Six students are running for the role of VP Actvities in the Lincoln SU elections.
The candidates will be hoping to take over from Daniel Sam, who took on the job in summer 2012. The Linc caught up with the candidates ahead of the elections.
Joseph Burt
After seeing the “tremendous growth and change in the Student’s Union”, Joseph Burt wants to “be the voice of students involved in sports, societies, volunteering and activities surrounding this university and also to make changes to give students even more chances in these aspects”.
If elected, Burt said he will “implement more social sport”, “increase the appeal of volunteering” and “increase the recognition of the university as a sports university”.
Burt said: “University is about taking the opportunities available to you, but sometimes they’re not always there for you or delivered best to you. I aim to make sure students have more opportunities and know exactly what is available to them.”
Further details about Joseph Burt, including his manifesto, are available on the Lincoln Elections website.
Joshua Orhiunu
Msc marketing masters student Joshua Orhiunu said: “My experience in Lincoln has resulted in me becoming highly passionate about many aspects of university and has made me to want to make a positive change.”
Orhiunu hopes to “increase student participation and employability opportunities”, “increase the student involvement of volunteering” and “expand the work on equal opportunities”.
He added: “Students make the university so, by being an accessible contact to ensure that all student voices are heard, I want to give the students what they want.”
Further details about Joshua Orhiunu, including his manifesto, are available on the Lincoln Elections website.
Gareth Salter
Third year criminology student Gareth Salter believes that if he was elected that he “would set a new precedent in the SU’s history”.
Salter, whose campaign incorporates video game “Super Mario”, said: “I believe I have the right balance of insight and motivation in order to push the activities this year to greater heights.”
Among his pledges, Salter has proposed “the acquisition and maintenance of minibuses for the SU”, a “focus on growing societies and improving interaction between them on a wider scale” and “bar and club sponsorship”.
Further details about Gareth Salter, including his manifesto, are available on the Lincoln Elections website.
Sarah Sharman
If elected, one of Sharman’s main aims is “to revive volunteering as a whole particularly RAG”, “introduce a volunteering fair and more large scale fundraising events” and “enhancing what has already been established, particularly in a university that is growing and developing so quickly”.
Sharman explained why she is running for the role: “I wanted to make a difference and give something back to the university that has supported me over the last few years. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Lincoln and would love to prolong this, particularly with a role as suited for me as VP activities.”
She added: “I believe this position offers a window of opportunity to create a more interconnected university environment with students becoming more versatile through their extra-curricular activities, and am excited to share my enthusiasm for this to create increased participation within the university.”
Further details about Sarah Sharman, including her manifesto, are available on the Lincoln Elections website.
Robert Stokes
Robert Stokes believes he is the perfect candidate for the role because he is “passionate about sports” and has a “soaring enthusiasm for all forms of sport”.
He continued: “Daniel Sam has done an amazing job for the SU and I am confident in knowing what to do in the role of VP for activities to ensure progression for all societies within the university.”
If elected, Stokes aims to “make a bridge between sporting societies and non-sporting societies”, “propose a monthly meeting for the sporting societies” and he intends to “help recently started societies and work close with them to help them build and progress into a more established society”.
Further details about Robert Stokes, including his manifesto, are available on the Lincoln Elections website.
Jake Tasker
Jake Tasker wants the “Students Union to effectively and proactively represent student body views, raising the student experience for all”.
He added: “I understand that we’re all in this together which is why I want to be the students’ voice for sports, societies and volunteering.”
Tasker’s aims include representing the views of students, “pushing the university to remove Wednesday lectures to free students for sport and society engagements” and to “improve the input from societies”.
Further details about Jake Tasker, including his manifesto, are available on the Lincoln Elections website.