Kallum Taylor: YUSU President
York isn’t doing badly, but we’ve clear room for improvement in two key areas. Making the York ‘student experience’ stand out from the crowd matters. It’s not enough to feel good about just comparing with very similar institutions on the outskirts of the top ten. We need to be different, and to follow L’Oreal’s mantra, worth it. Treating students as partners in the design, development and delivery of their education, and wider provision, will be key here. And with more doubt over the value of a £9k degree, York must be brutish in making ties with industry and overseas institutions. It should be ‘the norm’ for York students to spend at least a term abroad or working in industry, in the ‘real world’, as part of their course. These will give both York the edge it needs, and our students the edge which they need to compete. The new VC has to hit the ground running and addressing these is essential. If York stays still we’ll fall behind an ever more sharp elbowed crowd.
Matt Stephenson: Former Vanbrugh Chair
I’m really pleased that the university have managed to find someone with the experience and drive that Professor Lamberts has to offer, and I hope that, with his student-orientated background, he will be receptive to the needs of York students. Because make no mistake, that is the biggest change that needs to come form Brian Cantor’s departure. York has some pretty massive decisions to make over the next few years, and listening to what the students themselves want from their university is going to be key. There has been a lot kept form us here at York over the past few years, and if the students don’t know what direction the university is heading in then how on earth can we let our voices be heard about what we think about it? How can we make things better? I have every faith that Professor Lamberts will be a force for good at York University, and if he gets his approach with the students right then we’ll be on to a winner.
Laura Hughes: Nouse Editor
I’m really pleased that the university have managed to find someone with the experience and drive that Professor Lamberts has to offer, and I hope that, with his student-orientated background, he will be receptive to the needs of York students. Because make no mistake, that is the biggest change that needs to come form Brian Cantor’s departure. York has some pretty massive decisions to make over the next few years, and listening to what the students themselves want from their university is going to be key. There has been a lot kept form us here at York over the past few years, and if the students don’t know what direction the university is heading in then how on earth can we let our voices be heard about what we think about it? How can we make things better? I have every faith that Professor Lamberts will be a force for good at York University, and if he gets his approach with the students right then we’ll be on to a winner.
Dean Hickey: Goodricke Chair
The first thing the new Vice-Chancellor, Koen Lamberts, needs to do is to redefine his own role. Students need and deserve a proactive Vice-Chancellor who is willing to engage with us and take our ideas onboard. We need a Vice-Chancellor who recognises that the University exists for students. Whilst I acknowledge the good that Brian Cantor achieved, one thing he was never known for was listening. With fees at £9,000 for First years and those beginning in September, the student voice has some serious financial clout behind it for the first time. One approach the new Vice-Chancellor could take would be by starting a formal dialogue with YUSU and the College JCRCs. He should strive to sit down and talk to all the JCRCs within his first term. These sessions would be the ideal forum for bringing together opinions from all over campus in a cohesive way and present them to the Vice-Chancellor. This would help ensure that thew new Vice-Chancellor takes a student-centric approach in future decision making.