Eppie Leishman has been “faculty coordinator, senate rep and a leading rep in the social sciences department,” but argues that, “that isn’t why you should vote for me.”
Speaking to Vision, Leishman said her dream was to push “academic issues to the top of YUSU agenda” and re-include alumni, with access to an archived version of the VLE, and ensure welfare training for course reps.
Leishaman wants to be “visible, accessible and dedicated,” and is dedicated to listening to “your suggestions, solutions and feedback,” as representatives “should represent” and not be “a spokesperson for the uni.”
Leishman beleives that the answers to the problem of feeling ignored by the University,are to “strengthen the course rep structure and creat more accountability for our departments.”
Concluding her manifesto, Eppie said, “I promise that next year, when you ask yourself what is it that your academic officer’s doing, you won’t just know what it is; you’ll be the one who told me to do it.”
The Tipster’s Odds: 7/1
The challenger in this category, Leishman has her work cut out in battling the power of Osborn’s 24 hour library. Whilst the push for transparency and feedback is a great attribute, the lack of concrete plans for next year might hold her back.
Lack of concrete plans or adaptability?
Does York have any faculties? Or a social sciences department?
I’d say it’s a lack of concrete plans that she’s trying to market as adaptability to cover up her own weaknesses.
Course reps aren’t involved enough in the lives of the people they represent to warrant welfare training. All they need to do is point students in the direction of their supervisor when mitigating circumstances are concerned (and in my experience students can usually sort things out with their supervisors etc without needing course reps). We have a separate welfare rep/team for a reason and if anyone else was to get involved it would make much more sense for it to be society chairs etc. as they spend more time with students.
VLE access for alumni seems like a pretty poor policy to be fighting an election on; I’m certainly not fussed about whether I can look at my old lecture notes once I’ve left. If I was that bothered I’d save copies.