Hello there!

My name is Ivo Garnham and I’m running to be re-elected as your Undergraduate Education Officer! I started this role last summer and would love to continue fighting for improvements to education at UEA for a second year. Coming back to campus has been a challenge for us all, but I have seized every opportunity and established relationships with all the key university figures, meaning I’m in a better position than anyone to bring about the changes we need and deserve.

My policies:

• Effective blended learning: Since UEA moved to “Blended Learning” – moving some taught content online – I’ve been pushing for as much in-person teaching as possible. I’m proud to say this has been a success, with almost 80% of teaching last semester taking place on campus. However, this was not consistent across all courses. I want to monitor how teaching is delivered in each school and for the university to commit to making that 80% a standard across all courses. I also want to continue ensuring lectures are recorded so you always have access to the content you’re paying for.
• Welfare plans: I will campaign for all schools to have full plans on how they intend to support their students. This includes things such as the sensitive content warnings I helped to implement and how students who have to self-isolate or miss classes for other reasons will be supported. This is particularly important for students with placements, such as on Medicine and Health Science courses and apprenticeships.
• More accessible reasonable adjustments: This year I was part of a review of the current reasonable adjustments offered to students with disabilities or learning difficulties. The next step to take is to make it easier for students to understand what these adjustments are, whether they are eligible for them, and how to apply.
• Review of assessments: Last semester I successfully made sure that all possible assessments were open-book and online to ensure they were as inclusive as possible. Next year, I will conduct a full review of assessment types, including what best judges students’ knowledge, what is most accessible to students, and what is most useful for future employment. Yes – this will include tearing the very concept of group projects to absolute shreds.

On top of all that, I promise to continue to fight for the things you care about. I will always be approachable, friendly, and will take your concerns seriously. I’ve made a promising start campaigning on behalf of students this year, from the timetabling review, to getting UEA to commit to reviewing the extenuating circumstances process, to ensuring that a wellbeing quiet space is created. I have always and will always ensure that everybody’s voice is heard and that everybody is treated fairly. It has been the pleasure of a lifetime to serve you this year; I hope you’ll allow me to continue with the essential work I so genuinely and completely love doing.