" I humbly offer myself as a candidate for the Students Affair officer position, knowing that my journey of six years I have been engaged in various aspects of student life, embodying a spirit of dedication and advocacy that has resonated with many of my peers.
From the essence of my personality to the attitude I bring to every endeavour, I have been approached by numerous students urging me to pursue this role, believing wholeheartedly in my capacity to enact positive change. As dedicated student with a multi law background and a advocate by nature, I find myself perfectly aligned with the values and responsibilities inherent in this position. Despite being a home student, I have cultivated meaningful relationships with international students hailing from across Asia, Nigeria, and various other cultural backgrounds. This interconnectedness has afforded me invaluable insights into the multifaceted nature of student experiences, further fuelling my commitment to fostering diversity, equality, and inclusion on campus.
If I was selected for this role my aims and objectives would be to
Identify gaps and challenges in diversity, inclusion, and equality across campus, in which working closely with student organizations, faculty, and staff to understand the specific needs and concerns of marginalized student groups.
Ensure that students have the necessary support networks to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
Advocate for policy changes and institutional reforms to address systemic barriers. One of the key focuses will be aiming at international students.
Encourage open communication, active listening, and collaboration to create an environment where every voice is valued and respected.
I firmly believe that these roles are not merely titles but vital commitments to the betterment of our university community. If entrusted with this position, I am fully committed to not only talking the talk but walking the walk, ensuring that every promise made is diligently fulfilled. Yet, even without an official title, advocacy runs deep within me, and I will continue to champion the causes that matter, striving to make a tangible difference for every student, every day.
Thankyou Sarah. Throughout my academic journey, I have maintained a steadfast dedication to student engagement and advocacy, a commitment that was I was awarded with the Dean's Prize Award for Recognition of Student with Highest Engagement 2022 during my graduation. Below are the roles I have undertaken:
Peer Assistant Leader (PAL) for two years, I embraced the responsibility of supporting my peers, even amidst challenging circumstances such as the transition to online learning during the pandemic. I facilitated sessions, provided comprehensive support, and fostered an inclusive and supportive environment for all.
In my roles as a student representative for both my LLB Law degree and currently my masters course , I served as a vocal advocate for student concerns, ensuring that their voices were heard and their needs addressed. I actively engaged with faculty members to identify areas for improvement and implemented initiatives to enhance the student experience.
Additionally, my involvement with the Athena Swan student participation and the Equality Action Board underscores my dedication to promoting diversity, equality, and inclusion within the university community. Leveraging my creative skills, I have designed practical solutions, such as a safety map for students, and collaborated with stakeholders to ensure that student feedback is effectively collected and utilized to drive positive change.
As Student Affairs Sabbatical Officer, I am committed to building upon my track record of excellence, prioritizing student well-being, advocating for their needs, and striving to create a campus environment where every student feels valued, supported, and empowered to succeed.
  As part of our commitment to fostering lifelong connections and support for our students, I would propose an establishment of the UBU Alumni Engagement Hub. This platform will serve as a dedicated space where alumni students, regardless of their location or stage in their careers, can continue to stay connected with the university and contribute to its vibrant community.
The UBU Alumni Engagement Hub will offer a range of resources and opportunities tailored to the unique needs and interests of alumni students. These could be, networking opportunities, professional development workshops, alumni mentoring programmes and access to other resources and interests where there may be currently limitations on.

 

