Ahead of the close of voting in the latest Students’ Union Elections tomorrow, The Linc has asked all VP candidates why they should have your vote.

Here is what the VP Academic Affairs candidates had to say:

Voting will close tomorrow. Photo: Lincoln SU.

Connor Roberts

“I’m running because my time in Lincoln has been the best time of my life but it can still be improved. Like other candidates I have faced problems while at Lincoln, such as my dissertation and personal tutor leaving mid-year, and struggling to balance a job and my studies. My aim is to make students’ academic experiences more convenient, this might be through the creation of app, standardizing how we pick our module options and are assigned dissertation tutors or making the rep system more effective. The tools to solve some of these issues are already with us, the app can be designed and created by students here in Lincoln, offering them vital experience.

As a rep myself I felt that I was too reactionary, it was difficult to reach all my course-mates and find out what issues they were having, I want to give reps confidence training and reward them for proactive behaviour, this coupled with a university wide recognition system, like WALL, will hopefully encourage more students to become reps and be more active in their course.

I have many more ideas I want to bring to role and encourage everyone to ask me any question during shout-outs or if they see me.”

Jack Frederick Dos Reis Silva

“A course rep is the best way to have the student voice heard and if that course rep is not fulfilling their role, they should not have the role. Students deserve course reps that effectively represent them.

The Rep Evaluation will happen at the end of the first term, the School Rep and Student Engagement Champion will come together and review what the rep has accomplished and relevant events they have attended such as Student Rep Forums and Subject Committee meetings.

When they have reviewed what the reps have attended there will be a follow up meeting with the reps who haven’t been attending events and these meetings will be individual meetings.

Blackboard is our main website for collecting lecture and seminar slides along with receiving online grades, important documentation along with important links to your email account, the library etc. Many schools currently have a website but I plan to have them more personalised.

Personalised features will include who the course reps are along with the school rep, links to purchasing tickets for events held at the University such as Quack, Propaganda, shows at the LPAC etc. Also, BUCS fixtures will be shown, students will decide what is on their school’s website and the design will be finalised by the student representatives.”

Tommy George

“This year I am running for Re-election into the position of Vice President for Academic Affairs at The University of Lincoln Student’s Union.

I believe that both individually and as the team, we have had many successes throughout this academic year so far, and I would like to continue this work. The biggest success of all comes in being present and on the ground with students, something that I promised in my first campaign.  Other wins can be seen in my ‘SUgesstions’ completions, such as plug sockets in lecture theatres and early access reading lists.

For the next academic year I have 4 key manifesto points which can be found on the Lincoln SU website. Firstly, and my biggest focus is digital tools. Our University has a large range of digital tools, however, we must make sure that these tools are accessible to everyone, no matter what. I will aim to achieve an increase in usage of lecture recording systems across the University.

I also want to focus Academic Opportunities. We have loads of chances for students to apply their learning, from conference funding to outreach programmes. I want to work alongside academic societies to give every student different experiences, making them more employable.

Lastly, as always your voice with me will be as loud as ever before, with our representation system continuing to grow.”