Guild Elections

Question 1

Guild President role?

Answer 1

As Guild President you would… - Ensure the University represents all students - Lead the Officer team, as well as all democracy and governance work within your Guild - Represent Birmingham students in the media

Question 2

Sameera Bindhu Nair

Answer 2

• Guild President
  “For Every Student. For Every Voice. For Real Change”
• Promises not to have empty promises
• Heavy on easing students’ financial struggles by advocating for more part-time opportunities and for “transparent funding policies that actually benefit students, rather than leaving us stuck in bureaucratic dead ends”
• Mental health wise she wants:
  1. faster accesses to servies rather than long waiting lists
  2. better housing support
  to expand peer mentorship and well-being programs
• She feels a great disconnect between students and guild and wants to stop that through more open Q&A sessions
• Wants more mentorship programs, networking events, and skill-building workshops so that when students leave UoB, they’re not just walking away with a degree.

Question 3

Atul Ruhal

Answer 3

• Guild President
• “Better Support, Brighter Opportunities – Let’s Make It Happen!”
• Manifesto is built on key pillars:
  1. Faster & Transparent Academic Feedback with more clear feedback to improve performance and all subjects have lecture recordings
  2. One-Stop Support Service where all student concerns (housing, academic issues, financial aid) can be managed via one email contact Bit hard, no? Surely unfeasible?
  3. More Paid Internships & Work Opportunities through stronger partnerships, both local and other
  4. Networking with Industry Leaders to make students more employable
  5. Student Societies have more funding & Freedom of Expression via ‘Ask the President’
  6. More Scholarships & Financial Aid Where’s all this money coming from?
  7. Mental Health & Wellbeing:
• Establish a 24/7 mental health helpline with professional support.
• Push for No-Questions-Asked Mental Health Days – allowing students two mental health days per semester without needing a doctor’s note. I really like this
• Expand well-being spaces and relaxation zones on campus for stress relief other unis do this, this is good
  8. Fairer Academic Policies for deadline extensions and exam support
  9. Campus Safety & Inclusivity via zero-tolerance policies and increased inclusivity events

Question 4

Randolph Fields

Answer 4

• Guild President
• “I will make life nice”
• Had previous experience at the NUS conference Glasgow where he championed democratization and student voice
• In 2020 he fought for in-person lectures
  Wants equal representation, strong student voice very generic
  Wants to make Guild the best SU in the country very bold
• Very no nonsense regarding student concerns (will take matters into his own hands)

Question 5

Syed Sadath

Answer 5

• Guild President
  “Amplifying Student Voices, Enhancing Experiences”
• He’s current Guild President
• His achievements:
  1. Organised West Midlands Student Conference to address key issues like transportation, student participation, and housing affordability.
  2. Lobbied Ethical Investment Policy Reform very relevant given campus protests
  3. Collaborated Palestine Solidarity Motion
  4. Doubled scholarship to Ukrainian and Palestinian students
  5. Worked alongside the National Union of Students to lobby for a better rent bill and the elimination of guarantor requirements, aiming to make housing more accessible for all students.
• Future plans:
  1. Continue to promote affordable living e.g. continue £2 lunch initiative, increase student support funds and broaden scholarships
  2. Mental Health initiatives like setting late-night wellbeing space, track students’ counselling sessions for consistency and using AI to help struggling students
  3. Sustainability Initiatives like continuing lobbying uni to divest from fossil fuels & arm trades and launch green campus projects to reduce waste
  4. Empowering student voices via better platforms and by launching an anti-apartheid week
  5. Supporting societies by increasing fundings (e.g. Chaplaincy funding) & guild grants addresses increasing student numbers and streamlining booking systems
  5. Enhancing Dubai Students Experience by bridging gap
  6. Enhance the international student experience, will continue to work closely with various cultural student organizations to understand and address their unique needs.

Question 6

Vanshika Agarwal

Answer 6

• Guild President
• Very vague and short manifesto

Question 7

Antonia Listrat

Answer 7

• Student President
• “Claiming our student power!”
• Goal is to empower diverse voices and drive lasting change
• She’s facing unjust disciplinaries for protest which is why which is why she’s running on the Liberation slate
• Active member of the Student-Staff Coalition for Palestine. Becoming the Guild President will mean that I will have a seat to advocate for ethical investments at the highest governing bodies of the university (like the Council) and in the Investment Subcommittee meetings where ethical investment policies are being reviewed. She’s coming with ONE goal, all about diversity and ethical investment initiatives
• Wants to tackle cost of living via travel costs she has stats, cheaper & better quality housing, more financial support and by expanding community breakfast

Question 8

Activities and Employability Officer?

