President’s Update: Summer Edition!

Hey everyone! Thank you for coming to check out my update blog for the summer period. These past couple months have been incredible busy and full of new experiences, connections and lessons. Listed below are a couple of the projects we have been working on:

Ensuring Affordable Food Options

As part of the Big Plan, Hareem and I are leading this theme to make sure that food on campus is affordable for all students. To this end, we are working on two projects: an affordable meal scheme and bringing Too Good to Go to campus.

We have worked with Helena Newton, Director of Campus Services, on both of these projects. In regard to the first, she confirmed that the University will be implementing a £3 meal. This should come into effect during the Autumn Term. In regard to TGTG, the Head of Catering has started actioning it and will check if there are any specific barriers for it. We have scheduled a regular catch up to receive updates on these developments and give feedback from students on the different campus services.

Community Market

Executive Team members for both Societies and Sports Clubs raised that it is getting increasingly difficult to go to competition or put on events with their budgets. In response to this, I have been working on launching a new “SU Community Market” (similar to the Thursday Market), that would allow for them to raise funds throughout the year by selling a variety of products for the duration of the working day. This also creates a more active campus and promotes a spirit of community 😊

The first two dates for the Market have been confirmed (06/11 and 02/12) and we are actively taking applications from Clubs and Societies. So far 10 Clubs and Societies have applied (we will be allocating 12 spots for the market).

Citizens Essex Mayoral Assembly

As part of Labour’s plan to have more devolution power around the country, a new Mayoral Combined County Authority for Greater Essex will be formed. These new regional mayors will have more control over housing, transport, education and employment than councils currently have. In the run-up to the first Mayoral election in May of 2026, Citizens Essex has is organizing in collaboration with community leaders in Essex to hold a Mayoral Assembly to ask candidates from all parties to commit to certain agenda items.  

I attended the first meeting to make sure that students’ concerns and feedback from our campus are taken into consideration. I have also reached out to the Student Leader team from Anglia Ruskin University (Chelmsford campus) to get them involved and collaborate on activations, collection of student feedback, among other things.

BDS Policy

Following the approval of the BDS policy in the SU Council on 10/12, I met with our Chief Executive, Head of Community Engagement and Democracy Manager to revise the clauses within the policy that are actionable within the bounds of Charity Law, as per the Trustee Board’s guidance (The Union will adhere to this policy as far as it is legal to do so).

We are currently checking if we have any products coming from Israel and/or illegally occupied territories. As of the latest update, the only product imported from Israel that we hold at the Store is avocados, which are not available to purchase as of the time of writing. Following this, we will be looking at  products that have ingredients coming from Israel and/or illegally occupied territories.

In response to this policy, I am also leading on a Demilitarisation Campaign to make sure that our university does not have any academic or research partnerships with arms manufacturers. In terms of the actions taken so far to fulfil this goal, I have raised this at my first meeting with the Office of the Vice Chancellor, and am working with our Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education to compile information on the current partnerships that are active. I will also be having a meeting with Demilitarize Education to continue developing this campaign and university policy.  For reference on how other SUs have gone about this, check out this article from Warwick SU.

EU-CIEMBLY Project

Have met and are working with members of academic staff to launch a local citizens assembly, and EU-funded research project that aims to create a prototype for a citizens’ assembly that addresses issues of intersectionality, inclusiveness, and equality. The SU will be involved in the Advisory Board for this project, meaning we will support with the design of the pilot (topic, length of sessions, activities, etc.). We will also support with recruitment to make sure that the assembly is representative of the student body and to publicize its work.

Campaigns & External Engagement

• HSC Campaign
  • Led by Chloe and our Education Team, this campaign is aimed at addressing the working hours and financial assistance for Nursing students. I have reached out to the National Union of Students (NUS), the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) to see how we can collaborate.
• Student Leader Statement and the Gaza40
  • We shared a statement condemning and in opposition to the ongoing genocide in Gaza; as well as in solidarity with the students who oppose it and all those affected by the conflict. As part of this statement, we expressed our support for the Gaza40 campaign, aimed at facilitating a biometric visa referral a creating a safe route of passage for students who hold offers to UK universities who are stuck in Gaza. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper confirmed on 01/09 that the government would comply with these demands. As of Gaza40’s last update, 34 students have reached the UK.
• Student Leader Statement: International Students Belong at Essex
  • We decided to put out a statement regarding the dangerous increase in far-right, anti-immigrant and racist rhetoric that is proliferating in this country, as well as hostile government policy. We wanted to reassure students that this kind of sentiment is not tolerated in our campus and that we will always stand by international students.
• Supporting Our Trans Students
  • Along with 678 other businesses and organizations, the SU signed an Open Letter expressing concern for the EHCR’s draft Code of Practice, as it is set to exclude Trans people from single sex spaces.  We also wrote to our 4 MPs representing students across our three campuses. When sharing this with students, we also encouraged them to join Trans+ Solidarity Alliance’s email campaign. Brighton SU’s Communities Officer has reached out to collaborate in elevating this campaign.
• Universal Bus Pass Campaign:
  • In August, the Transport Select Committee endorsed the idea of creating a free universal bus pass for under 22-year-olds.We supported the NUS campaign that encouraged students to email their MPs to urge the government to implement such a policy. The affordability of transport is an issue that we will continue to pursue as a team. Our VP Welfare is focusing on local stakeholders, and myself focusing on national lobbying
• Students on British National (Overseas) visas
  • We encouraged students to support the NUS’ email campaign to demand that MPs oppose increasing the Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) requirement from 5 to 10 years. You can check out the petition that prompted this debate in Parliament as well as the debate itself via this link

Other highlights

• Worked with Beck, our Hidden Disabilities Rep, to (re)reallocate students to The Houses after concerns were raised on South Courts’ accessibility
• Had our first Student Experience Committee meeting, where I raised concerns on the EHRC’s Code, common room accessibility, and support for late arrivals
• Organized an interview for our essexsu socials with our new Vice-Chancellor to directly respond to student queries
• Created the @essex_su_pres IG account to provide regular updates on what I’m up to
• Launched the Student Leaders Explain series on Instagram
• Got Mean Girls in Cine10 for October 3rd (make sure to wear pink!)
• Attended a variety of training sessions including on our roles as Trustees, our commercial services, public speaking, and many more!
• Presented the Big Plan at the Directors of Education, Library Staff, and SU Staff meetings (will also be doing so for Academic Section & Education Committee!)
• Presented at the August and September Open Days, and advocated for the SU to be more strategically involved for these
• Attended a training session by Students Organising for Sustainability UK on Divestment, Reinvestment and Ethical Finance in universities
• Chaired our first SU Trustee Board Meeting
• Followed up with SWISS to make sure they had a stall at Freshers Fair
• Initiated Student Trustee recruitment process to fill one vacancy