Beccy Talmy's Manifesto for the Position of Undergraduate Representative on University Council

Beccy Talmy for University Council

Undergraduate Representative

 

Decision-Making Power

The University Council is the main decision-making body of the University: it’s really important for students to understand and be able to feed into how our institution is operating and why.

 

Active Stakeholders

The decisions that the University Council makes are taken and carried out in our name; the fees we pay contribute to financing them; we are stake-holders in the university, and as such we should be being given a proper say in how it is being run, where it is investing its money, and whose interests it is furthering or undermining.

 

Genuine Representation

Because CUSU is our main source of democratic decision making and student representation, I will use a place on the University Council to actively voice CUSU policy. I will always distinguish between personal comments, and input that has the full weight of the student population behind it.

 

Assertive Representation

If the University Council seems to be acting against the interests of students, undermining CUSU policy, or failing to take account of its responsibilities as the decision-making body of a world-renowned, wealthy and influential institution, I will speak out forcefully. I want to make sure that I can explain to you exactly why these decisions are being made, and provide you with the opportunity to challenge them.

 

Open Channels of Communication

I will work hard to keep students informed about what is happening at University Council, by starting a blog and publicising it as widely as possible. You will always be able to contact me and put forward any questions, concerns or ideas that you want me to raise at the University Council. I will make sure that you are kept informed as to when the University Council is meeting, and what issues will be on its agenda.

 

Bottom Up, not Top Down

I decidedly will not be going along to University Council to passively find out what decisions are being made for my own personal interest: I will be there to represent you, feedback to you, and input into the decisions that are being made based on CUSU policy and your ideas and concerns. Decisions made by the University shouldn’t be happening over our heads: we should be actively helping to shape them.