End of Spring Term Blog – VP Academic – Ekansh Kapoor

Hi lovely people, it’s the end of the term. It has been a tough one for all of us. I hope you all are doing just great. This term we’ve been working with the York Graduate Research School board and sub-committees on modifying the student representation structure of research students, to make their experience better at York. Alignment of academic reps to mainstream committees is one of the approaches which we are developing right now.

I’ve been lobbying to make sure that all the three Faculties get strong student consultation on Modularisation and Semesterisation (M&S) as the departments are committed to going ahead. We’ve also been working on developing a procedure of registering the on-ground issues and challenges which Academic representatives face, and increasing the intensity of drop-in sessions. We have already started scheduling an online reps forum with our Online learning officer, and reps forum for regular students (in-person), and soon we are about to pilot our PGR rep forum in collaboration with the YGRS board.

Being a sabbatical officer is a role unlike any other. From attending meetings with the university, to interacting with students and to planning & running campaigns. No two days are the same. One of the things I value greatest as a Sabb is the support from the key people at the GSA, who are hard working staff members, but also my mentors. I often struggle to wrap my head around the enormous platform we’ve been given as Sabbs when you elected us. We have such a responsibility to you, as students, but also the community and I want to do everything to make my work count.

I do really hope that your rest of the time in the University remains as beautiful as it has been in the past.