"During my time at University, I have seen many areas where there are room for improvement. These include :
• Housing – It is clear to see that we need more housing options for students especially with their varying needs e.g., more than a one-bedroom studio apartment for those with dependents. I would like to tackle this by creating opportunities for students to feedback what they need and then communicating this with the University and supporting them in creating relationships with housing providers and tenants so that we can support students in finding housing asap
• Lobby for more student representation on University Council, Senate etc. My experience of being on faculty boards and the recruitment of the CEO has taught me how important it is to have the student voice in these meetings.
• Build a better relationship between the University and the Students Union and to make sure the decisions made by the University are reflective of the wants and needs of our student population.
• Student Support Services need to work together more cohesively to ensure that students aren’t passed from pillar to post during their time of need. There needs to be constant communication between all our support services and the Union so that we can solve students issues asap. The faster the issue gets resolved the faster the student can get back to having a generally fun time at University and will be able to engage with our societies.
• I believe in maintaining open communication channels between students, faculty, and administration. I will strive to keep students informed about relevant issues, policies, and decisions that affect their university experience, and I will actively seek feedback and input from the student body. I would like to investigate this matter and advocate continuously so that everyone who comes to me feel as though their voices will be heard and responded to. I will also make sure they are addressed in appropriate and timely manner.
  During my first year of university, inductions were still online due to Covid, and I came across a live video of the of the sabbatical officers at the time conducting a Q&A for students with the Vice Chancellor. At that time, even considering going for a Sabbatical role felt so out of reach and I admired them for their behaviour, their passion for supporting students and their bravery. As I became more involved in the Union these people I looked at from a far became my friends and supporters, guiding me to get more and more involved with the Students Union with every year I spent at Bradford. They slowly brought me out of my shell and supported me with establishing a society of my own, providing me with opportunities, and now bringing me to the point where I am running to be the Student Affairs Officer myself.
During my time at Bradford I have put on many different hats ;
• Executive and founding member of the Psychology Society – winning the best new society award at the 2023 UBIES award.
• Active member of KnK dance society – performing at various events including the UBIES and freshers.
• Faculty representative for the School of Social Sciences within FOMLSS – sitting on the faculty boards representing students’ academic needs.
• Chair of the Activities Committee – Elected by all society executives to represent their needs.
• Area representative on the UBU Council – Regularly report to the council on the needs of the students and supporting students’ motions.
• Receptionist at UBU – Signposting students to the Unions support services and being a welcoming and friendly face.
• Student Representative on the Recruitment of the Unions CEO – as Chair of Activities Committee was asked to represent the current active students within the Union.
My time spent in all of these roles has taught me a lot about how the Union and University runs. Including positive things, we need to shout louder about and the areas for improvement. I believe these roles have allowed me to gain a wealth of experience that has successfully set me up to be an impactful Student Affairs Officer.
  "Over the last three years I have been able to be lucky enough to see previous Student Affairs Officer did in their roles as Student Affairs Officers and it was clear that one of the biggest aims for them (beyond ensuring that students were having a good time at University) was to ensure that the governance, and advocacy within the Union was student focused and that the operational activities of the Union ran well.
Strategy
All institutions and organisations are powered by strategic plans and policies. In our case, we need to make sure that existing plans and policies as well as ones that we will develop in the future will be favourable for each student, making the Union as accessible to all students as possible. That is my vision. To fight for plans and to bring in policies that would make your student life here feel safer, cultivate an inclusive environment, and ensure that you are being heard and supported. The existing strategy is out of date and with the new CEO there will be a new strategic vision being created for the Union, I would like to support on this.
Advocacy
I am in my final year of university this year and due to all the things I have gotten involved in I have friends and acquaintances representing almost all race, culture, ethnicity, identity and religion. My aim is to advocate for all students. Keep on advocating until they feel safer and happier feeling like their opinions and ideologies are being not only supported but celebrated.
Amplifying Student Voices
With the recent events happening in the world I can see how difficult it has been for students and our societies to be outspoken about their opinions. We need to create more opportunities to educate our peers and the university about the heart-breaking things that are happening in the middle east and to be able to be loud and proud about our stances in line with freedom of speech.
Incoming Students
To support incoming students better and to give them the support they need to thrive at the University of Bradford. My proposed support includes, welcome talks orientated towards students of different backgrounds, creating more union led opportunities of integration into Bradford and working with the University to cater sessions towards marginalised groups.

 

