ELECTION ADDRESS
Hi, I’m Anna, current postgraduate law student, Fencing Publicity Officer, former 2x Sports Union Media Officer, and I am running to be your next Sports Union President. My biggest motivation for standing in this election is that I want to make a positive change in the world of sport here at Edinburgh and I believe I am the right person to do that. Not only am I extremely passionate about our sporting community, but I have 5 years worth of various committee experience.
This year alone I have sat on 4 different committees: Fencing Club, Gymnastics Club, Blues and Colours, and University Gymnastics Cup (an external body that organises university gymnastics competitions). Having taken on the responsibility of four voluntary committee roles this year I have not only gained even more experience within the world of sport, but also further developed skills crucial to the role of SU President: time management, communication, and networking.
In addition, despite stepping down from my role as SU Media Officer, I have stayed involved as a member of the Media Team this year. Within the SU, I am also one of the three student representatives on the Blues and Colours Committee. This role has shown me an example of the behind-the-scenes work of the SU, experience which will be invaluable to the role of President.
Prior to this year, I have invested the majority of my free time throughout University in sport-related volunteering, serving 4 consecutive years on the Gymnastics Committee, and 2 consecutive years on the SU Executive Committee.
In the Gymnastics Club, I have served the roles of Safety Officer (2018/19), Display Captain (2019/20, 2020/21, and 2022/23), and Captain (2021/22). Specifically as Display Captain, where I have led a performance team of nearly thirty people, I have fulfilled a role that has been a test of my diligence, creativity, organisation, and leadership, all qualities which I would bring to the role of Sports Union President should I be elected.
This is also my first year on the committee of the University Gymnastics Cup where I have fulfilled the role of Media Representative. Having been on this committee I have made connections outside of Edinburgh and gotten a new perspective on how things work outside of our Sports Union.
Having spent this year taking a step back from Exec and getting more involved in my two clubs, I have fully focused my goals for what I’d like to achieve if elected and been able to come into this election season with a stronger club perspective. I feel this makes me a uniquely desirable candidate for President as I have such a rich depth of experience from my many years of club committee experience as well as the two years I also spent on the SU Exec Committee.
VIDEO
MANIFESTO
My first goal would be to lower the costs of participating in sport on the SU side. As club members who train at any of the Sport & Exercise facilities - Peffermill, Pleasance, or St. Leonards - will know, there is currently the requirement to purchase a Peak membership to the gym managed by Sport & Exercise.
The membership is quite expensive which can be a barrier to sport which already has its own membership fees. As President, I would look into the options for lowering this required cost, perhaps via a special “access only” membership that would be available to members of those clubs who would not otherwise be interested in a gym membership, or by proposing to lower the requirement from Peak to Off Peak at the minimum.
Another thing I would like to negotiate in this area is the possibility of an installment payment plan for the gym memberships. Though this would not ultimately alleviate the financial burden in the long run, it would make it easier to purchase a membership for those who cannot afford larger payments in a single month.
Next up on my agenda would be to reform the policy on non-student members. As it stands, alumni and students from other universities are both classed as non-students. One of the consequences of this is that they are subject to the 20% cap on non-student members within SU affiliated sports clubs. This effectively penalises clubs that have created such a fantastic environment that it keeps graduates coming back and staying involved with the club. Alumni are a valuable asset to the sporting community and the SU policies should reflect that in discounting alumni from the 20% cap.
In regards to students from other universities, we have the opportunity to develop partnerships with the other universities in Edinburgh. I would be interested in working together with the Sports Unions from those other unis to provide those students the opportunity to participate in sport here at Edinburgh Uni when their own university is unable to offer that sport. The memberships from students who come from other universities is valuable to clubs not just in terms of increasing revenue, but in growing the opportunities available to the club. For example, evidence of higher demand for a sport can aid in affiliation with governing bodies such as Scottish Student Sport (SSS) that further support clubs and sport in general beyond what a university Sports Union can provide. As such, I would advocate for policy reform that would increase the opportunities for students from other universities to join Edinburgh Uni sports clubs.
By reshaping our policy on the classification of non-students, we could improve alumni retention and subsequently long-term improvement of clubs as those alumni can provide more hands on advice and mentorship as they continue to be members of their sports clubs. We would also be able to strengthen ties with the other universities in Edinburgh and develop untapped partnership opportunities with them.
I am also keen to improve support for small clubs. An area to do this would be to revisit the 25 student member requirement for clubs. In my previous manifesto point I mentioned the remodel of the classification of non-students. I have a similar idea for this requirement, where alumni and students of other universities could count towards the minimum membership number. This would ensure that what is an arbitrary membership number requirement is not impeding our sport offering. With Edinburgh Uni offering as many sports as we do, we are in a privileged position to create a community for those sports. It would be a shame to lose a sport that has a positive impact not only students of Edinburgh but also our alumni and community members.
I want to foster a culture of transparency within the SU. I think there are a lot of decisions that get made behind closed doors that can leave member clubs confused and in the dark. As President, I would endeavour to share more information with clubs about how the SU operates and some of the reasoning behind the decisions that are made.
For example, having been a member of the Blues and Colours committee this year, I have had the unique privilege of not only witnessing how those awards are made but also influencing it. Most students will go their entire university career without this level of insight. As President, I would want to increase the awareness of how awards are given, as well as shed light on any other similar areas. Ultimately the SU is here to promote sport and support our member clubs and I want to do what I can as a half-student half-staff type of representative to nurture a mutual trust on both sides.
Furthermore, I will do whatever I can to advocate for our member clubs and take on board any feedback received in the course of my Presidency should I be elected. I think the best use of what time I have available to dedicate to manifesto goals would be to use that time for meeting with clubs, hearing suggestions, and doing what I can to implement solutions that work for all of us and create a more accessible sporting community. In my experience as a leader, such as in my role as Display Captain in the gymnastics club, I have always been a big believer in democracy. As your SU President I would bring this same attitude to the role, as to me it is so important to listen to clubs and do whatever I can to help them in their endeavours.