President's Monthly Blog (August)

Hi everyone, welcome to the second edition of your President’s Blog! 

In July, I shared updates about my induction, early meetings, and training as I began my journey as your SU President. This month, I’ll be taking you through the progress we’ve made in August, the important meetings I’ve attended, exciting updates for Freshers’ Week, and the key priorities we’ll be focusing on moving forward. 

This blog is part of my commitment to making the Students’ Union more transparent, so you know exactly what your representatives are doing on your behalf. 

Overview: What’s in this blog? 

• Finalising my objectives for the year ahead 

• Launch of Freshers’ Week 2025 

• Key meeting with KU leadership and governor 

• Improving library services and IT systems 

• KSU Insight Day 

• Meeting Timothy Dhir 

• NUS Regional Campaign Day 

• Addressing food prices and new breakfast options at campus cafés 

• Signed a Letter to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom! 

• Student Council induction and why it matters 

• Southern SUs Conference at University of Essex 

• What’s next for September 

This blog shares all of the above in more detail, along with a look ahead at what’s coming up in September. 

Finalising My Objectives for the Year Ahead 

After two months of induction and hard work with my team, I am pleased to share that I have finalised my manifesto objectives (subject to approval at Student Council). These will shape my work throughout the year and cover three major areas: 

• International Students Support 

• Women’s Empowerment 

• Student Voice 

Each of these objectives contains three sub-goals that break them down into achievable outcomes. For full transparency, these have now been published on the SU website. This means every student can see exactly what their President and Vice Presidents are working on, track our progress, and hold us accountable. 

 

Launch of Freshers’ Week 

This year, we are excited to be running nine events across Freshers’ Week from 22nd to 29th September. These will include welcome activities, socials, and, of course, our biggest Freshers’ Fair yet on 24 September at Penrhyn Road campus. The fair will be packed with free giveaways, student societies and sports clubs, and local and national brands offering discounts. I will personally be present at almost every event during the week to meet students, answer questions, and ensure you know that the Union is here for you. 

Full details of Freshers’ Week events are available on the SU website.

 

 

Meeting with the Chair of the KU Board of Governors 

On 28 July, I had a two-hour long meeting with Tom Smyth, Chair of the KU Board of Governors. This was an important opportunity to discuss both my expectations as a governor and my plans for the year ahead. 

We talked about: 

• The need for stronger student representation at the University’s highest levels. 

• The importance of having regular one-to-one meetings with the Vice Chancellor is something I haven’t yet had, but strongly requested. 

• The lack of SU representation at graduation ceremonies, which I want to change, so students see their elected representatives are present on these important occasions. 

 

Tom expressed his support and promised to raise my ideas with the Vice Chancellor directly. This was a constructive meeting and one that I believe will help strengthen the link between the Union and University leadership. 

Improving Library and Study Services 

Together with my Vice President, Canon, I met with Andy Priestner (Temporary Directorate for Students) and Mitchell Francis (Faculty Librarian). We raised several issues affecting students: 

• Computers running slowly in libraries. 

• The shortage of study spaces. 

• Library closures during Easter, which is particularly close to exam season. 

We also discussed the ICAT system and suggested exploring how artificial intelligence could be integrated to make it more effective. Mitchell explained that some AI features already exist but are underdeveloped. We requested that these be kept running consistently, as the system can only improve by learning from student use. 

Andy and Mitchell welcomed the feedback and agreed to continue discussions with students directly. If you are a KU student with concerns about library services, please contact me and I will connect you with the library team. 

KSU Insight Day 

KSU’s Student Voice & Insight team delivered an Insight Day in early August. This was a valuable opportunity to take a step back from day-to-day operations and focus on the bigger picture. It wasn’t just about reviewing data — it was about understanding our academic journey, the progress we’ve made, and the real impact of our initiatives. 

We engaged in group discussions, collaborative activities, and honest conversations about how we can: 

• Strengthen connections with students. 

• Break down barriers to engagement. 

• Adapt our services to meet evolving needs. 

It was a constructive day that reinforced the importance of aligning our work with student expectations and values. 

