Campaigns

Your dissertation is the peak of your Masters degree however many postgrads feel they are not getting adequate support from LSE.

There is a huge variation in the support and information given between departments and supervisors. Your Postgraduate Officer, Sarah Castellanos, launched a survey to find out what key problems postgrads are facing and how dissertation support could be improved. The results of the survey will be published soon and Sarah will be able to use these to lobby the School.

If you’d like to share your dissertation experience with Sarah please email su.postgrad@lse.ac.uk

Every year the Students’ Union runs its own independent survey about LSE halls of residences.

This survey is used by the Students’ Union to inform our priorities in the lobbying and campaigning we do on behalf of students living in halls. LSESU’s Halls Survey asks the questions that really matter to students. This year we are looking at issues about:

• · How affordable your rent is;
• · Mental health support in halls;
• · Social spaces in halls;
• · Sports activities in halls;
• · And, if you live in catered halls, how healthy your food is.

Please take the time to fill in our short survey so that we can lobby LSE for a better halls experience for you

The UK Government is currently making a lot of changes to Higher Education.

This includes the introduction of the Teaching Excellence Framework which is supposed to improve standards of teaching at universities.

However it is also an opportunity for universities to raise their fees, which they are allowed to do no matter how they score in the framework

Your Sabbs will be providing information about these changes and want to hear from you about what good teaching looks like, and what you think about rising fees.

Student feedback is important—it tells the LSE very clearly what your time here was like, and it helps LSE Student Union work on improving future students’ educational experience. It’s also just great to get some things off your chest.

BUT, this year the government is using this feedback as part of the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), allowing universities to increase fees and ranking universities bluntly, as either gold,silver or bronze. THE SU doesn’t believe feedback should be used against students—it should be given freely and honestly, without fear of decreasing the value of your degree or of increasing student fees for future generations.

So, we’re asking third year students to pledge NOT to fill in the NSS, and fill in an LSE specific survey instead, which we will present to the School.

LSE is the only university in the UK which doesn’t allow students to take exam resits in the summer or autumn.

This means that students who have missed or failed an exam for whatever reason have to wait a full year to retake, sometimes meaning they are held back a year from progressing with their studies.

This can have lots of reprecussions for students, such as visa problems and negative effects on their wellbeing.

Your Education Officer, Jasmina Bidé, is lobbying LSE to introduce earlier re-sits for students.

If you’ve been negatively affected by re-sits and would like to share your story with us please email Jasmina Bidé at su.education@lse.ac.uk

Last year LSESU research revealed that Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students - whether ‘home’ or international, undergraduate or postgraduate - are less likely to obtain a first or 2.1 than their white peers.

In the academic year 2013/14 the attainment gap between white students and BME students was 16.4%.

This year we are continuing this campaign so we can make recommendations to the School about to how to improve the experience and attainment of students of colour.

We are holding focus groups with students of all races on this issue, if you would like to be involved please get in touch with su.education@lse.ac.uk

LSESU General Secretary Busayo Twins is campaigning this year for LSESU to introduce a Social Mobility Officer at LSE to represent students from low income backgrounds.

As part of this campaign we are asking students who self-identify as coming from a low socio-economic background to voluntarily have your portrait taken at a campus location that has reminded you of your sense of difference, whether that be at a shop, a classroom, or a club.

We'll then exhibit your portraits to show the University something they refuse to see - that LSE’s wealth has yet to reduce inequality, even on its own doorstep.

Email su.generalsecretary@lse.ac.uk to submit your photo and find out more.

Riham Mansour, your Community and Welfare Officer is working to improve support for students wellbeing and mental health at LSE.

She has been working with the School to make sure resources are easily available to students. This has included lobbying for all students to be signed up to a Moodle course where information on support is accessible, and asking LSE to implement the findings of our welfare report.

LSESU is also helping students create resources for self-care through the campaigns network . Get in touch with Self Care Aware at LSE if you want to create your own self-care plan.

In collaboration with, Itchy Feet and AISEC this week will begin in Week 7 with a festival day on Saw Swee Hock on Thursday 23rd February.

Please email su.engagement@lse.ac.uk for more information.

The women’s officer, Fathia Begum will be lobbying LSE to implement consent workshops for LSE students and to improve the policies around reporting sexual assault.

With the myths surrounding consent, 1 in 3 women experience sexual assault or unwanted sexual advances whilst at university in the UK.

With this in mind, Fathia has decided to create consent week. Running from 14th – 18th November, there will be a series of events and workshops around the topic for students to enjoy and learn from.

LSESU Green Week is run by your Environment and Ethics officer, Angharad Hopkinson.

This is a chance to encourage students to live a greener life, love the planet more and celebrate the ways in which we can better improve the future by being more ecofriendly.

Gay pride has been celebrated in the Students' Union from 1972.

Pride was designed to celebrate the many different people in the LGBT+ community.

This year’s LGBT+ officer Perdita Blinkhorn will be hosting a series of events during week nine, please look out for more information from her and the Pride Alliance.

For more info contact: su.lgbt@lse.ac.uk

Join this International Women's Public Speaking Workshop for a chance to, build confidence, engage an audience and learn to think on your feet.

In collaboration with, Women in Politics, International Students' Network, Women Leaders of Tomorrow and Women in Business, this event will take place on Saturday 11th February, 4-7pm on 6th floor studio of Saw Swee Hock.

Please email su.international@lse.ac.uk to register your attendance.

Meghan Mohanka, who is this year’s International Student’s Officer, will be hosting multiple events which will tackle the wellbeing of international students at LSE

This will include an event in week eight focused on the wellbeing of international students, followed by public speaking workshops and support.

Email Meg Mohanka at su.international@lse.ac.uk to find out more.