Projects and Priorities
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Students are proud of their Union in tackling issues around race with liberation at the core of its values, and have a clear action plan to address these issues
Working on it
I will embed the BME student voice and liberation through the work of the Union. One of the ways I will achieve this is by establishing and overseeing a race audit of the Union to ensure we are a best practice employer for race equality, in addition to developing a comprehensive action plan to address the findings of the audit.
On top of this, I will run an educational campaign on Phineas’ history and colonialism in relation to UCL, and consider whether the name of the Phineas bar should be reviewed.
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The UCL community develop greater awareness of Black history and engage in critical discussions on this
Working on it
I will build on the 2019 model by encouraging staff and student network collaboration, as well as by hosting a major panel event. I will also encourage departmental contributions from across UCL, and consider the the installation of a piece of permanent public art related to this theme.
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"Students are listened to and recognise their experiences, providing them with a sense of autonomy and confidence to provide suggestions for action "
Working on it
I will achieve this by developing a manifesto for change to present to UCL, and by working with the UCL Arena Centre to promote the range of toolkits and training available.
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Students will feel like they have received a different type of education than found in their degree that will enrich them and teach them histories and ideas that are global and non-eurocentric
Working on it
I will fight for a truly accessible and decolonised education, which I will seek to achieve by campaigning with precarious BME, refugee and International students for rights and scholarships, and by resisting cuts and changes to higher education that hit BME students the hardest.
I will also provide accessible political education and campaign skills for effective student organising, such as through running events that support students' political and personal development.
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Students feel part of a thriving BME Network: an autonomous and energised space they can shape and contribute to making lives better for students
Working on it
I will achieve this by developing a Black Students Caucus. and by reviewing and adopting a new constitution and structure for the BME Network. I will also work to broaden the Network to increase the membership and inclusion of East Asian students.
On top of this, I will fight for tailored and quality welfare and pastoral care, pushing for crisis accommodation and free travelcards for students in need and creating a peer-support network and healing spaces for students.
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Students engage feel part of a broader community that supports the development of young BME students and other communities local to UCL
Working on it
I will work with schools and local organisations to open up UCL and its resources, including with young people in nearby London boroughs in order to build engagement. Alongside this, I will develop a working group of BME students to guide UCL's widening participation work.
I will also focus on helping shape UCL East, working with UCL to ensure that the campus has strong community connections and that
students are involved in widening participation strategy for the campus.Finally, I will provide support and guidance for the inaugural UCL Africa Conference.
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Students have greater access to opportunities that tailor to their needs and understand their rights in the workplace
Working on it
I will work to end the broken pipeline between undergraduate and postgraduate studies for BME students, and collaborate with UCL Careers to enhance careers support. On top of this, I will create new opportunities for student engagement and clearer signposting of opportunities, as well as raise awareness amongst students of their employment rights and the role of Trade Unions.
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End racism and discrimination across UCL in all of its forms
Working on it
I will campaign to Decolonise UCL and push for a more inclusive education and curriculum, commission a report on the BME Student Experience, and work to ensure that the existing Eugenics Inquiry recommendations are implemented.
I will also focus on the issue of complaints, by campaigning for a greater understanding of the relationship between ethnicity and reporting and review, and by codifying informal procedures involving the handling of complaints and reporting mechanisms. Finally, I will report on what departments and UCL commit to with regards to supporting BME students in their education and wellbeing.
What I'm working on this year
This includes:
- Celebration of the diversity of students through organising events like Black History Month
- Conducting a Race Audit of the Union's approach to equality, diversity and inclusion and developing an action plan
- Supporting the development of an International Student Forum
- Building an anti-racist union!
- Building bridges across difference to unite against all forms of hate
- Developing a Guild for Cultural Societies to facilitate their collaboration
- Supporting the Justice for Support Staff campaign
Working with the university to eliminate the BME attainment gap through developing initiatives like:
- Liberation Curriculum Reporting Tool
- BME Academic Representation
- Tackling the BME Employment Gap
And sustaining initiatives like:
- Inclusive Curriculum Health Check
- Inclusive Curriculum Partners
- Curriculum Consultants
More information of existing initiatives can be found here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/teaching-learning/education-strategy/1-personalising-student-support/bme-attainment-project-supporting-student-success
Every BME Students' Officer has lobbied UCL to take it history of Eugenics seriously - we have lecture theatre named after the man who invented the term. And in 2018, UCL launched an Inquiry into its Historical Links to Eugenics. My priority is to continue this campaign, more information can be found here: http://studentsunionucl.org/make-change/what-were-working-on-0/decolonise-ucl
My manifesto listed :
- Pushing for crisis accommodation and free travel cards for students in need
- Fighting for tailored quality welfare and pastoral care
Hi! My name is Sandy and I am your BME Officer this year, making some big changes and carrying on the legacy of predecessors. You can find my original manifesto and my vision for change at UCL.
Find out how to get involved with the BME Network here.
For progress on my projects, you can read my officer report.
~~~~~~MY OFFICE HOURS ARE THURSDAYS 10-11AM~~~~~~
During my time here at UCL…
I edited the Women’s Network Zine called ‘Genderal Studies’ and helped organise feminist events on campus with UCL Medsin (Students for Global Health). I was also the project lead on a student-led volunteer group called UCL Environmental Justice Project, that educated young people on local and global environmental justice issues, and how communities have fought back. I was also briefly part of the PiTV Specials team.
I ran for election because…
Student Unions have a rich history of making positive political change – we have the Eugenics Inquiry and Centre for Race and Racism directly because of efforts in student organising. This collective power is amazing and I wanted to support students to continue this work. Also, meeting people at the Students’ Union and societies through my time at UCL, taught me so much about the world and gave me so much comfort through tough times.
Something you don’t know…
I love to pole dance!
