SOCIETIES OFFICER CANDIDATES
SAM BAYNES
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My biggest priority is to improve student engagement within societies as well as making societies fun for all students. I know sometime being part of a society committee can drain the fun out of being a member. But if I am elected as your next society officer. I want all students to be able to enjoy societies as well as making societies sustainable for the future. |
WHAT ARE MY PRIORITIES/PLEDGES/PROMISES?
1. Reform societies so that they are more accessible and sustainable.
2. Weekly Drop in Sessions.
3. Make societies fun for all students.
HOW WILL I ACHEIVE MY PRIORITIES/PLEDGES/PROMISES?
1. Working with the Inclusions and Communities Coordinator and the Vice-President. I plan and hope to make societies more streamlined so that they are more accessible to students who are not engaged with the Students’ Union as well as for students who do engage with The Students’ Union. It is my hope that through encouraging engagement societies can become sustainable for future students down the line.
2. Once a week I will reserve a two-hour drop-in session which will alternate between zoom and in person meetings. So that any society members can come and talk to me about anything they need support with regarding their society. This drop-in session will also be an opportunity for students who are interested in joining society but do not necessarily know much about them, to engage in conversation and learn more about societies as a whole. The Drop-in will also be a great time to talk to students about societies they would like to see at Newman and get students starting new societies. As a whole my hope is that this will allow students to feel like they are being listened to and they have the loudest voice and that they will be supported when they do speak up.
3. Societies are meant to be fun and give students a chance to enjoying meeting students from different courses under a common interest. However, Societies can sometimes get tedious for committee members and committee members get burnt out and disinterested. I would like all society members to feel like they can have fun in their societies and for committee members to actually enjoy being part and having fun in their societies. I would also want to work with the Events officer and Vice-President as well as society committees in order to get societies involved in events and activities that the Students’ Union plan in order to increase student engagement.
WHY ARE MY PRIORITIES/PLEDGES/PROMISES IMPORTANT TO ME?
My pledges are important to me because during my time as a student at Newman, I have been heavily involved in Societies since day one. I have also always been on society committees and have gained experience in different roles such as Chair/ Vice- Chair for Debating Society, Treasurer for Gaming Society, and most currently Social Sec for the Christian Union. I have seen first-hand how societies can be stressful for committee members to the point that they do not enjoy being a member of the society anymore. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic student engagement regarding societies have dropped, it is important to me that post pandemic the Students’ Union and societies have more engagement, this is why I have made the pledges I have, because being part of a society during my time at Newman is what has shaped my university experience. As society officer I would like all students to have the best possible experience at university and that feel supported and their voice is the loudest voice.
1. Reform societies so that they are more accessible and sustainable.
2. Weekly Drop in Sessions.
3. Make societies fun for all students.
HOW WILL I ACHEIVE MY PRIORITIES/PLEDGES/PROMISES?
1. Working with the Inclusions and Communities Coordinator and the Vice-President. I plan and hope to make societies more streamlined so that they are more accessible to students who are not engaged with the Students’ Union as well as for students who do engage with The Students’ Union. It is my hope that through encouraging engagement societies can become sustainable for future students down the line.
2. Once a week I will reserve a two-hour drop-in session which will alternate between zoom and in person meetings. So that any society members can come and talk to me about anything they need support with regarding their society. This drop-in session will also be an opportunity for students who are interested in joining society but do not necessarily know much about them, to engage in conversation and learn more about societies as a whole. The Drop-in will also be a great time to talk to students about societies they would like to see at Newman and get students starting new societies. As a whole my hope is that this will allow students to feel like they are being listened to and they have the loudest voice and that they will be supported when they do speak up.
3. Societies are meant to be fun and give students a chance to enjoying meeting students from different courses under a common interest. However, Societies can sometimes get tedious for committee members and committee members get burnt out and disinterested. I would like all society members to feel like they can have fun in their societies and for committee members to actually enjoy being part and having fun in their societies. I would also want to work with the Events officer and Vice-President as well as society committees in order to get societies involved in events and activities that the Students’ Union plan in order to increase student engagement.
WHY ARE MY PRIORITIES/PLEDGES/PROMISES IMPORTANT TO ME?
My pledges are important to me because during my time as a student at Newman, I have been heavily involved in Societies since day one. I have also always been on society committees and have gained experience in different roles such as Chair/ Vice- Chair for Debating Society, Treasurer for Gaming Society, and most currently Social Sec for the Christian Union. I have seen first-hand how societies can be stressful for committee members to the point that they do not enjoy being a member of the society anymore. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic student engagement regarding societies have dropped, it is important to me that post pandemic the Students’ Union and societies have more engagement, this is why I have made the pledges I have, because being part of a society during my time at Newman is what has shaped my university experience. As society officer I would like all students to have the best possible experience at university and that feel supported and their voice is the loudest voice.
