Talk to me about
Anything and Everything (within reason)
Course
Politics with International Studies
Birthday
29th October
If I only achieve one thing this year
The postgraduate consultation
You will most likely find me
In my office
I can't live without
My phone (yes I know, I'm sad)
If I could have a superpower it would be
The power to control the weather
If I could meet a historical figure
Gandhi
Cov or Leam?
Cov all the way!
Sports or Socs?
Socs
I like playing
Basketball
I like eating
Peaches
I like watching
Films of all genres and languages
I like listening
To the Killers
I like reading
Books of any size, thickness or topic
I have never
Seen a sunrise I wasn't inspired by
Mine’s a…
Diet Coke with Lemon
  • Hidden Course Costs week!!
    Sun 31 Jan 2010 17:53

    Hey all!

    As you may know one of my major manifesto promises was doing something about HIdden Course Costs. These are costs that are not provided for by your tuition fees and exculde things like pens and paper.

    Please fill in this short survey so I can have some stats to make the University do something about this:

     

    http://www.warwicksu.com/surveys/hcc/

     

    Thank you!!

     

  • Update on manifesto promises
    Tue 15 Dec 2009 14:28

    It’s the end of the term and it’s been a hectic one. To be honest this year has been a hectic one; final year, campaigning, graduation and the wonders of actually having the post of Education Officer.

    In the interests of transparency in my position I’m dedicating this blog to what I have done and how far I’m getting on with my various manifesto promises:
    1.       Range of books in the library
    This is actually going better than I expected. At the moment if an SSLC comments that there is not enough of one text or there is need for another book I can get it requested from the Library. If you think having a particular book will help your department then let your SSLC know and I can do something about it (hopefully)
    2.       Careers fairs
    The Careers Service has recently caught on the fact that some students are not great fans of the service. There has been a decline in the number of people attending careers fairs and ongoing problems with people continuously taking up careers advisory slots when they don’t need them. However, in the true spirit of being a service there for students we’ve joined forces to help create a ‘careers task force’ of students to find out what students want out of a career and help modify the service to attain this.
    They should be recruited next term and its through them that this service will be improved.
    3.       Free Wednesday afternoons for postgrads
    I had mixed feedback from this one, even during campaigning. There are your PG Research students that can pretty much take off time whenever they want so they are fine, however it’s the Postgrads on Taught Masters Programmes that we’re more concerned about.
    At the moment we’re ironing out the details of a Postgrad consultation that’s designed to find out about what students want and start the ball rolling on what we can do. To be honest, everyone knew it couldn’t be done in a year but Alex and I are still trying.
    4.       Incentives to be part of SSLCs
    The Warwick Advantage Award http://www.warwicksu.com/societies/exec/recognition/ will be THE incentive scheme used for this for the moment.
    I’m looking into getting involvement in Union Democracy accredited towards the Vinspired awards but since this scheme has an age limit it’s not ideal. You’ll get updates if this happens though :)
    5.       Keep the Cap
    Campaigns for tuition fees will begin in earnest next term with the start of the Tuition Fee focus groups I mentioned in the AGM. These will be held in the first few weeks and there will be notices and stuff about that as soon as possible – if you’d like to get involved then please email me: education@warwicksu.com
    6.       Hidden course costs
    I’m working with IT Services, various departments and the University in general to look into the introduction of Course packs that have all the reading materials you’d need for a particular module – lack of space in the University is putting a burner on this one but it’s something that will have to happen in the future if Warwick is going to progress as an institution.
    ITS are also looking at increasing value for money in terms of the service that it provides. This includes things like wireless printing in halls and initiatives to move towards a paperless campus. In terms of the printing costs I’m looking at what people charge in other Universities since I keep hearing the argument that we’re mid-range and I want to check it out for myself. As soon as the ‘Printing league table’ is finished it will be put up on the website to show you guys.
     
    In terms of my year so far, it’s been more than just what I wanted to do. I ran with the slogan ‘putting ‘U’ back into EdUcation’ and it’s something that governs my day-to-day activity. As soon as I get emails from a student or an SSLC I stop what I’m doing to see what you want me to do. Wins are minor but stacking up with that – with Sami’s help we’ve managed to follow up Postgrad issues and I’ve managed a few meetings regarding Westwood Campus. I’m proud to say that I was the first sabb to achieve a win from the University by managing to have a prayer room set up on Gibbet Hill campus for Muslim Friday prayers.
  • Senate and the School of Life Sciences
    Mon 16 Nov 2009 23:23

    There was an emergency meeting of Senate on the 16th of November 2009 at 2pm. The meeting was called with the sole agenda of discussing the implementation plans of the creation of a School of Life Sciences. Both Andrew and myself were there to fight on behalf of the students who came to the SU with their concerns about the proposals. Broadly, these concerns fit under five different categories:

    1.       Continuity of supervisors for PhD students

    2.       Consultation with the students concerned prior to implementation

    3.       Representation on the bodies that  make the decisions about the new School

    4.       Improvement of quality of teaching and research (especially with regard to Biomedical Sciences).

    5.       The timescale (since HRI will receive DEFRA funding till 2012)

    The University answered saying that they can guarantee that students already enrolled would be able to complete their PhDs regardless of the changes. However, they did not guarantee supervisor continuity. In cases where supervisors are being made redundant, the chair of the Board of Graduate Studies, Lee Bridges, said that he will consult with the students on an individual basis to bring about the best solution possible.

    It was agreed that SSLCs would be consulted during the implementation process in order to improve communication. Representation was ‘assured’ on the committees that counted.

    Our comments about quality were ignored whilst Nigel Thrift, our VC, said that the future of Wellesbourne was uncertain after DEFRA funding ran out anyway.

    The proposals for implementation were passed with five people voting against. You will be pleased to know that your SU reps were a part of this group. The failure of the existence of a long term plan for the School prompted the other three to vote against.

     

    Sumaiya and Andrew