lent elections
meet the
candidates cusu.co.uk/elections
welcome Welcome to the manifestos booklet for the 2018 annual CUSU and GU elections. Next academic year, the winners of these elections will be your primary student representatives, and run your Students’ Unions. Their manifestos are your way of deciding who you want speaking for you, and they have all worked hard to produce them and to campaign alongside their studies – so please do spend a little time reading through them and listening to what they have to say before casting your vote. Remember that in every election, if you are not happy with any of the candidates, you may also vote to re-open nominations (“RON”). If RON wins an election, nominations for that position will be reopened and a by-election held in due course. Voting is online-only via www.vote.cusu.cam.ac.uk. The ballot will open at 9 am on Tuesday, 6th of March, and close at 5 pm on Friday, 9th of March. I hope that you can engage with and enjoy this year’s elections. Sam Longton, RETURNING OFFICER, ON BEHALF OF THE ELECTIONS COMMITTEE
elections committee Sam Longton (RO), Peterhouse College Darshana Joshi, Hughes Hall Daisy Eyre, Jesus College Florence Oulds, Homerton College Alex Russell, Magdalene College Guillermo Íñiguez, Peterhouse College Christy McMorrow, CUSU staff member (non-voting) EMAIL: ELECTIONS@CUSU.CAM.AC.UK
following the elections
FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM: CUSUONLINE
following are the candidates standing for
cusu president
My Priorities
Why Me?
Making CUSU more present and visible in your life • Running ‘Drop In’ sessions every term at every college giving students the opportunity to hold CUSU to account • Utilising the CUSU lounge by running a CUSU café in the day and ents in the evenings, to provide both revenue for CUSU and an additional social space for students • Making CUSU vlogs to supplement weekly emails and keep students up to date in a more engaging way
From university-wide campaigns and college level reforms, to university sport and societies, I have been involved in many areas of student life. I understand that student concerns are wide ranging and that many students feel disconnected from CUSU. I want to change that.
Reducing inequality between colleges • Promoting greater consistency and compassion in intermission policies • Protecting and expanding the Cambridge Bursary Scheme so that financial support is not determined by college wealth • Supporting ‘Cut the Rent’ campaigns to reduce the financial impact of the ‘college lottery’
I will be a President who listens to and engages the wider student community. I will be a President who fights for student welfare, rights and opportunities. I will be a President who stands up for you.
Experience • Founder of the Jo Cox Feminist Society • Vice-President of Cambridge for Consent • President of Pembroke Politics Society • Women’s Officer at Pembroke
Fighting for better pastoral care • Campaigning for the employment of librarians, porters and other student-facing college staff as tutors • Encouraging greater diversity among counsellors to better support the needs of minority groups • Implementing an accreditation scheme for supervisors and tutors, to encourage them to take up optional training in areas including mental health support and sexual harassment Supporting JCRs and Societies • Providing welfare and leadership training for student committees • Organising a university-wide meeting every term for each JCR role, to bring together every food officer, access officer, etc. to share ideas and resources
#ElectEvie for CUSU President
Connor for CUSU A
CUSU
Closer
To
You
My Priorities CUSU has done a lot of great work for students over the years. But it can be better. CUSU still has a big deficit, it has not focused enough on College inequality, still has a large deficit, and too many students feel that Sabbs are unaccountable. That's why sustainability, community
ABOUT ME
and accountability are my three priorities, and everything I do will be to advance these three goals.
JCR PRESIDENT,
Sustainability
EMMANUEL
CUSU needs to use this year to finally achieve a financial
We made sure Emmanuel did settlement with the University that is sustainable over more to celebrate Pride the long term. This means arranging bilateral meetings,
Month, and we distributed Mooncups to college
members who needed them.
NUS DELEGATE
engaging with the University CFO, and ensuring that we are not treated like another University Department. It also means that we need to help the University achieve a sponsorship deal for our sports teams, because sports
I wasn't elected to represent are becoming unaffordable for too many students. a faction, and I believe CUSU should be strictly nonpartisan.
