Plain Text Manifesto

Ellie for Postgrad

Because Postgrads Deserve Better

My Priorities

1. Late Night Street Food – for cheaper post-Pop and UniExpress snacks on campus
2. 24-Hour Buses – to go with our 24 hour library
3. Ask A Postgrad – for support and advice through applying to postgrad study
4. No More Library Fines! – Because let’s face it, they suck, and the university can afford to take this unnecessary burden away from students. Instead, you just can’t take new books out until you’ve returned old ones.

About Me

• Chair of Warwick SU Student Council
• History MA student
• Dirty Duck Staff
• Development Exec Member 2016-17
• VP and Social Sec of Warwick Conservatives 2015-17

Don’t forget, undergraduates are able to vote for the postgraduate officer! That’s why I have policies that affect all students, not just postgrads. If you have any comments or questions, please get in touch, and scroll down for a plain text manifesto!

Better Accommodation

• Properties for PGs – I’ll work with Warwick Accommodation to reserve properties in Coventry specifically for Postgrads, to ensure we all have a decent place to live. It is crucial to prevent postgraduate students being temporarily housed in hotels at the start of their courses in a housing crisis that keeps occurring.
• Accommodation Offers– We need to improve communication between Warwick Accommodation and Postgraduate students applying for housing. I’ll ensure all students have received offers at least six weeks before their course starts
• Affordable Rent – I’ll campaign to ensure rents are of good quality and affordable on campus and in the local area, in both existing and future developments like the new Cryfield Village

Better Education

• Fair Pay – Postgrads are an important part of the teaching staff at Warwick, but unfortunately there is such a disparity across departments and across different types of teaching. I’ll be a strong and experienced voice in working with postgrads and the university to standardise fair pay across all faculties.
• Mental Health – Mental well-being is crucial to a good university education, but unfortunately, there is such a difference in services across the university and departments. I will ensure the quality is improved and more equal across academic faculties, by lobbying for departments to introduce welfare tutors.
• Scrapping Library Fines – The university can afford to lift this unnecessary burden from students, and so I’ll work to ensure students are no longer held back or hindered by something we no longer need.
• Sorting Study Spaces – I’ll work with the education officer to increase awareness of the study spaces available across campus, especially in term three, and look into building more study spaces in future years. I’ll lobby for the PG Hub to open 24 hours in term time, and provide free hot water for postgraduate students
• Keep Wednesday Afternoons Free– Not all postgrads (for example, me) have a clear timetable on Wednesday afternoons. We need to change that, and ensure all postgrads can enjoy university enrichment just like everybody else
• Ask A Postgrad – I will connect undergrads looking to apply for postgraduate courses with students already studying at postgraduate level, to offer support and advice during and after the application process

Better Campus

• Street Food After Your Night Out– Students living on campus shouldn’t be penalised for doing so. Whether it be burger vans after POP! or a Friday night chip van, I will lobby for more late night street food options on the piazza.
• The Graduate– Postgrad engagement in our SU is still not good enough. I’ll expand the postgraduate programme, including quiz nights and board game evenings, and out of term social events. I’ll provide more resources, support events, and create a more welcoming atmosphere in this underused postgraduate space.
• 24-Hour Bus for a 24-Hour Library – Late night studying shouldn’t be ruled out for students living off campus. I’ll lobby Stagecoach and National Express to run a service every hour from campus in between the current timetable, so all-nighters in the library don’t have to be until sunrise
• Better Vacation Buses – Just because it’s week 11, it doesn’t mean campus shuts down! So many students, especially postgraduates, still need transport in vacation, so I’ll lobby for a more regular service outside term time from Stagecoach and National Express

Better Community

• Postgrad Reps – I’ll introduce postgrad reps in societies and sports clubs to improve postgraduate engagement into Warwick life, and provide increased funding and resources to support this
• Postgrad Fairs – Many postgrads come to Warwick not knowing what’s on offer with societies and sports clubs. I’ll hold fairs in Postgraduate Orientation Week, tailored specifically towards postgrads to encourage engagement in these groups
• Better Democracy– This year, many positions on the postgraduate exec were not filled. I’ll work to improve postgrad engagement in SU democracy by encouraging more students to run for positions in the Autumn elections, and ensuring the Postgrad Exec is more active than ever before
• The Postgrad Post – I’ll set up a weekly newsletter for postgrads – especially part-time, mature, and distance learners – to keep them up-to-date with life at Warwick

Thank you for making it this far, remember to vote at:

www.warwicksu.com/elections

And follow my campaign at:

Twitter: @ellietheking            Facebook: @ellieforpostgrad