What you voted for in the LeadMCR elections

10,000 of you voted in the LeadMCR elections – and the results are in. Here’s who you voted for, and what their aims are:

Three of the team were re-elected, having held their posts in 2022/23, whilst five were newly elected. Many of those elected ran on policies that sought to tackle the cost of living crisis.

Hannah Mortimer (Union Affairs): Hannah, a fourth-year English Language and Japanese student, was elected on a manifesto that focused on tackling fiscal divides within the student body.

She vowed to negotiate rent costs at UoM accommodation, fight for financial support, and make food on campus more affordable. 

Robbie Beale (Activities & Culture): Robbie was re-elected having led the Students’ Union’s (SU) campaign for a cost of living payment for students.

His manifesto focused on building on his current term: aiming to secure more funding for societies and to engage with larger issues facing students both within Manchester and on a national scale.

Tesnime Safraou (City & Community): Tesnime, also re-elected for a second term, focused her manifesto on tackling problems regarding housing, transport, and safety that affect students in Manchester.

She also sets out her desire to work with other Russell Group SU’s to tackle issues on a national level.

Aisha Akram (Wellbeing & Liberation): Aisha ran on a platform that emphasised creating new support networks for students suffering from mental health issues.

She also aims to increase disabled access around campus and highlight underrepresented voices on campus.

Ansab Ali (Research): Ansab was reelected following a campaign focused on implementing a more effective IT system and establishing a Digital Learning strategy.

His manifesto sets out a desire to promote climate change research.

Raluca-Elena Valcescu (Faculty of Biology, Medicine & Health): Raluca-Elena’s manifesto aims to target the cost of living crisis by extending the in-faculty ‘Free Exam Breakfasts’ programme to other busy periods.

She also aims to resolve assessment timetabling issues and expand the pastoral support system. 

Raheel Ansari (Faculty of Science & Engineering): Raheel was elected having established aims to create a dynamic and inclusive environment in the faculty.

He also writes that he will prioritise fostering greater inter-faculty collaboration. 

Katie Jackson (Humanities): Katie’s priorities are oriented around improving student services in the humanities, particularly those focused on wellbeing, essay writing, and careers.

Her manifesto also establishes additional plans to resolve administrative issues and ensure that disability is discussed more in the humanities.