Joseph Lismore
My objective for the role of Race Equality Officer (REO) is a simple one. It is that no student belonging to University of Glasgow should be discriminated, marginalised or discouraged from participation in campus life because of their race and/or religion. I intend to be a voice for those who feel they are voiceless and play a vital role in standing up for all students on racial issues, whether that be interpersonal or institutional.
I am not going to be a bystander against racial issues that are closer to our communal home of Glasgow; notably the Islamophobia and sectarianism that frequently goes unnoticed on campus.
Every student whether they are from the UK or otherwise should be able to make Glasgow their home. Thus, all students deserve the right to shelter and safety and not upholding this is a grave injustice for many. As a result, I will strive to make sure that no student is disadvantaged by their race in the search for housing whilst studying at Glasgow.
It is my duty to make the University an environment in which every individual feels they belong.
Omar Saleh
Heya, my name’s Omar Saleh, and I’m running for this year’s Race Equality Officer (REO) position! I’m Palestinian Jordanian Iraqi, and a third-year doing Physics and Astronomy.
People of Colour (POC) on campus are automatically disadvantaged compared to their white peers. The University’s racism report (2022) highlights the inequity of opportunities for POC compared to their white peers. It was found that 25% of responders believed the university has a serious racism issue, 50% of POC have experienced some form of racism on campus, and most alarmingly, POC are 10% less likely to be awarded a degree compared to their white peers. I’ll tackle these issues by:
- Convince the SRC to pressure the university’s senior management group,court,and senate to have minority representation on them.
- Introducing efforts to mandate inclusivity courses.
- Making it easier for help to be accessed, meaning more engagement with the university’s colleges, ensuring welfare resources can be accessed on Moodle course pages…etc.
The Scottish government’s housing overview(2021) found that ethnic minorities faced higher risks of poorer,overcrowded housing and homelessness. As REO, I’ll work with the SRC to provide support and guidance to tackle this issue. Examples include creating schemes where leaving and current students are linked to give away housing wherever possible…etc.