SU23 - Our questions to Equality and Diversity officer candidates

Questions to Equality and Diversity officer candidates, Saj Khan, Sheá McCourt and Manya Ranganathan

What’s your number one priority?

Saj: The first point on my manifesto is to empower exploited students. On the face of it, this is a meaningless platitude, particularly when compared to my other points that are tangible and measurable goals. In my view however, it is the most important. It is about building a student movement, and creating an ethos of solidarity, by ensuring that students themselves have the power. Currently students are ripped off in terms of the education they’re paying for, ripped off in the accommodation they’re meant to live in, and unrepresented in the rooms that make decisions that hold so much weight over their lives. As Student officers in a union we are only as strong at the negotiating table as the students we represent. Power only listens to power, and we as a student body already hold the cards, but we’ve been tricked into thinking we should fold.

Sheá: My number one priority as cliché as it might sound, is giving a voice to those who feel silenced by an unfair and selective system. I want to help; I want people to be able to express themselves and do so without fear of repercussions. I think it’s really important that everyone has the opportunity to be seen and heard! I want to focus on current Queen’s policies and reworking them to better support and serve the student body. So far as school rep for SSESW, I’ve been working on reworking faculty harassment and student protection policy. I’ve been focussing on ensuring that students genuinely feel safe and secure in Queen’s - which is incredibly important.

Manya: My main aim as your Student officer would be to make each and every student’s voice be heard. I will strive to ensure that I create a safe space for every student to express their opinions and concerns. At the same time, I will be your go-to solution person. I will work to create an atmosphere of inclusivity in the university where there are no discriminatory practices, and everyone has equal opportunities. I will be available for drop-in sessions in the Students’ Union and will always lend a listening ear to anyone who needs it. 

Six months after you start, what real differences will Student Parents and Carers see in their university experience?

Saj: This is an issue that has personal significance to me, as my mother had to drop out of university when she became pregnant with me, and I can only imagine how different our lives could have been had she received the support she needed.
The biggest issue facing student parents and carers is childcare while attending uni. Whilst there is a Queen’s creche, it is unaffordable for many and the waiting lists make it outright inaccessible. This is an issue that requires pressure and lobbying of Queen’s and the City Council to ensure greater funding and more wide ranging support. Having spoken to parents/carers, they explained the biggest issue to be a lack of awareness about what is available in terms of support, so a priority during the summer will be to ensure informational exchange with the University so we can target these students for support ahead of enrolment.

Sheá: Six months after my election, I’ll have put measures in place to better support student parents and carers. These could range from policy changes to group crèche sessions, where students with kids could drop into the Union to maybe catch up on work or work on assignments, meanwhile they take it in turns to supervise their kids. I think this will be an amazing opportunity to support our students in their academic journey and also help them balance personal and academic aspects of their life. Regarding policy changes, I’ll aim to have implemented and changed current Queen’s policy regarding students with dependents to make it more student friendly and accessible to those who may need it. I really think it’s important that the current resources are made accessible and clear to student parents and carers, something like financial support or extensions could be a great help in their busy lives.

Manya: I plan on arranging day-care facilities on campus for children of student parents to stay in while they attend classes. I would also encourage more age-appropriate activities to be planned to keep them and other dependants busy. These would be carried out in both accommodation sites and the Students’ Union.

How can you represent the needs and interests of International Students?

Saj: Internationals are promised a safe and inclusive experience at Queen’s, yet all too often their experience is one of being isolated, vulnerable and exploited. I want an SU that’s inclusive to all, and doesn’t treat International needs as secondary. By ensuring there is a multi-faith room in the SU, I hope to foster an environment that is welcoming to all and promote the message that the SU caters to all of its students. 

University management views Internationals with dollar signs in their eyes, as an infinite source of revenue, who aren’t in a position to change the system. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Internationals wield so much power, and despite the variety of countries and cultures they come from, they are uniquely positioned for the building of a solidarity movement through their shared struggle, that is aimed at reaching parity of fees. 

