Hey gang!
I was recently in the process of writing my SUmmit Officer Report, which is a regular update on what I have been working on is then delivered to members of SUmmit. Whilst writing it, I realised that I have actually achieved loads over the last 3 months! It’s so good to be able to reflect back on everything you can achieve as an SU Officer, and the impact you can have on students. Here’s a little recap of everything I’ve been working on!
· The Multicultural fair will take place on Thursday February 15 in the Edge Foyer and we already have 25 sign ups and counting! This is a chance to connect with other students, meet different groups and discover other cultures as we take you on a tour around the world. Many non-SU groups have signed up too – this was something on my manifesto last year so I’m buzzing it’s finally happening and will come to fruition.
· Newroz – I have had conversations about doing a Newroz celebration this year. Newroz is the celebration of the arrival of Spring and a new year. It is typically celebrated by those in central Asia – hopefully more to come on this soon!
· Postgraduate societies – As you many of you know, the postgraduate experience has been a massive project university wide. I took a paper to leadership (senior management of the SU) to discuss how we could go about making it easier for PG societies to be started. In the past, PG societies have been rejected in the affiliation process as they exclude undergraduates but we have decided to start a trial. After October Welcome Week, a small affiliation window will open exclusively for PG groups. We are yet to decide on the finer details but this will be discussed in meetings going forward with a goal to start the trial in the new academic year.
· Green Dayz – the SU is replacing Green Week with Green Dayz this year. These are our sustainability awareness days but with a Green Day (yes, like the band) twist. This will take place between the 12 and 14 of March, with events in Dartmouth, Campus and around the city. I’m excited to say I have been leading on this as it sits under my remit.
· Food Parcels- As part of my work in the Top 10 around having financial safety, I have been looking into getting free food for students struggling during this cost-of-living crisis. We were told there was unspent hardship money, so SU President Jiji and I have been looking at the possibility of using some of it to create pre-made food parcels and having a food pantry. This idea is currently in its early stages, but I am hopeful it comes into fruition. We are also looking to partner with FareShare to see if we can get something more permanent going forward.
· Prayer Space – The SU Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator Melissa and I have written a paper which will go to EDIC (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusivity Committee) and hopefully they will approve plans to have a purpose-built prayer space for all religious groups to use. In the short term, we hope to be able to get 6WS, which is a study space that is currently heavily underutilise. I will be meeting with Ryan Bird, our chief Exec, and Dr Ghazwa Alwani-Starr, Chief Operating Officer of the University, to discuss what we can do for this issue. This is all well worth the time and energy, as it leads to a more inclusive and multicultural environment which is something I said I would foster as an officer!
· Sent a letter to parliament – I have written a letter to Parliament discussing issues currently impacting students the most right now. The letter called for better student housing protections, a realistic increase to the maintenance loan and for something to be done
about the cost of living. We are currently waiting to hear back from Wera Hobhouse who expressed support for this letter earlier in the year.
· Vape recycling- by working closely with the Student Community Partnership, we are imminently close to having vape recycling points on campus- we are just waiting on the bins to be delivered! Despite the announcement on the ban on disposable vapes, we are looking at around 18 months before it fully comes into effect. So it is still important we provide a place for people to recycle these devices as they should not be thrown in normal bins or battery bins.
· Bath Insights – working with Helen Stringer, Director of Employability and Student Success, we have created a Summer Internship Program, which is paid and includes accommodation on campus! It is called Bath Insights, focusing on teaching practical skills that can be used in future workplaces. It is meant to be an alternative to placements as people who do not go on placement often do not get the chance to learn these important skills. Currently, the program is waiting for the various University departments to figure out job descriptions. By 1 March applications will be open with offers being made by May. Work would then commence on 10 June. Stay tuned for more information if you’re interested! Again, something I wanted to do in my officer manifesto last year which I am over the moon to see become a thing. The free accommodation is massive for students too!
· VC breakfast for cultural groups- on the 14 December I took a group of students each representing different cultural groups. They showcased the diversity of our student body, emphasising the importance of community within the university. I campaigned heavily on cultural representation last year and being able to show our vibrant student body to the man who runs the university is the pinnacle of this!
Phew! It’s been a busy few months but I am so proud of everything we are managing to achieve as an Officer Team and personally within my own role! And in the official month of love, it was so nice to get a little mystery card in my office saying, ‘if no one has told you recently – you’re doing a good job’. To whoever put it there – thank you!
We still have a semester to go which will be very busy with Officer elections, committee elections and other massive events too! I’m excited, I hope you are too. Come say hey if you spot me around campus, or feel free to drop me an email at suactivities@bath.ac.uk or pop into my office in the 1 east corridor or my desk in the Edge 2nd Floor. I love hearing and exploring how to make things possible or just having a chit chat!
That’s all from me anyway. See you around!
Love David Lam
Activities Officer