Elections 2013 by Waterfront

thewaterfront the official student newspaper of swansea university

Free Elections Pullout 25 February 2013 waterfrontonline.co.uk

INSIDE ELECTIONS

Election Party

Candidate manifestos

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STUDENTS’ UNION ELECTIONS ARE HERE by Jon May

front@swansea-union.co.uk ELECTIONS will take place for the seven full time officer positions in March. New rule changes mean that candidates are free to campaign all throughout February in the lead up to the three days of voting on 5-7th March. Facebook pages and Twitter accounts appeared hours after the meeting to officially close nominations for candidature. Manifestos are officially published within this pullout and can also be

Seven full-time positions are being contested by 24 candidates

found on the Waterfront website: waterfrontonline.co.uk/elections Video manifestos and interviews can also be located there. Presidential manifestos include points about student broadband as well as improving the student experience. Welfare candidates have highlighted several points to tackle, such as the lighting in Singleton Park, making free toast in Tooters, an online advice service and healthy eating.

Sports candidates are campaigning on equality for all clubs and campaigning to keep Wednesdays free. Societies and Services candidates want to see a shuttle bus service, a new sandwich and pasty shop on campus, an increase in the amount of society space and a refurbishment of the activities room. The women’s manifestos relight the discussion on whether the role should adapt to have an equalities

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officer instead. Swansea University has one of only six women’s officers in the UK, with other universities having equalities or liberation officers. Education candidates want to increase employability, better timetabling and online payments for library fines. Students from different countries are represented by the International officer and policies include tackling day-to-day problems, creating a welcome pack for overseas students, improve the international student experience and to open careers for students in the UK and abroad. •Voting will take place via a portal on www.swansea-union.co.uk

Catch all the results live on the night page 4 PUZZLES

The hustings wordsearch is back! pagepage 4 29

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02 I ELECTIONS

thewaterfront 25. 2. 13

PRESIDENT Zahid Raja I’m Zahid – your Education Officer. I’d like you to place your trust in me and re-elect me this time as your Students’ Union President. If elected, I’ll rollout EduRoam across the city and give every student free broadband, freeze the price of pints in JC’s and recognise sports, societies and volunteering on your transcript. Next year the university will face something called an institutional review. This happens every six years. This review will have an impact on the future of your degree. I’m the only candidate with relevant experience to get us through that. Vote Raja #1 For President: www.zahidraja.co.uk

PRESIDENT Lexi Woodward I am Lexi Woodward and I am running to be your SU President 2013/14 Swansea has taught me a lot about life and now it’s time to give a bit back. University life mixes three different elements: formal higher education, responsibility of living on your own and structuring your own learning and work pattern. I want students to feel confident that the Student Union is catering for everyone. As SU President I believe I can help students through their university experience. Swansea is becoming more popular and I want to continue to increase the kudos of the university to prospective students.

WELFARE Joe Care

WELFARE Josh Gaskell

Lighting Singleton Park - I want to fight for sufficient lighting through the two main paths to Brynmill so you can feel safe when using the park at night.

I’m passionate about making your time at Swansea University as cosy as possible. As a third year and current member of the Union’s Financial Committee I know how much of a financial struggle student life can be. Pledging to bring Welfare back into focus with students: • Continue free condoms and bin bags • Weekly self-support groups • ‘Agony Aunt’ - Sessions with professionals with student media • Self-Defence classes • Tooters on Toast • Volunteers Fayre • Encouraging greater ‘town and gown’ relations • Monthly community coffee mornings and surgeries. • Swansea Market Discount •Strict Open-door policy www.JoshGaskell.co.uk facebook.com/GaskellForWelfare

Lone Taxi Ride - If you’re alone with no money on a night, you can give your student card to the taxi driver and pay back the next day. Money Management - Setting up realistic budget plans with students. Useful tips on how to save on energy and bills. Healthy Eating on a Budget - Recipes on how to eat healthily cheaply. Housing - Fight bad landlords for better housing conditions.

