SRC Elections: Ben Jones, candidate for Vice President Education

Ben Jones, fourth-year physics student, is running for the SRC’s next Vice President Education. This role includes being the leading student voice on Academic issues, working between students and the Council. Jones is not unfamiliar with student representative roles, with experience on the SRC PR team, as Class Representative, and accumulating over 150 hours of volunteering. Jones puts himself forward as VP Education candidate, given that he’s “always enjoyed helping people” and has extensive experience.

Jones’ manifesto touches upon improving the Extenuating Circumstances (EC) policy. He wants to push for clearer guidance on how to use EC and eliminate any extra barriers it has for students. Jones recognised EC’s resourcefulness, however “At the moment there’s a lot of poor communication between students using it, knowing how to use it and staff knowing students are using it” he told The Glasgow Guardian. He added “This is causing distress in already a distressing time for students and it’s causing stress for staff who don’t know what is going on with students when they need help”. His plan is to improve the communication between students and their school and refine “EC by making sure students know exactly how to approach it and they are given the most informative and compassionate guidance”.

Following the QAA report, Jones also wants to improve UofG’s policies regarding the communication of grades to students. He defines the communication of grades as “grey” because “schools have different systems”. Jones argues that students who are unhappy with their grade are left alone. He aims to enhance current communication systems about grading by adopting a well-being led approach, implementing better practices and ensuring students “are at the forefront of helping shape these changes”. 

Divestment is not a topic that Jones ignores. From the referendum, it’s “clear” that the majority of students want to push for the divestment of arms, he tells us, but he acknowledges that “it’s not an easy process. No result of a referendum ever is”. 

He raises the further issue within the School of Engineering: “[students are] working with companies like BAE systems. A lot of students are left with no choice but to work with this company for their projects and they’re not allowed to object.” For Jones, the solution, then, is to “offer students the opportunity to object on ethical grounds from working for these companies and have more ethical alternatives [provided by the Schools]”.

AI has become an increasingly contentious topic in academia, as Jones acknowledges. When questioned on his stance, Jones offers that academia should adapt to the advancements of AI, rather than reject it. “Ethical use of AI can be used to better education experience if used in a particular way,” he tells us. “AI is becoming more incorporated into our workplaces. It’s hard to avoid its use.” 

Lastly, Jones stresses on improving the visibility of the SRC as a “priority”. Having experience within Events and Marketing at the SRC, he notes that students “begin to not differentiate between the SRC and the University of Glasgow [as an institution] and realise they are different things and that [the SRC] is a student body and is student led.” Because of this, Jones argues, it limits the efficacy of the SRC’s impact. “It affects the amount of change we are able to have as a student organisation because students don’t really know what the SRC is, or how it’s different from other student bodies.” A main target for Jones, as VP Education candidate, is to push for the visibility and accessibility of the sabbatical team.

Read Jones’ full manifesto below:

Hello everyone! My name is Ben Jones (he/him), I am a fourth-year physics student, and I am running to be your SRC Vice President of Education.

I have been involved with student representation throughout the entirety of my time at The University of Glasgow, gaining years of experience in representative roles.

I have participated in Periodic Subject Reviews, accumulated over 100 hours of SRC volunteering experience and have also worked for the SRC’s Public Relations Team. My experience working with other students, affecting change within my school’s policies, and my time affiliated with the student council has motivated me to run for this position.

My Priorities:

• Improving the Extenuating Circumstances (EC) policy: While the development of a new assessment extensions portal is a step forward, there has not been enough guidance for students or staff as to how to best utilise it. I will push for clearer communication on using EC. I will also seek to eliminate any of EC’s potential restrictions on students with disabilities and additional needs, ensuring there are no extra barriers to seeking assessment extensions.
• Assessment regulation and communication of grades: As per the work of Project Compass, following QAA Scotland’s report, I want to better the policies that UofG has in place regarding the award of credit and of the communication of grades to students. We need a student well-being led approach, and better practices in place to support all students during the most stressful times of the year. I will make sure that students are at the forefront of helping shape these changes.
• The University’s AI Policy: As generative AI is more widely adopted by the educational and working worlds, students need to have clear, practical and relevant guidance on how to use AI ethically to better their educational experience and not replace genuine learning.
• Enhancing cross-campus and cross-college relations: I will work as closely as possible with student representatives across all of our campuses to make the educational experience of every student the best that it can be.
• Improving the visibility of student representation: I want the SRC to be more visible and approachable for every student. I will aim for better connections between the union and students, and I will advocate for the addition of drop-in sessions with the SRC Sabbatical Team.
• Continuing the push for divestment: I will work with the sabbatical team to continue the push for the university to divest from arms companies, as was the clear opinion of the student body in the SRC’s record-breaking referendum last academic year.

Every student, irrespective of their background, deserves the opportunity to have a fair, high-quality and fulfilling education – an education that works for you. If elected, I will work tirelessly with you all to ensure this.

Thank you very much and VOTE BEN JONES!