As Semester 2 begins, I want to take some time to reflect on my first few months as your Students' Union President. This reflection piece is primarily aimed at keeping you informed, share progress, and provide transparency about the decisions made and the direction for Students’ Union at Bournemouth University (SUBU), as well as to highlight our priorities and vision for this semester.
Firstly, I want to thank you for trusting me to represent you. Since taking office, I have worked diligently to make your voices heard at every level of the university, and ensure SUBU delivers its charitable objectives for students. My primary goal is to make the student experience as good and inclusive as it can be, and I’m working with the SUBU team to ensure that we work with students to achieve this.
When I started this role in July 2024, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I was told by my predecessor that no two days are the same as President and that has certainly proved to be true, but seeing the results of my hard work and the recent improvements made to the student experience has made it all worth it.
Key Involvements
One of the most interesting parts of my job is attending meetings. In addition to lots of internal SUBU meetings, I have sat on five Academic Offence and Fitness to Practice panels. I have represented students in a range of BU meetings including University Board Meetings, Student Voice and Engagement Committees, and worked with the Students’ Union Board to approve our strategic goals and objectives for this academic year: ending student loneliness, activating experience and life for work, attracting talent, and empowering with compassionate support.
I also delivered five induction talks, where I spoke to 1,500 new students and delivered a speech to over 5,000 graduates and their guests at BU’s 2024 Graduation Ceremonies.
Thus far, I have led on the organisation of several events, including the Black Culture Fest, the Student-Owned Business Fair and Studentpreneur Q&A and Networking Evening, and the ‘Pain Your Potential’ vision board session.
I have also started working on not only expanding jobs opportunities available to students, but also help them prepare for the job market through a range of events and initiatives, and encouraging them to start their own businesses. As part of this, I am collaborating with CareersBU and your Vice-President Student Opportunities (Jeffery) to deliver an afternoon workshop – the Stand Out Series -, which will equip you with the skills and confidence you need to apply for top jobs. To find out more about the event and book your place, click here.
In addition to organising events, I have collaborated with SUBU Advice to introduce free breakfasts pantry packs at Lansdowne and we have fitted cereal dispensers in BG301, the Students’ Union room in the Bournemouth Gateway Building. We also launched “Cheap Eats Tuesdays”, where every Tuesday, students can get hot meal for only £3 at Dylan’s Kitchen & Bar.
Lastly, I played an active role in Speak Week in November, helping to select our key themes and gathering feedback from students directly, and discussed the importance of the Student Voice, its impact and how student feedback is acted upon with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Alison Honour; you can find out more about this here.
Priorities for Semester 2
While we’ve made significant progress in Term 1, I recognize there is still much to be done and I remain committed to fulfilling my promises and improving your experience at BU. Moving forward, and in response to your feedback from Speak Week, we will prioritize cost-of-living initiatives and support students with disabilities.
I am currently working closely with Fatima, your VP Welfare & Community to introduce a range of cost-of-living initiatives that we look forward to sharing with you.
Lastly, I am here to support you, so please reach out with your ideas, feedback, or questions. You can find me in my office on the first floor of The Student Centre on Talbot Campus or email me at SUPresident@bournemouth.ac.uk Thank you for trusting me to represent you, and for your support in making this first term both rewarding and impactful.
I look forward to seeing what this semester has in store.