Introduction

I’m Keir Murison, a third-year NatSci, former President of Student Minds Cambridge, and former Emma JCR Welfare Officer. I’m running for CUSU President because I’m frustrated with students’ problems going unaddressed. CUSU can be the most important organisation in Cambridge but only by involving students in conversations – conversations on topics they’ve helped to shape.

Policies

Equalise – I want to make sure that students’ experiences at Cambridge aren’t dictated by a college lottery. I would push for consistent policies on intermission, underperformance meetings across all colleges, as well as compulsory welfare training for all Directors of Studies, supervisors and tutors.

Engage – I would ensure that ideas are passed from students to CUSU rather than the other way around. Students would be able to submit their concerns online, which would then form the basis of a university-wide conversation. I would also gage student opinion on three major issues: accommodation, term length and workload.

Encourage – Too many students fall victim to ‘Impostor Syndrome’ or disillusionment with their subjects. I would introduce workshops in colleges at the start of Lent Term to facilitate the open discussion of these issues which are too often accepted as just ‘part of Cambridge life.’

Experience

As President of Student Minds Cambridge and JCR Welfare Officer:

  • I led four successful university-wide campaigns – in addition to chairing numerous conference and panels – to spark dialogue about students’ mental health.
  • Focused on breaking the harmful stereotype of ‘Week Five Blues’, encouraging students to value themselves beyond their exam performance, and promoting self-care.
  • Helped lobbyEmmanuel College to create a Disabilities Officer, ran consent and welfare workshops, and played an instrumental role in updating the Confidentiality Policy for the weekly drop-in sessions I hosted throughout the year.

Vision

CUSU needs to focus on publicity and transparency. Too often, I’ve found that people are unsure of both what it is and what it does. I want to give CUSU a more prevalent position in Cambridge by improving visibility on social media and using posters and meetings to establish a physical presence in all colleges.

To tackle discrimination in Cambridge, the autonomous campaigns need to be properly funded and resourced. Central policy planning should include their input to ensure CUSU does its upmost to remove discrimination, for example, by making unconscious bias training a mandatory part of supervisor training.

I would implement a new system regarding major decisions at CUSU Council, in which Sabbatical Officers would present a report to be critiqued before voted on. This would not only give CUSU a more representative outlook, but also provide tangible evidence with which to change university policy.

CUSU can only create real, lasting change by engaging with students’ opinions, fighting for their wellbeing, and showing the university how changes will help students achieve their potential. This is the students’ union that we deserve, and if elected, this is the one that I promise to create.

#Keir for CUSU