HSPS FACULTY REP
I have learned how the University committee
structure works. I'm ready to make it work for us.
CUSU FINANCIAL INQUIRY
I've studied CUSU's budget issues and worked with current Sabbs.
Community
The College system allows for competition between colleges, but it can also let students to fall through the cracks. We need to hold colleges accountable by: - Creating a 'Welfare Tompkins Table' - Compiling and making easily available college data on intermission, rents and welfare spending.- Create crossJCR working groups on systemic issues, so that students can coordinate action and policies. - Advocating for a burden of proof change to balance of probabilities in the University's disciplinary procedures.
Accountability
We need a CUSU that is open with students. I will publish my schedule, and hold public budget meetings in Lent Term. CUSU needs to spend more time engaging with students, include through a round of public consultations in Michaelmas. CUSU should include students in the prioritization process! I will also make sure CUSU holds a referendum on Divestment.
following are the candidates standing for
access and funding officer
SHADAB for CUSU ACCESS For everyone, always My Experience
Christ's Access Officer - After being elected Access Officer in 2017, I have been heavily involved in access, both in the administrative capacity and actively in weekly access events. I’ve led teams of student helpers over the interview period, as well as coordinating volunteering on Open Days and for groups such as IntoUniversity. I also have gained valuable insight into the CUSU Shadowing Scheme, enhancing my understanding of a fantastic scheme that would only flourish further under my leadership. Christ's Access Representative - I have devoted weeks of my time to access, helping at open days even before officially arriving at Christ’s as a fresher. Whether it is a 30 minute tour or 4 day residential, every experience has educated me further about access, providing a direct line to communicate with students about the most important thing: how they feel about access to Cambridge. CAMbassador - Gained insight into the working beyond the college level, gaining an overview of how to target harder to reach demographics through a centralised process. SMC Vice President - Experience working with an extensive committee, organising team campaigns and liaising with university officials, all skills I would utilise as Access Officer.
My Policies
Post-Offer Support: Creation of a college level mentor system between current students and offer-holders for both academic and pastoral needs, including an offer holder shadowing scheme. Funds for academic support to those at high risk of missing offers. Work with CUSU President to eradicate excessive presence of unpaid internships. Transparency: Creation of a centralised, online database listing all associated living costs and financial support available across colleges, to equip prospective applicants with all the information they need to make an informed decision. Diversity: Expansion on current residential schemes targeted at specific demographics, such as BME and women in STEM subjects.
#Dab4Access - Vote Shadab for CUSU Access Officer - 6th-9th March 2018
following are the candidates standing for
disabled students' officer
following are the candidates standing for
education officer
Why me? I am experienced in pushing for change as a student: through Cambridge Defend Education working on the NSS Boycott, Cut the Rent campaigns and decolonisation; and through CUSU as a Part Time Exec member campaigning on supervisor training and tuition fees.
FOR CUSU EDUCATION OFFICER 2018-2019
POLICIES Liberated Education • Lobbying the university to give supervisors training that gives them the tools to teach students with different ways of learning and to innovate. • Continuing the work of decolonisation campaigns, linking up and archiving existing efforts, and pushing campaigns into new departments across all subject areas • Ensuring that decolonisation does not end with more diverse reading lists, and campaigning for curricula that allow students to critically engage with a colonial legacy and present. • Standardising sexual misconduct guidelines across faculties and departments to build on Breaking the Silence and ensure it makes real change in the long term. • Working with the Disabled Students’ Officer to make sure that students get reasonable adjustment where necessary and that those adjustments are always observed. • Keeping up the fight to minimise the harm by the repressive and Islamophobic Prevent strategy.
Anti Marketisation • Opposing Cambridge Uni’s complicity in fee rises by pushing for an opt-out from the Teaching Excellence Framework and for the VC to come out against high fees. • Continuing ways that students can oppose being part of government reforms that make education a product, like the NSS boycott • Helping to build positive alternatives to the neoliberal university through student-run collaborative learning schemes like book sharing and spaces for us to share knowledge with each other.