WELFARE Becky Grimes

WELFARE Josh Hale

After working for the SU and being part of St John LINKS committee for 2 years, I know what changes will make a difference to your university experience. • An Online Advice Service run by the Advice Centre and trained students. • Increased staff in Student Services so people can have the support they need. • Leading a team of volunteers supporting Freshers during their arrival. • Ensuring there’s healthier, more affordable food available on campus. • A free Letting Contract Checking Service • Providing support and advice for any housing issues throughout the year.

As President for Discovery for two years (1st trustee 2nd trustee president) my aim was student / community welfare and now wish to do this as welfare officer My focus is on healthy life-styles. 1. Diet 2. Wellbeing 3. Finance 4. Housing 5. Environment By providing transferable life skills in each of these areas to improve students’ welfare. My other area of focus would be the new campus making sure it meets all students’ welfare needs. My promise is to listen to you and to make sure your problems are given the attention they need! Josh Hale #1 For Welfare

Becky Grimes #1 for Welfare.

SPORTS Charlotte Peters Maintain equal levels of help and support for all clubs, no matter what their size. Introduce Intramural leagues between colleges to promote sport throughout the university and entire student body. Continue the current work of the Education Officer to keep Wednesdays free. Improve links with local schools and colleges in order to increase the number of potential training venues, and enable club members to better their coaching abilities. Lobby for greater subsidisation of facility fees to reduce costs to individuals. Aim to improve match facilities for those clubs currently dissatisfied. Promote official’s courses to reduce reliance on external officials.

SOCIETIES & SERVICES Ceinwen Cloney If elected as your societies and services officer I would: • Run a second job fayre in conjunction with employability week. • Introduce a shuttle bus service to and from the bus and train stations at the beginning and end of each term. • Improve student awareness of the Students’ Union services and societies. • Introduce bi-termly societies forum to improve communication with the Students’ Union and the University. • Prioritise sourcing and renovation of more societies specific areas for activities and storage. • Produce Society Handbooks allowing continuity year on year and improvements on previous years. Facebook: Ceinwinning Ceinwen #1 Twitter:#ceinwinning

SOCIETIES & SERVICES Josh Hutin Throughout my time in Swansea I have become increasingly involved in societies and how they are run, coming from complete ignorance to an integral part of a team. This year I am running for your societies and services officer. Although already a great service, I feel it still can be improved in several ways, such as: • Increasing the amount of useable society space with the existing facilities. • Creating an incentive program for more charitable actions from societies. • Improving the equality awareness for all societies from the very beginning. Vote for someone who cares for our union. Rootin’ for Hutin

SPORTS Joel Stevens Leach During my four years at Swansea University, I’ve been heavily involved in sports and have loved every moment. Having spent two years as club captain of one of the larger clubs, I would look to draw upon all of my experiences for the benefit of sport at Swansea. My main aims for the year would be to continue to build upon the efforts made by SportSwansea this year including; earlier lecture finish times on Wednesdays, increase sporting awareness around the university, increase participation in sport, improve access to facilities and help clubs build for the future! Vote JSL for Sport!

SOCIETIES & SERVICES Sion Durham As your Societies and Services officer I will be a committed and dedicated member of the student body team. Here are just a few of my manifesto points; • Have a new sandwich & pastry shop on campus • Hold a bigger and better freshers’ fair • Clubcard reward scheme for societies as well as discounts for committees • Lead a campaign on fairer prices in the Village and in JC’s • Hold a monthly local business and farmers market For more information visit www.siondurham.com, facebook or twitter! Vote Durham – The Real Thing!!

SOCIETIES & SERVICES Mathew Jones My name is Mathew Jones and I hope to be your Societies and Services officer next year. If you elect me to be part of your Students Union, I plan to do many things in order to make YOUR Society experience even better! • Increase the rooms available for societies to use • Refurbish the activities room • More space for societies to use as storage • Develop the online society space These are just some of the major issues that I will focus on if you elect me. You want Mat for Society and Services!

