Your Candidates for Education Sabbatical Officer are: 

 

VIRAAJ SINGH KOCHAR

Advancing Together: Improved Quality Teaching, Feedback & a Better Experience For Every Birkbeck Student

My goal is to ensure that Birkbeck University remains at the top of innovation, academic quality, and student satisfaction. I pledge to :

• Promote innovative teaching and valuable feedback from the students.
• Encourage improvements in scheduling and assessment methods.
• Enhance collaboration with Course and Academic Representatives.
• Make sure that student opinions impact improvements in education policy.
• Encourage a welcoming and encouraging environment on campus for everyone.
• Actively listen, show empathy, and act decisively to ensure the wellbeing of the students.

In conclusion, my manifesto is a commitment to work on behalf of every Birkbeck student to raise the quality of education, enhance student representation, and improve the overall learning experience.

WILLIAM SARENDEN

The 'Will' For a Better Education

My name is William Sarenden, I’m a philosophy student with a love for debate and representation. Having been a part of the Birkbeck community for 2 years, I have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. However, Birkbeck’s commitments to accountability and communication needs urgent attention. It’s time for Birkbeck to transform into an educational institution it ought to be: one that functions efficiently, prioritises students, and fosters open communication and support.

As your Welfare Lead for this year, I have already addressed numerous student concerns. From changing the AI policy to ensure students know how and when they can use Artificial intelligence, to organising the Food Pantry for those in need and creating an Anti-Loneliness campaign to cultivate a stronger sense of community. Additionally, I’ve implemented several free resources for students, including critical information about safety on campus and the cost of living. Having studied previously at two other universities, I firmly believe that Birkbeck can strive for excellence and do better for its students. 

My key Priorities are:

1. Improved Communication: Implement measures to ensure consistent and timely communication, especially with regards to enrolment, timetabling, and assessment results, along with clear response time standards for emails.
2. Enhanced Course Representation: Revamp the Course Representative system to effectively incorporate student feedback, collaborate with the college, and introduce new benefits for students. 
3. Create Study Spaces: Create additional areas outside of the library where students can relax, socialise and study comfortably. 
4. Standardise Timetabling: Standardise timetables to get dates early, provide adequate preparation time for exams and classes, promoting better organisation and planning for students.
5. Optimised Support Systems: Overhaul both the 'Mitigating Circumstances' and 'Ask' systems to better cater to student needs and ensure efficient resolutions of issues.
6. Artificial Intelligence Awareness: Making sure there is AI guidelines on what can and can’t be used in all assessment guides, while also getting the University to review its policy at least once a year. 

These will not be my only priorities throughout the year. I will continue to listen and work with students on issues that arise through each term. To work with the college to foster a better relationship between staff and students and work with departments to develop course content in line with what we want as students. Having been both course and academic rep for my class, as well as this year’s Chairman of the Student Union, I have the Knowledge, experience, and drive to achieve all these points, to have a lasting impact on your experience. I continue to meet with the New Vice-Chancellor raising your concerns, speak with our University Governors to highlight key issues, and communicate with heads of faculties to champion for the changes we need. I have the will and passion to be a voice for you, to work with you and not against. 

If you want a university that is kept accountable, if you want someone who listens to your voice and if you want change that lasts, then vote William Sarenden for Education 

 

UNPGR

Freedom of thought is to not pay to sell your thoughts. Heterarchical proposition election; personally willing to donate 21 hours weekly towards. Feel free to vote your time (As much or as little as you would like) in on this as well if you would like via yourselves or representatives.#LetsDoItTogether

Hi - hope you are all doing fantastically well? 

I'm interested in securing 10 000 - 100 000 signatures on this petition / manifesto hybrid - Not interested in the paid position. But I will take it to encase it in acylic and build an artistic installation of a food bank for people to put in and take from as needed. 

Really just looking to open the conversation with Governement about a workable, honest and ethical free education system proposed to them that would see costs of running realised through city wide whip rounds and deffered payment installments by future employer(s) or self for any profitable business endevour post education with all universites becoming 100 + 0 institutions and no group illegally enslaving the existance of students from constuction projects or held infastructure etc. as where is the sense in taking away every mans/ womans right to build away through cartelism so imperialists can profiteer simply from the will to learn of others that do the 'crime' of being alive at the same time as them when having such passion and desire. 

Unfortunately, the department of education doesn't believe in democracy to the point where it actually writes back to me - so I would like to try it like this.

Also I would like to make it so that companies wanting to present at universities should pay students unsolicited advertisement fees and further more I would like it so that they don't direct the intellect of students and education to feed their industrial plans as it seems to be that the practice to privitisation of paying to be illegally enslaved on an unpaid internship through the education institution to the corporate companies seems to be developing. I've gained this understanding through some field research and not just my next question but does anybody else question why the reception staff wears 'Customer Services' embroidered on their shirts when they walk into the place? 

I would like the Fashion Police to make viral Tick-tocks of handing such people fines if you wouldn't mind? 

Also I would like to see it so that there is a vast range of books available directly and for free either in physical form or digital as to each individuals preference but I don't think the model of picking a specific author to social influence, not having enough for an entire class available and sending students to the corporate partner bookstore to be further illegally enslaved into the pardaigm highlighted above is healthy, sustainable, morally acceptable or appropriate for a great democracy.  

I woud also like to establish a free to access, free to unilise free trade peddling centre, for everybody who learns better by doing and for those wanting to do without breaking the laws that breach everybodies right to liberty anyway.   

RAJ K

For The Student By The Students Vote RAJ K

Dear Friends,

I (RAJ K) am standing for the election of the Education Sabbatical Officer. My earliest perceptions about Student Council started at first year of Birkbeck University, when I had some innovative and revolutionary ideas towards it as I was in the committee of the student council and today it is time to make a change.

Completing what’s incomplete and perfecting imperfections are what the entire Student Council devotes itself . Student Council is certainly not lacking in ideas. Students from diverse cultural backgrounds often came out last year with innovative and progressive proposals and plans. I believe implementation matters more than simply vision, and whereas the latter occurs just in minds, the former one can only happen with effort.

From my perspective, we are here to serve but not to be served. A group of students who aim to help and serve the student body in terms of organizing activities and offering volunteer opportunities reveals the true identity of the Student Council. I am firmly convinced that we live in a world full of disparities between the “haves” and the “have not’s”.

Apparently and fortunately, most of Birkbeck University students fall into the have not’s category, where we live at the bottom of the pyramid with no inherent privilege. Hence, understanding and action towards the real society that occupies the majority of the population plays an indispensable role in terms of global citizenship and great responsibility.

The major project I aim to achieve in this university year is to render resources and provide opportunities to each individual member of the Student Council for the fulfilment of their objectives and perspectives about community service and charity. Personally, I am  a creative person who often comes up with feasible and fascinating new ideas.

 However, by giving opportunities and including all the members, it not merely facilitates progress but helps others to obtain a sense of accomplishment.  I hope to have a fulfilling and exciting university year with all the students from Birkbeck University

Vote for Raj K ---Education Sabbatical Officer