APPROACHES Building student power to make change • Supporting campaigns to build lasting impacts by recording and linking up different group efforts. • Bringing together student activist groups in Cambridge for skills sharing and building the capacity of the student body to push for change. • Facilitating faculty and school reps to push for change by offering training that enables them to mobilise students behind the projects that matter to them.
CUSU and other organisations • CUSU should regularly work with other organisations to improve our reach, and to learn from the experience of other universities and unions. • I will create lasting links between undergraduates, graduates and staff; CUSU, the Graduate Union and UCU (the union of university/college staff) ought to be working together all the time, not just in times of crisis like the recent UCU strike. •
#VOTEMATT
www.cusu.co.uk/elections
following are the candidates standing for
welfare and rights officer
Walinase Chinula for CUSU Welfare and Rights Officer
Experiences:
Policies: 1. Welfare every day (continuity)
• •
Welfare provision throughout term, not just week 5. Rolling discounts for Cambridge students at various shops and restaurants.
2. Welfare everywhere (accessibility)
•
• •
Addressing disparities in service provision between Colleges. Increased visibility of welfare services. Push for equal training of student-facing college staff.
3. Welfare for everyone (inclusivity)
•
•
Engage various channels of support such as iCUSU and cultural societies so marginalised students are included in welfare. Collate the responses from undergrads and postgrads from all Colleges and use them to inform updates to existing CUSU welfare guidance.
Where there’s a Wali, there’s a way! #Walifare If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email me at: wc290@cam.ac.uk
1. Organisation • Cambridge University Law Society, Social Secretary (2017-2018)- Organised 13 university- wide socials, developing links with several restaurants. In charge of two Fresher Representatives. • Cambridge RAG, Publicity Team and Caius College Rep (2015-2016)- Helped organise and publicise intercollegiate events like Blind Date (2,000 participants and £13,000 raised for charity). 2. Policy and advocacy • World Health Organisation, Intern (Cambridge Global Health Internship Scheme 2016)- Researched and wrote about health policy in Malawi. • UNICEF, Social Policy Intern (2015)- Campaigned for better child welfare and protection of child rights in Malawi. 3. Personal experience • As an international BME student at Cambridge, I have personally experienced how valuable CUSU welfare can be. Vote at www.vote.cusu.cam.ac.uk
> Set up a bi-termly wWelfare forum and an online feedback form for college welfare officers to relay their concerns. > Pushing for even more thorough crisis and mental health first aid training for porters. > Standardizing and making mandatory the pastoral training for all college welfare staff – especially tutors - to ensure that there are fewer disparities in welfare provision across colleges. > Ensuring that both in-college counselors and counselors within the university counseling service are trained to work inter-culturally so that these services are even more inclusive and accessible.
TRAINING
> Furthering work towards improving and standardizing the intermission process across all colleges. > Continuing gathering student testimonies and feedback to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the current system.
INTERMISSION
> Advocating for all colleges to have a college counselor or equivalent, so that in-college pastoral care does not rely solely on nurses or tutors. > Pushing for the introduction of more creative or integrative psychotherapy practices, such as art, drama or music based therapies. > Working towards increasing the number of counseling sessions students can assess, and broadening out the support that is offered both before and after these sessions.
MENTAL HEALTH PROVISION
POLICIES>>>
Voting opens 6th-9th March via www.vote.cusu.cam.ac.uk
> Women’s Campaign Disabilities Officer > Newnham College BME Officer > Personal experience of the intermission process, as well as of the University Counseling Service and Disability Resource Centre, so I have a good first-hand understanding of how these services operate, and what changes should be encouraged
EXPERIENCE>>>
VOTE CHRISTINE FOR WELFARE+ RIGHTS OFFICER
following are the candidates standing for
women's officer
following are the candidates standing for
graduate union president
WHO AM I? A member of Christ's College, I am finishing my PhD in Physics and have been around in Cambridge for four years. I understand the challenges our diverse graduate community faces and am motivated towards addressing them.
