Hi, my name is Niamh Kelly Donald and I am a third-year BA Anthropology and Media student running to be your Education Officer.

I am genuinely passionate about student voice and believe that students should have the largest role in the shaping of their education.

I am campaigning for:

• Students to have greater control of their university experiences and be more involved in how and what they are taught.

• The continuation of decolonising and diversifying the curriculum. 

• Greater provisions and support for disabled students and a better understanding of their needs.

• The decentralising of deadlines by giving back departments control over due dates. 

• Departments to actively manage timetable clashes that affect students studying across multiple departments.

I intend to continue the great work done by those previously in this role. Building off their campaigns that called for greater student power and the reimagining of module feedback, I wish to continue this fight by introducing open forums and continuing support for the student representative and departmental student coordinator systems. 

I have been working in Student Voice for nearly three years, starting as a student representative in my first year and now as the Undergraduate DSC for the Anthropology department. Being involved with Goldsmiths at this level has been enlightening to the inner workings of the university and the issues that occur. As students, you should be at the centre of this university and have more control over your learning experiences. You should have more power over how and what you are taught. 

Goldsmiths has been working on decolonising the curriculum for many years now. We have seen success in this area, however, this work must be continued and expanded upon with reference to events that are happening across the world. Goldsmith’s reputation as a progressive university can not be taken for granted. We must hold the college accountable to provide a genuinely diverse, actively decolonial education that highlights and champions intersectional authors. 

As someone who makes use of a RASA I understand the importance of systems such as these, as well as extenuating circumstances, to allow you to reach your full potential. Disabled students are still disadvantaged in the university system. Improving recognition is central to my campaign, I want to ensure that our needs are met and understood by the academics and staff who are meant to support us. I am part of a group organising an open forum for disabled students in the Anthropology department and I plan to expand this approach across the university. This will allow students to share feedback and communicate when their access needs are not being met. 

Though there are many benefits to being a joint honours student, there are also consistent and considerable issues that have to be faced every term when timetables are released. These persistent issues end up limiting module selections and causing undue stress to students who have to change models right before or sometimes even during the term. I will lobby to ensure students who study across departments are considered more heavily, and clashes are discovered and taken seriously before the timetable is released.

Vote for me as your 2024 education officer to ensure a continued effort for greater student power and an increased level of communication between students and the University. Learning, and the student experience should be prioritised over all things, particularly profit. All students should be able to access the support they need, and not be limited by issues in the systems that should be uplifting them. 

Visit www.goldsmithssu.org and vote Niamh Kelly Donald for Education Officer.