Question Time: VP Education Candidate Roundup
InQuire met up with the candidates for VP Education at tonight’s Question Time, streaming via KTV here from 7pm.
In alphabetical order:
Albina is a Masters student doing Political Science, she is a course rep for politics and postgraduate students, and a UKC student ambassador, amongst other things. Albina wanted to raise a few main points from her manifesto: “as a masters student, the library closing hours are an issue especially during Christmas and the holidays. I’d like to increase these hours.” Albina would also like to “increase study space, it’s quite a big issue at the minute. I’d like to be able to use seminar rooms… and perhaps get campus watch involved to provide security. On lecture recordings, she argues: “I’ve had a few and I think they’re really useful. However I know quite a lot of lecturers don’t know how to use it so I’d like to introduce some training for them. I’d like to increase employability for students. There are a lot of things going on at Kent Union at the moment like internal and external internships, standout training and employability points.”
Jack is a third year history student, the Humanities Faculty Rep and a sports club member and society president. Some of the things he would like to improve include “protecting the ‘worst off’ or most vulnerable students.” Jack would also like to “improve lecture recordings, we won this two years ago yet there are only 4% of lectures being recorded. It’s about convincing schools to move from an opt-in to an opt-out method. He says he is “excited but quite nervous” about Question Time, Jack also promotes his twitter hashtag #BackJack.
Andre Lewis is a second year student who has “a vision for the student community to come together. Andre mentioned four main aims: “firstly it’s all about communication, new innovative ways to get the message out to students… trying to think of doing youtube videos, flash mobs and shoutouts.” Secondly: “enhancing the resources that we have. Year abroad and term abroad programmes are important” for the spread of resources. He also mentions “Improving the relationship of students with other students. That the mentoring system is great but it could be better.” He offers the idea of improved student led revision workshops, getting 2nd or 3rd year students to coach other students. Andre’s last aim is “to do with improving the course rep structure. Having reviews and improving their skill-sets.”
Leo Wilkinson is a final year Politics and International Relations student, and has been a student rep for the past three years. Leo says he has “a proven track record.” He would like to “improve your library, so getting more e-books, making sure the computer screens are bigger.” He would like to “reduce course costs” and also increase “you’re employability”. Leo asks students to keep an eye out for him throughout the week: “I’d like to get the students on board in the campaign, that’s a really important thing, it should be a student led campus, it shouldn’t just be the Sabbs.” Leo says that he is “really excited for question time, I have loads of ideas. And I feel it’s really important for students to ask questions.”
Unfortunately did not attend Question Time tonight.
Fahim Zackaria
Unfortunately did not attend Question Time tonight.