The first EUSA Council meeting of this academic year took place on Thursday 28 September and focused on ways to foster a sense of belonging for students in the University community.
The discussion was led by Katie Hardwick, Vice President of Activities and Services came in light of a survey of students carried out in March.
EUSA reported that as of March, 40 per cent of students feel they are not part of the University community and 34 per cent report feeling isolated.
Student representatives said that several factors, including campus location and inaccessible events, stand in the way of students feeling engaged in the community.
Max Nyman, Undergraduate Representative for the School of Chemistry, cited a particular lack of community in the King’s Buildings campus.
He stated that several student amenities in the area, which used to foster a sense of community, have been closed.
Nyman said that the King’s Buildings campus’ distance from University-wide events taking place on the central campus also makes it difficult for students to get involved.
Physical distance from societies and events also poses an issue for remote-learning students, who are excluded from events without a hybrid option.
Olaniran Orekha, the Mature Student’s Representative, said that he felt conflicted about how to belong to the University community as an online student.
Leo Hajducki, the Disabled Student’s Liberation Officer, added that disabled students also feel excluded from many University events.
Event advertising does not always address venue accessibility.
Hajducki says that some disabled students have had to return home after trying to attend events that lack necessary accommodations like ramps, lifts and hearing loops.
Student representatives said that, for many students, finding community within their academic disciplines has been more fruitful than within the University community as a whole.
Sam Marks, Undergraduate Representative for the School of History, Classics and Archaeology, said his school has worked to create activities for students and staff members to bond.
Marks suggested that other schools could use the School of History, Classics and Archaeology model for student-staff engagement to increase students’ sense of belonging overall.
Other representatives, however, said that creating more groups may not be the answer to the lack of community amongst students.
Bintang Dirya, undergraduate student representative for the School of Engineering, said that some academic societies are more dormant than others.
For students who rely on school-associated activities to stay involved, this can lead to issues feeling like a part of the University community.
Robyn Woof, the Trans and Non-binary Student’s Liberation Officer, added that some school cohorts are so large that you can “meet someone and never see them again.”
She said that joining societies with students from other schools has been a better option for her.
Some representatives called on the Student Association (EUSA) to work harder to develop as a unifying force in the community.
Sam Marks said that, while students often feel affinities toward their schools or societies, many are not invested in the Student Union or the University as a whole.
“Students don’t rally behind EUSA,” Marks said.
Students’ feeling of disconnect from the Student Association was brought up again in the meeting’s “Any Other Business” section.
Robyn Woof suggested that the online format of Student Council, which is held monthly on Microsoft Teams, makes it difficult for students to engage.
Woof said that this format poses a particular problem for disabled students, who may struggle to regulate their tone online.
The suggestion for a new Student Council format was also brought up during the September 2022 Student Council meeting, but no changes have been made.
Woof said that she plans to introduce a formal proposal to address this issue.
The next Student Council will convene Thursday, 26 October at 6 p.m.
The deadline to submit movements for the next Student Council meeting is 17 October.
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