Abigail Mustard

I believe we have on excellent range of student media available as a University, whilst there is current publicity on the website I would like to make them a bolder presence making sure they are part of the forefront of the Union as they are a voice of the students. I would also see what could be done to increase knowledge of the societies in first year, as from personal experience I did not know much about the societies until later on. I'd also like to chat to people from all the societies to find out the current issues specific to each of them and work out a plan to solve these.

This question was also asked to Fiona Sunderland, Corin HollowayAnswered by Abigail on 21/02/19 11:18

Hi, thank you for you question. In response to this I went to have a look at the storage space in the Union to see what space is currently available and how best to manage it. I could see that things are crowded and the fact you have to walk through other activities to get your belongings is not ideal. I would have to find out how other areas of the union like the meeting rooms are currently used and if it would be effective to change one of these into a more dedicated storage space for societies. If this is not possible I would also like to look as what societies currently have which space and look at reallocation as well as a clearer timetable to know who’s in the room which should allow the current system to flow better.

This question was also asked to Fiona Sunderland, Corin HollowayAnswered by Abigail on 21/02/19 11:06

The structure of the coffee morning would be similar to ones that are already run on campus e.g. the postgraduate mornings. In which there would be a dedicated area for committees to meet with drinks as a bonus. It is not intended as a way to make friends (however this would be a bonus) but as a way to get to know more societies and help with organising collaborations, at present I feel many potential collaborations are missed due to people not knowing about other societies and missed communication on social media, further to this for collaborations already occurring it would provide a place for meetings which can be a nightmare to find during the year. It is also not intended to be a time consuming thing for individuals with it being one morning a month for a few hours depending on demand. Also having a member of Susu present to answer and queries would allow for improved communication between societies and the university. As for the fundraising I would not expect this to be an expensive activity, I would also be looking at the current grant budget to see where the money would be best allocated to benefit the most people. From initial discussions I’ve had positive feedback about the idea however I would make sure there was consultation with societies to check this event would be wanted by them. If you have any further questions please do ask or email them to me alm1g16@soton.ac.uk where I’d be happy to discuss this further.

This question was also only asked to AbigailAnswered by Abigail on 21/02/19 11:35

The issue storage space is clearly of concern to a lot of students as all candidates have mentioned and something I will prioritise if I were to get the position. Whilst I cannot promise additional space as it would result in restrictions elsewhere, I will look at why union spaced are currently under-utilised and why it is so expensive for societies to hire certain venues. I am passionate about the position and would be approachable link between students and the university. I hope my manifesto reflects what I would like to achieve as VP but if you have any further questions please do ask or email me alm1g16@soton.ac.uk.

This question was also asked to Fiona Sunderland, Corin HollowayAnswered by Abigail on 21/02/19 12:24

Having asked all candidates it is clearly something you are passionate about, and most students I’m sure would agree. I suggest submitting a second You Make Change to get your point across incase it was missed the first time. Whilst I’m not sure it comes under the VP Activities role I will take all requests seriously and pass them on to the appropriate team to make sure they are dealt with.

This question was also asked to Fiona Sunderland, Corin HollowayAnswered by Abigail on 25/02/19 11:26

Hi thank you for your question, Sadly I cannot knit or crochet, I have tried to learn many times but i'm going to blame my left handedness! If this is something you are interested in I can't currently find a knitting society but you can set up your own. I love the Bake Off idea, I think it would be great to have more non drinking events on campus which could be linked with a lot of societies. In regards to this happening March 5th I have no power over things being shown yet, however you can submit a You Make Change, or get in contact with Union Films who currently have events in the cinema to see if this is possible. If I was elected this would definitely be something I would try to implement. If you have any further ideas please get in touch on my facebook page @VoteAbiMustard or email me alm1g16@soton.ac.uk

This question was also only asked to AbigailAnswered by Abigail on 25/02/19 11:16

Thank you for your question. You’re right so far that the focus has mainly been on the SUSU buildings as I think they are under-utilised and will require the most work in finding a solution. As far as I’m aware the majority of non sport societies book other rooms within the university to host events and as such rooms are often fully booked, resulting in societies using rooms that are not suitable for them. I hope by changing the use of some of the SUSU spaces and making them easier to access more events would be hosted there, reducing the issue you have pointed out of spaces being used as there’s no better alternative. Regarding the issue of moving furniture around, I know its sometimes rushed at the end of events and things get missed. I would send out periodic reminders to all societies to maintain a high standard when booking rooms and look at implementing a strike system where people report rooms that have been left in a mess and that specific society can get a warning, then not be able to book university rooms if it continues. This would be easy to implement as when booking a room you have to put your name and use so could be traced back to the offending societies. If you have any further comments please email them to me alm1g16@soton.ac.uk

This question was also asked to Fiona Sunderland, Corin HollowayAnswered by Abigail on 28/02/19 11:50

Thank you for your question, ultimately I hope all major decisions I make as VP would be student-led and in their best interests. Of course any change will have some disagreement especially when funding Is concerned. In order to reduce back lash I would post regular updates explaining what is going on and the benefits to students as well as having a weekly office hour to listen to students questions. I will also listen to students opinions if a majority disagree with a change I have made reversals of policies could occur. If you have any further questions please email me alm1g16@soton.ac.uk

This question was also asked to Fiona Sunderland, Corin HollowayAnswered by Abigail on 28/02/19 12:11

Hi thanks for your question. I have to say I sadly am not gifted in any musical sense so am not part of any Performing Arts societies, however from chatting to friends I know there is a diverse range of societies who put on amazing performances. I went to see Princess Ida a couple of weeks ago, which showed the high level of performance at the university. Whilst I have not been in these societies I have heard there are issues specific to them such as the cost of hiring venues, which I am passionate about helping to fix. As VP Activities I would be equally committed to all societies and would have weekly drop in sessions for people to come and raise issues to me.

This question was also asked to Fiona Sunderland, Corin HollowayAnswered by Abigail on 04/03/19 14:15

I am an incredibly driven person and societies have been a big part of my university experience, along side this I have managed to maintain a 1st throughout my degree which I hope shows my good time management. I have been part of many extra curricular activities which has given me a lot of public speaking experience and made me confident in talking to large groups of people, which will be beneficial in the role. I have also helped to organise a mental health convention in my home town which gave me insight into event planning which will be useful as VP Activities. As a person i'm very chatty and open and really want to make a difference to somewhere that has been such a big part of my life for the last 3 years.

This question was also asked to Fiona Sunderland, Corin HollowayAnswered by Abigail on 04/03/19 14:22

Hi, thanks for your question. The union has come under fire a lot this year and has caused a level of disconnect between the sabbatical officers and students, I want to be a voice for all students and be approachable for all societies to counteract this. If I am elected it will be on the basis of my manifesto which will be the key focus of my role. As with any job I have had I will act professionally and in the best interest of the organisation I am employed by.

This question was also asked to Fiona Sunderland, Corin HollowayAnswered by Abigail on 06/03/19 12:01

When spending so much time with the other sabbaticals it's inevitable that disagreements will happen as they do in everyday life. I think the best way to solve these is to talk it out. I'd sit down with them and see what the cause of the disagreement is and how it can be solved, as the sabbs are a team its so important that we all work as one throughout the year and make sure all disagreements are dealt with in a professional manner.

This question was also asked to Fiona Sunderland, Corin HollowayAnswered by Abigail on 06/03/19 11:40

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This question was also asked to Fiona Sunderland, Corin Holloway