As election season rolls around again, the big sabbatical officer positions next year are up for grabs. To help students make better sense of the SU elections, The Beaver talked to candidates to find out why we should vote for them.
Polls open on Monday 21 March and close on Thursday 24 March. To make your voice heard, vote online at https://www.lsesu.com/voice/elections/.
Why are you running for this role?
Shruthi Dileep | I am running for Community & Welfare Officer because I believe in a sufficiently inclusive campus where students feel safe and at home. LSE offers a pedagogical space that is progressive and in tune with the needs of the students. But, it is important to ask ourselves if LSE is actually inclusive or just accepting. As a campus that strives for and emphasises diversity, it is essential that we ensure the diverse student community does not feel alienated or isolated. I felt that it is important that I take the initiative and work towards a more inclusive LSE. |
Anaëlle Thoreau | During my three years at LSE, I’ve been involved in campaigning for our community. As lead campaigner of ‘Hands Off’, I have been fighting for better sexual violence support and have raised awareness of the issue on campus. This has been an incredibly important part of my student life. I felt empowered as a student to shape my university, so in a way running for this role felt like the natural next step to continue to do so! |
What do you want to achieve?
Shruthi Dileep | I have three proposals that I am excited to work on. The first is the community kitchen which offers highly subsidised food to students along with part-time job opportunities. I thought of the community kitchen because I found it essential to address the issue of food insecurity on campus. Food is available, but it is a little too expensive for a lot of us. I would also like to work towards making LSE a more gender-neutral space. Thirdly, I want to set up a system where the Student’s Union regularly pays attention to the concerns of the students and is equipped to offer the necessary support. |
Anaëlle Thoreau | My campaign is centred around three main pillars: inclusivity, students’ well-being and community. I want to make our campus more inclusive by promoting financial support, increasing the number of subsidised cafés, and ending the use of NDAs in harassment cases. Make student’s well-being a priority by creating partnerships with specialised mental health services including for BAME and LGBTQ+ students , and hiring a trauma-trained counsellor for students going through difficult times. Give a community feeling to LSE by organising weekly volunteering initiatives, improving accessibility for starting a campaign, and collaborating with departments for more social events. |
What makes you right for this role?
Shruthi Dileep | My experience and my ability to be rooted in the student community makes me the right fit for the Community & Welfare officer. As an international postgraduate student at LSE, I am familiar with the concerns and needs of the students. My campaign speaks to diversity and inclusivity. I believe that diversity is not about having students from across the world on campus, but about making them feel safe, at home, and ensuring their representation in the student body. |
Anaëlle Thoreau | I have hands-on experience working with the SU. As a ‘Hands Off’ campaigner, I have successfully lobbied for Consent Ed and a full-time anti-harassment support advisor. My previous experience and my passion for promoting welfare and justice on campus make me the right person to be the next Community and Welfare Officer. |
What differentiates you from other candidates?
Shruthi Dileep | From attending protests as a child against the environmental and livelihood destruction meted out by the Coca-Cola factory in Plachimada, Kerala, to being part of the anti-CAA-NRC protests in India recently I have always believed it is essential to take action to initiate a change. Therefore, what differentiates me from my candidates is the experience I have in student politics, activism, and my involvement with grassroots development. I also believe in representative democracy. I feel that an experienced international student is more suitable for taking charge of the welfare of a student community, most of which are international-postgraduate students. |
Anaëlle Thoreau | I have been working with the SU on multiple projects including Consent Ed, so I know what support systems exist in LSE and what don’t. My manifesto addresses gaps particularly in mental health, community feeling and inclusivity. I aim to improve communication with students, broaden well-being support with specialised services, promote financial support for all students, organise volunteering initiatives, and more. I believe that I would be able to bring practical and feasible solutions to challenges that LSE students have been facing for a long time. |
Credit: Candidate and title pictures supplied from SU website.
