Sabbatical

President I here you say!….What does the president do I here you ask??

Well I can tell you from now, it ain’t no walk in the park…No really I don’t just walk up and down the pathways in all saints park. I’m here to RE-present you come rain or shine (though it is Manchester so it’s always blooming raining) on a day – to – day basis.

Last term I:

• Pushed for more student internships within the students’ union i.e. Democracy and governance to assist in further engagement with students. As president I collaboratively signed off the proposal for increased funding to fund the position. I was further involved in the recruitment for the post. I am now currently working with the democracy and governance intern on our forums structure and how we can best engage our students using new means.
• Campaigned to create more officer positions in the union and more inclusive reps. I (with other officer) created a structure that would allow for further representation in the students union when it came to minority groups. This was again to increase engagement as we do not currently do this and to also provide more opportunities for students to gain skills
• £2Millon refurbishment of the students’ union  I have attended many meetings on this topic, with the university understanding that the students’ union building has passed it’s sell by date and epic work is needed asap. £100,000 has now been signed off to start design work.
• represented students both locally and nationally on a number of different issues with regards to housing, cuts to higher education, cuts to sports funding, university services etc
• Sports funding: Proposed changes to charge sports societies students for using sporting facilities became a union issue as it would mean the students union would incur costs that were not budgeted for and would have to of been passed on to the students. By taking the issue to Board of governors I managed to get the university to fund the facility again meaning £28,000 was not charged to the students. The battle has been won but not the war as this cost could still be passed onto the students union in the future. A campaign must be started to lobby the university to remove this fee permanently.
• Student to staff ratio. It was highlighted that MMU’s student to staff was low. I initiated the work that went forward to gain more information about what members of staff students would like more of if the university was going to invest in any. The work with student voice was a success capturing vital information which allowed the university to invest in more personal tutors and support staff.
• 24 hour libraries in Manchester. Me and the vp education attended action group meetings stemming from the making a difference group (Union officers and student services team). From these meetings we managed to lobby the university in getting 24 hour libraries from January 9^th to June the 1^st. We are now currently working on the promotion of these services.  Further meetings are going ahead to discuss the plan for Crewe campus and there library hours.
• Campaigned against job cuts, privatisation and marketisation of Higher education. Working on opening event on cuts meeting which I encouraged and assisted in the promotion of the event. With the vp education we organised a march in Manchester against the decrease in pensions and the privatisation of higher education. I put out a statement on behalf of the union supporting the strikes and produced material in line with the statement which was advertised to mmu students and members of other unions.

But it doesn’t stop there!! The list is very endless. But I won’t bore you with anymore as even I’m getting tired ;). This term is looking to be quite a big one so stay tuned!

If you would like more info on all the work I have done and more just contact me on

s.u.president@mmu.ac.uk or 01612476524 I’m always around and happy to help out.

Till the next time I see yah

Your EL PRESIDENTE

Tunde Adekoya