As the academic year wraps up and you get ready for a well-deserved break, it’s time to say goodbye to our fantastic officer team and welcome the new one. Before we do that, let’s take a moment to appreciate the amazing work our student officers have done. Taha, Wamick, Rohith, and Diana have worked tirelessly to advocate for student rights, promote inclusivity, and bring positive change to our university community. Here are some of their proudest achievements from this year. 

Taha - President 

As President, Taha has focused on improving student welfare and championing important initiatives. Some of Taha's key achievements include: 

• Installing water bidets across campus. 
• Starting the Career Ambassadors programme, which will be continued by the next President. 
• Ensuring sanitary products are available in all schools. 
• Working with other officers to achieve the International Tuition Fee Instalments initiative. 
• Developing a new strategy through structural governance. 
• Lobbying for the rights of international students on visa and immigration policies locally and nationally. 

Wamick - Equity Officer 

As Equity Officer, Wamick has promoted inclusivity and raised awareness about important issues like Islamophobia, Black History Month, and South Asian Heritage Month. Some of Wamick's key achievements include: 

• Starting the Peer Listeners service, with nine diverse Peer Listeners who work two hours a week, and collaborating with the Registry to include this service in the Student Regulations. 
• Contributing to the Green Impact Students’ Union Submission, a United Nations award-winning programme for sustainable practices, and participating in various sustainability campaigns led by the Students’ Union and the University. 
• Rolling out the free period poverty project in collaboration with the President and Senior Leadership Team, resulting in five period product vending machines around campus. 
• Initiating the International Tuition Fees Instalments project, advocating for a third payment date and more flexible payment options, which received substantial support with 324 likes and nearly 50 comments. 
• Leading the student input for the Access and Participation Plan, ensuring student voices were heard. 
• Working with the Estates team to improve campus accessibility by suggesting changes in different schools and organising campus tours to identify areas needing improvement. 

Rohith - Activities Officer 

As Activities Officer, Rohith has enhanced student engagement and participation in various projects and events. Some of Rohith's key achievements include: 

• Establishing the Sports Participation Policy with the University, allowing student athletes to mark their attendance on the day of a sporting event. 
• Securing £4000 through a project plan for the BUCS Active Wellbeing funding, in partnership with Active Hud, to increase physical activity among 75 female Muslim students. 
• Collaborating with the SU Education Officer on the PGR Engagement project, successfully hosting PGR lunches that boosted PGR participation with the SU. 
• Celebrating the Varsity trophy win with dedicated athletes and improving BUCS performance with fewer walkovers. 
• Advocating for the International Tuition Fees Instalments initiative, leading to the University agreeing to a flexible payment plan. 

Diana - Education Officer 

As Education Officer, Diana has achieved significant milestones throughout the year. Some of her key accomplishments include: 

• Developing the "Choosing the Right Degree" guide for college students, with support from Careers and the University. This guide helps students make informed decisions and understand their rights. 
• Enhancing the Welcome Week experience for new students in collaboration with Jane Wormald, fostering meaningful connections, boosting confidence, and preparing students for the year ahead. 
• Strengthening connections between PATs and students, continuing the work of previous Education Officers in partnership with the Director of Registry to ensure better support. 
• Revising penalties and regulations for certain Registry processes, including Fitness to Study and Academic Misconduct, to make these processes more supportive, transparent, and understanding for better student outcomes. 
• Organising PGR lunches to build better relationships with postgraduate researchers, providing them a space to network and ensuring their voices are heard within Huddersfield Students' Union. 
• Supporting students during the recent restructuring, organising meetings and events to ensure they felt supported. Thanks to the students' efforts, crucial changes were made in the redundancy processes, and continued support was ensured. 

Looking Ahead 

Taha, Wamick, Rohith, and Diana have made a big impact on our university community. They’ve worked hard to promote inclusivity, sustainability, accessibility, and student support, laying a strong foundation for the future. As they move on to new opportunities, we say goodbye to our dedicated Exec team who've achieved so much this year—we'll miss you! 

Now, let's welcome Wamick, Bethany, Irfan, and Freya as your new Officer team for 2024/2025. We’re excited to work together to build on our successes and make student life even better.