TB: What is it about how the LSE and SU are being managed at the moment that made you want to run?
AS: The most important thing for me is that others are just not having the same positive experience of LSE that I’ve had.
I think students are placed under way, way, way too much pressure and there needs to be a bit more time for reflection and relaxation. You need to be a well rounded person, you know? In terms of the SU I think there’s so much more we can be doing to achieve that. The job of the Union, going back to its roots, is about lobbying for the betterment of students, and I think that has been lost a bit.
TB: You said that there is too much pressure being put on students at the moment. How can we change that?
AS: The fact of the matter is that the workload won’t change. What we can change is the way that workload is organised. It’s also important to think about the culture at LSE.
I can’t think of another university that is as career driven as LSE, and that’s great… but at the same time people are putting too much pressure on themselves. I think it’s the job of the Union to tell people to also leave some time for themselves. You don’t need to burn yourself out at university to get good grades and have a good time.
TB: What do you think is the biggest obstacle to a happier student experience at LSE?
AS: One of the things that really struck me this year is the loneliness report from The Beaver. I’m sure almost every candidate is going to mention that report, and if they don’t then they should read it. The single biggest issue at the moment is a lack of community. It’s not necessarily the job of LSE to provide that. What that means to me is that the Union needs to be doing so much more to pick up the slack.
TB: Many students believe that the SU has a problem with bureau- cratic overreach. Do you agree with this assessment?
AS: I don’t know if I support that fully. But what I will say is that the SU is full of red tape. Whether that is overreach, I don’t know. I know for a fact that the ARC uses a system called ‘Membership Solutions’ and as part of that system there’s this little progress bar, where students can see at what stage of approval their events applications and reimbursements are. I want to make sure that, that progress bar is visible to students. The problem is not just bureaucracy, it’s opacity. People don’t know where they are in the bureaucracy and I think that is more of a problem than the bureaucracy itself.
TB: How much of the General Secretary’s job should be planning events, and how much of it should be institutional reform?
AS: The GS is not an events planner. The GS is responsible for the betterment of the union and the betterment of students. Events is one part of that. But it’s mainly about leading a union to deliver for students.
TB: You say in your manifesto that you will hold the LSE to account. In concrete terms, what does that mean?
AS: I think people often fail to appreciate just how many meetings the GS has and how much of their time is spent in committee meetings talking about what needs to improve. I will take [peoples’ complaints and issues] to the highest possible levels and I will explain them to the LSE in no uncertain terms. Holding LSE accountable, to me, means doing that in meetings and if LSE is failing to deliver, alternatives need to be considered.
TB: What sort of alternatives do you mean…?
AS: LSE is known for having a somewhat radical background, and although I wouldn’t return to ‘the gate knocking down’ of the 60s, I do think that the rise of media is something important. Just like The Beaver holds the SU accountable, papers like the Guardian hold LSE accountable.
TB: How are you going to win?
AS: First and foremost it’s providing a deliverable manifesto. I want something that is achievable and will make a difference to peoples’ lives. One of the most important things for me is actually getting down and talking to people. In fact, I structured my manifesto around speaking to students. What I’m going to be doing for the next few days is talking to students, lobbying, keep reaching out.
