  Domus Officer for KCSU - opposing the recent rent increase in Kings College.

Why I'd be best to lead the campaign for a Student Union Building?  I was chair of the Bunker Committee for the last two years, reestablishing the Bunker as a venue Having to deal with college officials will lead me in good stead when negotiating with the University for a better building.

VOTE KATIE AKERS FOR CUSU PRESIDENT Just 14% of Cambridge’s student population voted in the CUSU election for sabbatical officers last year. I refuse to believe that most students simply do not care. But it is clear that reengagement with the Student Union is long overdue.

If you have any questions at all about this manifesto or myself as a candidate, please do not hesitate to get in touch at kea35@cam.ac.uk. I look forward to hearing from you!

VOTE AT www.vote.cusu.cam.ac.uk between Monday 2nd –

Wednesday 4th March!

ABOUT ME I’m a third year historian from Edmonton and I get things done. As JCR President at Newnham last year, I did just that. My achievements include a comprehensive report on college mental health provision, resulting in the employment of a counsellor. I also led a long-running Rents and Charges Campaign to combat extortionate costs within college.

MY PRIORITY as CUSU President would be re-engagement with CUSU to create a truly effective student union.

An effective student union needs to be:  REPRESENTATIVE. As the main mechanism for change CUSU Council ought to be better attended, and motions made easier to submit. I propose a Peripatetic system, whereby each college would host the council. By bringing the council to the students, we could widen discussion and participation. I will increase the number of Open Meetings to broaden the representativeness of CUSU. ACCOUNTABLE. The actions of CUSU Council and the Sabbatical Team need to be transparent and democratically answerable at all times. A Sabbatical Question Time will become a core component of each Council, so that any student can query the conduct of their elected Sabbs. I hope that a transparently accountable Students Union will encourage JCRs to operate in a similarly accountable manner VISIBLE. As President I will continue with the proposed plans for a Central Student Union Building. I will supplement wordy CUSU Bulletins with a Weekly Video Blog. I will create a new Alternative Prospectus to reach out to potential students and generally increase CUSU’s Social Media presence. ACTIVE. In order for CUSU to be taken seriously by students and university staff, it needs to be seen to act visibly and rapidly on matters of student interest. I will continue to campaign for a Block Grant from the University so we can better fund CUSU’s activities. I will work tirelessly to ensure that students’ voices are heard. UNITED: Disaffiliation and disengagement have undermined the genuine potential of the union as a force for good. When even the students don’t take CUSU seriously, we can’t expect the university to take us seriously either. I feel if people thought they were: REPRESENTED ACCOUNTABLY, VISIBLY AND ACTIVELY then a powerful students’ Union might be restored. And I would be honoured if you voted for me to help take the first steps in making this a reality.

Vote Rob

for CUSU Education Officer

/robert.w.cashman

St John’s College JCR President 2014

R I A L B A HELEN

G N I D N U F & S S for CUSU ACCE

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EXPERIENCE Homerton's Target and Access officer: I've run a shadowing scheme, worked at summer schools and open days and given Target presentations. I have also raised Homerton's profile among schools using social media.

I've been there myself: Having attended an Access Summer School (which I now work for), been on an Access programmes run by other universities, worried about applying and received bursaries, I feel that I have experience and understanding of opportunities that are rarely discussed, such as the Extenuating Circumstances Form and External Bursaries.

Additionally, I feel I've made contacts with others who are passionate about Access, who may want to collaborate on projects in the future.

Education student: My interest in Educational Inequality influenced my choice to study Education and English, in which I have learnt theoretical explanations for differences in attainment Cambassador: I've spoken to many prospective students during taster days and informed them on the application process. I feel that students are particularly encouraged by the diversity of Cambassadors as they either see a student that reflects them in some way, or see that there is no one type of Cambridge student

AIMS Cambridge Vlog: Much like the Oxvlog, I hope to create a Cambridge based vlog, where students talk about college life, their subject and societies. YouTube is a creative, engaging and accessible. The content of the videos will aim to give potential applicants an honest and insightful view of life as a Cambridge student.

