Sheffield University Officer Elections 2015 (International Officer)

I feel like mocking the International Offiers is possibly just mean. But I signed up for it, so…

Alina Schumacher

Slogan

Driving Cultural Exchange

Slogan

0/10. Obviously.

Manifesto

My name is Alina Schumacher (and I’m an alcoholic?) and I am studying for an MA in English Literature (DAMMIT). As your International Students’ Officer I want to drive drive cultural exchange in three ways - involving both international and home students on and off campus:

Firstly, I want to create a guide to English university culture (that does sound nice). I found that during my studies at English universities I relied heavily on new friends to explain aspects of university life (like what? Endless peer pressure to drink? Something something mindless sex?) to me which, for home students, might be self-evident. I want to provide a Students’ Union guidebook for International Students on academic regulations (hell, even the home students want that), sports clubs, societies, activities, and nights out.

Secondly, I want to continue the work of my predecessors regarding the Post-Study Work Visa (admirable). Targeting international students in order to reduce immigration issues is completely counter-productive (I mean, I agree with the sentiment but you can’t deny that it’s easier to get rid of people who you actually know are there…). I want to work closely with my counterparts at other universities and the NUS (rather you than me) in order to build a united voice for the reintroduction of the visa scheme.

Finally, I have previously studied on ERASMUS (wait, you can do ERASMUS as an international student!?), which made me incredibly excited to see all the ERASMUS work done here at Sheffield. However, a common fear I have noticed is the anxiety of not knowing anyone in the country you are going to. I want to introduce a “Tinder”-style system (Erm…) where students departing for a year abroad can get in touch (Must…avoid…obvious…joke) with other students from Sheffield leaving for the same country and international students currently at Sheffield in order to limit fears (If you know what I mea- DAMMIT), initiate conversations (If you know what I mean- DAMMIT) and improve the cultural exchange (If you know wh- you get the idea) taking place on a Year Abroad.

Score: 5/10. You were doing really well, until your last two sentences.

Denise (DeeDee) Borgstrom

Slogan

InDEEstructible & DEEtermined to support you!

Slogan

6/10. I feel that making the "dee" into capitals makes the pun a bit too obvious.

Manifesto

Hi, I’m DeeDee (and I’m an alcoholic?). I am an international student (DAMMIT), having lived and studied in Finland, Australia (g’day) and the UK, I’m fully aware of the difficulties and barriers that can be faced (Just in general? “Jeeves? I can’t seem to leave the house” “Oh no sir. There’s a barrier there” “Ah, right. Carry on”). This makes me all the more determined to support you and make your experience in Sheffield and the UK as unforgettable as possible.

As your International Officer I would:

• Contend (Contenders…READY! Gladiators…READY!) for the university to create fixed tuition fees for overseas students (doesn’t the government set that?). At the moment international students’ fees go up every year; in line with inflation.
• Lobby the government (That’s better) on reintroducing the post-study work visa and removing international students from net migration figures. International students should be looked upon as temporary migrants (as they are in Australia, Canada and the USA) (OI! These are my brackets), which means they would no longer be subject to immigration policies (Possibly sensible).
• Continue the ‘Equal Access’ campaign (the what now?) to ensure that asylum seekers and refugees have equal access to higher education (What, just with each other? “I grow tired of these asylum seekers having better access to higher education. Let the refugees have a better chance for this month”). At the moment they pay international student fees and have no access to student loans or grants.
• Work closely with other officers (So…do your job) to co-organise events and activities that include all religious, cultural and social backgrounds (Good idea). It may be difficult for some students to take part in sports and other activities for religious reasons (Fair point). For example, introducing women-only sport sessions could be one of many ways by which to make sports and activities accessible to a wider range of students (Woah there. Are you saying that some people need women’s only sport sessions? Because in context, that seems to be saying “We’ll hide the women away from those who don’t want to see them for religious reasons”).

