Visibility

One of the points on my manifesto is about transparency and visibility.

As we all know “full time course” really does mean full time at Central so it is difficult trying to juggle your studies and remain visible. The reason I wanted President so badly last year was because I would have so much time to dedicate to the SU and I, rather naively it turns out, thought I would easily get all of the things done that I wanted and be really visible and accessible to everyone most of the time.

Not exactly.

I have spent this year learning the ropes and they haven’t been the easiest of ropes to learn. And so much of work goes on behind the scenes because it has to. I work with a lot of students in a range of ways and that, for obvious reasons, has to remain confidential and discreet. A lot of the work goes on in meetings and a lot of it ends up being much duller than I want to bore you with. Sometimes it feels like I have bureaucracy coming out if my ears.

But I have already started working really hard this year on finding ways to ensure that the important bits get to you and that we are more visible and more accessible. I wrote a motion to remove the role of publicity officer and am now working with Vicky, our part-time member of staff, to develop her role to include publicity and engagement. This means that communication will be much more consistent, and it will be so much easier to engage with the union in a range of ways. Vicky and I will be working on this for the rest of this term ready for her to take on next year but I want to see it through and support this huge change.

I also plan to carry on this blog so that people can see what I am up working on. I will encourage officers to write posts for this so that their hard work is communicated effectively and so that you can hold us to account.

I would also like to work much more closely with the course reps so that I can get feedback about the union straight from course committees and be able to keep you updated on any changes we have made as a result. This worked really well with 3^rd Year TPs this term and I would like to encourage other course reps to feel they can do the same.

I am very proud of all the work I have done this year and I know that if you re-elect me I will see these plans through and next year you won’t be able to miss us.

Don’t Back Down, Back Nat

Don't Back Down, Back Nat

This year as President has been incredible. Sometimes, literally and for so many reasons.
I never dreamed it would be so difficult or so rewarding.

But, I think it is time for more difficulty and much more reward for all of us.

At Central, having time to eat or sleep can sometimes feel like a luxury, especially during show weeks or when you are in the depths of your dissertation. As a PHD student, you often have to tread a blurry line between staff and student and as an MA student, you are probably trying not to blink and miss your time at Central (at least that's how I felt only having a guaranteed year in office).

So drumming up the energy and focus to think about the multitude of annoyances and frustrations that can come from studying at Central, living in London and dealing with the repercussions of another five years of Tory government can be really tough.

That is why we need to get organised. We need to learn how to make democratic decisions easily and efficiently. We need to find a way that you can easily communicate your problems to those representing you, whether that is course reps, SU officers, your local MP or David bloody Cameron.

Too often this year I have heard the student voice be belittled, undermined or manipulated.
Too often this year, I have been belittled, undermined and manipulated.
But I am ending this year much stronger and much more determined to make sure we are not only heard but listened to.

We need SU officers and course reps who are supported to make the changes you want to see.
We need online referenda so we can make quick decisions when we can't get in a room.
We need a fighting union that refuses to back down.

For all that, please Back Nat.