Semester One Update - Olivia Rooke
It’s the final two weeks of Semester One! Want to know what your elected Executive Committee have got up to this semester? Every day they will be posting their updates as we countdown to Christmas! Finishing off this week’s posts is Student Officer Olivia Rooke...
Late one evening, back in February of this year, cutting it very close to the submission deadline, I finished my manifesto and application to run for a Student Officer of Winchester Student Union. The week that followed was crazy! Not only did I spend a week campaigning across campus: interacting with tons of students, making new friends in my running mates; but, much to my delight and surprise, I was elected to one of the five Student Officer positions. Once elected, I was over the moon! And, as we slowly began to receive Officer Training, part of me thought… what have I got myself into? Could I really handle all this responsibility on top of third year and hold down a part-time job?
Since assuming my role and duties officially at the Union in September, all those initial worries and doubts have left me and these past few months in office have been eye-opening, busy, and enjoyable.
Everything kicked off for Student Officers before arrivals weekend with Freshers Crew. The few days spent running around halls of residence and off campus accommodation were a great opportunity to bond with the Executive Committee team. I definitely will be okay if I don’t see another orange coloured box for a while! Arrivals Weekend and Freshers Week brought with it copious amounts of caffeine and eight straight days working, but lots and lots of fun! I was present on campus most days representing the Student Union and talking to new students about the events we had going on. In the evenings I worked in the Union as part of the Venue Team so got to see some great events including the performance of Professor Green at the Freshers Ball.
Once Freshers was done, the semester started and with it came everything else I signed up for when I was elected into my role.
One of my favourite jobs I have taken over since being elected is as Quiz Master for the Student Union's Big Fat Quiz every Tuesday! (shameless plug) I run this alongside my fellow Student Officer, Lucy. It really is one of the things I look forward to every week. It is great to see regular groups of friends returning since they were freshers; or returning quizzers that come every week to possibly win some extra cash. I am also very excited for our Big Fat Christmas Quiz special! We are hosting it in Week 12. Just an excuse for me to wear my Christmas elf dress!
Throughout this semester I have also been attending meetings with other members of the Exec team in order to work on points from my manifesto and to also work upon my areas of interest I chose at the beginning of the academic year. These include Events & Entertainment, Community Relationships, Activities Development, and Welfare & Wellbeing.
As a Student Officer I sit on the Student Academic Council where, along with the other members, I'm able to provide feedback to the Senior Management Team from students that I speak with, and hold them accountable for anything that needs improving. As well as this I attended both the Education and Welfare Zone meetings in November, chaired by Vic (Vice President, Education & Welfare) and also attended my first Student Senate meeting where our Sabbatical Officers gave detailed updates on what was going on in the Student Union and be held accountable.
Other than the formal meetings I have attended I have also been involved in meetings with various members of the Executive team and Student Union staff to develop on my areas of interest and goals for the rest of my time as a Student Officer. One of the key points in my manifesto that I am especially passionate about is ensuring that our Student Union and venue was somewhere people felt safe and ensure a zero tolerance policy on sexual harrassment on our premises. Throughout the semester I have been doing research on other Student Unions' sexual harrassment initiatives in order to ensure that it is done right and is universally accessible to all. As well as this I am aiming in Semester Two to be able to launch the Ask for Angela safety campaign in our venue, particularly during evening events like BOP.
As well as this I have been involved in Entertainment meetings with our venue and events team staff, where we have discussed possible Summer Ball headline acts and ideas which are currently in the pipeline. Not giving anything away but unfortunately I don’t think we could afford a one night only reformation of Destiny’s Child. As well as this, I have sat in on planning meetings for future campaigns that my fellow Officers and I hope to make campus wide in Semester Two, such as Equality and Diversity Week and 'Let’s Talk About Sex' Week. All of this is currently still in discussion but they are projects that I am super passionate about and will provide opportunities for students across campus to allow their voice to be heard and engage in discussion.
There is so much more I wish I could fit in and honestly this could just turn into pages and pages of what I have been up to. Realistically I am almost half way through my term as a Student Officer and I have surprised myself in what I have been able to achieve and just how much this has made my experience in Winchester.
As a whole I am incredibly proud of all of my Executive Committe team. My fellow officers Lucy, Megan S, Chris and Maria. And our amazing Sabbatical Officers, Megan, Vic and Ellen. We have all grown into our roles together and are all just as passionate as the next for our students and how we can make their time at university better and better. While these past few months have rushed by so fast and I have almost finished Semester One of my final year, this has allowed me to put into perspective how much I have achieved and what amazing things are to come.
So in the full holiday spirit, Merry Christmas and enjoy a well-deserved break this holiday.
Olivia