If you’d like to see these policies become a reality, vote for DeeDee! (I sincerly hope you made that internal rhyme on purpose)

Score: 5/10. Not too bad

Pei Qi Lim (Peggy Lim)

Slogan

The Sky's No LIM-it with Peggy

Slogan

8/10. Glorious. The capitals do ruin it though.

Manifesto

Hello (Hi!)! My name is Peggy Lim Pei Qi, an international student from Malaysia (Dammit, you ruined the joke). I’m currently a third year law student. I could barely speak English when I arrived in Sheffield during my first year (Most of the residents can’t either). However, I have bravely stepped out of my own comfort zone, met new friends and involved in activities and committees at the Union. Because of that move, I am currently actively involved in the Union and my English (I hope you mean “Yorkshire”) and understanding of different cultures has definitely improved.

If elected, I would assure that there will always be:

(1) No LIMit (You don’t need the capitals) to campaigning for international students’ rights (Will there be a limit to the success of those campaigns though?)

• I would be the voice of the international community (The entire community? Even France?), actively campaign for the welfare and rights of international students

(2) No LIMit (No really, you don’t need the capitals) to participation & employability

• I would organise monthly mini activities fair (Yeah, that won’t end well) to encourage the participation of international students, so it would never be too late for students such as postgraduates and Erasmus students to get involved

• I would work closely with the University Careers Service, to help international students with their job applications

(3) No LIMit (Please stop) to languages & cultures

• I would promote the Tandem Language Learning Scheme (the what now?), allowing students to meet new friends, whilst learning the languages and cultures of one another (that’s actually a nice idea)

• I would like our Union to celebrate festivals of different countries (don’t they do that at the moment?) to make international students feel at home when they are in UK

Please vote Peggy as your International Students’ Officer! Come and fly with Peggy (I assume that’s a reference I don’t get), remember there will never be any LIMITS! (ARGH)

Score: 7/10. Nice ideas

Ana-Gabriela Popa

Slogan

ANA, YOUR CHOICE FOR INTERNATIONAL VOICE

Slogan

0/10. Non-existant, and shouty.

Manifesto

My name is Ana-Gabriela Popa (and I’m an alcoholic?) and I am a practical, values-driven, and motivated International student (DAMMIT).

Why do I want to run for International Students Officer?

Because I believe in challenging the status quo and shaping mentalities. (I didn’t realise that was part of being the International Officer)

Why should you vote for me?

1) Integration (Maths integration? Please be that)

I will celebrate the cultural and national societies of our Union (do we have even have those? I know there’s a couple but are there really that many?) whilst also implementing a Buddy-Mentoring scheme that will facilitate integration between Home and International students. (I bet that loads will sign up and forget about it)

2) Intersectional Representation

I will campaign against unfair government immigration policies (sensible) as well as fighting against prejudices rooted in the cultural perceptions around Islamophobia (Are you saying that the cultural perception of Islamophobia is incorrect? Because I hope most people are against it) or disabled/LGBT/BME students.

I will support Mature and Part-time International students whose voices are rarely heard, by including them in open debates (Sounds good) or prospective activism (Does that even mean anything?).

3) Listening

I want to support International students. I will listen to your complaints, queries and feedback. I want to make international voices heard, especially if they are part of a minority which feels that is under-represented (I bet some idiot will go with “I’m a minority! I own land and have 4 million in the bank!”). And I want to support international students through the difficult process of moving to a new country and the mental illnesses/ homesickness associated with it. (Good)

Why am I qualified to be a great ISO?

• 2 years of involvement in the International Students’ Committee (Member – 2013/2014, European Representative – 2014/2015)

• 2 years of involvement in AIESEC (Member – 2013/2014, Vice-President of Marketing 2014/2015)

• Student Ambassador for Learning and Teaching (Politics) – 2014/2015

I am the best choice for International voice, because I have the passion and ideas to do it, so vote Ana for International Students’ Officer!

Score: 6/10. Sensible options.

Nobody here is suggesting dumb things. This is a welcome relief after the Education Officers.