One portal: There are many T&A websites such as the Alternative prospectus, BeCambridge and the Target Scheme. I hope to make these all accessible from one website that acts as a home from which all Target and access sites can be accessed by potential applicants, teachers and current students.

Collaborate with organisations and promote their opportunities: Charities such as Team Up, The Challenge, Future First and DebateMate have great access initiatives and offer university students work experience, volunteering and paid opportunities.

Raise teacher awareness and encouragement: Teachers have a massive influence on students’ self-esteem. Along with the current Target presentations, I believe that teachers should be encouraged and informed on supporting applicants, particularly schools with little or no history of getting students into Oxbridge or Higher Education. This would be done either through school visits, or by inviting teachers up to Cambridge for the day.

Melanie Etherton Access & Funding Officer CUSU 2015

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I am experienced, committed and enthusiastic. Let me represent you. melforaccess.wordpress.com #MELforACCESS Mel for CUSU Access 2015

CUSU

CUSU has been trying to improve contact with students for years.

But after all that campaigning, Can you name 3 things CUSU has done in the last year?

Enough is enough. Elect me for a CUSU that tries to talk to you

Create the best student union app in the country.

Give Sabs a more obvious presence in colleges.

We’ll do this in two steps: 1.

2.

Sab Updates at Open Meetings - One

brief update a fortnight will make both CUSU and Sabs more prominent figures.

Help JCRs organise campaigns - In a

uni with 30 colleges, you’re rarely the first one to face a problem. I’ll work personally to coordinate JCRs with CUSU and each other, to achieve everyone’s goals.

I have a wide range of experience, including: 

JCR President at King’s, 2013-14



JCR Accommodation Officer 2012-13

 

Head of Security, King’s Bunker 2011-13 CUSU Elections Committee 2014 and CUSU Trustee Selection Board 2014



KCBC Cox 2011-2015

I’ve negotiated thousands of pounds of rent rebates for students, organised elections, referenda, and parties for over 500 people. I’m confident I could fulfil the role of CUSU Coordinator, and go beyond it to make CUSU relevant to you.

CUSU currently communicates with you by email. So does literally everyone else in the university. A CUSU app will cut down your spam, and give you a one stop source for all your uni information, including: 

Links to every sport and society in

the university 

College-specific spaces - so your college JCRs and MCRs can keep you up to date on ents, events, and whatever else they do.



CUSU news—Of course, CUSU will also tell you what it’s been up to. But, there’ll be a plus side: No more email bulletin.

Building a CUSU that Comes to you All my hopes for this role rely entirely on bringing CUSU to you. So if you have any questions, email me at ist26@cam.ac.uk. Because, love it or hate it, you shouldn’t have to ask:

#CUSWho?

POPPY ELLIS LOGAN for WELFARE AND RIGHTS OFFICER

Why do I want to be the Welfare and Rights Officer?

Much of this stems from my experience of providing welfare support, but also from needing Welfare support myself. Most people are aware that being here is very pressurized and they want to help as much as possible, but this is not easy to do and I want to try and change that.

I have been a member of the Welfare Team at Homerton this year, and I have sat on a number of Committees acting for the Homerton student body. I want to translate this to the wider University student body, as I have experienced several aspects of the Welfare system myself, and can see many ways in which I could improve it. I’m confident that I am the right person for this role because I am an open, approachable and trustworthy individual, and I don’t shy away from sensitive or difficult situations. I have represented other students in the Welfare process before, making sure that people are aware of the support available to them, and trying to solve issues between students and senior staff members, in a way that is sensitive to all involved.

What would I most like to change?

• Improve the efficiency of the Welfare system: ensure provision is available for all who need it, that Colleges are prepared in advance, that all DoSes and Tutors are comfortable in situations where reasonable adjustments are required. There seems to be an issue in that information is not easily accessible, in particular to DoSes, and I think it should be mandatory that they are aware of it.

• There is often a discrepancy between official protocol, and what actually goes on. The legislation is in place to make sure everyone is supported as necessary, • Extended study – Important people know about this because there are cases where the provision most people are familiar with (e.g. getting a laptop) doesn’t resolve the difficulties (for example, people with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and an extended study option would be an ideal resolution.

