What are my qualifications?
I believe the main challenge the next LMU SU president needs to face is the disconnect between students and the SU. If you elect me as a President, I will work hard to facilitate debate on topics relevant to students, such as the EU Interconnection through different ways, and I will encourage students to embrace free speech and political participation. I will encourage greater communication between the SU and LMU students and will, more than any other candidate, give students a greater say.
I have Social Housing experience in Local Authorities and Housing Association ten years plus. I believe I can advise students on Housing & Accommodation issues as and when they require, not limiting the knowledge I can also provide information on legal issues due my studies at LMU where I have completed my LLB (Hons), Diploma in Law and currently in final year studying LLM LPC.
I worked closely with My friend Apsana Begum at Tower Hamlets Homes while I was processing the Right to Buy applications and recently myself and the community from London Borough of Tower Hamlets helped her win the votes for her to be the next elected Member of Parliament for Isle of Dogs (Labour Party). I like working closely with genuine people who are true believers of people from deprived background and I will always give them my support.
What will I change?
Marketization of education. Students have witnessed unprecedented attacks on the higher education sector: from cuts to student grants and bursaries, tuition fee rises and the Teaching Excellence Framework. I pledge to support the National Campaign Against Fees & Cuts and NUS campaigns that improve student circumstances, especially in regards to fighting rising tuition fees and funding cuts to the education sector.
A more democratic SU, catered towards student needs. I will reform the SU into a more democratic, accountable organisation that openly involves students. More needs to be done for postgraduate, foreign and disabled students to make them feel more involved with the LMU community. More events at the SU bar on Aldgate branch and on other campuses such as Holloway, as well as in the city area.
Affordable accommodation. LMU students are, in many cases, paying over £200 a week for accommodation which was supposedly designed to be affordable for them! The quality of our on-campus accommodation does not justify this cost, as students have reported health problems linked to mould and poor living conditions. Students in private housing are often not properly told their rights as tenants, making them vulnerable to exploitative landlords and agencies.
I will fight for a number of solutions to these problems.
- The creation of trained Housing Reps to better aid communication between the SU and students regarding accommodation.
- A guidebook provided by the SU to students, explaining their rights and offering advice on how to get the most out of the housing market.
- Work with the local council to improve housing prices in London.