President of the Union - Candidate Kian Low
Manifesto I believe that Imperial students feel motivated to make a positive difference in the world. The body which represents students interests, the union, should therefore actively pursue ethical policies. I will work to attain fair-trade university status, hold the college accountable for it's environmental policy, and promote a debate on ending college investment in arms companies. The union suffers from too much bureaucracy and not enough democracy. I believe we should have "General Meetings" which all students can attend and have a vote. To more effectively oppose top up fees (which may soon be as high as £10,000) and higher visa charges, I believe the union should consider joining the NUS. I am opposed to the illegal war in Iraq and continued occupation the vast amounts of money would be better spent on education. Like what you hear? Vote Kian Low for President.
Aren't you just another hack or career politician?
I have been involved in the union quite a lot only because I like the union; I think it's got a lot of potential. Unfortunately, there's loads of bureaucracy that makes it inaccessible to many students. An example is last year's election poor turnout. There's a whole layer of students, which the union is not reaching. One of the ways I'd address this is to go on campus 2-3 times a week in places where there are a lot of students and ask them, "What do you want from the union?"
So you would say there's a bureaucratic problem?
I do. Another way to solve it is to include "General Meetings" where every student gets a vote on options. A lot of students don't even know what the union council is. The way it's advertised is not engaging; this is what we need to change.
What's the difference then between union council and the planned "General Meetings"?
What we've got is a very bureaucratic system, which is difficult to break down. We have different layers of authority, which although necessary, don't involve enough students. So I don't believe this system represents a majority view. In general meetings you could have a range of students having their say and give them a feeling that they can make a difference.
What do you think of the Beit Quad redevelopment so far?
It's fantastic that we've got enough money to start the first stage. But a lot of input has been through clubs and societies. They are important but have a vested interest in how Beit is set up. We need to consult those who haven't had a say.
You concentrate on ethical policies in your manifesto; do you think the average student will care about these above more direct policies?
That's not to say I won't be looking at direct policies, but I'm looking at long-term goals, which will improve our reputation and make it ethically viable. These are things that a lot of students might be interested in, and a different layer of students will be involved in getting these things done. They'll be useful for the union and work well with it.
You want an NUS referendum. There's usually a strong anti-NUS sentiment, so isn't a referendum a waste of time?
The last referendum was over four years ago. Nearly every person who voted then has now left. Even on a neutral stance, we should give a students a chance to vote again. The main point for me is the representation value. Leaving UL could prove detrimental to our university. When top-up fees come up again in 2010, if the NUS president says, "I represent 5.4 million students and they say they don't want topup fees", it will provide a much stronger case. It's scary to think we could be left out of that.