• Many of the provisions in place are great, but often the onus is on the student to actively access the help available – you have to flag any issues to your Tutor, or you need the motivation to make the trek to the DRC to access the provision available. I want to try to make it easier for students to access this provision, through, for example, increased DRC funding, Skype sessions, etc.

• I want to set up consistent monitoring of people who may be disadvantaged, and for this to be not just in College, but also in Faculties, so that people can organize their work well in advance.

• I want to work towards changing the day the Cambridge week starts in so that we have some kind of Reading Week • I want to work on the Shared Spaces initiative to make sure there is always somewhere people can go to if they need it • I want to ensure all provisions in place aren’t resting on assumptions that aren’t necessarily true, and therefore exclude some people, e.g. that people have a positive home environment they can go to during the vacation, or if they intermit.

• I want to ensure that it’s not only people with learning difficulties that are helped – I think provision for other conditions that can affect people’s work, such as depression, SAD etc.

VOTE FOR WOMEN’S OFFICER

Amy Reddington for CUSU Women’s Officer • I have a fresh perspective having seen what life as a woman is like in Cambridge both inside and outside the Women’s Campaign and I can inject new life into it.

• As Murray Edwards Women’s Officer I set up the Murray Edwards Gender and Feminism discussion group. I have experience in and really enjoy facilitating discussions, listening to different opinions, and working together to tackle problems.

• I have and will continue to support and empower students who feel that their voice needs amplifying.

• I am a friendly, approachable and open-minded person who would create a very welcoming environment within the Women’s Campaign.

Policies

• Firstly, I would speak to the women of Cambridge about what you want. These policies are for you and

should represent you.

• Campaign for the Living Wage – Low wages disproportionately affect women in our university and there is no excuse for this in this incredibly privileged place.

• Focus on intersectionality – Build stronger links with the BME, LGBT+, and disabled students’ campaigns.

It is vital that we prioritse the voices, needs and experiences of marginalised members of our community.

• Continuing campaigning for access – The myth that Cambridge is closed to women from working class backgrounds needs to be dispelled. We must also continue to support women already at Cambridge who may feel alienated by aspects of the university, including working class women and student parents.

• Zero tolerance to sexual harassment – Ensure all colleges enforce and publicise a zero tolerance policy to sexual harassment; no one should ever feel unsafe or threatened in their own living space.

• Continue the wonderful consent workshops and maintain their compulsory status for Freshers.

• Support women in academia - The gender attainment gap cannot continue. This is not the fault of students: the system must be overhauled. The lack of representation of women in academia often leads to a lack of support for female students, and we must ensure that they are valued and respected.

Inclusivity • Nights out – Feminism is fun! Getting together with like-minded people and dancing to empowering mu-

• • •

• • •

sic is so great for bonding! These nights out would work in conjunction with the Good Night Out project which works to end harassment on nights out so we can make them positive spaces for everyone to enjoy.

Nights in – Film screenings, cinema trips, craft sessions, evenings with cake and tea where you can make friends and familiarise yourself with the campaign in a relaxed environment.

Music and spoken word events with proceeds going to charities – Let’s give female artists a higher profile and more platforms to perform.

Open up routes of communication on all levels – I would hold weekly drop-in sessions for anybody to come to me with grievances, issues or ideas, because the Women’s Campaign should represent as many people as it possibly can. I also understand that this might be daunting for some people so I would have anonymous routes of communication too so everybody can make themselves heard however they choose.

I would meet at least twice termly with the college Women’s Officers, alongside Women’s Forum, to make sure they are closely supported and moving in positive directions.

I would distribute term cards so that you know what’s going on and can plan ahead.

More feel-good and positive events or initiatives such as postcards in pigeonholes or posters in public places throughout the year. Everyone deserves to be reminded of how great they are despite how Cambridge can sometimes make you feel. Smaller things such as these serve as reminders that feminism is for everyone, everywhere, all the time!

“Women, united, will never be defeated!”

Cornelius Roemer for University Council The Council of the University of Cambridge is its principal executive and policy making body, having responsibility for the administration of the University, for the planning of its work, and for the management of its resources.

I’m a third year Physics undergrad student and running for the independent student’s position on Council besides CUSU and GU Presidents who are automatically members.

