SRC President

Jenna Fraser

Hi, I’m Jenna Fraser, and I’m in my final year of studying at Glasgow.

I’m currently the President of Glasgow Student Dance Company (GSDC), the Treasurer of the Accounting Society. I have also previously been involved in other positions within these societies, including Treasurer of GSDC and a year representative for the Accounting Society in my 1st and 3rd years. These roles highlighted to me just how important it is that all voices are heard by the university, from individual students to student bodies to clubs and societies on campus.

My top priority as SRC President would be to ensure that this is achieved, and it is for this reason that I believe I would be a great fit for the role.

From my experience of having various roles on committees, I have:

• Been actively involved in running one of the universities largest student-run societies which has over 180 members.
• Continued to run activities for our members throughout the Covid-19 pandemic to ensure that students were not isolated and, instead, still able to engage with student life, which was crucial for the mental and physical wellbeing of students.

If elected as SRC President, I would:

• Work closely with the VP of Student Activities and the student bodies across campus to ensure that Freshers’ Week continues to be a fantastic and very inclusive week for all students, including those who live at home or away from campus.
• Ensure that spaces on campus are well-utilised so that clubs and societies can book them for their meetings, events, and rehearsals.
• Work alongside the VP of Education to continue to encourage all lecturers to record lectures and other study materials for students.
• Work with the VP of Student Support to ensure that students have access to adequate resources and support for academic studies, and wider issues including mental health and wellbeing.
• Work with the VP of Student Support to ensure that all students are provided with adequate support to transition to university life at Glasgow, with a particular focus on international students.
• Also work with the VP of Student Support and other officers to make the safety of students a top priority and ensure that reports of incidents of all natures across campus are treated with the utmost seriousness.
• Continue to represent Glasgow students at both local and national level.
• Ensure that there is a constant flow of communication and solid engagement with students from the GUSRC through the SRC website and social media platforms.
• Ensure that the services provided by the SRC are highlighted and promoted to students and ensure that, as far as possible, all students have equal access to them.

I strongly believe that all my aims are achievable. I would love the opportunity to be able to push these forward to improve what we have on campus to create a positive university experience for everyone.

Jordan Hunter 

If you are reading this, you have already done more research than most student's, I assume. Despite this, I believe manifestos are a pointless exercise, as student leaders will make big plans they have no intentions of carrying out; notably they often don't do this with ill will but  as a precondition for the hope of being elected. With this in mind here is my manifesto.

1. Fund an SRC Space Program: I believe space shouldn't just be for eccentric billionaires, but should be for everyone. With a new space port in the early stages already being built in Scotland, I believe the SRC should beat them to the punch by starting a space program this year. If elected I promise I will send a student to space before the year is out, and send a different student to the moon by the end of my term.
2. Open an SRC Bar: Everyone says that the SRC is the lamest student union. This is because it doesn't have a bar. I will not only open a bar in the McIntyre building, but it will be the only bar on campus to serve Glasgow's finest, Big Juicy. Additionally, the pub will be home to the best trad nights to compete with Dram.
3. Fighting for Fair Marking: Everyone knows marking is arbitrary, so I will fight to make sure everyone gets a First Degree Classification.
4. Securing our Classrooms from Paranormal Activity: With a university as old as ours it is no wonder there have been so many sightings of ghosts. I will ensure that our learning environments are safe from the spectres that haunt our buildings by hiring ghost hunters and funding research to banish the spirits from these buildings. Some might see this as inhumance to remove ghosts from their homes, but we all know you can't stay in uni forever.
5. Living up to our Hogwarts Association: Seeing as Hogwarts is a high school, and noting how there are currently no wizarding universities, I believe we could make Glasgow University the first accredited wizarding university. I will work closely with the Ministry of Magic to establish a Wizarding Degree Programme and research institute. The name of the institute will be the Snape Memorial Wizarding Institute. Additionally, robes will now become standard uniform and a sorting hat will designate students into their respective unions. 
6. Free puppies: With university being as stressful as it is, I think everyone would benefit from having a free puppy. If you are allergic to dogs we will provide you with a free narwhal, also known as the puppy of the sea.

Rinna Vare 

Hi there! I’m Rinna Väre (she/her), a 4^th year Politics/Sociology student, hoping to be your next President!

If elected, my primary responsibility will be to ensure students’ best interests are at the heart of decision-making at the University and I believe I am the right candidate to represent student views on the issues that matter to us. I will aim to ensure that students feel confident expressing their views to the SRC throughout the year and my job together with other council members will be to facilitate trust between the SRC and the student body.

While wanting to hear from students on the matters that affect them the most, here are some of my goals for the next year. Sometimes change takes time, but I promise to push for these initiatives to get started.

• Tackle student poverty. I will investigate the re-evaluation of the emergency hardship fund criteria to make financial support more accessible. I will also pressure the University to keep costs for students as low as possible. I wish to increase awareness of employment rights and ensure support for student workers. Students should not be punished for having to work to complete their degree.
• Aim to foster a culture of zero-tolerance to any sort of harassment and abuse. Making the gender-based violence Module compulsory is a great step, but I would also like for every SRC affiliated society to have a welfare representative that completes the sexual violence and suicide prevention workshops. I will also continue the work of ensuring the reporting process is transparent and prioritises victim/survivor support.
• Work together with societies and relevant representatives to develop a comprehensive guide for societies on handling misconduct and ensuring societies provide a safe space for all students.
• Tackle transphobia on campus by developing a cross-campus allyship campaign. Provide training for staff to ensure a safe learning environment for all.
• Support the Vice President Education with the project on decolonising the curriculum and ensuring the new Learning and Teaching Strategy prioritises principles of equality and inclusion.
• Investigate the possibility of creating a representative role on council dedicated for estranged and care experienced students. Building on the work started this year, I will support the Vice President Student Support in creating a community for these groups with regular meetups and organised events.
• Pressure the University to focus on improving conditions for existing students instead of seeking constant growth at the expense of current students’ needs.
• Advocate for student voices and especially for students with disabilities and learning difficulties when we move away from campus and develop a new long-term plan for assessment.
• Lobby the University to prioritise harm-reduction in their drug/alcohol policy. I will work on beginning the provision of drug test kits on campus.
• Make sure the University does not sacrifice its sustainability goals and ensure all SRC initiatives align with our environmental values.

If you want to read more about my experience and goals or wish to ask me any questions please find me here https://www.facebook.com/RinnaPresident, thank you!