Candidate for the position of Commuter Students Officer

Sally Phillips

Elections Candidate Statement

I would be a good candidate because

Hi! My name is Sally and I am a second year student on the MEdu in Primary Education. As a student who has commuted to university from a small village outside of Burton from my very first day, I am running for the role of Commuter Officer as there are some changes in support that I would like to see.
In my first year, I had the experience of using public transport in order to attend university- taking me at least 3 hours on multiple busses, just to arrive for 9am- and would have to leave some sessions early in order to make the last busses home to my small village. Fortunately, this year I am able to drive to campus- cutting my time down to 25 minutes, but I have still found that there are many barriers. I feel that I would be a good candidate to address these issues as I have first hand experience of the difficulties, but I would also love to consider the issues of those from other areas, and those using other modes of transportation, such as the train. As with my course, I am more than comfortable speaking up for others and in for what I believe is right.

The first thing I want to achieve is

To propose offering lockers, even for short-term rental. As a commuter, I find carrying a full day’s worth of supplies such as food and drink to campus challenging (or expensive), especially on days with long gaps in the timetable, unlike accommodation students who can go home. This is even more difficult as a disabled student, adding to physical strain. Accessible storage options would greatly ease the commuter experience for many students.

The second thing I want to achieve is

Improving student safety. Whether it be travelling on the bus late at night, or getting in your car in a quiet car park, knowing how to protect yourself (should it be needed,) is something that all students would benefit from- not just commuters! To me, having the campus security phone number dotted around inside is simply not enough. I would like to place the posters in a wider range of areas (such as the car parks) and even team up with some of the societies to run basic self-defence classes.

The third thing I want to achieve is

To create a space where commuter students can choose to communicate. Planning your journeys to and from university can be stressful, especially without the support of those in a similar situation. I would like to create some kind of forum where we can find people who may live near us, discuss carpooling opportunities, receive updates from the university on things like the current car park construction, & to let me know of any suggestions, or issues you may be having as a commuter student!

The fourth thing I want to achieve is

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The fifth thing I want to achieve is

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Summary

In short, as Commuter Officer I aim to create a support network to protect our physical and mental wellbeing. The current university support is aimed at those living in accommodation, and it is time for a change. With things like lockers, construction updates, peer support and how to keep ourselves safe- we can create a more comfortable university experience.