EXPERIENCE  Current Trinity JCR President (previously VP and Junior Steward)  Student Rep in 3 different departments  Captain of the 2nd University Men’s Volleyball Team MAIN POLICIES  Call for student representation on all Council sub-committees  Ensure students are consulted on important issues  Put Student Welfare on University’s Agenda  Work on taught Master’s courses (surveys indicate need for improvement)  Make sure that the extra money Colleges gets from Grad students’ College fees are ring-fenced to improve Graduate provisions I believe in working with the University but am not afraid to challenge it if it’s in the students’ interests. I have a lot of committee experience and intend to improve the student experience, both in the immediate future and in the long term.

I HAVE THE COMMITMENT AND EXPERIENCE TO REPRESENT STUDENTS PRODUCTIVELY AND EFFECTIVELY AT UNIVERSITY COUNCIL.

Kate Crowhurst for GU President 2015 – 16 About me:  I’m passionate about education and politics:

o I’m a current MPhil student, studying Education and Politics at Newnham who will be continuing with my PhD in 2015. o I also write about these issues for the Telegraph – I passionately care about education and supporting students in this. o I’m also not a classic student politician – I row and am the Social Sec for my college MCR. In short I get involved and work strategically to make events a success.

 I know how the GU runs and how to improve it:

o I’m currently the GU’s Academic Affairs officer, running events for Grads such as the 3min Thesis Competition. o I have strong organisation skills running events including my faculty’s annual conference, regular college social events etc. o I’ve had a year to become familiar with how the GU organisation is structured – I can target the improvements needed to move the GU forward in 2015-16 and be truly effective in the role.

 My Goals for 2015-16:

o I’ve chosen to get involved in the GU since arriving here – I’m invested and know how the current structures could be improved. o The Grad community needs a strong voice – we are growing dramatically in number and diversity. We thus need greater consultation with Grad students to truly represent their voice in the Cambridge community. o We need strong measureable outcomes for all Executive Committee positions – to communicate what the GU does and make sure it fits with what Grads actually want and need.

Richard Jones for

Graduate Union President

Two years ago I was President of the Graduate Union, and put it back together after its near-collapse in 2012. I ask for a second term, so I can Þnish what I started: —Campaign for a new scholarship scheme based on Oxford’s £7.5m/year Clarendon Fund; —Strengthen the way the University scrutinises controversial donations; —Push to ensure graduate students see the best results from the new distribution of graduate fees between the University and colleges; —Make the GU’s democratic structures even more robust; and its welfare, family, and social events as inclusive and open as possible.

Re-Elect Richard!

Eric Royal Lybeck for Graduate Union President

Campaign Manifesto About me: I am currently a PhD candidate in sociology at Cambridge researching the history of university policy in Germany and America during the 19th and 20th centuries. In standing as candidate for president of the Graduate Union I will reaffirm the values of the university as a professional institution organised to maximize the quality of earned degrees. During my tenure I will take clear, deliberate steps to ensure the value of all our hard work here at Cambridge is not wasted in the least.

I bring to the position the following 3 qualifications: Experience – I am a veteran of university administration, having served as Graduate Student Representative in the Council for the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) for two consecutive terms. Amongst the initiatives I helped usher in were an Induction Event for all PhD students entering the HSS and Arts faculties. Also, in consultation with heads of departments, I steered money toward creation of new Teaching Assistant positions for graduate students to better organise supervisions within departments. As GU president, I will ensure more stable, salaried positions for graduate students are developed in the future.

Interest – I have been involved in undergraduate supervision for three years at Cambridge. I am keenly aware of how limited the opportunities to teach can be for interested graduate students. And, for those that do teach, adequate mentorship and training can be severely lacking. Finally, the incentive structure reflected in the payscales for supervisions is counterproductive and I would work with colleges to rationalize these payscales to better reward, for example, group supervisions.

Expertise – My sociological research is uniquely suited to lend insight to the job of Graduate Union president. In social theory, I developed an analytic model which breaks down university departments and disciplines as sub-systems within broader societal systems. My historical research led me to the archives of the Carnegie Corporation for Higher Education and the Prussian state education ministry during the 19th century. I can honestly say my particular knowledge base is unique insofar as I am familiar with historical policies and means to enact large-scale institutional change within the higher education sector.