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WOMEN’S Fran Fergusson I’m Fran Ferguson; I want to become your Women’s Officer in order to represent all women at Swansea University. Women at Swansea need a Full Time Officer who can; help, support, advise and campaign in order to break down the barriers faced by women. It is my desire to serve all women at Swansea in this capacity. I am proud of Swansea’s progress with zero tolerance against discrimination but more can still be done. I will continue the work of my predecessors and strive to build a support network to ensure that all women feel safe and secure in their university life.

WOMEN’S Rosie Inman I’m Rosie and I’m campaigning to be your next Women’s Officer. I am extremely passionate about equality for everyone and, if elected, I will: • Introduce a night bus service and continue the fight for improved lighting in Singleton Park • Hold a referendum to rename Women’s Officer to Equalities Officer (and introduce a supplementary Part-Time Women’s Officer) • Make free condoms, lube, sanitary products, pregnancy tests and information more widely available and accessible to students • Create dedicated Equality Forums for students to discuss all equality issues affecting them • Extend Zero Tolerance further to combat all discrimination, particularly in sport I give a hoot! facebook.com/InmanForWomen

WOMEN’S Keryn Jalli

WOMEN’S Megan O’Connell

Hi I’m Keryn, I am an outgoing individual with experience in the women’s and BME students’ campaigns, making me the most experienced candidate for the job. The women’s campaign needs to be inclusive - developing a Swansea Women’s Network on campus will do that. Support for Student Parents is crucial. By developing a student parent handbook and working to extend nursery hours we can improve & highlight the services available. I will lobby for a Safe Bus Service which will patrol areas where students are vulnerable on nights out and get them home safely. Keryn Jalli #1 for Women’s Officer!

My time at Swansea University has allowed me to develop the essential skills to positively represent and stand for equality. In the role of Women’s Officer my main focus will be to establish a mentoring programme so that each and every student has access to support and guidance if needed. Maintaining and building on the ‘Zero Tolerance’ policy to provide a University experience free from discrimination and sexual objectification. I believe the title of Women’s Officer should be synonymous with equality, not just for women but for those who feel they are underrepresented throughout the university.

EDUCATION Nick Hoad

EDUCATION Brynley Pearlstone

As Education Officer I will… - Ensure students can effectively utilise the new rep. system - Lobby the university to ensure that all relevant activities undertaken by students outside of direct study will be included on their transcripts - Work with societies in creating subjects-specific events to aid employability - Ensure day to day issues such as timetabling and feedback are addressed by the university - Campaign to make sure Wednesday afternoons are kept free for every student - Provide clear support for students whose studies are affected by special circumstances such as specific learning difficulties, caring responsibilities or mental health conditions

I am keen to contribute to the changing approach to education at our university. If elected, I intend to expand on the work started by previous education officers, furthering the subject- and college- reps’ integration into the academic programme, and lobbying the university for better timetabling, creating more study space, stopping Wednesday afternoon lectures and Saturday exams. On top of promoting study-groups, academic societies and encouraging events outside the lecture theatre, I would prioritise improving the communication throughout and between the colleges. I believe that meeting with students and directly conveying and addressing their concerns makes a successful education officer

EDUCATION Swaran Singh

INTERNATIONAL Gahtan Algahtani

Swaran Singh #1 for Education I’m an experienced candidate - I’m a College Rep, Student Ambassador and the Captain of the Triathlon team. These are my ideas: • Your Library – Library fines payable online, and an interactive map to find books easier. • Your Course - A contracted time for typed essay feedback so colleges have to stick to it, and monthly subject and college rep meetings • Your Future – A placement scheme for every course, extracurricular activities counting on your record and monthly workshops with businesses to give you experience, contacts and inspiration. www.voteswaran.wordpress.com

INTERNATIONAL Eva Donoghue If elected I intend to: - Design a Welcome Pack specifically for international students. - Run Orientation events during first term so all students have access to them. - Work with Ty Beck and hold monthly drop-in sessions. - Lobby the University for an International Careers Advisor. - Create an Erasmus Support Group. - Lobby the University for a Financial Contingency Fund for international students. - Support Cultural Societies and make them aware of all resources available to them. - Set up an International Student Satisfaction Survey to allow students a direct say into how to improve their student experience.

