Vote Liz for A&O 2024!

Hello everyone, I’m Liz, a third year Molecular Biology and Genetics student, and I’m hoping to be your Activities and Opportunities Officer 2024/25!

Why me?

• I’ve been a part-time officer with the SU for the last two years (International (EU) students - 2022/23; Invisible Disabilities - 2023/34) as well as the chair of the Student Officer Committee for both years
• I am currently the Accessibility and Inclusivity Sports Executive. With my working group I am making sure all our 57 sports clubs are inclusive to all students
• I am on the Union Council sub-committee for Appointments and HR and was the chair for the Democratic Procedure Committee
• This last year I was elected Part Time Officer Student Trustee, allowing me to sit on Trustee Board
• I am the current women’s Water Polo captain for the Swimming and Water Polo Club

What have I been up to in the last two years?

1. Organised a rally to show our support with staff during the redundancies cuts #SaveUEA
2. Passed a motion at Union Council “Separate the Public from the Powerful” to make sure the peace and welfare of students is put first during tough times
3. Launched Inclusive Sport Strategy pushing all 57 UEA sport clubs to follow the criteria

What are my pledges to you?

Provide cheaper food options on campus: with the cost of living crisis it is difficult as a student to have enough money for a healthy weekly food shop or find cheap food on campus. I will change this by providing cheaper food options.

Make UEA a campus that’s accessible for all: whether this in form of tackling physical barriers or making sure students are aware what’s available on campus. I will make sure all students feel welcome.

Make UEA more inclusive for women in sport: pushing ‘This Girl Can’ sessions and making sure all clubs (where appropriate) and Sportspark facilities are accessible and inclusive to all female identifying students.

Reinstate club and society of the month: Even though they are nominated and voted on, they are not celebrated which I will change. I will bring back the monthly club and society instagram post to celebrate our community.

Push Give It A Go: a programme that gives students the opportunity to get involved by offering one-off activities. I will make sure this work is kept up, expanded and students are listened to.

Fairness in society grant distributions: smaller societies are sometimes overseen when distributing grants. I will change this to make grant distributions more transparent.

Support academic societies: with funding being cut to our schools, academic societies are more essential than ever. I will continue Luke’s work in supporting societies in gaining funding and running events.

Is something missing in my priorities? I'm here to listen.

email me at l.bigalke@uea.ac.uk