Want to know what your SU Reps have been up to?

Your SU Reps were elected by you to represent students, listen to what matters and work on the issues you want to see change.

Rep Roundup is your regular catch-up with them. Find out what they’ve been working on, how their plans are coming along and what they’ve got coming up next.

Alicia - SU Representative (Governance) 

Since starting the role in July, I’ve been working hard to get the hang of this unique job and hit the ground running to make life better for our students. We’ve had lots of training since then, as well as Trustee Chair-specific training that I’ve been doing to support my role as the SU Rep (Governance).

I went to an SU governance event run by NUS in Liverpool with our CEO and Deputy Chair, where we discussed the best ways to approach governance. I’m hoping to explain more about how governance works this year, so watch this space.

Speaking of governance, I’ve also been working with the University Board of Governors, attending meetings where important decisions affecting students are made. It’s important that there is a student voice in these meetings, and I’m pleased to bring that perspective.

We’ve also been interviewing applicants for a new External Trustee for the SU Board, and we’ve had great candidates. I’m excited to work with the successful applicant.

It’s not governance all the time though! We went to Leeds for the NUS Lead and Change event, where we met officers from other students’ unions and received training on creating change for students. It was interesting to chat to people from across the student movement.

We’ve also had planning meetings here at Lancashire SU, both as a Rep Team and with other departments. It’s been inspiring to get to know the teams that keep our Union running and see what’s coming up this year.

Emma and I also went along to Disability Pride at Preston Flag Market, which was a great opportunity to build links with local organisations. We’ve also had visits from local politicians to talk about issues facing students.

Outside the SU, I’ve been campaigning for more accessible pavements and improving local buses, as well as speaking about poverty, welfare and student voice at various events.

Adam - SU Representative

Over the last couple of months, I’ve been working hard to get ready for the year ahead. Adjusting to a completely new role has definitely been a challenge and there’s been a lot to learn, but I’m excited to get stuck in and hopefully get some great results for students.

I attended the NUS Lead and Change event in Leeds, where we heard from speakers from Leeds University and NUS before getting into groups with student reps from across the country. It was a really valuable opportunity to talk about how we can better represent students, share some of the issues our students are facing and learn more about what’s happening across the wider student movement.

While I was there, I met a Rep from Lancaster who was interested in our Take Me Home scheme. Since then, I’ve been working with him and sharing what we’ve learned to help them get something similar set up at Lancaster.

Since starting my role, I’ve also attended my first Students’ Union Board meeting. Being part of the Board means I get to have a say in decisions about how the SU operates and how we can best serve students. I can’t share everything that gets discussed in Board meetings, but there are some exciting things in the works, so keep an eye out!

A big part of my first couple of months has been meeting the people who keep the SU running and figuring out how we can work together over the year.

I’ve had regular meetings with our CEO, Stef, who has been helping the whole Rep Team settle into our new roles and answering the many questions I’ve had along the way! I’ve also been working closely with Hannah, our Director of Membership and my mentor for the year. She’s been helping me develop my priorities and understand what I can realistically achieve, as well as helping the Rep Team get student petitions set up on the SU website.

I’ve met with our Comms Team to talk about how we can use social media and other channels to keep students informed, and I’ve had a couple of meetings with Ian, our Social Enterprise Manager. We’ve been discussing ways we can make Lampworks more exciting, as well as some of my plans for the year and how we can work together to make them happen.

I’ve now met with every department across the SU and started building those relationships, which will hopefully help us turn some of my ideas into action over the year.

Finally, I’ve been spending plenty of time with the rest of the Rep Team. We’re in constant contact, sharing ideas and looking at where we can work together on different projects. I’ll also be supporting Alicia with her work to make the SU more accessible and transparent, and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together over the year.

Emma - SU Representative

I am currently a second-year Health and Social Care FdA student and am passionate about representing students and helping to improve their university experience.

Before becoming an SU Rep, I served as a Course Rep during the first year of my course, which gave me experience in listening to student feedback and communicating students' views.

I am excited to get started in this role properly and to make the most of the opportunity to represent students. I look forward to meeting new people, hearing your views and helping to create a positive and inclusive experience for everyone.

On my action plan, I have two things I’d like to achieve this year:

1. To get a Sensory Room in the SU

I would like to support students who experience sensory issues and give them a quiet room to get away from the noisy university environment. I am looking to hold a focus group with students to find out what they would like to have in the space, so if you want to get involved, please email me.

1. To get free food for students to help with the Cost of Living crisis

I would like to help students struggling to buy food on campus. I am planning to do a food drive for Christmas and link up with the Essentials Hub, which already provides a great service for students.

Since my role as SU Rep started in July, I have been busy with SU training and Lead and Change, where I met students from different universities, as well as attending Board meetings. I also attended Disability Pride at Preston Flag Market with Alicia, where we promoted the University and the services available here, as well as having some great conversations with students and members of the public.

I also spoke with a new student and helped her create a petition about car parking, which I found really rewarding.

Fatima - SU Representative

Since starting my role in July, I’ve been getting to know the SU, taking part in training and starting to plan what I want to work on this year. I’ve also completed Community Organising training, which was a great opportunity to learn more about listening to students and bringing people together to create change.

As an international student, I know how difficult moving to a new country and starting university can be. I want to make sure international students feel welcomed, supported and able to speak up about the issues affecting them.

One of the main things I want to work on this year is timetabling. I’ve heard from students about long gaps between teaching and how difficult it can be to balance university with commuting and part-time work. I want to speak to more students about their experiences and work with the SU to see what we can improve.

I also want to look at the cost of living, particularly for international students. Things like course fees, finding part-time work and the cost of food can put a lot of pressure on students. I’m interested in practical ways we can help, including affordable food, promoting part-time job opportunities and potentially setting up a book swap.

Another area I want to look at is access to lecture recordings, slides and other teaching materials. I want to find out what students are experiencing and whether access is consistent across different courses.

Finally, I’d like to look at Halal food on campus and find out what students would like to see available. There’s lots I want to work on, and I’m looking forward to meeting more students, hearing about your experiences and working together to make positive changes.