Drawing on this experience I will employ concrete means to reach toward three goals: Self-government – Cambridge University’s Graduate Union was the first in the country to acknowledge that graduate students have specific needs which are different from the needs of undergraduates or faculty. As mature adults we should be more than capable of managing more of our own affairs through democratic and representative engagement with our Union. Structurally, I feel the greatest weakness at present is the relative isolation of departmental representation from Union activities. I propose a parallel representative body in addition to existing MCR representation which mirrors the organization of the University around departments.

Occupational security – Graduate students have many different career goals, but a great many of us are here to become professional academics or advanced researchers. A tremendous waste of effort occurs year on year as graduates apply for countless jobs while hovering over a cliff of unemployment awaiting us after graduation. I have developed a basic, voluntary unemployment insurance scheme which I will present for consideration at the beginning of Michaelmas Term 2015 then work across the academic year to push for institutionalization. The scheme would also provide in-depth career planning for those embarking on an academic career. If successful, this scheme would be rolled out to professional degrees.

Investment in graduate culture – We must encourage more active participation from every Union member. The Union is not a service, but rather a professional association and a community. I will ensure the university invests in the refurbishment of facilities of the Union including development of a multifunctional space suited for graduate socializing, which would include meeting spaces, performance spaces and day-care spaces.

VOTE for me, Eric Royal Lybeck, for Graduate Union president on 2-4 March, 2015.

See www.ericlybeck.com for a more detailed manifesto.

WHAT IS RE-OPEN NOMINATIONS (RON)?

If you are not happy with any of the current candidates standing for election, you can vote to Re-Open Nominations (RON). RON appears on the ballot and votes for RON are counted in the same way as those for candidates. If RON is declared the winner after all votes have been counted, the election will be held again. The original candidates are allowed to run again in the new ballot, but it gives the opportunity for new candidates to run.

If nominations are re-opened for one of the sabbatical positions, or a University Council position, then a new cross-campus election for those positions will be held in Easter Term.

If nominations are re-opened for one of the NUS-Delegate positions or the CUSU Ethical Affairs position, then representatives from the colleges and faculties will vote for those positions at CUSU Council. NUS delegates elected through CUSU Council will have to vote along the lines of CUSU policy when they attend NUS Conference.

Why Vote RON? Voters may choose to vote RON for one of the following reasons: • They do not think any of the available candidates should be elected.

• They would rather have more choice and be able to select from a greater number of candidates (not a guaranteed outcome).

• They have already ranked some candidates, but feel that none of the remaining candidates should be elected.

Voting RON in STV/AV elections The CUSU-GU Cross Campus Elections are counted using the Single Transferable Vote system (STV) which becomes Alternative Vote (AV) for positions with only one place. Put simply, this means you will be able to rank candidates in order of preference, instead of only voting for one candidate.

When counting votes, if there is no outright winner, the losing votes will be re-distributed according to voters’ second preferences (and then third, fourth and so on) until there is an outright winner. You can rank RON first and still rank other candidates afterwards, so your vote is not wasted if Re-Open Nominations is not successful.

You do not need to vote for RON in an election, so if you think all of the candidates are better than no candidate, don’t put a number next to RON on your ballot!

More information about STV can be found on the CUSU website.

VOTE KATIE AKERS FOR NUS DELEGATE

Hello! I’m Katie Akers, a third year historian from Newnham and I would love to be one of the NUS Delegates this year. My role as President of the JCR means I am experienced in representing the voices of students, and as leader of Newnham’s Rent Campaign, I am unafraid of speaking out when I feel an injustice has occurred.

The Issues I would raise as NUS Delegate: Cambridge is now the second most expensive city in the UK to live in. At the conference, I would raise the issue of a cost of living crisis for students, and the inadequate provisions of government loans. I will advocate widening democratic participation within the student population. I will use my role to ask reps from other universities about the merits of a reading week, in order to better inform Cambridge students in the ongoing debate for ending week 5 blues. In the run-up to the General Election, I would vocalize my discontent at the tripling of university tuition fees by the current government.

