Thursday 23-07-2020 - 15:55

As we come to the close of another year, Feisal Haji, your president, has reflected on the academic year and his expectations for his 2020/21 term.

 

What were your thoughts going into the role – how do you feel about it now?

I was apprehensive at first – I didn’t feel like I was ready for it. However, I’ve been pleasantly surprised! It’s been a lot harder than I thought it would be, I was more clueless than I expected, and I had a lot more to deal with but it was all worth it. The role has pushed me to my limits and it has given me the ability to make a lot of positive impacts on the lives of students. the current pandemic especially gave me the skills and experience to deal with very hectic periods.

 

Go on, brag – can you list some of your key achievements over the year?

• Successfully ran a general election registration campaign, including running debates at all four campuses
• Focussed on welcoming international students to Kingston, providing advice
• Creation of job opportunities, including offering sponsorship of visas for full-time Union jobs, creating a new student web-developer role, and changing of the student trustee recruitment process
• First ever UKS officer to have regular personal meetings with the vice chancellor, making sure the students voice is heard at the very top
• First ever UKS president to write the annual accounts report
• Influenced the Uni to create a project group to improve the BME staff and student experience

During the COVID-19 pandemic, what support or achievements have you provided for students?

• Saved students £1.5million in rent by petitioning the university to let students get out of their contract early or to have rent reduced by 50%. That’s right - £1.5 million!
• Sat as a part of the highest COVID-19 uni response group, making sure student voices were heard
• Forced the Uni to stop account suspensions for students struggling due to COVID-19
• Influenced the Uni to open up the Emergency grant to international students with no deadline.
• Influenced change in the finance department of Uni to stop unfairly threatening international students with ejection from the country

 

How have you felt about the year overall?

It’s been a good year, but friends often make a place the best kind of experience, and my friends left the Uni in January. 

 

What do you want to achieve in your role as president for 2020/21 academic year?

To make our university a better place for students, especially the ones who are often ignored and underrepresented.