MY TALE SO FAR… Hailing from the ‘City of Rallies’ New Delhi, I have hardly been one to stand back from student politics in Cambridge when I have felt the need for standing up for a cause. part-time
I have been a three time CUSU-GU Executive Officer (CUSU Campaigns Officer, 2015-2016; GU International Officer, 2016-2017; GU Welfare Officer, 2017-2018) I have been a Student Representative on the Cavendish Laboratory Graduate Student Consultative Committee (GSCC). I have handled key roles in large societies such as BlueSci, Cambridge University India Society and Christ’s College MCR. During my time at these positions, I have worked diligently and sincerely to understand, represent and address different aspects of the life of a graduate student in the University of Cambridge.
MY VISION I want to be a President who puts our graduate students back at the heart of our University, being the important members that they are; a President who knows that #GradsMatter. This will see us going back to the basics and yet bringing changes on certain fronts. This would mean getting the simple things right that really matter to graduate students and taking us to the core of what our Union was founded on: to serve the graduate students in the University of Cambridge. My campaign is on 'Diversity, Fraternity and Welfare' and I would like to share with you the key points on how I would like to work towards that.
Connectivity, Connectivity, Connectivity I would like to work towards increasing GU-College MCR and inter-MCR connectivity and collaborations on all fronts, with a mandatory database and forum of MCR Officers’ details handled by the respective GU Executive Officers handling the same aspect of Graduate Life. Inter-college events will be encouraged and promoted.
Academic Affairs I would like to establish a regular university-wide academic feedback system on college tutorial system and student-supervisor relations. I will lobby for the Code of Practices for university research student to be strengthened, with more protection for the student with respect to the supervisor and clear references to complaint redressal systems such as the The Office of Student Conduct, Complaints and Appeals (OSCCA), which is currently absent, and for all research students to be made aware of the University Code of Practices at the beginning of their courses. I will lobby for all research Students to be assigned a mentor/advisor who is not close to their supervisor or in the same research team – ideally in another department altogether. This person can help to alleviate concerns and act as an intermediary between the student and supervisor when necessary. I would like to work with university management on the introduction of a contract-based model for all PhD students, with associated benefits such as assured leaves in the year.
Diversity, Gender and Welfare
I would like to help in creating a GU BME Officer, who will look into the interests and concerns of graduate BME students. I will lobby for atleast 33% female representation and 1 LGBT+/Transgender member on university council and committees. I will lobby for more welfare support provisions in departments, and increased investment in university counselling services and mental health support. I will commit the Graduate Union to monitor the implementation of the Zero Tolerance Policy in the university and to evaluate its effectiveness among graduates I would like to lobby for introduction of maternity, paternity and sick leaves for graduates in the university. I would like to facilitate interaction of international students with residents of Cambridge in a flagship programme that will help the former understand cultural differences that they may have to cope with after coming to the UK. I will lobby with the university management for a university-wide cultural difference sensitization programme.
Groups, Environment and Energy
I will like to represent the interests and needs of specific groups such as differently-abled students, mature undergraduates and students with families in committees and consultations with the university. Specific points like more ramps in public places for wheelchairs, and access of partners of students to various university buildings will be worked on. I would like to represent environmental concerns of graduate students by encouraging MCRs and graduate research groups to take part in Green Impact - the University's environmental accreditation scheme. I would like to actively support and lobby for divestment of university funds from fossil fuels and move towards a fossil-fuel-free future with promotion of renewable energy installations in university buildings.
Sports and General Development Projects
I would like to create a GU Sports Cell that will work with college sports clubs and university sports societies to organize regular sports events. I would like to push for more streetlamps on roads where lighting is poor, with university management and Cambridge Council. I would like to push for more cycle stands around Cambridge, with consultations and collaborations with university management and Cambridge Council. I would like to promote more meditation and mindfulness sessions, especially around exam-time I would like to look into safety training for graduate students, besides increasing the stock of personal alarms available for purchase from the Graduate Union.
