Hello!
My name is Calum Brown, and I am your current Vice President Education at the Students’ Union. After such a close election for the Union President role and much consideration, I know that I still have so much to give to our student community. I want to make real change, regardless of the job title. I am both experienced and determined enough to seek more effective change for your education here at Stirling. As mentioned in my previous manifesto for Union President, I do believe consistency and experience are key for effective change. If re-elected as Vice President Education, I plan to continue working on the following areas:
Enhance Our Education:
- By using my experience in the role to positively influence the planning and implementation of university decisions for the foreseeable future when it comes to the balance of in person and online teaching. I am already involved in these discussions and would like to continue the progress made for students.
- Education has changed because of the pandemic. We need to focus on balancing re-engagement of students into a campus lifestyle whilst also respecting the flexibility and suitability of remote learning. As someone who has experienced and supported the benefits of both, I believe I can communicate students’ views to Senior Management.
Modernise Our Mental Health and Wellbeing:
- Complete the Student Mental Health Agreement between the Union and University.
- Create a parachute group for students who choose to drop out of university, helping them in the next stage of their journey – informed by students/ex-students.
- Increase and renovate the Wellbeing Space in the library.
Develop Our Discipline and GBV Policies:
- Lobby the University to invest in more Investigative Officer’s to speed up discipline process – currently cases are months behind.
- Integrate a separate, independent, and professional organisation to investigate sexual violence in the University’s discipline cases.
- Seek implementation of a Gender Based Violence module for all new students, like the St Andrew’s University model.
- Support the Help Not Harm campaign to explore a restorative approach to minor drug and alcohol cases.
Increase Our Inclusivity and Accessibility:
- Help remove the stigma that classrooms cannot be used. If it is empty, you can use it and the tech inside!
- Re-implement the students’ rights to their ARRUA provisions.
- Integrating permanent Hybrid Learning options, keeping education more accessible.
- A New Vision for Education: Push the relevant Govt departments for student funding to cover the cost of living. Students should not suffer by choosing further education.
Together, we can continue to Make Students’ Lives Better!