Education Officer: 13 Candidates and Plenty of Pledges

Photo Courtesy: Mary Hinkley via Imagestore

The countless posters across campus, the fliers being handed out and the large banners are a testament to how competitive the race for Education Officer is this year. Thirteen candidates are currently running to make an impact on academics at UCL. From study space availability to the assessment feedback students receive,there is an abundance of ideas.

As a common frustration among most UCL students, the lack of available study spaces is a key issue multiple candidates are proposing to tackle. Angela Escobar Brown has proposed utilising UCL’s unused spaces, telling Pi Media that UCL should make “pop-up study spaces that would be added to the study tracker” providing “for more group space”. She has also suggested lobbying the university for an SU building with study and relaxation spaces. Both Sarah Jilani and Kate Goodall have also called for more study space, with Goodall proposing extended library hours to deal with demand, adding that the SU has become a “zoo”.

However, it is not only the availability of study spaces that candidates have focused on. Four candidates have proposals on their quality or layout. Accessibility of study spaces for disabled students is an issue discussed by both Jasmine Chan and Yasmin Hanan. Arabella Liu pledges to install more private booths across campus “to support the needs for private meetings or phone calls” she told us. The idea of napping on campus has also made a comeback in this year’s election, with Sasha Lawson campaigning for nap recliners to be introduced to the UCL campus. She told Pi Media that she wants students to be able to “have a power nap on campus without it being uncomfortable”.

The application of the skills learnt by students at UCL is a major issue among the candidates this year. Jasmine Chan has proposed a term three for internship opportunities and more career guidance, stating that it would be “quite beneficial”. Juan Sebastian Rubiano Chona has also called for an internship or shadowing-based term three, while Shuyun Yan is campaigning on mentorship programs between students and staff. Leaning on UCL’s alumni pool, Lian Neha Holden is instead proposing a mentorship scheme with former students. Expanding intercultural exchanges has not been left behind however, with Julia Roquette’s proposal to expand year-abroad options, and language learning, to new courses.

Despite these three issues dominating space on posters plastered across campus, plenty of other ideas have been voiced too. Assessment feedback was the target of a few proposals, of which Kartikey Ambulkar calling for an open dialogue between students and staff. The infamous conversation about student fees have also motivated a few candidates, with multiple candidates suggesting scholarship options should be more prominent, while Muhammad Ali Ozain campaigning for fairer fees.

For those who wanted cheaper meal options, Sasha Lawson is campaigning to secure discounts with local restaurants. And for those worried about credits, Angela Escobar Brown told us at Pi Media that those who lead a society or sport team should have that position “count towards their education in some way”. Will leadership elections become more competitive in coming years?

Taking over from the current officer, Shaban Chaudhary, whoever wins this race will be tasked with representing the academic interests of UCL students. This includes dialogue with the around 2,000 academic reps at UCL and leading the “Education Zone”, the hub for education-policy discussions within the SU.

At the Leadership Race afternoon, of the 13, only a handful attended. Our opinion editor, Lucy Reade, spoke to four of them, providing the quotes above.