But importantly, I would ensure at all times that I was speaking in the interests, and for the greater welfare of, Cambridge students.

If you have any questions about this manifesto, or myself as a candidate, please contact me at kea35@cam.ac.uk. I’d love to hear from you.

Vote at www.vote.cusu.cam.ac.uk between Monday 2nd – Wednesday 4th March!

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Vote Amelia Horgan for NUS Delegate The NUS can be a bloated bureaucratic nightmare – I know, I’ve been to lots of its events. I will use their annual conference to hold officers to account, as well as to propose policy that supports and represents our needs and beliefs.

At Cambridge we face very real issues: a high incidence of mental health problems, a lack of policy on sexual harassment and sexual violence, patchy student support, the gender attainment gap, an environment that can be unwelcoming and unsupportive to students who don’t match up the Cambridge norm. I will ensure that the difficulties we face, some of which are specific to us, others that are more universal, are tackled by NUS policy.

But we’re also good at fighting and organising against the problems we face at a local and national level. With the sexual consent workshops that I helped implement last Michaelmas, we led the way for other HE and FE institutions across the country. I want to make sure that we continue to be at the heart of student organising.

I will campaign: ★For accessible and inclusive free education ★Against sexual violence and harassment on campus ★For better support for liberation campaigns and to refocus liberation as a central demand of the student movement ★For investigation into the way that the charity status of student unions are preventing them from acting in ways that benefit their members ★For an end to impossibly high rents and living costs ★For better student mental health support ★For a democratic student movement that supports students, not management.

Experience: ★I’ve been involved in organising against sexism and for free education in the University and beyond for several years during my time as a student and full time officer for CUSU. ★I’ve worked to make our University and our student union a better and more politically engaged environment – something I will continue at NUS conference. ★During my time as Women’s Officer I’ve learnt how to make myself heard, even in situations where the balance of power is skewed against me, or up against uncompromisingly stalling and stultifying bureaucracy – useful skills for NUS conference.

! ! ! VOTE NIAMH ! ! FOR NUS DELEGATE The NUS is supposed to represent the interests of students throughout the UK. However, despite the rising costs of university and worsening job prospects for students, we have not seen an active Þght from the NUS to reverse attacks on public services. !

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Last year the conference passed a motion for free education, yet still voted down defending against cuts, having elected and accountable executive posts at universities, and the banning of zero-hour contracts. We can and should do better.!

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Stopping further cuts to education is not enough. We must call on the NUS to campaign to reverse attacks which have already taken place.!

Put StudentsÕ Needs Before ProÞt!

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• The NUS should put forward a strong campaign to abolish all fees.!

• Student rents should be capped or charged at running-cost prices.!

• Privatisation of education should be fought at all levels.!

• The NUS should strongly oppose unethical investments and partnerships.!

• Education is a right, not a commodity.

Students should not be treated as customers and universities should not be run as businesses.!

Push for Real Policies!

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• The NUS should be more concerned about real policies than name-dropping campaigns and leaning on past work.!

• In order to be more relevant and involve itself in struggles important to students, the NUS should actively Þght public cuts.!

• Education cuts do not occur in a vacuum.

The NUS should combat wider austerity measures which hurt students as well as workers.!

• These goals can only be achieved through the joint struggle of students and workers to end cuts and nationalise banks and monopolies.!

The NUS represents over 7 million students. It should use this strength to be a political force campaigning for free education, opposing corporate inßuence in universities and removing Þnancial barriers to education. !

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But none of these things are achievable on the basis of capitalism. The NUS must reach out to the organised labour movement, and make itself more transparent to the student body it represents. Fundamentally, it must adopt a revolutionary policy and Þght for the socialist transformation of society, without which there can be no decent future for students, youth, and the wider working class.!

Vote Online!

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March 2-3

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www.vote.cusu.cam.ac.uk

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Contact nd352@cam.ac.uk with any questions about my campaign, this manifesto, or to get involved!

Eric Royal Lybeck for National Union of Students Delegate

Campaign Manifesto About me: I am currently a PhD candidate in sociology at Cambridge researching the history of university policy in Germany and America during the 19th and 20th centuries. In standing as candidate for the National Union of Students delegate I bring the concerns of graduate students to the national conference. As the GU president is not registered ex officio to attend the NUS, I stand here before you to ask for your support.

