Candidate for the position of Education Officer

Ben Davies

About Me

Hi guys I’m Ben, one of the candidates for Education Officer. I’m a 21 year-old student from Liverpool in my final year at Bath studying Computer Science. I spent my placement working with our Navy’s fleet of Submarines at BAE Systems helping to design and build a new line of Subs.

In my spare time I like to be as active as possible. I’ve always been involved in competitive Swimming and I often take time out to teach kids how to swim. As well as this I love taking part in endurance events, having done the Bath Half and Tough Mudder. As a result of my involvement in these activities I decided to start participating in Triathlons. In July I took on and completed the Bolton Ironman. This consisted of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike and finished off with a 26.2-mile run, all to be completed in one day. Other activities I really enjoy getting involved in are Skiing and Football; I’m quite often found on the AstroTurf pitches playing in the 6-a-side tournaments.

If elected, my top priorities will be:

  • Obtain online books for set textbooks to save on student costs and space
  • Increase interaction with Alumni to help secure placements all around the world
  • Create an application with the location of free rooms and computers on campus
  • Bring in animals during revision week and exams to combat stress

View manifesto

Manifesto

Hi I’m Ben and I want to be your Education Officer!

During my time at Bath, I’ve got involved with many aspects of academic life, from simply being an academic rep to challenging the University senior management team at CSSU meetings.

I’m committed to making a real change here at Bath and I want to ensure you have the best experience possible!

As your Education Officer I’m determined to make the following a reality:

Academic Animals

  • Exams and revision periods are incredibly stressful times. I want to help you de-stress by holding events on campus with animals for students to spend time with.

Course Concerns

  • More information about module choices. Have video recorded sample lectures/unit outlines available for students when choosing modules.

  • All modules release course notes and online material before lectures.

  • Assignment email reminders to ensure work has been submitted correctly and in the right place.

  • Higher rates of anonymous marking and online submissions to save on travelling to University just to hand something in.

  • Departments to submit lists of deadline dates to students at the beginning of the year and to incorporate this into MyTimetable.

  • Obtain online version of set textbooks for all modules to help cut costs for students.

  • Mid-semester evaluations rolled out across all departments so that lecturers can work on feedback to improve your lectures rather than lectures in a year’s time.

  • Continue to campaign for University wide compulsory recorded lectures that can be viewed online when revising or if a lecture is missed.

Placement Priorities

  • Regular updates from the University about all the changes happening to your course, campus and the University itself to combat the disengagement students can feel whilst on placement.
  • More regular contact from placement tutors (monthly emails) to offer support for all areas of placement life.
  • Cross-departmental communication to help students see where other placement students are located to sort out housing and socials with people in the same area.
  • Better engagement with placement reps to involve them in all levels of departmental discussions and decisions.
  • The large Alumni population we have at Bath is not fully being taken advantage of. I want to establish better links with these Alumni, as there is a potential for students to undertake placements with them all across the world.
  • Lobby the University to provide more support for those on low paid and unpaid placements.
  • Increase the number of students who have the opportunity to study abroad.

Solving Space

  • Continue to find alternative solutions to the lack of space on campus.
  • Lobby to expand the library and find solutions to the overcrowding - replace books and journals with online versions.
  • Create an application with the location of all free rooms and computers on campus.

Please get in touch over Facebook, Twitter (@BEN4ED) or at bjd26@bath.ac.uk it would be great to hear from you!

Finally, make sure you add me on Snapchat (BEN4ED) to check out everything I’ll be doing over elections!

So Vote Ben for Education Because it will #BeBetterWithBen

CTV Manifesto video URB interview Twitter
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Snapchat: BEN4ED