Here are your candidates for Arts & Sciences President.

During this year's nomination process, all candidates were asked to answer the following questions as part of their manifestos:

👉 Question 1. Supporting students in a changing and pressured environment

Students are facing increasing pressures, including cost-of-living challenges, academic demands, and wellbeing concerns. As an Elected Officer, how would you work to support students to feel safe, supported, and able to succeed both on and off campus? 

👉 Question 2. Representation, trust, and meaningful student voice

Student representation is most effective when students trust that their voices lead to real change. How would you engage with a diverse range of students and ensure their feedback is meaningfully represented and acted upon during your time in office? 

👉 Question 3. Faculty Focus

Each of the three faculties at Edge Hill has its own distinct challenges and priorities. What do you see as the most significant challenge facing students in the faculty you are standing to represent, and how would you approach addressing it as an Elected Officer?

 

Please note: In the interests of fairness, the manifestos are published as submitted by the candidates. Edge Hill Students' Union has not edited any of the below manifestos. 

 

** Vanya Cosgrave **

Students today face significant pressures, from the rising cost of living to academic stress and wellbeing challenges. As Faculty President, my priority would be ensuring students feel supported, safe, and able to succeed both on and off campus. I would work closely with the Students’ Union and university services to strengthen awareness of financial support, wellbeing services, and academic resources so students know where to turn when they need help. I would also advocate for accessible learning environments, ensuring that disabled students, commuter students, and those balancing work or caring responsibilities are not left behind. Creating spaces where students feel comfortable speaking about challenges is essential, so I would prioritise open conversations with students through regular drop-ins, forums, and faculty engagement events. Ultimately, my role would be to ensure student concerns are heard at decision-making tables and that practical solutions are pushed forward, helping students not only manage pressures but thrive throughout their university experience.

Effective representation relies on trust, transparency, and genuine engagement with students. As Faculty President, I would prioritise listening to a wide range of student voices, including those who may feel underrepresented or hesitant to speak up. This would involve actively engaging with students through forums, course representatives, online surveys, and informal conversations across campus to understand their experiences and concerns. I would ensure that feedback collected from students is not only shared with the university but followed through with clear actions and updates so students can see how their voices are influencing change. Transparency is key to building trust, so I would communicate regularly about progress, challenges, and outcomes. By working collaboratively with faculty staff, course reps, and student groups, I would ensure that student feedback directly informs decision-making and improvements within the faculty. My goal would be to create a culture where every student feels their voice matters and leads to meaningful change.

One of the most significant challenges facing students within the Faculty of Arts and Sciences is ensuring that diverse courses and student experiences are equally represented and supported. With such a broad range of subjects and student needs across the faculty, it can sometimes feel difficult for individual voices to be heard. As Faculty President, I would focus on strengthening communication between students, course representatives, and faculty leadership to ensure that concerns are raised quickly and addressed effectively. I would work to improve engagement across departments so that students feel connected not only to their course but to the wider faculty community. Additionally, I would advocate for fair access to resources, academic support, and opportunities that enhance the student experience. By actively listening to students and working collaboratively with the university, I would aim to ensure that every student in the faculty feels represented, supported, and confident that their feedback contributes to positive change.

 

** CALLUM GRADY **

 

👉 Question 1. Supporting students in a changing and pressured environment

 

The addition of a clearer reporting and follow-up process for serious issues, including sexual misconduct and abuse will be greatly beneficial for EHU students. The reporting process should be easily accessible for all students, with clear explanations on the entire process, feasible conclusions, and how those conclusions (along with any progress in a case) will be transparently communicated.

 

 

 

It can often feel like you’re on your own as a student, and being able to access support shouldn’t depend on who you know or how well you can navigate university portals – the entire reason for having a President for your faculty is so that you have somebody to fight for what you want, to protect your interests, and to make sure the services you need to make your experience at university as safe and positive as possible are there, and an easier to access service for this would support students actively.

  

 

 

👉 Question 2. Representation, trust, and meaningful student voice

 

 

 

Representation without real outcomes is valueless.

 

 

 

Student choice should be made to be more visible, even when it comes to basic Union decisions. If elected, I’d make sure to put out regular polls on social media and gather feedback on campus to let students decide what the uni’s merchandise looks like, as well as which events are prioritised at the SU Bar. It should feel like the merch represents you, not just the university, and the SU Bar should feel like it’s your place. 