My name is Florence Olutosin an MSC student of Finance,Accounting and Management.
It gives me great pleasure to offer myself as a 2024 candidate for Sabbatical Student Affairs Officer.
My enthusiasm for the well-being of students, my background in leadership, and my commitment to creating a welcoming and inclusive campus community make me the best person for this significant position.
I will now go ahead to answer the questions before me.
Developing programmes and policies that improve the general university experience and well-being of students will be my main priority as a Student Affairs Officer.My goal is to establish a nurturing and stimulating atmosphere that will enable each student to reach their full potential in terms of academics, socialization, and personal growth during their stay at the university. To make student life better, I want to focus on the following important areas:
1. Mental Wellness: As a well-being officer my self,this is very important to me,as I plan to:
# Create and disseminate campaigns to raise awareness of mental health issues, making sure that students are aware of the options that are accessible.
# Push for more money to be allocated to counselling services and for campus mental health programmes to be expanded.
# Work to promote a culture of well-being and lessen the stigma attached to obtaining mental health support.
2. Career Development and Internships Options:
# Form closer relationships with neighbourhood companies and associations to expand student access to internship and employment possibilities.
# To help students get ready for their future careers, host more workshops, seminars, and networking activities.
# Promote more career counselling programmes that help students choose their chosen routes with knowledge.
3. Enhance campus life and student engagement:
# By endorsing and advancing more student-led clubs, projects, and organizations.
# Plan and direct social gatherings that promote networking, community development, and social engagement.
# Develop an inclusive and upbeat campus atmosphere in order to help people feel like they belong.
4. Partnerships & Community Outreach:
# Foster closer relationships with the neighbourhood to open doors for student participation in outreach and community service initiatives.
# Form alliances with nearby companies to offer students discounts and other advantages.
Other keys areas would be : To improve communication and transparency, Academic support services and Advocate for inclusive policies that address the unique needs of underrepresented groups on campus.
  I have previously served as a volunteer in diverse roles while at the University,these includes: Student Rep,Council Lay Member, Activities Committee (Treasurer), Nigerian Student Society (Treasurer) and Nigerian Student Society (President).
These roles have shaped me into the leader that I am today and also brought me very close to the students. I have been able to wear their shoes and see where it hurts the most.
Beyond campus I work as a well-being officer for Leeds United ,this role has opened me up to meeting different people from different works of life and also taught me how to deal with issues in a team and also on my own.
Furthermore,I have had the privilege of Heading the Human Resources Department (a managerial role),where I lead over 200 staff back in my home country,these roles have given me the ability to perform in crisis interventions, project management,budgeting and staff management . I have also gained some soft skills like interpersonal communication, organization, problem-solving and critical thinking.
I am an Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria and also a member of the United Kingdom chapter.
  # Promote and Provide Additional Support Services.
Every university, in my opinion, need to prioritize offering services beyond academic assistance. This is the time to hone my approach and create more support services than the university now offers because well-being plays a significant role in the overall experiences of students. # Embrace Diversity
All university students, including those who are members of ethnic minorities or originate from low-income families, must be taken into account in order to provide an inclusive educational experience.I'll concentrate on how to use the university's tools and resources to support their graduation and give them a real opportunity to succeed when they enter the workforce.
Extra assistance will be given, tailored to the specific needs of ethnic minorities. This may entail setting up offices specifically designed to assist students from diverse backgrounds and those from multicultural backgrounds. It may also entail regularly surveying the university's population to gauge its level of inclusion, well-being support, and sense of belonging.
# Ask for Feedback and Apply It
At the very least, it ought to be a significant part of the experience that students receive. By providing a forum for students to express their ideas, I hope to help them give the university insightful feedback on the teaching styles and overall learning environment.
It is one thing to have these insights; it is another to put them into practice. In order to enhance the educational experience for students and demonstrate our commitment to implementing their requested modifications, I intend to make use of pertinent ideas.
# Provide Opportunities for Alumni Engagement
Half of the students, according to a recent study, had thought about quitting their course. They considered doing so for a variety of reasons, including unemployment, homesickness, financial strain, and uncertainty about their careers. Giving alumni engagement opportunities can be helpful in the latter case.
It makes sense that students are unsure of what will happen next. Are they going to graduate? Will they have a career that suits them? Will their career enable them to support themselves? I want to create opportunities for students to speak with alumni who have achieved amazing things because I believe that they should see the possibilities for success and development.
To keep students interested and goal-focused, it enables them to put them at ease, ask questions, get feedback, and share ideas.
To sum up, I am thrilled about the prospect of working as your Sabbatical Student Affairs Officer and am sure that I can improve the campus community. By working together, we can establish a setting that supports both academic and personal development and give each student the tools they require to succeed.
I appreciate your considering my application. I'm excited about the chance to represent and serve you.
Sincerely,
Florence Olutosin
Student Affairs Candidate 2024/2025

 

I would focus on working to expand and improve support services for students, including mental health counseling, academic advising, and support for students with disabilities. Ensuring that students have access to resources and guidance is important for their overall well-being and success. I would focus on promoting diversity and inclusion initiatives to create a welcoming and supportive campus environment for students from all backgrounds. This may involve organizing cultural events, implementing diversity training programs, and fostering dialogue on important social issues. it is my preference to providing opportunities for students to get involved on campus through clubs, organizations, and leadership development programs by encouraging student participation which fosters a sense of belonging and empowers students to take an active role in shaping their college experience. I am a lawyer and I was working with a private organization back there in m country which was helping out the vulnerable and poor citizens to get instant and free justice without any cost. I was also a member of law clinic who was working closely with clients preparing their advices in legal matters and I believe that I will utilize my skills here in bringing some positive changes for students at management level by raising voice and working for their rights. I will try to bring the expanding of financial aid opportunities and scholarship programs from the university to support students with financial need. By providing information on available grants, scholarships, and financial literacy resources to help students manage their finances and alleviate financial barriers to education. I will also work on improving communication channels with students through regular university newsletters, social media platforms, and online forums. Also seeking feedback from students through surveys and focus groups to identify areas for improvement and address their concerns effectively will improve the student's experience at campus.
 

