Top Priorities
Our manifesto is public on the KCLSU website, and we invite everyone to give it a read to better understand our long term vision for the Student Union and the University.
In short, we were elected on a platform of practical and pragmatic improvements that would directly benefit the lives of our students. Some examples include: longer opening hours for study spaces, electronic graduation certificates for international students, and introducing better food at our kitchens.
However, there are definitely more long term goals that we have carried forth from our predecessors, such as sabbatical officer empowerment, expanding the student representative program, and the NUS disaffiliation referendum.
Getting things done
Our manifesto is not a manifesto of conversation, it is a manifesto of action. When you ask me “which policy is my top priority?” Well, every policy is top priority. Just like how every student is our top priority.
It is true we do not have much time, but that is why it all comes down to preparation ahead of time.
Ever since I found out my election victory, I have gone above and beyond to talk to all the necessary staff and companies that will make my manifesto a reality next year.
I want to also pay tribute to all my vice presidents who will be serving with me next year, because they are working equally as hard to make sure their manifesto points can and will be delivered.
The Democratic Reform Policy:
First and foremost, I believe that KCLSU should be the voice of the students to KCL, and not the other way around.
I recognise the hard work that staff of the KCLSU do. However, I believe the students could be better represented through a student assembly. The lack of a proportionally representative electoral body means decisions do not always reflect the goals of all students. All other student unions have one, why don’t we? Why should KCL students be barred from more direct representation in these important affairs?
If we have more students involved in the decision making process of the Student Union, it would democratise the union. And that is exactly what we need for a student union under student leadership.
SU Political Neutrality Policy
Ultimately, we believe the SU should be a place where all students with varying opinions and affiliations are welcome. This would not be the case if the SU actively took stances on current political issues.
As written in my manifesto, I will fight, tooth and nail, for our students’ rights for freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, and freedom to protest.
However, with that said, these should be powers that rest solely within the student societies and student groups, and not the Student Union whose responsibility it is to represent all students at King’s.
The Shuttle Bus Policy:
I intend to pursue this through both the Student Union and the University by opening discussions with bus vendors and seeing how they can offer better prices. This is consistent with the KCLSU’s commitment to promoting the use of affordable public transport and if implemented, would have a transformative effect on students’ lives, especially those living in the insular campuses like Denmark Hill.
Many universities in London with scattered campuses have already proven that this is possible, and without too much university funding. Once this is ratified and funding is allocated from the university, we will be able to turn it into a reality.
The shuttle bus campaign is already an initiative started by my friend and Student Trustee Samira Omar and is backed by Faiza, the president of the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience Student Association (“IoPPNSA”), the Academic Association in Denmark Hill. The campaign petition is currently ongoing, I strongly urge all students to go sign it on the KCLSU website. It will hopefully be ratified and passed this year, which will mean that all we have to do next year is sign the necessary contracts and it will be a go.
The Manufacturing Internationalisation Policy:
I understand your concerns. However, moving manufacturing to places such as China will lower costs for students. We will be applying the highest standards in our procurement, in keeping with legal compliance, as well as barring manufacturers which engage in modern slavery or other unethical practices.
This policy is encouraging global cooperation to better reflect the international mindset at King's that expands beyond national boundaries, especially in these times of global tariffs from America, we want to promote more international trade and cooperation.
The KCL First Research Policy:
I am proud to be a student in a world-leading institution such as King’s, I say it as it is. We have some of the brightest minds gathered together in one place, and in this job market, it is my responsibility as SU president to ensure this talent is best applied through our jobs and research opportunities, to make sure our students are equipped to tackle the wide variety of intellectually challenging endeavours they’ll face in the wider world.
Our students’ tuition fees are exactly what is keeping the lights on at our university. That is why we must ensure that our opportunities must go to our own students. There are plenty of job opportunities offered by the other universities in London that their students could fulfil.
I am proposing that if two students could not be distinguished in terms of merit, the one from KCL should be given a greater preference, as it would improve the outcomes of KCL students. This will raise our students’ employability rates, which improves our league table rankings. These improved rankings would attract higher quality students in subsequent application cycles, contributing to a positive feedback loop, where our students are getting employed, and our university rises in the QS rankings. I’d like to emphasise that meritorious students from other universities will still be awarded spots in these programmes to ensure that our high standards are maintained. However, with this weighting, it will be easier for KCL students to stand out in a sea of what may seem like random chance and get the opportunities they deserve!
The Campus Safety Policy:
I have already spoken to the Campus Security managers and the Dean about security measures.
One major piece of work we wish to push next year is a mobile app called “SafeZone”, which I have on my phone and it is already published on the app store. This app allows students to contact Security, call for First Aid, or quickly get in touch with Emergency Services.
SafeZone has been deployed to great effect by the University of Glasgow during the Berlin terror attacks, and we very much believe it has great potential to help improve campus safety at KCL.
In regards to harassment and discrimination, while it will be ever-present, we aim to mitigate the impacts and effects by first, making it easier to report such incidents, through our promotion of the “SafeZone” app. But also reducing these incidents through bringing light to the benefits of our diverse community.
At the end of the day, we want to commemorate our diversity, because that is what makes KCL great. That is why, we are pushing to put in foods of different cultures in our kitchens, that is why we are going to put up culture festivals, and that is why we want to celebrate our differences, because diversity is our strength.
The Representation Policy
I have spent many hours with the different demographics of our university. From praying in the prayer rooms, to going to karaokes with the Vocaloid society. I have attended all manners of events hosted by societies catering to all the different demographics of our student body.
I will continue my ironclad friendship with all of KCL’s societies and their incoming committees going into my presidency next year, working closely to ensure that their needs are all represented within our policies. Going back to my commitment to implement a student assembly, it is policies like this that see wider representation of the various groups and communities that comprise our diverse student body.
Continuing legacy after leaving office
If our policies are good enough, effective enough, and popular enough, then I should hope they would continue after I leave office.
An example of this is our Agenda for the Students’ Union, set forth by our current officers this year, whose legacy we will surely uphold going into our term next year. I have published a few declarations and proclamations on our website, which you can find in the Linktree of my Instagram. I also have a blog that students can subscribe to, to receive updates from my Press Office. We are doing all this to leave a mark on the history of our student’s union so that our successors can enjoy the hard-won spoils of our struggle.
ENDS
The Office of the President-Elect welcomes members of the general public to peruse the new website.
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