Who am I? / Why am I running? 

Hi! My name is Beth, and I am your current Student Officer for Education here at Queen’s Students’ Union. This year, I have been fighting to strengthen the student voice in every aspect of university life – from training and mentoring Student Representatives, to representing your best interests in every single committee room possible – the student voice should be at the core of all University decisions. 

I have been a Course Rep, a School Rep, and relaunched a society, so I have experience representing and advocating for students throughout my time at this university. This year, I want to take that experience and use it to be a strong, supportive, and loud advocate for student rights at a much broader scale as your next Students’ Union President. 

Things I have done this year: 

• Trained, Supported and Strengthened over 600 student representatives – including numerous in person training workshops, extensive online resources, one to one sessions with reps, and even securing additional seats on high level committees for School Reps, giving more power to students.
• Built a community on campus among student representatives to encourage engagement and identity with the Union. This year has seen the highest levels of engagement from reps in 10 years. An increased identity with the Students’ Union means a stronger, united voice.
• Pushed for the universal roll out of Lecture Recording – after over two years of delay I have led the development of a policy to make lecture recording a standard across QUB, whilst also addressing UCU concerns.
• Represented 25,000 students by engaging in numerous University Committees with a range of staff – including those at a very senior level - to improve the culture around students being integral in decision making, at every level.
• Helped push for Cost of Living support for students including applying pressure for resit fees to continue to be waived for the incoming exam period, free breakfast initiatives, and the introduction of a free food pantry within the Students’ Union.

Cost of Living Support 

The Cost of Living crisis is having a huge impact on students and their ability to access the basic necessities- food, housing, education. This is not acceptable. 

The University has committed support to students with a £150-400 cost of living payment and partnered with the Students’ Union to deliver free breakfasts on campus, yet continues to raise accommodation prices and postgraduate tuition fees. 

Students are choosing between working 30+ hours a week to afford rent and food, or attending lectures. Placement students are living on the breadline to pay the extortionate travel costs to attend full time, unpaid placement halfway across the country. Education is simply no longer accessible to students.

It is no longer the cost of living, but the cost of surviving.  

• £1 hot meals on campus, and continuation of free food in student spaces.
• Financial support for students travelling to mandatory placements. 
• Free, on campus printing of translink public transport discount smartcards.
• Increased investment into Student Support and Financial Assistance funds.
• Fight against rising accommodation fees.

Nationally, I will work with NUS-USI to call for Free Transport for all students. 

Student Community & Democracy

The transition to on-campus life has not been an easy one, with students struggling to financially support themselves or find affordable accommodation in the area.

Every single student is a member of this Students’ Union, and I want to ensure all students have the opportunity to engage in social events and democratic decision making within the Union. The power needs to be shifted into the hands of the students, with a bottom up transformation to ensure we are a truly representative body. 

• Nurture the growth of Student Association groups.
• Host free social events consistently throughout the year, especially on weekends.
• Consistent communication and transparency about what the SU is doing for students.
• Ensure there is a full democracy review, to make the union more representative - ensure everyone has a chance to have their voice heard.

Accessibility of Education 

The Cost of Living Crisis has exacerbated an already broken education system. With students struggling to afford to attend all of their classes, and many considering taking a leave of absence or leaving university altogether, the ability for all students to access their basic right – an education – is diminished. Lecture recording and the provision of good quality online resources is vital to supporting students. 

Strides are being made to implement good quality equipment in the 20 large lecture theatres across campus. If elected as your Students’ Union President – I will not stop fighting until every single school provides recorded lectures and clearly laid out resources on canvas to support learning needs in these unprecedented times. 

This conversation has been ongoing for too long. Enough is enough – Queen’s must do better.

• Implementation of institution wide Lecture Recording policy.
• Clear, high quality resources in every module on canvas.

Mental Health

The issue of poor mental health and wellbeing among students has not gone away. With the OMNI 2022 report showing that an overwhelming majority of 85% of students are worried about their mental health, it is clear this is a priority. Everyone has mental health to look after - it’s expected that students might experience the entire spectrum of it during university, and they should be supported throughout their journey. The OMNI report has indicated 75% of students experiencing mental health difficulties disclosed this to a fellow student, and 58% of respondents were most likely to turn to their friends for help.

The number one way students feel their mental health could be improved is through investment into mental health services and talking therapies, and the actions of the Students’ Union should reflect this.

• Support Nightline, a student-led active listening service, to increase their capacity.
• Increasing accessibility of supports available.
• Institution wide ‘Look After Your Mate’ for peer to peer mental health training.
• Advocate for mandatory mental health training to staff for adequate institutional wide support.

OMNI 2022 will be a useful tool for the Students’ Union to acquire more funding into long term mental health initiatives and if elected as your Students’ Union President, implementing the OMNI Action Plan and acquiring long term funding will be a Union priority. 

Other 

• Irish language on campus – the Students’ Union should lead by example by adopting Irish language throughout communications.
• Supporting the strikes – it isn’t just full time staff in UCU and Unite, but TA’s, PhD students and casual student workers too - and we will support them all. Staff working conditions are students’ learning conditions.
• Advocate for streamlined exceptional circumstances and financial support applications – these are already difficult processes for students to engage in with very little support.
• Ensure the completion and institution wide implementation of the International Student Guarantor Scheme, and look into the possibility of extending this to wider groups, such as students estranged from their parents or carers.