The months have truly flown by, and here I am again, sharing the latest happenings from the RSU over the past month!
Wellbeing Wednesdays Update
You’re probably well acquainted with Wellbeing Wednesdays by now-our initiative to keep Wednesday afternoons free for all undergraduates. However, with the university shifting from 20-credit to 30-credit modules, there’s a new timetable plan aiming to have students attend classes just two days a week in 5-hour blocks. This change is designed to help commuters, working students, and those with caring responsibilities by reducing the number of days on campus. The catch? Classes would mostly fall on Mondays and Wednesdays or Tuesdays and Thursdays, which could disrupt our Wellbeing Wednesdays.
To tackle this, I have proposed a “Keeping Wednesday Afternoons Free” policy to the Student Education Committee. The goal is to find a way to keep Wednesday afternoons open for sports and wellbeing activities while still allowing students to attend campus only two days a week. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this! Our big RSU survey launching on May 6th includes questions about Wellbeing Wednesdays, so please take part and help us keep this initiative alive.
Welcome Weeks for Every Intake – Celebrating April Starters
One of my key goals this year is to support all student intakes equally. Last week, we welcomed our April starters with a mini freshers' fair outside the library, alongside various student groups and services. It was a fantastic way for new students to discover the many extracurricular opportunities available. We also hosted a lively College Cup Tug of War challenge, which brought everyone together for some fun and friendly competition.
English as an Additional Language Support
I’m excited to announce a new project that I am currently working on with university researcher Viktoria Andrushchenko: a free, non-credit English support module on Moodle accessible to all students available from September 2025. Additionally, this will be complemented by weekly in-person support sessions. If you or someone you know could benefit from extra English help, please reach out!
Lobbying for Higher Maintenance Loans
Earlier this month, RSU President Imran Shafiqi and I joined student leaders nationwide at the parliament for another APPG (All Party Parliamentary Group) meeting to discuss maintenance loans for home students in England. As we all know, the current loans often do not cover essential living costs like rent and groceries, making students suffer, especially during the cost-of-living crisis. To combat this, we heard from four expert economists about how to reform these loans to better support students and explored next steps to push for change.
Centralizing University Events
Finally, Imran and I hosted an online seminar with university departments to centralize event promotion. With so many social media accounts advertising campus activities, it can get overwhelming. Now, you can simply visit the Roehampton Students Union website’s “What’s On” section to find all upcoming events in one place-making it easier to get involved and try something new.
Stay tuned for more updates, and don’t forget to take part in the BIG SU Survey!
Reads of the Month:
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Great Cities Through Traveler’s Eyes – Peter Furtado
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The Winner Stands Alone – Paulo Coelho