Candidate for the position of Vice President (Arts, Humanities, Education and Social Sciences)

Demi Smith

VOTE DEMI #1 FOR ALSS VP

Wait, Who?

Course Rep for MA English Literature
Committee member of 3 different award-winning societies
ARU student for four years
Active volunteer
Your next ALSS Vice President?

What Can I Do For You?

Education

For representation - With the recent changes with how students, the SU, and the faculties interact, I will absolutely continue the fight to get student representation at ALL levels of the academic process.
For equality - By working closely with ALL the brilliant liberation, course, and faculty reps that we have at ARU, I can make sure that every student is fairly represented, fairly treated, and able to make the most of their time at ARU.
For the students - The students union is run for students, by students, and on behalf of students. An executive committee with me on it will be 100% honest, transparent, and accessible to all students at ARU, through forums, councils, and every way we can.
For ALSS - By working ever closer with the course rep coordinators and their reps, I can help make sure that every ALSS course can be listened to, heard, and kept updated on where their suggestions and ideas go, from the SU to the faculty and beyond!

Social

Improving training for societies - Following feedback from existing and former society committees, I’ll make sure that committee members are trained in a way that enables societies at ARU to keep getting bigger and better every year.
Improving student collaboration with the union - There’s buckets of proof that societies have a better time through collaboration, and that’s what I want to encourage! Societies working with the union, with other societies, with organisations outside the university, holding events that students love and societies can be proud of.

Welfare

Improving BooksPlus - While the BooksPlus scheme is great, it could definitely be better! A vote for me is a vote for a candidate that will make sure you are getting the most for your money through the BooksPlus scheme.
Improving mental health - With the recent revelations that students are waiting upwards of four months for mental health appointments, I plan on working with Student Services and organisations like Student Minds to make sure ARU students have easy, quick access to mental healthcare.
Improving sustainability - A university in the 21st century has to be conscious of the world around it in order to be an institution to be proud of, which is why I will be pushing planet-saving and cost-saving initiatives so we can all be proud to be part of ARU and the ARU SU.

So, Why Vote Demi #1 For ALSS VP?

As a long-time (LONG time) student of ARU, I feel like I’ve got the experience and the knowledge necessary to really hit the ground running if elected as your vice president for the faculty of Arts, Law, and Social Sciences.

I have been on the committee for the Harry Potter and Anime and Manga societies during my time as a student, but the society role I am perhaps most proud of has been my time as acting President, Social Media representative, and Treasurer of the silver-award winning Film Viewing Society. It’s this experience with the union and working face-to-face with students that gives me confidence in my abilities, and has given me valuable leadership, public speaking, and negotiating skills.

On top of all that, a Bachelor’s degree, and a Master’s too, I am also the Course Rep for MA English Literature, and this has been completely invaluable when it comes to understanding how the SU functions alongside the university.

I’m happy to listen to anything students have to tell me, whether it’s a compliment, a complaint, a suggestion, or even just how their day is going; the part of the job that I know I’ll love if elected is all the time spent seeing how the SU’s actions improve and enhance the lives of students at ARU, which will honestly make all the hard work worth it.