INTERNATIONAL Eleanna Mountaki Hello, my name is ELEANNA MOUNTAKI and I am standing for INTERNATIONAL Officer. I am a Law graduate currently undertaking Masters in Law. I have been employed by Residential Services three years now as a Welfare Warden with extensive experience in supporting and advising students in both Student Village and Beck house. Previously, I was the President of People & Planet society and I organised fun events and activities; this year I have been elected Subject Representative. I aspire to make your student experience in our university one to remember! Find out more about my manifesto on the website: about.me/Eleanna

Meg Makes Equality Matter.

Hi my name’s Gahtan Algahtani, a PhD student in Chemical Engineering and the president of Saudi Society for the time being. I was a member of Saudi Society since 2007 and 2010 I become the president of Islamic Society ISOC. Moreover, in 2011 I was a mature student officer for the student union and I have experience with dealing with people from different ages and background. If I elected I will strive to represent all the international student as best as I can and will treat all problems as if they were my own.

INTERNATIONAL Hassan Hamdoun Hi, I am Hassan Hamdoun, a PhD student in Wireless Telecommunications Engineering, running for international officer. In the summer of 2012, I represented Swansea University in China. I also founded KALEIDOSCOPE project promoting knowledge sharing and cultural exchange which won University and SU awards in 2012. My personal experience as international student has put me in a position to support others to overcome the challenges of cultural adaptation. My roles as president of ISOC and vice president of SwanC society have equipped me with leadership, communication and inter-personal skills to represent you and your interests in the best possible way.

INTERNATIONAL Seveone Ye University life for overseas students should not just be about what we have to do to get our degrees. It should be more about what we want to do and what we enjoy doing – the full student experience! I am standing to make sure we do more than just our day-to-day lives; it is the time for a change! To achieve this I will carry out the following things: • Resources sharing • Employment help both in the UK and back at home • Introducing International food • Easing access to hobby groups • Culture sharing • Celebrating International Festival

04 I ELECTIONS

thewaterfront 25. 2. 13

Elections Crossword Crosswords Elections

ALL POSITIONS R.O.N

I’m R.O.N. (Re-open nominations) and I’m running for every position in the elections. Why you ask? Well, if you elect me, I’ll: • Hold another election • Search for better candidates

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Vote R.O.N. #1 for everything if you want an active vote AGAINST candidates. 11

Results LIVE! all evening on Thursday 7th March 13

ACROSS 4 The number of days you can vote 11 Current Welfare officer 13 Female Presidential candidate DOWN 1 Current Sports officer 2 Current Women's officer 3 Deputy Returning Officer 5 Current SU President 6 Name of Debate Night 7 Women's officer could be come ______ officer 8 Current Societies & Services officer 9 The month the elections are held 10 Number of candidates 12 Male Presidential candidate

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VIDEO MANIFESTOS GO ONLINE

Note: You can use a different program named Crossword Weaver® to print a nicer copy of this

www.puzzle-maker.com/crossword_FreePuzzle.cgi

by Jon May

front@swansea-union.co.uk INNOVATION and enterprising ideas have been championed this year for the elections. From Thursday 28th February you can view the video manifestos of all candidates with the purple Aurasma logo next to their manifesto image straight from our newspaper! Simply download the Aurasma app, free for iPhone and Android. Point your phone camera at a candidate’s face and then boom, their video manifesto will play! Please give us feedback on this feature as well as any technical difficulties you might have.

INNOVATIVE: Digital and print media being brought together.

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