At QUB, students don't have the seat at the table they deserve. I am passionate about changing that and ensuring students are partners with an equal voice on their education, not consumers or customers.
So on 24/25th February, vote Jason #1 for an equal say over the decisions that affect you, for a stronger rep system, better feedback, lecture recording, an end to bunched deadlines and help build a University which listens to and works for every student!
Your University, Your Voice!
Hello everyone, my name is Jason Bunting, I graduated last July with a degree in French and Politics. I am your current Education Officer and I am running for re-election!
Why am I running?
I’m running because you deserve to have a seat at the table when decisions are made that affect you. You deserve to have your voice heard and to study at a University which works for you no matter your age, discipline, level of study, background or country of origin. In short, you deserve to be partners and equals in education - not consumers or customers. Too often, Queen’s is run like a business, putting profits ahead of students, shutting you out of rooms where decisions are made about your future and treating education like a product to be bought and sold instead of a public good. It treats students as customers, staff as tools and the University as a factory. I am passionate about making sure that we change that so this University works for you! We have made a lot of change over the last eight months but we aren’t done yet so vote for me on 24/25th February on QUBSU.org so I can finish the job and make the change that students need!
What have I done?
For the last eight months, I have represented you inside committee rooms and on the ground. I have made the voices of 26,000 students heard on their education. Together we have:
• Led an institution-wide review of our academic representation system, creating new opportunities for communication, support, recognition, visibility and so much more!
• Developed a new policy and structure for academic representation, to give Course, School and Faculty Reps the visibility, voice, support and recognition that they deserve.
• Secured agreement from the University to redesign the academic year calendar so it works for you and we can end bunched deadlines.
• Secured agreement from the University to pilot lecture recording.
• Recruited and led a team of three student interns who are developing feedback strategies in your School to make your feedback better.
• Drew up a new long-term plan for student partnership in the University to make sure you are an equal in Queen’s.
• Created the Peer Mentoring Forum, bringing together lead peer mentors from across the University to share practise.
• Trained and supported our team of seventeen School Reps and eight hundred Course Reps who make change across the University.
So what will I be working on this year? Well I will:
- Strengthen the student rep system: I have worked with the University to agree a new policy and structure for academic representation which will make your voice heard on every decision at every level. Simply put, this new policy guarantees our seat at the table and guarantees your voice will be heard. We need an experienced voice like mine to lead this new structure in its pilot year next year. Together with your help, I want to make sure that Queen’s is the best University in UK or Ireland for student representation and I can do that with another term!
- End bunched deadlines: From our research, we know that deadlines have a big impact on your mental health and we need to make this our priority. So I will work with the University in the year ahead to pilot a new calendar structure and end the bunching of deadlines. I’ll also work with the University to redesign assessments so that your module isn’t all decided by one assignment at the end and you have the chance to have varied assessment types that equip you with the skills you will need in the future!
- Improve your feedback: ensure that every School has policy and practices that mean that your feedback is timely, of excellent quality and enables you to achieve the highest marks possiblein your degree.
- Introduce lecture recording: Lecture recording is a vital tool to aid your learning. It makes learning more inclusive (especially for international students and student parents & carers) as well as engaging and if Queen’s wants to be part of the 21st century, we need to adopt it.
- Scrap the re-sit cap and fee: Except in the cases of exceptional circumstances, your resits can cost you financially and your performance can be capped. We are letting students down when we force them through this overly punitive process that discriminates against working-class students.
- Build an educational system with social impact: Because we should do so much more as a University to use our influence and expertise to make a difference in society both locally and globally by re-designing assessments and creating social impact projects
On 24/25th February, re-elect me to help build a University where students have an equal seat at the table, where YOU are given an equal say on the decisions made which affect you and where you are treated as a partner, not a customer!
Download Manifesto
Facebook: @JasonforEducation
Twitter: @JasonBunting27