Election Results 2023!
Friday 10-03-2023 - 20:29
That’s it, the 2023-24 Bristol SU Elections are complete!
Three days of intense campaigning, 75,146 votes, and 6,010 voters later, you – the students, have had your say on who could make your SU greater.
Candidates and voters, we’ve missed your in-person passion. With campaigns involving fun video creations, free cake, and even talking about your manifestos in student club night queues – it’s been an exciting whirlwind of an elections period!
We have had an amazing 20.03% voter turnout, and each and every one of you has played an important role in student democracy.
But who did you choose to lead your SU?
We can now reveal the successful candidates, your newly elected representatives.
Full-time Officers
Undergraduate Education Officer
Nicole Antoine
- Improvement of university services and learning outcomes. Lobbying the university to extend the hours of at least one other library to be open for 24 hours and extend opening times of other buildings on campus, to improve study spaces.
- Ensure accessibility, affordability, and representation. Making sure campus is accessible for all – ensuring student travel is affordable and reliable and working with Bristol City Council to look into the efficiency of bus routes.
- Develop an enriching and holistic university experience for ALL! Holding wellbeing weeks around assessments and exams to make sure students have opportunity to relax – such as Zumba, yoga and puppies!
Equality, Liberation and Access Officer
Saranya Thambirajah
- A wholly liberated, safe university for all students from marginalised backgrounds and identities – with a focus on proactive approaches to trans healthcare and antiracism.
- Ensuring the wellbeing of students is at the core of the university experience with specialised support for everyone’s needs.
- Dismantling financial and unequal barriers to higher education, and ensuring students are supported through the current cost of living crisis.
Union Affairs Officer
Adam Michael
- Continue the reform of the SU's democratic structures by involving students in the agenda setting of the SU Public Forums. SU democratic events such as Student Council and Annual Members' Meeting will also be reformed to be more dynamic.
- Student Groups and societies to be made more accessible by tripling the fund pot for the SU's Activity Hardship Fund, and by liaising with the Alumni Relations Office to increase opportunity for funding and high-profile speakers.
- Finalise the University Guarantor Scheme to make housing more accessible for those unable to provide UK guarantors.
Postgraduate Education Officer
Temilola Adeniyi
- Working closely with the University's executive management to ensure that the academic interests of postgraduate students are represented and addressed- advocating for fair and equitable academic policies and procedures.
- Representing the welfare concerns of postgraduate students, including their mental health and wellbeing.
- Supporting the postgraduate student network to offer a variety of social environments that foster a sense of community and belonging for postgraduate students. This includes organizing events and initiatives that promote diversity and inclusion and providing opportunities for networking and socializing.
International Students' Officer
Bakhtawar Javed
- Belonging:‘1 out of 10 students said they did not feel connected to anyone at the university’ (Bristol SU Community Report Nov 2022). I want to be an agent of change for international students by supporting and developing networks and creating opportunities for collaboration and engagement.
- Accessibility: ‘Students felt communities were closed to them outside of the welcome period, and they missed out on opportunities if arriving later.’(Bristol SU Report Nov 2022)I will ensure that all international students have information and access to all university facilities available to them.
- Graduate Visas: As Graduate Visa and its length is currently under scrutiny and might have a great impact on students, particularly international students, I ensure that I will lobby in the best interests of students.
Student Living Officer
Izzy Russell
- Continue supporting students through the cost of living and housing crises - through cheap food, better housing support and lobbying for national action.
- Making Bristol and our students feel safer by improving harm reduction, consent culture, nightime lighting, and pastoral support.
- Lobby for Bristol to be a sector-leading University in sustainability - putting the climate crisis at the forefront of learning and ensuring all University business is ethical.
Sports and Student Development Officer
Pat Gibbs
- Reintroducing the Sporting Community (the Bristol University sporting family feel) that has been lost due to the pandemic. I will aim to do this by introducing single-day sporting events for as many clubs as possible.
- Increasing Elite Recruitment – pushing sports higher up the list of reasons why a prospective student may join Bristol University, and increasing funding for scholarships to ensure sport does not discourage a top-tier athlete to join Bristol.
- Targeted Sport-Specific Committee Training – having been a club captain myself, I would aim to tailor training for sports club committees, ensuring they have easy and specific access to the required information.
Network Chairs
- Chair of Volunteering & Fundraising Network – Ahmad Abd Halim
- Chair of Sustainability Network – Aleezah Aspinwall
- Chair of Multifaith Network – Dilara Eren
- Chair of LGBT+ Network – Jake Kotelnikov
- Chair of Trans Network – Jamison Jewkes
- Chair of Care Leavers and Estranged Students – Louise Jones
- PGR Network Co-Chair – Minyan Hiam
- Chair of Widening Participation Network – Mitch Ashby-Laws
- Chair of International Students Network – Shivam Khurana
- Chair of Black Students’ Network – Silvio Madueke
- Chair of BAME Network – Zi Qi Sin
Student Council Chair
| Faris “K.A” |
Faculty Reps
Faculty of Arts
- Undergraduate rep - Aleena Garr
- PGR Rep - Vicky Coules
Engineering
- Undergraduate rep - Ana Beatriz Quelhas Oliveira E Moreira
- PGR Rep - Parvesh Deepan
Health Sciences
- Undergraduate rep - Charlie Gazzard
- PGR Rep - Emre Tancan
Life Sciences
- Undergraduate rep - Yanyan Liu
- PGR Rep - Shiza Shaikh
Science
- Undergraduate rep - Yuqi Lin
Social Sciences & Law
- Undergraduate rep - Lucy Loades
- PGR Rep - Antonia Voigt
Student Trustees
- Leonardo Coppi
- Rachel Formby
- Sude Capoglu
NUS Referendum
Under our bylaws, the voter turnout in the NUS referendum was not high enough to be deemed valid (it did not reach quoracy). Democratic Students Committee will now consider this.
Thank you so much to everyone candidate who ran for this year’s elections, and to everyone who cast their vote. You’ve all made a positive impact on SU democracy.
See you next year!
