Deputy President (Education & Welfare) - Candidate Camilla Royle
Manifesto A major purpose of the union is to campaign on the issues that affect us as students. As an activist in the campaign against the dress code I have seen the power students could potentially have over college but only if important welfare decisions are made democratically and students know what is happening in union meetings. It is increasingly obvious that students are becoming politicised particularly by war and occupation in the Middle East. Although the war does not directly affect students an atmosphere of Islamophobia resulted from it. Therefore I would defend the diminishing rights of Muslims at Imperial by campaigning for permanent prayer facilities and against the imprisonment of Babar Ahmad. As deputy president for education and welfare I will represent the interests of female students, who are a minority at Imperial. I will oppose sexism, homophobia and racism. Camilla Royle for DPEW!
Do you feel students are spending too much time in lab sessions?
I don't know that much about it personally as I'm only a first year biologist, but we do work a long time in labs. We should spend mote time doing outside reading, I guess.
Do you think courses are too hectic? Should there be more reading weeks?
Not really as a lot of people spend their reading weeks going out and not doing very much. I think it's a bad idea.
Do you think hall rents are fair?
That does seem like the only fair way of doing it; to some extent making it means tested. If you made it all the same, there's no way some of the people I know could afford it.
You're currently a first year; do you feel that this is a disadvantage at all?
In some cases, it could be seen as a disadvantage.
But being a first year, I can come to Imperial and see what's it's like from the point of view of an outsider.
I'm not used to the fact that the same people are in council.
If I was DPEW, I would make it different from the way it's been before.
You concentrate on ethical policies in your manifesto; do you think the average student will care about these above more direct policies?
I think it is relevant; things like the dress code is a welfare issue that affects everyone.
It also gets students involved in what goes on at the top level and in how issues are decided.
Prayer rooms link in as well, as it's all to do with the Islamophobia that we're all feeling at the moment. That involves 350 students, which is a pretty big group.
You want the Union to be anti-sexism, anti-racism and so on. What are your goals here and how will you achieve them?
I guess the basic goal will to be to speak to the people involved.
I'm going to speak to Imperial Queers and ask them why they've so few members, and what they've even got that name in the first place.
I will definitely make more use of the welfare officers, as it takes many of people to talk to all the students.