I am a full time social work student and I will focus on the social aspect most primarily to make the students comfortable and confident in the university's environment. It can include different cultural festivals and awareness programs. My main focus will be on the academic programs policies to create a big difference at management level. I will work on the basic things like the students basic needs at campus like regarding their studies, food, and better experience. It will also be in my list to make it possible for the students to have access to campus facilities at their best. I have worked with Kirklees dementia hub from 2016 to 2023 and currently I am working at Kirklees college. I am also a radio presenter and also voluntarily working as a social worker helping out our society and the ones who are suffering. I am nominated by the university for Outstanding Achiever Award. I can also speak British sign language and I am outspoken, confident and social activist. I have a good experience in understanding the needs and demands of people within the society and I will try at my best to understand the needs of students also by introducing good policies with the university. I am also a member of social justice society. I will bring changes in the overall framework of the student body to distribute the power of student union to all the students. I will also try to implement peer mentorship programs where upperclassmen or graduate students mentor incoming students. Peer mentors can provide guidance, support, and encouragement as new students navigate academic and social life on campus. The feedback system will make it easy to aware the union of the issues students are facing. These things will improve the student's experience better.
 

Enhancing university student life necessitates a diverse strategy. Enhancing mental health resources, creating a welcoming campus community, offering a variety of extracurricular activities, encouraging academic success through efficient teaching strategies, and guaranteeing access to essential resources like reasonably priced housing and wholesome food are a few examples. Every facet adds to a comprehensive and enriching educational experience for students. I have been involved in student union since day one, when I began university. This helped me understand what happens in the union & inside the office itself because as an outsider you don’t see the real image inside. I know the work and dedication which is put in to ensure students are happy. Working as UBU media team, I made connections with students in university and the staff. I have got involved and ran societies so I know the work that’s put in for this. For example as president of Nursing, Afghan and Absoc society I’ve held events for my members and done collaborations with other societies within the UBU. Events I have done is meets & greets, girls night and few other collaborations with other societies. I know the amount of effort which is put into planning for events whilst also having a job and degree happening. As community and activities officer I will ensure that there will be more financial transparency, making event planning process and form filling easier. I would like to implement a strategy of going fully digital as well as sustainable for the future and the environment. For example I would implement this to events and finance process to make it easy for students.
I will ensure that in this role I am actively engaging and listening to the students needs and requirements as student voice in the university matters to ensure they are enjoying their time at university and have all the required resources and facilities to bring them success.
Furthermore in this role, I will ensure that UBU is reached out to the wider audience and fresh starters. This can be done through the course reps and during the enrolment process.

 

1. Will be helping students with any difficulties with their course (which I am already doing upaid, as a helping nature) 2. Try to bring positivity in new students lives 3. Bringing their issue to university or UBU I have always been a tutor and an admissions officer in my previous work experiences, which helps me understand students better. 1. Take into account all the mothers, and alot their timings in the morning. They can't stay until evening. While giving admission, university knows that a person is a mother and has child or children. 2. Either days or hours has to be lessen as a university students. University students work with study. Therefore its not possible for every student to attend university 4 days and 9 hours per day.
 

Creating a sense of belonging on campus, better access to mental health and wellbeing services, work together with UBU to ensure events like Freshers Fayre to be more organised and more engaging I was previously the Equalities Officer at Huddersfield Students' Union. I've worked with the local council, built strong relationships with the VCs, engaged with the student body and created change within my remit. The available spaces surrounding UBU could be much better improved, there's so much potential for it to be utilised. Apart from that, I want to ensure international students and commuter students feel a sense of belonging on campus as it can be a very isolating experience. There are a few areas on campus that have provided these but the numbers are limited.
 

"1. Focused Improvements for a Vibrant Student Life:
As your Sabbatical Student Affairs Officer, my primary commitment is to enhance the quality of student life at the University. I intend to focus on three core pillars:
a. Mental Health and Well-being: Implementing comprehensive mental health programs and support services to create a nurturing environment for all students.
b. Inclusivity and Diversity: Cultivating a culture of inclusivity through targeted initiatives and events that celebrate diversity, fostering an atmosphere where every student feels valued.
c. Career Development: Establishing partnerships with industry leaders, organizing career fairs, and providing mentorship programs to ensure students are well-prepared for their future endeavors.
  2. Relevant Experience and Commitment:
I bring to the table a wealth of experience as a student representative and leader in road safety initiatives. My tenure as a student representative has honed my skills in effective communication, problem-solving, and collaboration. Additionally, leading a team dedicated to road safety has instilled in me a sense of responsibility and a proactive approach to addressing challenges. These experiences have prepared me to navigate the complexities of student affairs and advocate for the well-being of our diverse student body.
  Innovative Ideas for a Transformed Student Experience:
a. Student-Community Engagement Program: Establishing a framework for students to actively engage with the local community through volunteering, fostering a sense of civic responsibility.
b. Peer Mentorship Program: Creating a structured mentorship system that connects senior students with freshmen, ensuring a smooth transition into university life.