Students’ Union General Secretary to go “on tour”

The Students’ Union General Secretary, Alex Tayler, is to go “on tour” to give students the opportunity to ask him questions and find out more about the work of the Students’ Union.

Following the 1.3 per cent turnout in the recently held ‘All Student Vote‘, Alex previously told The Mancunion that more “face-to-face engagement” was required between the Students’ Union Executive Officer team and the student body.

On the 23rd of November from 11AM to 2PM, the General Secretary will be in the main lobby in the library and outside Owens Park reception on the 27th of November at 6PM to speak to students about the work of the Students’ Union and to capture students’ thoughts, ideas and concerns on student-related affairs.

Speaking to The Mancunion, Alex said: “I’m really looking forward to it as it should be a great way to engage with students. I am doing it to find out more about current student issues, what they want from the Union and tell people more about some of the things we have been working on.

“It is also a good way for people to tell us what they would like us to feedback to the university.”

Rory, a second-year University of Manchester History and Spanish student, told The Mancunion: “It’s good the General Secretary is making the effort to go out and hear what students think and want from the Students’ Union, because most students don’t engage with that. Many don’t even know what the Students’ Union does – but being asked in person like that, put on the spot, I probably wouldn’t have anything to say.”

As well as less 1.3 per cent turnout in the ‘All Student Vote’ on the make up of the Students’ Union Executive Officer team for the academic year 2018/2019, over 35,000 students did not vote in the National Union of Students delegate and Students’ Union part-time officer elections held at the same time as the ‘All Student Vote’.

Alex previously told The Mancunion that “people care about what the Union delivers but they don’t care as much, I don’t think, about how we’re run.”

Reflecting on the low turnout of the All Student Vote, Alex said that “the comms around [the vote] was actually quite good”, stating that “everyone got an email, so everyone that checks their e-mails would have known about it” and citing the “stuff on social media.”

The General Secretary stated that “the real issue was there wasn’t enough face-to-face engagement” and the event is described as an opportunity to “ask questions, give feedback, find out what’s on or simply have a chat, get some freebies and get to know Alex and your Students’ Union!”