On this page...

• Video: my one minute speech
• My manifesto
• Favourite quote
• Candidate questions and answers
• Word associations
• Most-admired person

My one-minute candidate video

My manifesto

I'm Steve Topazio, a third year geography student, running for the position of Education and Representation Officer. I've been a course representative for three years and have been elected onto its executive committee on each of these three years.

I've also been elected into the role of course rep executive chair for the past two years. It is because of this experience that I think I am the ideal candidate for this position.

Why Steve?

I'm extremely passionate about OUR Students' Union. There is no part of our Students Union that I have not been involved with during my student life. I have volunteered my own time in order to ensure that the Union fulfils its mission to enhance the student experience.

As well as my Course Rep duties, I have been elected Societies Executive Chair in my second year and have been elected onto RAG and VIP committees for two years. I am especially proud of being awarded the VIP Gold award in 2007.

This year I was elected Union Council Chair and Trustee. This is a challenging yet enjoyable role, through which I have safeguarded democracy and ensured students' are represented fairly at the highest levels of the Union.

Through all of my voluntary roles within the students union I have interacted with many students and some of the issues I have been made aware of through consultation with students are as follows;

• Improving library opening hours
• The lack of consultation with students over the raise in student loan interest rates.
• Unfairly marked group work, you should never be judged on something outside of your control
• Lack of typed feedback on assessed work
• The unreliability of the Student Portal
• Late publishing of timetables
• Raising the awareness of Course Reps and academic rights

If elected I will lobby the university on behalf of students on these issues in particular paying attention to improving library opening hours, marked group work and asking for a review in the raise in interest rate.

I will continue to represent students to the highest level ensuring that students receive the academic support they need and also ensuring that course reps, who are the universities most important volunteers, have their profile enhanced and also recognised for the hard work that they do on behalf of their peers.

Steve "Godfather" Topazio – Representing YOUR interests.

Favourite quote

“Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I'm very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.” - Bill Shankly

Candidate questions and answers

1. What do you envisage the role of the Education and Representation Officer to be?

The Officer’s role is to ensure that you get the best education possible during your time in Portsmouth. If a student has a problem with their course, my task is to represent them at the highest level of the University. This encompasses advising and representing students at university disciplinary hearings.

2. Do you believe that meetings are the most efficient way of achieving things and why?

Some meetings are important; however the most effective way of achieving things is by stepping outside of the boardroom and engaging with students. Only by involving students will anything ever be achieved. If elected I promise to put aside time each week to go on campus and engage with students.

3. What qualities do you have that would aid you in the role of Education and Representation?

• Experience – My extensive experience has given me a real understanding of the union and how it must develop
• Empathy – I experienced academic issues and felt there was inadequate support from the union, which has driven me to further involvement in Course Representation
• Dedication – to Democracy, Student Empowerment and Student Ownership

4. As the Education and Representation Officer you will be responsible for course reps. What ideas do you have that will enhance this structure

Raising the awareness is vitally important to ensure all students know who their course representatives are. A practical step towards achieving this is raising the profile through branding similar to Sports, RAG and VIP. Training can be improved through the effective use of the executive committee and train the trainer.

5. Part of your role is dealing with disciplinaries for the Students Union. What would be your top three rules for behaviour?

As I have sat on the disciplinary board for the last three years I have experienced various forms of misbehaviour at the Union that need to be tackled. My top rules would be;

• Stamping out all forms of discrimination
• Tackle drug abuse
• Tackle the causes of fights

6. What experience do you have that might suit you to this role?

I’m vastly experienced in the course rep and academic structure. Through being course rep and Union Council Chair I have gained an understanding of the role and have shadowed the different education and representation officers through the last three years. I’ve also gained valuable experience from sitting on disciplinary hearings.

7. If you could invent a course what would it be and why?

Bsc Tea making (tea making is a science in itself) because no meeting is complete without a good cup of tea and most problems can be solved with the sweet goodness of tea. A possible master’s would be an Msc in correct choice of biscuit with your cup of tea.

8. What is the most useful thing that you have been taught during your time in education?

I have learnt many life skills including the importance of using your initiative, self reliance, leadership and self confidence. The most useful thing I’ve learnt however is that to fully enjoy university life you need to get involved with all aspects of the students union. You make your own experiences!!

9. As a sabbatical networking is essential and important, what is your best networking line?

All networking has to be done through interaction with as students in all areas of university. It’s vital to the officer’s job to have a network of contacts so to add valuable contacts to my address book I would use a simple yet effective introduction of myself; “Hi I’m Steve”.

Word associations

• Course: Representation
  
• Problems: Solutions
  
• Committees: Student Empowerment
  
• Paperwork: Filed
  
• Discipline: Fair?
  

Most-admired person

Nelson Mandela. He was unjustly imprisoned for being Black, yet he never lost hope that justice would prevail. Since becoming president of South Africa he has managed to bring real democracy to a country which disgusted us all with its Apartheid regime.

Nelson Mandela has shown us all that freedom is possible and that the way to rise above the oppression is through peace and a love for what you believe in.