 

Meeting with Timothy Dhir 

Canon and I also met with Timothy Dhir, Associate Director of Student Life, Health and Wellbeing. This meeting was particularly useful for learning more about the support structures available to students, including: 

• Hardship funds (emergency financial support). 

• The Student Hub, which allows students to log issues or complaints quickly and receive fast responses. 

• Services for students facing accommodation challenges. 

I was impressed by Tim’s passion for improving student wellbeing, and I look forward to working closely with him to ensure students are aware of and able to access these important services. 

NUS Regional Campaign Day 

I also attended the NUS South East, East Anglia, and London Campaign Day at Middlesex University, where student leaders came together to address pressing issues affecting students. Key discussions included NUS’s Fair Deal Campaign for better housing, transport, and international student support, the fight for trans rights following the Supreme Court ruling, calls for fair wages by ending age-based pay disparities, and opposition to the Immigration White Paper to protect international students and Post-Study Work Visas. We also discussed APPG for Students and support for Palestinian students. It was inspiring to see unions unite to push for real change. 

 

Meeting with Aramark (Café Management) 

Food pricing and quality remain key concerns for students, and our meeting with Aramark, who manage cafés across campus, was constructive but a challenging one. 

We raised the following issues: 

• Students want cheaper and more accessible meal options. 

• Current meal deals need more variety. 

• The absence of breakfast options in campus cafés. 

While Aramark argued that KU cafés are already among the cheapest in comparison to other universities, they did agree to several positive changes: 

• Adding more variety to meal deals. 

• Introducing breakfast meal deals from September. 

• Providing food vouchers worth up to £20 for students at Freshers’ Fair to help ease the cost of living pressures. 

I will be following up with their manager in September to ensure these changes are implemented as agreed. 

Signed a Letter to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom! 

Cambridge Students’ Union wrote a letter to the Prime Minister in support of the 40 Palestinian students who have offers and scholarships to study at UK universities, and they’re currently trapped in Gaza. We demanded that the UK government to ensure students in Gaza are able to obtain visas and facilitate their travel to study in the UK. I am very proud to take part in it as I am one of the signatories. 

 

Student Council Induction 

I also attended an induction session on the Student Council. The council plays a crucial role in holding sabbatical officers accountable and ensuring student voices are represented directly. I would strongly encourage society presidents and student leaders to engage with the Student Council. It is a powerful platform to raise issues, demand action, and even hold officers like myself, Canon and Ckyr to account. In extreme cases, the council also has the power to remove sabbatical officers through a vote of no confidence. Active participation in the Student Council will make sure it remains a genuine and democratic voice for students. You can find out more about Student Council on our website. 

Southern SUs Conference 

At the end of August, I attended the Southern SUs Conference at the University of Essex alongside my colleagues Laura Black, Canon, and Heidi. This three-day event was packed with workshops, networking opportunities, and sessions designed to help us strengthen our support for students. Highlights included: 

• A discussion on course rep systems with Chris Jakens, emphasising how more reps can lead to stronger representation. 

• An inspiring talk from Francis Oniyah on his journey from Sabbatical Officer to Solicitor. 

• Sessions on freedom of speech, setting boundaries, lobbying councils, and building strong sabb teams. 

The conference left me motivated and better equipped to ensure student voices remain at the heart of everything we do at KSU. 

 

What’s Next?

September is set to be one of the busiest months of the year as the new academic term begins. I have several important meetings lined up, including: 

• A meeting with the University Secretary. 

• A follow-up meeting with Louisa Green, Executive Director of Student Services. 

• A meeting with the University Senior Leadership Team, including the Vice Chancellor and Provosts. 

And of course, the highlight will be Freshers’ Week, where I look forward to meeting many of you in person. 

Final Thoughts 

August has been a month of progress, preparation, and important conversations. From finalising objectives to pushing for tangible improvements in food, library services, and student representation, I’m proud of the groundwork we’ve laid. As we move into September, my focus will be on ensuring that these conversations lead to visible results and on making Freshers’ Week a welcoming and exciting experience for all. 

As always, if you have questions, ideas, or concerns, please reach out to me through the SU office, by email at M.Haroon@kingston.ac.uk, or on Instagram at @KSUPresident. 

Until next month, 

Hamza Haroon 

President, Kingston Students’ Union