My name is Elise (they/them), and I’m running to be your NUS Delegate.

Fighting for you this year as your current Postgraduate Officer has been a joy. Representing you at the upcoming NUS Conference in March is another part of representing you that I would love to do. Because I am a current officer, I can take what I learn from the NUS conference and put it directly into my work at the SU. 

When I vote at the NUS conference, I will remember the experiences of UEA students and vote for what you need. I will particularly focus on these two priorities:

I Will Fight the Cost of Living Crisis and Antisemitism in the Student Union Movement.

On Antisemitism - I’m Jewish, and my religion forms part of my drive for justice, fairness, and compassion. Over the past year I have engaged with NUS’s independent review into antisemitism and Lord Mann’s investigation into Jewish students' experiences. I think there is a lot to learn so that no-one else has to suffer. Jewish students deserve to be treated as people, as our full selves, with legitimate feelings and concerns and thoughts and practices, not as just the "token Jew in the room." Nor should it be assumed that we have any particular opinion on Israel-Palestine or that we want to be brought in to the debate - but if we do want to speak on that issue, we should be taken seriously. We shouldn't have to stretegically out ourselves or closet ourselves depending on what issue is being discussed. The only assumption that should be made is that we, as Jews, have a right to a voice, and that voice is valuable. I've chatted to members of NUS staff about antisemitism a number of times and I have only ever been met with respect and humility. I really do believe that NUS wants to make things right with Jewish students and the more Jewish voices we have in NUS the better.

On the Cost of Living - This is something that faces all of us, and something I have always cared when it comes to SU activism. Back in 2017 I was on the founding committee of the Oxford SU Class Act Campaign as the LGBTQ+ Officer, and I've learnt a lot coming from there, to doing an MA at UEA, to doing my PhD at UEA part-time and working alongside it while also being on Universal Credit. It was bloody tough, and that's as a person with no dependents BEFORE this particular crisis. I will fight passionately for financial equity for students, and I have a number of ideas for both inside and outside of UEASU, such as how the current officer team are partnering with the Trussel Trust's Pathfinder Project and my plan to lobby the government to increase funding for postgraduate students. 

By attending NUS on your behalf, together we can achieve these goals.

Is something missing in my priorities? I’m here to listen. Email me at e.page@uea.ac.uk.