Have you met the RUSU Student Officers?

Friday, 04 November 2011

Clockwise from top: Karl Hobley, Jack Legon, Steph Johnson, Ben Haines, Alex Slater

This year's Reading University Students' Union (RUSU) Student Officers have been working hard since their term of office began in July, to represent the thousands of students at the University of Reading.

RUSU's president, Karl Hobley, works alongside four Vice Presidents, who are each responsible for representing different aspects of student life.

President: Karl Hobley

Karl is responsible for monitoring and guaranteeing the day-to-day administration of Reading University Students' Union (RUSU) including coordinating communication with internal and external press and media, and promoting and improving the Students' Union's relations with the local community.

One of Karl's main aims for the year is to develop Reading's first Student Charter, which will outline what students and the University can expect from each other.

Vice-President for Academic Affairs: Alex Slater

Alex works with the Representation and Democracy Manager to coordinate faculty and course level student representation. He also works to improve students' academic experience, to maintain a strong working relationship with relevant University staff and to liaise with the National Union of Students' (NUS) VP Higher Education on local and national education issues.

Vice-President for Democracy & Campaigns: Ben Haines

Ben organises Students' Union campaigns, with the priority being given to the Student chosen campaigns' as voted on at Student Voice meetings. He works alongside the VP for Academic Affairs and the VP for Democracy & Campaigns to coordinate campaigns relating to academic issues and the Students' Union's involvement in the annual National Student Survey Campaign.

Ben also aims to ensure that the Students' Union has constant awareness of its environmental and ethical responsibilities and that the Students' Union works to be as environmentally and ethically efficient as possible.

Vice-President for Welfare & Representation: Steph Johnson

Steph represents and promotes issues of equality, diversity and liberation within the Students' Union, University and external organisations such as National Union of Students (NUS) and encouraging student representation in NUS Liberation and Representation Conferences. She attends relevant welfare and equality committees of the University as well as writes reports to ensure that communication is efficient between different University committees and RUSU.

So far this year Steph has already implemented the NUS's Student SafetyNet Scheme for Reading students, which is a smartphone app that allows people to log crimes in their neighbourhood and gives safety information. This year Steph wants to raise the profile of Peer Support on our campus to tackle the stigma related to mental health issues.

Vice-President for Student Activities: Jack Legon

Jack is responsible for developing and promoting of all Students' Union sports clubs and societies as well as the Sports Federation Committee and Societies Convention Committee.

He liaises with the local community to increase opportunities for RUSU's clubs and societies, providing a larger pool of people from which they can gain members, whilst benefiting local schools and other organisations.