Extended Manifesto Hello and welcome to my extended manifesto. I have written this extended manifesto to explain in more detail my main plans as well as some of my other ideas that aren’t on my short manifesto. The reason I’m standing to be Union President is because, for too long involvement and participation have been seen as this narrow thing were only a few people try to represent the needs of everyone. So I have been asking the question ‘what if…’ thinking about how much better the union would be if it widened what it saw as being participation and saw students differently. Because at the end of the day, we all want to see a better community, a better education and a better student life here at Kent- and Kent Union should be there to facilitate this. I hope you see this idea running through this my extended manifesto. If you have any question please email me at kl262@kent.ac.uk
What if...
Our democracy made a difference and volunteers felt appreciated
- Give students a real say in their union with a democratic selection of the Union’s priority campaign like at other Union’s such as Leicester. - I have attended every Union Council and most zone meetings at my time at Kent however I think their is a serious issue with a lack of accountability- I will look make our whole democracy system better at keeping our elected officers to account - As a charity Kent Union should better appreciate its volunteers and be there to support them and see them as more then just numbers. Our volunteers should be better rewarded in all student committee’s furthermore I will look at ways in which KSCV award winners could be entered into a prize draw.
-I will work with Marketing to ensure that our Unions website is fully functional and meets students needs with a more clear navigation system and titles to areas of the page - After having worked to develop the liberation strategy, I will ensure that it is fully implemented and that liberation is at the heart of our student union. Making sure that liberation issues are sorted out in our community, the classrooms and in our sports and societies as well as ensuring that it is not solely Canterbury based. - I will work with College committee presidents and liberation campaign officers to help make sure our campaigners are much wider and involve as many students as possible. - I will make all manifesto’s for winning candidates are easily available on the website during their term of office so you can hold your officer’s to account
What if...
Education was at the heart of the Union
- Make sure that during the Templeman redevelopment the University keeps to their promise of not decreasing study space and this cannot come the expense of other essential social space. - I will work towards reducing and highlighting all hidden course costs for students and will lobby for books found in the Core Text Collection to be available in the E-Book format and for rental on eReaders like iPads and Kindles. - I will work with the Kent Graduate School to ensure that Postgraduates have more space, that it is suited to students needs and that they have the resources they need open throughout the year. - As UK’s European University we should encourage greater inclusion of international students looking at ways the University and Kent Union can work to make words become actions with more international events and that they don’t always centre around alcoholic events.
- I will campaign to ensure the University continues and expands its recorded lectures trial
- Work with the VP Education in accessing all departments is carried out on the effectiveness and the speed of all feedback
- Erasmus cuts are really concerning, I will work with the University to ensure that Erasmus schemes are still easily available and are funded so that those on low and middle income backgrounds can afford them
- The current Visa system is not working, putting off many excellent international students, I will work with the VP Welfare to ensure that all international students have the right information about the visa system and with national bodies to campaign against the government’s policies
What if...
Kent Union wasn’t a barrier to sports and societies
- I will consult clubs and societies on what spaces they need in a new Union building and that decisions are made after a full consultation of those involved. Ensuring that dance societies get a dedicated space and that all societies have suitable amounts of storage space. - It’s widely accepted that Kent societies and sports clubs are understaffed I will work to address the staffing levels and ensure all new staff are appropriately placed to ensure our activities get the support they need in Canterbury and Medway. Also I will work with RAG to ensure that we are supporting them and pushing for a staff member for RAG. - Our sports and societies funding system needs reviewing to ensure that all clubs receive the financial support they need. Access to emergency and special funding needs to be made easier and also the process of withdrawing money needs to be streamlined.
-Volunteers need better help from the Union when they are holding events, I will lobby for the University to give out temporary permanence for volunteers holding events - Our clubs need to be able to get where they need to with minimal hassle. I will look to review the existing arrangements to make sure all clubs and societies can benefit from KU Minibuses. - I will work with the VPs Activities and Sports I will ensure that Refreshers Fayre becomes an Annual event at the start of term. Refreshers is a key event for our Sports and Societies and should become a focal point in the academic year. -I will campaign for more society space in Parkwood and Medway and for the C4 building to be made a hub for activities in Medway
What if...
University life was safer and more affordable - I will introduce a termly local price match promise on essential items like bread, milk and butter. Making sure Essentials is competing with alternatives like Sainsbury’s Local and Londis and Tesco Express in Medway. - I will continue to lobby the University for free laundry facilities for all students on campus and for this to be included in your accommodation package. - A safer campus is important, I will work with students and the University to review lighting on campus and CCTV provision. Furthermore I will ensure the Council and University resolve the safety issues with Tyler steps and Tyler hill. - Increase provision of water fountains on campus making it easier for everyone to access free water.
- Campaign for greater variation in the price structure of University of Kent’s accommodation costs on both campus’ so that accommodation is affordable for all. - I will look at ways at making the Venue a safer and a better night out by looking at issues in the queuing system. I will look at ways of streamlining the cloakroom system and speeding up the entrance system by ensuring you can pre-buy admission for Venue for every night and avoid having to pay at the cashier desk - Work with the University to create a friendlier environment for cyclists looking at the routes to Parkwood looking at the way round the cycle path and footpath is and safety issues going down Eliot footpath. - I will work on the success of the current VP Welfare on gaining additional funding for the University’s Access to Learning Fund and ensure that this fund is advertised widely and guide students on applying. - I will lobby on a national level for a fairer student finance support as students in Canterbury and Medway have similar living costs as people in London but we do not get the higher levels of support that London gets.
Find more at my website including my Medway Manifesto at:
www.karl4president.com
kl262@kent.ac.uk www.facebook.com/karl4pres @karl4pres #karl4pres www.youtube.com/karl4pres