Emma Murphy

Hello! My name is Emma Murphy and I am the current Education Officer in the Students’ Union. I am an English Literature graduate, and have previously been a School Rep for AEL, Lead Peer Mentor and President of the English Society.

This year I have:

• Been integral in gaining students flexibility with their deadlines with 48 hour extensions on coursework and the removal of financial barriers with fee-free resits this semester.
• Trained and supported over 600 students to become academic representatives and hosted key meetings such as Academic Board as well as weekly meetings to support them.
• Developed an academic assessment and feedback calendar framework for Schools which has been agreed to be offered to all students, which will give students the power to call out bunched deadlines and late feedback returns from lecturers.
• Created a handbook for Lead Peer Mentors, which is a resource that can help them to develop the programmes in their Schools.
• Represented 25,000 students by sitting on key University committees, and raising students voices to create academic change.

Why am I running for President?

Serving as your Education Officer this year, it has been an honour to fight and gain academic change on the behalf of students. This year, I want to raise these educational fights to a larger platform and include wider areas of the student experience which are in desperate need for improvement. Students deserve an equal say in the issues affecting them, and I want to raise your voice to make fundamental change in the areas that matter most to you. Your university experience should be accessible, inclusive, and have a community that you can feel a part of.

My Policies-

Liberated Learning

I am a strong believer that students deserve a high-quality education at university that is accessible to everyone. Despite its introduction 18 months ago, lecture recording has still not been introduced in some Schools and the quality has not been up to scratch in others. Lecture recording is an essential way to empower students in their own education, by preparing them for assessments which they can fit around their schedules, especially students with caring responsibilities. Financial barriers are also one of the biggest stressors for students, in terms of tuition fees, the extra costs of online learning, as well as students working as they fund their own studies. International students are impacted enormously by this, as they pay enormous tuition fees for their degrees. Every student should have an education liberated from financial stress, unfit for purpose teaching practices and high tuition fees.

I will:

• Ensure lecture recording is available and high quality in all Schools.
• Advocate for fully funded tuition fees, and the extension of student loans for Postgraduate students.
• Call for a larger investment to fight student digital poverty, and provide students with the equipment they need to learn online.
• Fight for an overhaul of the off-campus discipline process, as students have the right to a private life and should not be academically or financially punished for actions taken off campus.

Accommodation Reform

Queen’s University has a responsibility for students to have a safe and comfortable experience outside of the classroom. This year we have seen first-hand how unprepared Queen’s has been for students returning to campus. In September hundreds of students were left unsure of where they were staying for the year, and the lack of rooms in accommodation was only communicated two weeks before students were due to move in. For too long students have also been treated terribly in the private rental system, with houses in conditions unfit to live in. As a basic human right, students deserve better housing.

I will:

• Demand better policies for students receiving rooms in Queen’s accommodation.
• Lobby Queen’s University and Belfast City Council to build more purpose-built, affordable Student accommodation.
• Hold landlords to account by informing students of their rights and how to seek justice against them Insist on the introduction of an international student guarantor scheme.

Sustainability

After years of sustained lobbying from the Students’ Union, Queen’s has finally declared a climate emergency and also introduced carbon literacy training for students. It is incredibly important that this momentum is sustained, as this is a global crisis that has severe implications if not addressed immediately. Sustainability can’t become another box ticked to prove that the university is following sustainable development goals, but it should be built into your university experience so that your education is sustainable and future proof.

I will:

• Ensure the progress and training of the Climate Action Group to build climate activism on our campus.
• Advocate for carbon literacy training to be open to all students, and widely advertised.
• Introduce a staff member to the Students’ Union to assess sustainability, especially in the transition to the new Students’ Union building.

Mental Health Reform

The pandemic has severely impacted students’ mental health as severe restrictions and isolation has had extremely detrimental effects on the university experience. However, this doesn’t mean that the university’s ‘wellbeing’ focused events can solve the issues that students are facing. Time management sessions are only a plaster on the situation if a student is facing several bunched deadlines. Underlying stress will only be eliminated when the root of students’ issues are addressed, and if they are provided with the right resources at key times so that they can excel in their education.

I will:

• Demand more frequent sessions with Wellbeing services, with better signposting to the services.
• Ensure that School and Faculty reps receive training each year if desired.
• A reformed system for exception circumstances, including an online form for students that is accessible.