Toby Vinson

TOBY VINSON – MY PLEDGES TO REFORM THE SU

My manifesto is simple, I want to take the Students’ Union back to its roots. It’s time to reform and put students back into focus, but I need your support. Here’s my five priorities for reform: 

No.1 Reform the relationship between the University and students: How much communication have you, as an individual student, had with the Vice Chancellor in your last year of study? I want a relationship with the university which recognises us for what we are- students paying for an educational service. But more than that, I want a relationship with the university that fundamentally works. 

-          I strongly believe that the Vice Chancellor should be held accountable to the student body, and answer for the running of the University. This means that students from all departments, from all walks of life and backgrounds should be given opportunities to sit down with the Vice Chancellor and hold them to account. If elected, I’ll be inviting all students to an annual meeting with the Vice Chancellor, where students can directly pose questions.  

-          I also believe that we, as a student body, need to come together with the university and engage with them. I promise to sit down with anyone and everyone, academic staff, societal officers, ordinary students- and even Hillary Clinton herself- to improve the education and wider university experience all students receive. I don’t doubt our student’s resilience, so other students shouldn’t doubt mine. I’ll have the tough conversations that are necessary to improve things for all departments, societies and groups on campus. 

No.2 Reform the SU Presidency so that it is accountable: I believe all students want a university where the Student Officers and their decisions are held to account. You can’t be representable if you don’t engage with the students you’re supposed to be representing. That’s why I’m committing to a more transparent union. 

-          Our student body is diverse, dynamic and full of talent. Why therefore would we shy away from sharing with them our plans and what's going on? I’m committed to a Student’s Union email newsletter that every student will receive. 

-          I believe that any officer that is elected must be accountable to the students that put them in office. Therefore, if elected I’ll be committed to hosting regular ‘drop-in sessions’ with students to allow anyone from our student body to question what their Union and their President is doing for them. I’ll also be committing to regular meetings with clubs and societies in order to reflect the views, values and priorities of students from all sections of our vibrant student community here at Queen’s.

-          Most importantly however, I believe that our students know what they want and what they need from the Students’ Union. That’s why I’m committing to improving the regularity of correspondence between the SU President and the student body, and why I’ll be pledging to respond to any email, call or query no matter how small. Students deserve to have direct access to their representatives.

No.3 Reform the voting mechanism: Why is it that most students don’t vote in SU elections or referendums? How can we hope to represent the views of student’s when most don’t participate? Why are performance sheets issued to us at the end of each class, but not votes for the Student Officers’ election? I want to make it easier for students to vote and encourage far more to do so.

-          I’m committed to promoting voting and participation in referendums and elections at the end of lectures, when students are gathered together and directly accessible.

-          I’m committed to investigating the possibility of ‘voting stations’ across campus that allow students to vote. Hopefully, a physical presence will encourage a higher turnout.

-          I’m also committed to introducing a 15% turnout threshold for referendums, meaning that the student body has to vote in order for the Student’s Union to claim to represent them. We can have no mandate for policy decisions that only a minority on campus have endorsed, and the SU must seek to be as representative of the student body as possible.

No.4 Reform the system of personal tutors and expand student welfare provision: As a student who comes from England, I want greater support for those who come to study far from home. I’ve only met my Personal Tutor once since coming to the university and I know this needs to improved. Personal Tutors must have a pastoral duty to students and the Students’ Union must ensure that they are directly supporting students in their academic study. Furthermore, we must ensure that student welfare projects continue to be supported and expanded, with student’s being consulted on its reform and direct application.

-          I believe that Personal Tutors should have to make direct contact at least once a year to their students.

-          I’m committed to a student consultation on the role and access to Personal Tutors, to see what we as a student body wish to do in order to develop the role of a Personal Tutor and the relationships, they build with their students.

-          Furthermore, I believe that student welfare provision must be subject to continuous student consultation so that services are reformed and expanded to serve current needs and requirements. This should also be done on a ‘group’ basis allowing services to be developed to the unique requirements of international students, the LGBTQIA+ student community and other groups on campus. I know that coming far from home, specialised support isn’t always offered to those who need it the most.

-          I also wish to explore the possibility of moving services around campus, this would allow students to be more confident in the discretion of utilising services in a secure and safe environment. I have repeatedly heard from students that they are sometimes not confident, or willing, to enter the Student Guidance Centre when needing to speak to someone.

-          Finally, I want student welfare to be in consistent contact with the students that they see and engage with. We can’t stress enough the importance of supporting all students and defeating the stigma of mental health.

No.5 Reform the referendum and petition mechanism, allowing students to have a greater say in the running of their own union: If you have a good idea, I believe you should be able to put it directly in front of the SU Council. The current referendum system isn’t up to scratch. I’d host petitions directly on the QUBSU website and would make it compulsory that every petition with over 300 signatures be debated in Council meetings. 

-          I believe that students should be able to voice their concerns and opinion on any matters through a referendum system. This would allow student referendums to be more engaging and create reforms by students for students.

-          I also believe that student referendums should have to have designated ‘campaigns’ both for and against- with funding that is accounted for. This ensures we have fair, transparent campaigns to help students make up their minds. No debate should be silenced within the Students’ Union, especially one that seeks to represent the entire student body.

Put simply, I want to make the Students’ Union a Students’ Union again- empowering students with the tools they need to enact reform. If you feel similarly then I urge you to trust in me, Toby Vinson, to be your next SU President. I want a new Students’ Union, led by students, for students.

VOTE TOBY VINSON, AS YOUR FIRST PREFERENCE. TOBY VINSON – A NEW STUDENTS’ UNION LED BY STUDENTS, FOR STUDENTS.

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Facebook: @TobyVinsonQUB