By Oona de Carvalho
LSE leadership gathered on 29 February in the Marshall Building’s Grand Hall to meet with students over coffee and pastries. This session, which lasted from 10:30am to 12pm, offered the opportunity for students to speak to their leaders and engage with peers in a convivial setting.
Leaders in attendance included incoming President and Vice-Chancellor Larry Kramer, Interim President and Vice-Chancellor Eric Neumayer, Vice President and Pro-Vice Chancellor Emma McCoy, and Deputy Chief Operating Officer Joanne Hay. The LSESU Sabbatical Officers Team was also present.
Kramer opened with introductory words and the session then broke off into interactive student-staff mixing. Kramer was asked about LSE’s lack of political stance regarding the Israel-Palestine and Russia-Ukraine conflicts. Kramer reiterated how university institutions “are not political actors,” and how their purpose is to “create a safe space for everyone in the community to express their views”. Two students with ‘anti-apartheid’ signs protested in front of the venue.
When asked about divestment from fossil fuels, Kramer expressed how LSE will continue to support gradual divestment, and that the university has made considerable progress over the last five years.
Kramer further spoke about long-term plans to change the academic year from a three-term into a quarter-term system.
General Secretary James Relf shared his experience representing the student body. “It’s a steep learning curve,” he said. “We are not experts, we are the same age as other students”. He explained how strengthening the relationship between the SU and LSE has been one of his key achievements this year. By fostering higher levels of trust between these two bodies, “a lot more can be done”. He concluded by describing this year as “powerful”.
Relf additionally spoke about ongoing projects such as regrouping similar societies and clubs under a common umbrella to streamline administrative processes as well as reforming the STARS Awards criteria which is used to accredit student groups. They plan to cut back bureaucracy and expect these changes to manifest in the upcoming academic year.
A second-year student who attended the event described it as a “lovely experience.” They enjoyed getting to know the people behind LSE’s policies and hearing their plans to improve the university. “There were lots of interesting conversations,” they told The Beaver.