Graduate student from Wales, finishing PhD in contemporary French and Spanish writing at Pembroke College. I enjoy working with and advocating for graduate students and care about developing strong communities. I hope you’ll vote for me!
Sofia Ropek Hewson FOR GU PRESIDENT
GOALS
EXPERIENCE
Establish distinct GU social events, in regular timeslots; will particularly encourage graduate couples and graduate families to participate in University life.
2017-2018, President, Pembroke College GP (MCR): President of Pembroke GP’s 400 graduate students. I manage our 18 committee members, and we provide social events, welfare and academic support.
Run an annual, themed GU conference to bring together MCRs and graduate students with a clear purpose, and to strengthen our shared community.
2016-2017, Women’s Officer, Pembroke GP (MCR): Provided representation and support for graduate women at Pembroke.
Collaborate with MCRs and the Women’s Campaign to ensure Breaking the Silence (the University’s initiative to address sexual assault and harassment) is working for graduate students, at all levels – from access to counselling, to college guidelines and supervisor/student relationships.
2015-2017, President, Pembroke Papers: Established a society which enables Pembroke graduate students to share their work, through weekly talks during term-time. 2016-2017, Vice-President, Cambridge Annual Modern Languages Conference for Teachers
Engage directly with colleges, with the GU VP, Nikita Hari to effectively communicate the role of GU across the University, in particular its four key areas: representation, services, welfare and events. Support the BME Campaign and encourage MCRs to provide support for BME graduate students in the form of representation and inclusion.
2017, Co-Chair, Cambridge French Graduate Conference 2014-2015, Academic Officer, St Chad’s College MCR, Durham University. Ran weekly research forums. Edited an academic journal of postgraduate work.
Promote the importance of finding a community, as a graduate student: whether with the GU, your college, in your department or in wider groups in Cambridge. Gather input from graduate students and run campaigns across Cambridge on issues affecting us. Liaise with the University and Colleges to provide a connected, effective welfare support system for graduate students, with awareness of the possible impact of academic working conditions on mental health.
Have organised international conferences and edited journals on social justice, online communities and feminism, at Durham and Cambridge. A founder of Cam Queer History, a group running LGBTQ+ History Month events in Cambridge. President of University College Feminists, Durham University
following are the candidates standing for
university councillor
The University Council is the principal executive and policymaking body of the University. It has overall responsibility for the administration of the University, for defining its mission, for planning its work and for the management of its resources. How exciting!
I’m an undergraduate geographer at Fitzwilliam College. To represent and fight for students best on the University Council, you’re going to need a representative who is experienced with University governance, and knows how to negotiate with senior management. Fortunately, that’s my area of expertise.
CAMBRIDGE-SPECIFIC EXPERIENCE
Member of the Council of the School of Physical Sciences o
Represent all undergraduate students on the panel of all the Heads of Departments/Institutes within the School of the Physical Sciences – the most senior role possible below University Councillor. I have liaised with the Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education’s Office on behalf of student enquires, as well as shaped school policy.
Member of the Undergraduate Education Committee of the School of Physical Sciences o
Work with directors of education policy in the School to ensure Tripos programmes and their teaching strategies are working for students – the highest body on education policy outside University-wide bodies.
Undergraduate Representative on the Board of the Faculty of Earth Sciences & Geography Year-Representative on the Geography Department Staff-Student Committee
PRIORITY AREAS & OBJECTIVES
To be a strong voice for student interests on the Council, and communicate frankly with senior management on the views of the student body. To place pressure on the Council to implement audio recording of lectures across all subjects, through the General Board of the Faculties, in line with other Russell Group universities. As a #TimesUp activist, to unequivocally support the University’s ongoing campaign for “Breaking the Silence” on sexual harassment & abuse. To support the communication and promotion of student policies from the grassroots level of JCRs, MCRs and societies. I am prepared to focus on divestment from fossil-fuel enterprise, decolonising the curriculum, and the UCU/UUK pension dispute, amongst many other issues. To improve current transparency and actively communicate Council positions, in spite of the strict confidentiality restrictions, by using my experience of these restrictions from sitting on Schoollevel boards to make the best of them. …. plus, whatever’s on your mind right now! Email me at gb567, or check out the form on the campaign website at www.ElectGeorge2018.weebly.com. I’d love to hear what you’ve got to add.