I bring to the position the following 3 qualifications: Experience – I am a veteran of university administration, having served as Graduate Student Representative in the Council for the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) for two consecutive terms.

Interest – I have been involved in learning and teaching for three years at Cambridge. I am well aware of the issues relating to integration of graduate students within the teaching and instruction environments at Cambridge. Expanding the quality and organization of graduate teaching affects all of us, including undergraduates who rightly expect high quality teaching from all supervisors.

Expertise – My sociological research is uniquely suited to lend insight to the work of National Union of Students delegate. In social theory, I developed an analytic model which breaks down university departments and disciplines as sub-systems within broader societal systems. My historical research led me to the archives of the Carnegie Corporation for Higher Education and the Prussian state education ministry during the 19th century. I can honestly say my particular knowledge base is unique insofar as I am familiar with historical policies and means to enact large scale institutional change within the higher education sector.

Drawing on this experience I would bring to the position of National Union of Students delegate the broad ideals and practical agendas I intend to bring to the Graduate Union presidency. More information about these policy goals can be found on my website listed below.

At the NUS convention, I intend to bring a new vision of what a student union can be. Universities were founded as medieval guilds charged with maintaining the quality of degrees. Some universities were unions of professors, others were unions of students. Each banded together to ensure education was of the highest quality. As guilds, universities also guaranteed a secure livelihood upon conferral of degrees. The modern university has lost sight of this core purpose.

VOTE for me, Eric Royal Lybeck, for National Union of Students delegate on 2-4 March, 2015.

See www.ericlybeck.com for a more detailed manifesto.

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CHECK OUT THE CANDIDATE’S FACEBOOK EVENT PAGES PRESIDENT Priscilla Mensah - https://www.facebook.com/events/286359368155023 Milo Edwards - https://www.facebook.com/events/359053364280427 Leonardo Kellaway - https://www.facebook.com/events/538262242983374 Katie Akers - https://www.facebook.com/events/780399535342216

EDUCATION OFFICER Robert Cashman - https://www.facebook.com/events/404276246399436

ACCESS & FUNDING OFFICER Helena Blair - https://www.facebook.com/events/1469913203269649 Eireann Attridge - https://www.facebook.com/events/431393670350664 Melanie Etherton - https://www.facebook.com/events/1564197603831123

COORDINATOR Jemma Stewart - https://www.facebook.com/events/1537253403228964 Ivan Tchernev - https://www.facebook.com/events/628050377328754

WELFARE AND RIGHTS OFFICER Poppy Ellis Logan - https://www.facebook.com/events/706758712770188

WOMEN’S OFFICER Charlie Chorley - https://www.facebook.com/events/1554115421533983 Amy Reddington - https://www.facebook.com/events/792124494214559 Daisy Hughes - https://www.facebook.com/events/777002139048534

UNIVERSITY COUNCILLOR Cornelius Roemer - https://www.facebook.com/events/865974950134167

ETHICAL AFFAIRS OFFICER Tiantian Chen - https://www.facebook.com/events/840461929334027

GU PRESIDENT Kate Crowhurst - https://www.facebook.com/events/1440910916199730 Richard Jones - https://www.facebook.com/events/806883222698538 Eric Royal Lybeck - https://www.facebook.com/events/335489836658954

NUS DELEGATE Katie Akers - https://www.facebook.com/events/792065610882157 Amelia Horgan - https://www.facebook.com/events/1606339766268124 Niamh Dhondt - https://www.facebook.com/events/336419913213489 Eric Lybeck - https://www.facebook.com/events/854949724568709 Jemma Stewart - https://www.facebook.com/events/1407384552899743

YOUR VOICE CAN CHANGE THE UNIVERSITY!

YOUR

USE VOTE WWW.VOTE.CUSU.CAM.AC.UK OPENS MONDAY 2ND MARCH CLOSES 7PM - TUESDAY 3RD MARCH

PAPER VOTING IN COLLEGES WEDNESDAY 4TH MARCH - 8AM - 7PM

2015