Answer 8

Ensure student groups are helping students to develop, meet new people and have fun - Help students to develop their employability skills - Be responsible for our night time venue, event planning and commercial opportunities

Question 9

Devansh Jhamnani

Answer 9

• AEO
• “Your Vision, My Mission—Bigger Ideas 💡, Bolder Opportunities 🚀, Boosting Employability 💼!”
• Current AEO
• Wants to introduce Student Success Stories Video Podcast to share part-time job experiences to celebrate achievements while fostering a sense of community and shared learning. emphasise this; this is unique
• Empowering Student Groups and Societies through big events, streamlining society creation and recognizing small volunteering groups
  Enhancing Employability Opportunities via Workshops and Hackathons, Alumni Networking and Worklink Collaboration
• Supporting Student Entrepreneurship via workshops more detail?
• Cultural Events and Activities
• Flagship project is the Research Volunteer Portal. This platform will make it easier for PhD students to find candidates for their research projects, removing the need for posters and allowing opportunities to be shared digitally.

Question 10

Megha Kabsuri

Answer 10

• AEO
• “EmpowerHer, ElevateAll”
• International and current Enginseering Postgrad Ambassador understands multiple cultural & sex challenges and has experience in supporting students
• Think she meant to apply for Women’s Officer aha
• Key Initiatives:
  1. Fostering Unity Across Disciplines via events, mentorship programs and by advocating for diverse representation
  2. Enhancing Campus Safety by improved lighting & security, implementing buddy system and self-defense workshops
  3. Boosting Career Opportunities
  4. Tackle mental health issues through counselling with diverse languages i like this, estalish women support groups and promote women mental health issues
  5. Inclusivity Across Genders and Cultures. this sticks out: *Advocate for gender-neutral facilities across campus to better support non-binary students.
  6. Bridging Cultural Gaps

Question 11

Matty Widdop

Answer 11

• AEO
• “Vote Matty, Vote Experience”
• What he’s done so far:
  1. Sat on Activities Committee for 3 years So knows his way round the role and field
  2. Sports and other society committees President on multiple roles, super impressive!
  3. Done year in industry
• What he plans:
  1. More funding and more transparent and easy to use grant process has some detail as to how
  2. Prioritising the needs of societies over external commercial companies in room bookings
  3. Improved ticket request system
  4. Improved committee training resources to make them more accessible, including instructional tutorial style videos (with subtitles and audio description) on how to do specific things
  5. Improved support for the student groups coordinators and a more robust absence process
  6. More support for committees during the handover process, to ensure committee members are well prepared
  7. Closer working between the student groups team and careers network to ensure committee members are getting their hard work recognised with well deserved job prospects
  8. Improved awareness of the careers network support available such as their CV checker and support sessions
• This sticks out, he’s the only one to have said his DMs are open in case anyone wants to sus him out, i like this

Question 12

Emeline Brown

Answer 12

• AEO
• “You can LEAN on Emeline: L for listener, E for enthusiastic, A for approachable, N for needed as your activities and employability officer 25/26”
• Motivated by wanting to give back to the Guild after its shaped her into being the person she is
• She wants:
  1. Better Integration Between Different Types of Societies to build a more united community within the Guild
  2. A loyalty card system for Guild Events to improve both attendance and publicity for Guild events and encourage more students to attend and create a stronger sense of community and belonging… this is unique but i like it
  3. More support with post-university options from First Year: Early exposure to these resources will empower students and help them navigate the post-graduation transition with confidence.
• Has experience as Student Ambassador and secratary of PantoSoc I like the cut of her jib

Question 13

Sourav Mondal

Answer 13

• AEO
• “Opportunities for All, Success for Everyone! Vote for Growth, Vote for Opportunities, Vote for Sourav!”
• Postgrad in Sustainable Energy Systems
• Very ‘employability’ driven
• Key priorities:
  1. Expanding Employability & Industry Connections
  2. Enhancing Student Activities & Societies through typical ways: student-led initiatives, increasing funding and large events
  3. Bridging the Gap Between Students & Career Support Services
  4. Promoting Inclusivity & Well-being
• Industry experience in Saint Gobain
• He’s very generic

Question 14

Education Officer?

Answer 14

As Education Officer you would… - Liaise with the University to influence students’ academic experience at Birmingham - Be leader of the Student Rep Scheme - Communicate academic advice and best practice