Hello, my name is Richard Lessey and I am hoping to be your Postgraduate Students Officer this year. I am a second year MFA Choreography student and one of the Programme Reps for the Dance Department. My principal aim is to raise the postgraduate profile- not only in terms of continuing to get our voices heard with regard to issues that affect and enhance our university experience, but also in the ways we, as postgraduates, interact across departments in creating a stronger university community. My main impetus for standing for this role is that I am passionate about student engagement and the differing modes of communication that foster this important endeavour, all stemming from my experiences being at the university and being involved in making the voice of my cohort heard.

As your Postgraduate Students Officer, I intend to continue and build upon the aspirations of my predecessors. Paths to achieving my principal aim will be:

• Creating a networking space for the postgraduate student community to interact both socially and academically.
• Meeting formally with postgraduate programme reps to ensure that our issues and concerns, through gathered feedback, are taken onboard and communicated to the relevant departments. These may include issues such as increased library space, mental health provision and tuition fee and accommodation caps.
• Exploring ways to increase the visibility of job opportunities specifically geared to the postgraduate community both within and outside academia.

Although these are my thoughts on and intentions for the role, I intend to be guided by and work in concert with you, my fellow students. I also bring a range of skills and experience to the role including being a mature student, a former Head of Department at a university (so I have experience from the other side) and the proposed postgraduate representative on the Student Senate for this year. Your needs will be, and are, my priority and in building a stronger, more cohesive postgraduate community we will ensure that our student voice continues to be heeded.

Thank you for taking the time to read my manifesto and when the time comes, make your voice count by voting. I am looking forward to working and helping to improve your university experience.