Patrick O'Hare - Association President

Hi, I’m Patrick, President of the Students Association, or simply, the Union. I’ve been elected to be the lead public spokesperson for the students of St Andrews and negotiate with the University on your behalf. I have been involved in the growing student movement and as elected representative, will be a consistent opponent of fee increases and cuts in the higher education sector.

The job has many facets: I sit on several important committees where I represent your views, from Residential Strategy, where I will be pushing affordable rents and saving Fife Park, to Library Redevelopment Board where I will be seeking to ensure a better library for all, and as smooth a redevelopment as possible. Talking redevelopment, I also lead the sabbatical officers in the Union redevelopment process which we shall be fine-tuning this year, with construction starting in 2013.

Higher up the decision-making process, I sit on both the Academic Council and University Court, the two highest governing bodies of this University and which which meet 4 times a year. The former principally concerns itself with academic affairs and the latter takes important decisions such as the setting of fees, and rubber stamps decisions made at lower level meetings. Of these, the most important is probably the Planning and Resources Committee (PARC), on which I also sit. Sitting on all these committees with strange acronyms might sound incredibly dull, but it means that we can bring your issues to the highest level and make sure the student voice is being heard by those who matter.

This year has seen considerable responsibility for the SRC pass over to the President, which means that I will be working together with the SRC Officers for Equal Opportunities, Ethics and Environment, Accommodation and Community Relations. I am passionate about making the Union more ethical and sustainable and making the University open to all, regardless of background, race or gender.

I was also elected on a platform to increase democracy within the Students Association, and this year we will be piloting a monthly forum in which students will be able to engage with politics and influence Student Association policy. We want to make student politics accessible to all, and make our democracy as participative as possible. Nationally, I work with NUS Scotland and other Students' Associations in order to share ideas and best practice, and make sure that the student collective is influential at a government level.

Other campaigns this year will include a “Fair Rents” campaign urging landlords in the private sector to sign up to a rent freeze and a “Celebrate Ethical Investment” campaign, raising awareness about EI, which was implemented here after an epic three year student campaign but is now under threat. At the moment we are of course also lobbying against the implementation of extortionate RUK fees.

If there is anything I can help you with or there are any issues you feel we should be taking up, drop me a line at pres@st-andrews.ac.uk

Cheers,
Patrick.

Read my blog here:  President's Blog on The Saint