Sheá: As I’ve previously mentioned, I want every student to have their own voice and I want to represent those voices, and by working closely with student association chairs and setting an open-door policy, I hope that I will be able to do just that. I also want to focus on the representation of our International students in order to better support and assist them with anything they may need, be that; access to financial aid, resources, or simply a friendly face to chat to. I think it’s important that I have these connections with students so I can better understand what they want and need. Being able to actually have relationships and friendships with students, and especially International students, will help in our fight to make Queen’s a more accepting and better place.

Manya: As an International student, I understand the struggles of moving away from home and leaving your familial support and safety net behind. I want every student to have a similar support system for them away from home. I will motivate all students to be actively involved in the Union and ensure they always have a listening ear. I plan on organising more inter-society events for everyone to participate in and intermingle. As part of this initiative, it would be my priority to celebrate every person’s background. Every festival would be celebrated with equal enthusiasm and zeal. I also want to run a campaign to reduce the fee disparity for International students. In some courses, we don’t even have scholarship options and I wish to propose a referendum for the same. I want every student to have equal opportunities, and this is the first step towards it.

How have your personal experiences shaped your manifesto?

Saj: https://www.queensradio.org/blog/su23-saj-khan-for-equality-amp-diversity-officer?rq=saj%20khan

I think it's best to refer you to my op-ed. Here, I explain how I’ve come to view my life in terms of struggle, finding meaning in what I fight for rather than in how I’m hurt. 

Sheá: Growing up in a single parent family with our own struggles has really shaped not only my manifesto, but me as a person. Seeing how strong my mum had to be for me and my sisters made me realise that life sometimes isn’t fair, but that doesn’t mean we have to accept that. I had a great childhood. My mum and sisters have always been my number one supporters and we have always been there for each other; when I came out as gay they were always supportive and caring, when my sister was diagnosed with health conditions we banded together to support and care for each other. I guess it shaped me as a person because it showed me that in times of hardship it’s about how we can support one another. That’s really the message of my manifesto, I want to lift everyone up to help them shine.

Manya: Firstly, let me confess I received a very warm welcome in Belfast. But despite this fact, my path wasn’t one without challenges. This was my first time travelling alone and living away from my family. I have shaped my manifesto to emphasise that any other student facing similar challenges should have a support system in place for them. I want to create a system where there is a team of mentors to guide them and help them get answers to all their queries instead of having to run around. 

And finally, what three items would you bring to a desert island to pass the time?

Saj: Totally against the rules, but I would bring my wonderful girlfriend, because if I’m going to suffer then she’s coming with me. Then my playstation and TV, because I’m sure it won't take long before I’m bored of the lagoons and pearly white beaches and crave some mindless action. I’m a resourceful guy, I’m sure I can MacGyver some electricity from a sea sponge and some rocks.

As a side note, I believe SU elections should be determined in a reality show like Survivor. 

Sheá: I love this question. Firstly I would have to take a book, I’m a huge reader and I could honestly say I’d lose my mind if I was stranded without some sort of reading material. I’m currently reading Richard Osman’s The Man Who Died Twice which I can’t recommend enough. Secondly, I think it’s pretty standard but I would take my phone, apart from the obvious ‘call for help’ reason I’d probably end up wasting days just scrolling through TikTok, which is a massive addiction. Plus, I think it would be cool to be on a desert island listening to Dolly Parton or Taylor Swift. Thirdly, I’d bring a camera, one of those old disposable cameras they always seem to sell in pharmacies, as I think it would be amazing to be able to take pictures of everything, especially the night sky, totally natural and unpolluted by artificial light.

Manya: An endless supply of food (big foodie), Dora’s bag pack (she literally has everything in it) and a phone with some working WIFI (what else do you really need to pass time?)

To see all the candidates running, visit the Queen’s SU website