Vote from 9am Tuesday 6th to 5pm Friday 9th March. www.vote.cusu.cam.ac.uk
I’m a third-year PhD student in Pathology. I sit on the Graduate Union’s Board of Trustees – and so am well aware of issues faced by students, and have excellent contacts with GU &CUSU sabbatical officers. I’ve also been the MCR President at Gonville & Caius, and sat on the Gonville & Caius College Council – I have experience dealing with University officials and College Fellows, dealing with university politics and achieving my manifesto promises.
Hugo Larose For University Councillor I will be a strong voice on the University Council to support the Graduate Union and CUSU Presidents in their representation of students. If elected, I will press the University Council to honour its duty of care towards students, and work to improve mental health provisions, such as ➢ More funds for the Counselling Service, currently stretched thin ➢ Debates, open evenings and discussions about mental health to reduce the stigma around such issues
I will insist that the Uni commits to a strong outreach programme
➢ To increase the numbers of students applying from disadvantaged backgrounds, and from minority groups ➢ To improve gender ratios both in students numbers and on university committees
I want to put a strong emphasis on the particular issues faced by research students and graduate students on the University Council, for eg. I want to to strengthen research students’ rights under the Code of Practise for Research students ➢ Giving Research students maternity and paternity leave ➢ Strengthening rights related to paid and sick leave ➢ Clarifying expected weekly working hours
I plan to set up an online form so anyone can request an issue of importance be discussed.
Marcel Llavero Pasquina
27th of February of 2018
Dear all, My name is Marcel Llavero Pasquina, I am Zero Carbon Society’s Campaign Officer and a second-year PhD student at Girton College. I have always been an active political campaigner, especially around the issues of global climate justice. I have been part of various climate justice groups in different countries around Europe and have participated in benchmark social movements like Ende-Gelände. I have also advocated for human rights and social justice at the UN Climate Conferences in Paris (2015) and Bonn (2017). With extensive experience in political organising, I can strongly defend student values and principles at Council. As University Councillor, if you will elect me, I will act as a representative for the University liberation campaigns, and fight for the progressive ideals they embody. I will continue mobilising with the student grass-roots organisations and CUSU and GU Presidents to have a common strategy and vision. I believe that for real change to take place, pressure must come both from grass-roots campaigns, and from within Council itself. For this reason, I will campaign and coordinate passionately with Cambridge's liberation campaigns, and on Council, I will fight vehemently on their behalf, and the values they represent. I will fight for a University that: 1.- Divests from fossil fuels, stops being complicit with the destruction of livelihoods and ecosystems around the world and takes responsibility for our historical contribution to climate injustice. 2.- Takes political responsibility, challenges political and economic injustice within and outside of the University: decolonises the curriculum, pays the living wage, speaks up on migrants' and asylum seekers' rights and makes university spaces accessible. 3.- Defends public education, does not push students and staff into the precariat, guarantees affordable education for all students, and stands strong against the neoliberal attacks to commodify higher education. 4.- Honours diversity, recognises the marginalised position of the BME community and supports access campaigns whilst also championing the fight against Prevent so that no member of the university is stigmatised due to race or religion. 5.- Stands for gender rights, ensures gender equality, fights sexual harassment and protects gender and sexual freedom. 6.- Is democratic, transparent and accountable, listens to the voices of students and staff, and makes sure that their views are manifest in the policy of our University.
what is RON? re-open nominations 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.
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.
www.cusu.co.uk/elections
vote
vote.cusu.cam.ac.uk Voting opens at 9 am on Tuesday, 6th March and closes at 5 pm on Friday, 9th March.