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) 

We are back in term time!  It is so great to see campus busy again, and to be getting emails from students and chatting to them about what really matters.  I’m also back in lectures myself, which is of course an added pressure on time. Welcome week was really motivating, and I ended up in a surreal situation where I was spending time preparing for a University Governors meeting and taking breaks to visit alpacas or play mini golf!

I've attended the Governors board, along with resource committees, EDI committees and the Disabled Students' Commitment group helping make high level decisions, making sure student voices are heard and speaking with people from all over the university to help make life better for students.

Two of my focuses currently are working on sensory rooms and a 'broken lift' notification system - both are looking as though we will have exciting announcements very soon, which is great after months of work from the Students' Union team, including past Reps. Often things end up taking longer than wanted, but we really are seeing results.

Other areas I’ve been involved in are events such as the LGBTQ+ Craft & Chat session and the LGBTQ+ Community Get Together, along with meeting with many different departments of the University to build relationships and discuss issues faced by our students. I’ve also been helping to set up meetings around student media and with the staff unions. The next steps are going to involve gathering a lot of feedback and other input, so watch this space!

I've been keeping myself busy outside of the Union – I recently spoke on a panel at the 'Student Voices in Higher Education' conference, where I was also able to speak with higher education colleagues from other Universities and Unions about what they and their students are facing. I've been in regular contact with student leaders from across the country as well as being involved with the NUS Liberation Collective. Adam and I spoke at an anti-racist protest in Preston, and I’ve been continuing to campaign around issues such as transport and infrastructure.

A very busy and exciting month – suddenly everything is happening all at once…bring on November!

Adam - SU Representative

This month was the same as the last - very busy! I attended the Welcome Week Move In Day where I helped students settle into university accommodation whilst also taking the opportunity to speak about the Students' Union's plans for students this year.

Then it was straight into the Societies and Freshers fairs, which were an incredible few days getting to meet all of you and having conversations about the Students' Union and the University - this was one of my favourite parts of Welcome Week, being able to welcome all of our new students and returning students is truly an honour and privilege. Whilst attending the Societies Fair, I walked around introducing myself to committee members, learning of how their societies run and what they do. I also took a trip across to the Burnley campus with a couple of my colleagues, Charlotte and Justine, for their Welcome Week event. This was my first time visiting and what an experience it was! We took the chance to promote the SU, Burnley based societies, and had the opportunity to sit in on the Disabled Students Meet-Up.

For Welcome Week, I set up an initiative with the Students' Union to provide free drink covers to students, providing extra safety on nights out – I will also be continuing to work with the SU to provide for education and awareness around spiking.

October has kept me busy; Alicia and I attended a counter protest to the patriots platform – we both took this chance to speak and solidify our stance of standing with the local community. Back at the Students' Union, I've had many meetings, from my first mentoring session as a Rep where I solidified my plans for the year, to attending the Students and Teaching Committee, where I was able to bring a student's voice. The University agreed on a new timetabling policy and made a commitment to have students more involved in such conversations moving forward.

I was also involved in the Sports Petition discussion, having great conversations with Team Lancashire – you can read more about the outcome in the news section of the SU website.

Coming soon, I'm having meetings with Ian, my business buddy to discuss plans for a new mental health initiative.

Emma - SU Representative

Across Welcome Week I spent the majority of my time welcoming new students to the University and spoke with them about the Student’s Union, who we are and what we do for students. During the Welcome period I also attended the Societies fair and Freshers fair, talking to more students about the SU and my role as an SU Rep.

I took part in the Student Group Committee Training, held by the SU, with the Neurodivergent Society, which focussed on collaboration, networking, and practical learning. I attended the sessions on Event Planning, Inclusivity and How To Lead A Student Group.

Next up, I will be holding a focus group to discuss what should be in the SU Sensory Room so if you have any ideas and/or would like to attend that focus group, please email me on SURepEmma-Louise@lancashire.ac.uk and keep an eye out on our website for further sign up information. 

Fatima - SU Representative

Since September I have continued working on my action plan as a Students’ Union Representative, focusing on listening to students, understanding their experiences, and identifying practical ways to make positive changes across the University. This period, particularly Welcome Week, has been a great opportunity and experience to meet new students and connect with different communities, gathering feedback on the issues that matter most to them and hearing their thoughts, expectations and opinions for university life. These discussions have helped identify areas where further work is needed to make the university experience more welcoming.

One of my main priorities at the moment is improving access to affordable halal food on campus. The introduction of halal food options in the Students’ Union Café has had a very positive impact, for Muslim students. I am currently focusing on exploring how this can be expanded across campus, ensuring that halal food is accessible at reasonable prices for students. I hope this will help create a more inclusive campus environment whilst also supporting students with the rising cost of living.

I am also continuing to work on timetabling issues, particularly the challenges students experience with long gaps between their classes - my next step is to gather more detailed feedback through student surveys at upcoming university events.

As students are settling into their academic routines, I look forward to continuing these conversations and finding further opportunities to gather insight, with a particular focus on the International Student Community. There is still plenty of work to do, and I am committed to progressing my action plans step by step, working collaboratively with the Students’ Union to bring meaningful and positive changes to campus life.