Hi! I’m Chaya and I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my manifesto. Get ready for me to (hopefully) Represent. Student. Uniqueness as the new RSU president - woohoo!

I am a third year combined English Literature and History student. That’s how I’m part of Digby. I am also part of Southlands through leadership in Music, Froebel through independence in Fresh Network and Whitelands through teamwork in societies. I am culturally African, Asian and European (I guess American too if you count my time abroad!) so I am diversity personified and enjoy every second of it.

That is why my campaign is going to focus on diversity through the one thing that we students come to University for. Freebies. Okay, maybe a bit more than that but food will definitely be a factor!

Let’s start with what I want.

Your views. That’s all.

I will try my level best to make sure everyone gets heard wherever they fit into the jigsaw that is Roehampton University. I need all the parts to make a beautiful vision come alive.

Now what I think you want:

·         Cultural and Religious events that cover the world, not just the west

·         More diversity across all the modules in all courses, in first year at least. We need our dream of a diverse campus to be reflected in the thing that makes us a University. Our degrees.

·         More day time, non-alcoholic events so people off campus can come and commute back before dark

·         Food from all cultures with each day being a different continent, so homesick people can eat and others can discover new cultures

·         Continue to make dietary requirements like Kosher, Halal and Vegan available and clearly labelled across campus, as well as make mocktails a regular part of the usual menu at the Union Bar- people get stigmatised for not drinking alcohol which isn’t right.

·         Developing the Roehampton app- it just disappeared after welcome week and could be used for so much more, especially for student engagement

·         Approachability in the RSU- I’m in third year and still get nervous when those automatic

doors swing open. That shouldn’t be the case.

·         College specific common spaces available 24/7 that only people from that college can go to. I am a flat rep for Shaw and see the impact of no social spaces- not knowing neighbours is for when we leave University and actually adult.

·         Make starting societies and sharing ideas easier. Our ideas page is very transparent which can be scary so I wish to provide alternatives to allow more people to share their ideas.

·         Continue to lobby for better security

·         Continue to develop the Consent and drugs and alcohol workshops-  eventually online courses should become part of the enrolment process so that there is no excuse to not understand boundaries and adult life- adults become criminals for these things and it should be treated exactly the same on campus

·         This bullet point is for you- what do you want from Chaya?