Union Elections: 2021 Candidates Announced

After a turbulent period of coronavirus restrictions affecting much of the academic year, the elections this year may be a little different.

The candidates for the 2021 Union Election have been announced:

Union President

Euan Stainbank, current Law Society President and Engagement Officer, has announced his candidacy for Union President.

Stainbank is running with his top three priorities:

• Your Union, your say
• Equalities
• Restore, Reform, Resolve

Euan’s manifesto can be found here.

Also announcing their candidacy for Union President is Nela Cadinanos Gonzales, current VP of the Environmental Enterprises.

Nela, originally from Spain, is promising focus on wellbeing, sustainability and equality, diversity and inclusion and has priority on creating an inclusive community in her second home.

The final candidate for Union President is Julia Dempewolf.

Running on a campaign of “help not harm“, Dempewolf is aiming to change punishment into counselling and adopts a “Help not Harm” approach when dealing with drug use.

Sports President

Current Sports President Edd Keeler is running for re-election. In a year where there has been no sport Edd’s election promises include:

• I will lead the fastest return to sport possible
• I will continue work to promote positive mental health and wellbeing
• I will continue to widen the access and inclusion for students who identify as Disabled, LGBTQ+ and of ethnic minority
• I will work to ensure that each club is supported regardless of size and membership numbers
• I will continue to negotiate better gym prices

Also running is current women’s hockey captain Sophie Charlton.

Sophie is running on five main pritorities: clear communication, supporting the recovery and safe return to sport, developing our Sports Union members, creating a #bleedgreen community and inclusion and acceptance of all in sport.

Sophie’s manifesto can be found here.

VP Education

Announcing his candidacy for VP Education is Calum Brown. ‘Don’t frown, vote for Brown’ is running a campaign on three main areas.

• Covid Recovery
• Student- University Relationship
• Our Education

Calum’s manifesto can be read here.

Running against Calum is Eliot Wooding- Sherwin.

Eliot is also running on the Help not Harm campaign, campaigning for more counselling then punishment for students who are facing disciplinary action over drug use.

VP Communities

Current International Officer Dimitrios Terzis is running for VP Communities. Terzis’ main priorities include supporting student’s quality of life, supporting clubs and societies, and promoting a sustainable project.

Dimitrios’ manifesto can be found here.

Dan McCallum also announced his candidacy for VP Communities.

Dan is “endorsing a help not harm approach to drug use on Stirling Campus.” McCallum is also focusing on a counselling not punishment campaign.

Also running is Alyson Mackay. #VoteAyeForMackay will promoted six main priorities.

• Clubs and societies support
• Democracy and Transparency
• Health and Wellbeing
• Housing and Campus
• Sustainability
• Transport

Alyson’s manifesto can be found here.

Housing Officer

Running for election as Housing Officer is Louis Kennedy. Current third year student Louis is campaigning on policies like transparent discussions between he University and students, campaigning for affordable rent, making certain that repairs are carried out in good time and creating an accessible online presence.

Louis’ full manifesto can be found here.

Also running is Tristan Ghigo. Tristan’s manifesto priorities include being uncompromising on insulation and heating issues, making energy saving a priority, fighting cleanliness problems and ensuring accommodation is following coronavirus restrictions.

Co- Curricular Officer

Running for re-election is Jamie McDiarmid. Continuing on from his work this year, Jamie plans to work with employers in Stirling to support students looking for jobs, supporting the communities’ zone, encouraging fundraising and awareness weeks and supporting Clubs and Societies for students particularly those who have been hit hardest but he covid pandemic.

Jamie’s full manifesto is available here.

Sustainability Officer

With climate change a priority for many, running for sustainability officer is first year student Katrin Eldholm.

Katrin is running on three main policies:

• Recycling
• Wildlife and Nature
• Less Plastic

Also running is Caitlin Turner. Caitlin, founder of the Marine Conversation Society, has three priorities: action, accessibility and awareness and looking to work with the student body, the university and union to help Stirling reach it’s full sustainable potential.

You can read Caitlin’s full manifesto here.

International Officer

Anu Adegbola has announced her candidacy for International Officer. Originally from Nigeria, Anu wants to encourage international students to meet up and socialise celebrating memorable cultural events, providing mentorship programmes to incoming international students and helping them settle into life in Scotland.

Anu’s full manifesto can be read here.

Also running is Aritra Adhikari.

Aritra is running on four promises surrounding:

• a smooth transition for international freshers
• improved international welfare
• food and groceries
• feedback forms.

Aritra believes “just because you haven’t grown up here, it doesn’t mean you don’t belong.”

Arts Officer

Standing for re-election as Arts Officer is Jack Williamson. Following on from his year, Jack aims to assist performing arts societies to get back into Airthrey Cottage, continue to represent the Art’s Societies’ interests and create an itemised inventory of the Cottage’s contents and working with the student’s union to create a booking system.

Jack’s manifesto can be read here.

Also running is Sanhita Sanjay Gokhale.

Sanhita is believes “… when creative people untie nothing is impossible”.

Some of her promises include:

• creating strong bonds with the representatives of existing arts societies
• play an active role in the development and maintenance of Airthrey cottage
• foster relationships between societies and outside organisations
• representing the interests, problems of students

Media Officer

Calum Sutherland is looking for reelection as Media Officer. If reelected Calum wants to continue being an effective link between he media societies, set up a virtual Media Office to bring society members together again, help media societies overcome the difficulties caused by the pandemic.

Calum also aims to support Brig and AirTV’s new news show.

His full manifesto ca be read here.

Also running is Perzcy Andrews Michael.

Perzcy runs on four main qualities: Engage, Listen, Learn and Build. Some of his proposals include:

• organise international cultural exchange events developing media relations and the international student community
• talent identification programme
• organise and International Film Festival
• reshaping Campus TV

Health and Wellbeing Officer

Chloe Johnstone announced her candidacy for Health and Wellbeing Officer. Her main manifesto priorities include:

• having a walk in service for people to seek face to face help (respecting coronavirus guidance)
• more accessible sports classes and getting sports course students involved
• stamping out stigmas surround mental health

Running against Chloe is Esmé Foxworthy- Bowers. Esmé has co-established and co-facilitated a peer support groups as well as being welfare officer for Touch Rugny and helping with the Stirling Nightline.

Her manifesto includes a ‘Coping After Covid’ campaign to help manage trauma and anxieties that may have risen during the pandemic and organising de-stress sessions.

Esmé’s full manifesto can be found here.

Sports Communications Officer

Running for reelection is Juliette Oliveras, who, over the last year, has been in touch with and interviewing Stirling Sports Teams and sharing workouts to keep people motivated despite the hard few months.

Juliette plans to continue her previous campaign by implementing campaigns such as “one training with”, where sports teams would share their training routine, and ‘photo of the week’, a photo of the sports union taken by one of our students.

Read Juliette’s full manifesto here.

Sports Participation and Engagement Officer

Tash Miller announced her plans for reelection to continue with her plans to host the ‘Stirlympics’, a week-long event encompassing traditional Olympic sports.

In addition, she plans:

• restarting and redesigning the social club
• promoting fun and exciting sports engagement across the student body
• continue to engage with the ‘Healthy Body, Healthy Mind’ campaign in participation with the Welfare Officer and Sports President

Voting for the Union Elections will open. March 8 at 9am and will close March 9 at 6:15.

Feature Image Credit: Brig Newspaper