Hi everyone!

My name is Steven Suresh - a 2^ndyear undergraduate at King’s running to become your next KCLSU President. My involvement with the Union began during my first year at King's. I have gained a deep understanding of how the Union operates, both from the student perspective and behind the scenes. I was the Founder and Co-President of the Formula 1 Society and initiator of a KCLSU campaign against sexual misconduct.

 

The key to my manifesto and campaign policies is long-term change – KCLSU must move away from short-term promises that are never followed upon. We need long-term goals with a clear vision and measurable steps. Each policy aims to improve the student experience for both current and future students at King’s College London. The role of a President is not to push personal agendas but to reflect the student body’s opinions.

 

Vote #1 Steven for KCLSU President.

 

Campaign policies:

 

1) Increase KCL’s response to sexual misconduct

I started a KCLSU campaign targeting the policies I aim to implement, as nearly 1/3 KCL students face unwanted sexual attention in Union venues. KCL's minimum punishment for sexual misconduct is a “written apology”, while damaging KCL property leads to suspension or fines. Why is property being valued higher than individuals? Furthermore, the absence of a specific sexual misconduct policy and independent harassment advisor is unacceptable. I will advocate for a specific harassment policy, stricter penalties and hiring an independent advisor.

 

2) Create a transparent and accountable Student Union

KCLSU struggles with transparency and accountability, with unresolved cases and unfulfilled promises by student officers and the Union. I will implement an accountability database for students to open and track cases within KCLSU, and assess officer manifestos in relation to the developments they have made. This will pinpoint any department or individual hindering progress to improve transparency and productivity. Additionally, I will increase the frequency of Student Officer Reports beyond the current annual release in January.

 

3) Echo YOUR student voice and include networks in KCLSU decisions

A President’s role is to echo YOUR student voice; something often not done within KCLSU. Networks such as the LBGTQ+, Women’s and International Student’s Network exist to create positive change within King’s. After speaking to network Chairs, many feel excluded from KCLSU decisions. I will work closely with them to gather diverse perspectives on KCLSU changes and their impact on students. Students will also be sent surveys to voice their opinions before any KCLSU decision is made. The results of every survey will be made public to ensure transparency.

 

4) Increase Mental Health Support

Currently, registering with the Counselling & Mental Health Support Service at KCL involves a manual enrolment and an 8-week wait for an initial assessment that is required before you can access help. I will push for automatic enrolment for all students and online assessments as part of the induction process. Additionally, I will push for funding to be increased towards mental health support to hire more trained individuals, improve overall support opportunities and drastically decrease wait times.

 

5) Introduce KCL Rent Guarantor Scheme

Many KCL students, including myself, face challenges in securing suitable private accommodation without a UK guarantor. Due to this, students are often required to pay up to 6 months' rent upfront. I will advocate for KCL to implement a Rent Guarantor Scheme, enabling students to access housing they otherwise couldn’t. Imperial, LSE and UCL are some of the universities in London that offer a Rent Guarantor Scheme to their students. KCL must keep up.

 

6) Reduce KCLSU admin backlogs

KCLSU is notoriously slow, with a 5-week turnaround time for getting a risk assessment approved to host a larger society event or months before reimbursements are paid out to societies. This is unreasonable. I would reduce these backlogs by ensuring there is sufficient admin provision to enable proper support and quicker resolutions to requests made by Student Groups and students.

 

7) Introduce Women, International, LGBTQ+, Person of Colour, Disability,Interfaith and Harassment Officers (PAID)

I will introduce paid roles for network chairs or nominated students to support the decision-making process at KCLSU. Comparable to a cabinet, these officers will assist me in decision-making processes by representing the views of their respective groups of individuals. Although I may be able to relate to a few networks, it would be unfair to assume and represent the voices of individuals I do not relate with. In contrast to previous years, this would be a paid role where officers are trained and compensated for their time and efforts.

 

8) Introduce Town Halls and a flat hierarchy

I plan to host monthly Town Hall-style meetings, allowing students to express concerns directly to me, bypassing KCLSU's bureaucratic processes. From freshers with ideas to improve student welfare to Network Chairs seeking expansion, everyone is welcome. Additionally, students can share suggestions or complaints with me directly, either in person or via email any time they please.

 

9) Increase Living Bursary Support

The Living Bursary Support has increased by exactly 0% since 2017, although inflation has been around 23% since 2017. With the continuous rise in both rents and costs of living year over year, we need as much help as we can get. I will push for the Living Bursary to account for inflation.

 

10) Work with VPs to ensure exam method continuation post-pandemic

Many students at KCL are facing a complete switch in the methods their exams are being conducted. Students who previously had online exams are being forced into in-person exams for the first time in 3 years; negatively affecting their academic performance. I will work with the VPs of Education to ensure that exam methods in your first year are continued throughout your course.

 

11) Diversify and decolonise the curriculum

Prioritising the diversification and decolonisation of our university's curriculum is essential for creating a more inclusive learning environment. A growing number of students have expressed frustration over the underrepresentation of BAME, LGBTQ+ and disabled communities within our teaching, particularly in modules that address racism, sexism, disability and homophobia. To ensure an equitable academic experience for all, I am committed to collaborating with student networks and the College Council at King's to work towards this goal. Together, we will diversify module topics, reading lists and teaching staff, creating a more inclusive and representative educational experience for everyone.

 

12) Fee reduction and payments over 3+ instalments

KCL is one of the few universities in London, that charge fees in only 2 short instalments. UCL and LSE offer 3 instalments whereas Birkbeck offers a monthly instalment plan over 12 months. The fees we are paying are already extremely high, extending our payment deadlines would help alleviate some of the financial pains that we face as students. I will also fight for fee reductions and represent student views on the issue.

 

 

My Experience

 

1) Founder and Co-President of the Formula 1 Society at KCL

In six months, our society grew to 400+ members, becoming London's largest F1 society. Establishing the society, recruiting members and fostering camaraderie provided me with essential leadership skills, including event organisation, member management and fundraising. My experience leading a society has made me keenly aware of KCLSU's shortcomings.

 

2) Started a KCLSU campaign against sexual misconduct  

Whilst running the F1 Society, I discovered students were dissatisfied with how the Union handled sexual misconduct allegations. Upon investigation, I found that King's lacked a specific sexual misconduct policy, an independent harassment advisor and had lenient punishments. This had led me to initiate a KCLSU campaign to reform our university's approach to sexual misconduct.

 

3) Venture Capital Scout

Helped founders in the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) space raise over £95,000 in the span of 3 months.

4) Fundraising 

Raised £200 for Disasters Emergency Committee’s Turkey-Syria Appeal

5) King’s Climate Action Network – Member

6) Team Leader at Al Noor Training Centre for Persons with Disabilities Dubai

 

I would like for you to contact me regarding any aspect of my manifesto and discuss why you should elect me as your next President.

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @steven.suresh

vote4steven.com