 

 

 

I would also be keen to maintain regular communication with societies by attending some of the socials and events they’re hosting throughout the academic year, which should help the Union understand student life from your perspective, no matter what your priorities are and no matter what identity or background you have.

 

 

 

👉 Question 3. Faculty Focus

 

 

 

With subjects ranging from Biology and Sports to Business and Creative Writing, FAS is unarguably the most diverse faculty at Edge Hill, which has the potential to be a huge strength in-terms of the variety of backgrounds, interests and perspectives that we have. Unfortunately, that strength can’t be fully realised unless we communicate better. I’d like to maintain regular communication with the student representatives of each of our departments, and to bring them together for faculty-wide meetings.

 

 

 

 

I also believe that with such a large space at our disposal, the top floor of the SU Bar should have dedicated study hours where students can use a kettle to make hot drinks, relax, and study for exams or upcoming coursework. It’d be relatively easy to implement and could add a sense of community, with students from many different courses working in the same environment.

 

 

 

 

** Kiran Hummara Hussain**

Hi, I’m Kiran (BSc psychology) , and I’m running to be your Faculty of Arts & Sciences President.

Question 1: Supporting students in a changing and pressured environment

 

 

Students are under a huge amount of pressure right now financially academically and mentally I think one of the most important things we can do is select selected officers as to make sure students don’t feel like they occurring that pressure alone. 

Clear and consistent communication would be a priority for me so much stress comes from uncertainty not knowing expectations deadlines or where to go for help. I’d also advocate academic flexibility we genuinely needed especially for students balancing work care responsibilities or mental health challenges.

Cost of living pressures are very real so I would Work to make sure students are aware of hardship funds Free resources and practical support available through the student union and the university.

Support should be supportive not overwhelming or intimidating. Students should feel safe asking for help unconfident that doing so won’t be held against them

Question 2: Representation, trust, and meaningful student voice

Representation only works if students trust that their voices lead to change. 

I would make it priority to engage with a wide range of students not just those already involved in leadership roles that includes commuters, working class students, mature students and students from underrepresented backgrounds who might not always feel confident in speaking up. 

I’d create low pressure ways to give feedback such as informal drop - ins, anonymous forms, and social media polls. but gathering feedback isn’t enough students deserve updates on what’s being done with their concerns

 

Even when change text time transparency trust if something can’t be fixed immediately, I would explain why and outline in the next steps

Support shouldn’t feel like speaking into the void. Students should be able to see how their voices shape real decisions within the faculty

 

Question 3: Faculty Focus

I think one of the biggest challenges in arts and sciences is inconsistency particularly around communication and academic flexibility different departments can approach things very differently and that lack of clarity can create unnecessary stress. 

 

Belonging is another issue that isn’t always visible but deeply felt. Students from disadvantaged or underrepresented backgrounds can sometimes feel like they’re just “lucky to be here” rather than fully deserving of their place.

Belonging is another issue that isn’t always visible but deeply felt shouldn’t from disadvantage or underrepresented backgrounds can sometimes feel like they’re just “lucky to be here” rather than fully deserving of their place

I don’t want anyone in our faculty to feel like they’re just lucky to be here. You deserve to be here. Fully.

As an elected officer, I would push for clear more consistent communication across departments and advocate for flexibility where it is genuinely needed, I want students to feel secure in their place, supported academically and confident that their voice matters 

 

I can’t promise to fix everything overnight. But I can promise empathy, honesty, and someone who will show up and push for meaningful change.

If that matters to you, I’d really value your vote.

 

** RE-OPEN NOMINATIONS **

 

 

 

You might have seen RON listed as a candidate in our elections before.  Don’t get confused though, RON isn't a person, it's an acronym, and it stands for Re-Open Nominations. 

If you vote for RON, that’s your way of telling us that you don’t think any of the current candidates are the right fit for the role. So, if RON gets the most votes, then no candidates win, and we’ll start the election process again. 

Students will always have the option to vote for RON in the elections.  They’re all about who represents you as a student, and if you don't think any candidate represents you, then you should have the opportunity to tell us.