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Candidate for the position of President

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Johanna Korhonen (SU 4 YOU)

Vote Johanna Korhonen
#1 For Students' Union President

 

I am the current Vice President for Arts, Law and Social Sciences

 

I have great knowledge of how the ARU Students' Union works, I have established many useful connections across the University, and I care deeply about every student in ARU. I want everyone to have a personal connection to ARU Students' Union and feel part of the ARU student community.
 
I want these four key words to set the direction to my campaigns: 

visibilityfocusinclusivityefficiency

 

If you vote for me and I get elected as

the SU President

I will campaign for:
 

                1. Officer visibility and accountability

                2. More focused faculty representation & solving issues efficiently

                3. Represent minority groups more effectively

                4. Create a more sustainable Anglia Ruskin University

                5. Continue to lobby for more student space & permanent bar

 

 

1. Officer Visibility and Accountability
 

I propose all Elected Officers have monthly scheduled drop-in sessions so students can easily reach out to them. I will explore different ways to gather feedback, such as social media polls and ensure that the Elected Officers are accessible for all students. I will also mandate the Elected Officers to create visible and accesible monthly updates to increase the accountability. This aims to clarify how the Elected Officers represent students within the Students' Union.


2. More focused Faculty Representation & solving issues efficiently

I will guide and encourage the Elected Officers in building connections in their faculties to make the Students' Union and University partnership stronger and more effective. I want to empower reps to hold the University and the Students' Union to account and solve faculty specific issues more efficiently. I will propose regular scheduled Faculty Forums so that all students have a safe place to bring their questions and concers. This aims to result in more faculty- and course-based issues being solved more efficiently.


3. Represent Minority Groups more effectively

I propose regular scheduled minority group Forums irrespective of minority group reps, as I think Elected Officers should also be representing these groups and I believe all students should have an equal opportunity to be heard. I will also work on more academic representation of minority groups in collaboration with Anglia Learning & Teaching, where I have created valuable connections. This aims to create a more inclusive ARU.


4. Create a more Sustainable Anglia Ruskin University

I will create more collaboration with the ARU Environment team, who I have collaborated with previously, for instance regarding recyclable take-away containers and recycling. I will lobby for more green space, less printing (so students have less printing to pay for), and better recycling on campus. This will results in more sustainable and environmentally-frienly ARU.


5. Continue to lobby for more Student Space & Permanent Bar

I will continue the discussions regarding student space, holding a firm view that ARU students deserve a permanent bar. I will also encourage and promote more alcohol free events and continue to lobby for increased amount of social student space. This will promote a positive and welcoming ARU community.

 

 

As the current Vice President (Arts, Laws and Social Sciences) 

I have successfully campaigned with students for:

 

1. Less Printing and more Online Submissions

With an aim to reduce the cost of printing for students, the Deputy Vice Chancellor is taking lead on this project, and University is aiming to move all possible submissions online. Books+ is currently being reviewed by the University and the possibility of its use for printing is being discussed
 

2. More support for International Students

I have put in 100% effort to be there for international students from the first day of international orientation, to iCafe events, and to feeding forward students feedback with the International Student Reps to ensure that international students in ARU feel as supported by the Students' Union as possible
 

3.  More Food Variety

I successfully collaborated with Cambridge Catering team to introduce 10 recipes that students suggested and voted for, which the Catering Services trialled in Cambridge, and additionally introduced seven other recipes that students suggested on their 6-weekly menu. Discussions of the Recipe Trial happening in Chelmsford are ongoing.


4. Clearer Communication

I proposed changes to both the Students' Union website and the University website to make these clearer to navigate. I have began conversations with the University's Communication & Marketing department regarding a central events calendar, and have been championing the increased communication on social media in the Students' Union. I also co-host the new Students' Union radio show on Cam FM.
 

I have also

been involved in the discussions to improve the IT Services across the University
 
been involved in the discussions of Halal food labelling, successfully securing clear Halal food labelling in the canteens
 
been involved in a University wide project 'Active Curriculum' determining how students will learn in ARU in the future - I'm co-chairing the Co- and Extra-Curricular Learning working group
 
supported the Vegan Society to run a successful 30 Day Vegan Pledge 
 
supported the Green Society to start conversations about better recycling on campus
 
supported a student in creating a digitised Student's Renting Guide for Private Housing (this will be on the SU website soon)

 

I have also supported Course Reps to make concrete changes on their courses, such as 

more flexible submission-times for Channel Island students, recycling bins to printer rooms, getting students an extension because their lecturer missed multiple classes, securing students a break between back-to-back lectures
 
If you are now thinking, there's one issue on your course that could be solved - I can help you!
I believe these small wins are often the most significant because they make everyday student life that little bit better!
 

That is why, if I'm elected, my focus will be visibility, inclusivity and efficiency!

 
If you want to see all this and more next academic year...

Vote Johanna Korhonen #1 for SU PRESIDENT

 

I have also teamed up with

Blessing Raimi (BME Rep Cambridge)
Zinnia Thorpe (Vice President FST)
Eliza Torres (Vice President FHSCE&FMS)
Jamie Hall (Vice President LAIBS)

To create an inclusive and effective ARU Students' Union with a vision to improve YOUR student experience!

Vote wisely, choose #SU4YOU