Student Union Officers
The Student Union Sabbatical Officers for the year 2007-2008 took up their new roles on August 1st and are now making preparations for the year ahead. Earlier in 2007 they were elected by the student body to run and develop the University of Warwick Students' Union and associated activities.
Joe Kirby– PresidentTom Callow - Finance, Democracy and Strategy Officer
James Gadsby Peet– Commercial Development and Communications Officer
Ed Callow - Welfare and Equal Opportunities Officer
Tom Lindsay - Societies and Student Development Officer
Peter Ptashko- Education Officer and Deputy President
Kate Bennet - Sports Officer
Part-time Students' Union Officers
Joe Kirby- President
Joe graduated from the University in 2007 with a 1st in English Literature. He got involved in One World Week as Forum Events Manager, securing two Nobel Peace Laureates to address students at Warwick. He has started a project to integrate segregated communities in a South African township, raising £5000 along the way.
His aim as President of the Students’ Union is to integrate international students into the campus community, and develop awareness amongst home students of international development issues. The sabbatical team must also deliver an £11 million Union Redevelopment Building Project. He is looking forward to the challenge! Email: president@sunion.warwick.ac.uk
Tom Callow - Finance, Democracy and Strategy Officer
Tom graduated last year with a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics. He first got involved with the Union in his second year – his only regret is not getting involved earlier! Tom has supervised Freshers’ Festival, been a part of Go Green Week, raising awareness of environmental issues, and helped Warwick RAG raises thousands of pounds for charity!
In his role of Finance, Democracy and Strategy Officer, Tom aims to make democracy more accessible and appealing and, as well as keeping a close eye on the Union’s finances, aims to campaign on the external financial issues facing students, such as keeping the cap on top-up fees and stopping student loan overpayments. Email: fdso@sunion.warwick.ac.uk
James Gadsby Peet– Commercial Development and Communications Officer
James (or more commonly know as Gadsby!) was born in London and has just finished a degree in Engineering, achieving a 2.1. He has worked for the Union for two and a half years and seen just about everything it has to offer.
This year there are loads of great changes taking place, the biggest of which is the Union South rebuild, which means that it is more important that ever to listen to what the Union’s members are saying. James’ big projects for the year are getting students re-excited about their Union and everything it does by involving students more, communicating just how the Union works and letting people know how much it can do for them. Email: feedback@sunion.warwick.ac.uk
Email: cdco@sunion.warwick.ac.uk
Ed Callow - Welfare and Equal Opportunities Officer
Ed graduated from the University in 2007 with a BSc in Psychology and Philosophy. He fully exploited his Warwick Student Cinema membership during the first year, but sadly missed out on the All-Nighter! Other than getting elected to this position, his biggest achievement to date is walking 50 miles in 13 straight hours, raising thousands of pounds for the international charity WaterAid.
As Welfare and Equal Opportunities Officer, he hopes to encourage an improvement in the sense of community between students, as well as local residents, both on and off campus. His other aims include educating students on their rights as tenants, and developing the relationship between the Students’ Union and Warwick Alumni. Email: welfare@sunion.warwick.ac.uk
Tom Lindsay - Societies and Student Development Officer
Tom graduated from the University in 2007 with a BSc in Maths. His most important aim for this year is to attain as much useful and flexible society space in the Union South rebuild as possible, catering for as much society activity as possible. This will include the drive for a dedicated Media Centre on campus.
Tom’s other plans include increasing societies’ information resources and their accessibility, focusing especially on redevelopment of the website and exploitation of its potential features.
In wider terms, he and the whole sabbatical team want to help students understand the work of the student officers, and that the Union really is run for students by students. He is looking forward to the coming year’s challenges! Email: ssdo@sunion.warwick.ac.uk
Peter Ptashko - Education Officer and Deputy President
Peter graduated from the University in 2006 with a 2:1 in Politics, and is finishing his MA in Globalisation & Development (graduating in Winter 2007). He has worked with the Students' Union for three years now, in Student Societies (especially Warwick Pride) and within Union democratic stuctures, holding two Officer positions. He has worked to help create several Union events, raising £1,500 for charity - centring around World Aids Day.
This year he hopes to, if nothing else, feel like, at its end, he has made one real change for students at Warwick. His plans focus around a few key priorities: promoting fair funding for Higher Education; making it cheaper to study at Warwick; revamping the Personal Tutor system into something of value for everyone; and ensuring that students can more easily win change (especially related to their Education here). With such a fantastic team beside him he has no doubt these targets are acheivable. Email: education@sunion.warwick.ac.uk
Kate Bennet - Sports Officer
Kate grew up in Maidenhead but went to school in Marlow where most of her evenings were spent playing anything from hockey and netball to football as well as taking part in local jazz bands. Although she officially studied History and Politics at Warwick, unofficially she managed to spend far more time outdoors- often in a kayak (from being a complete beginner three years ago she is now a qualified coach), but also occasionally found playing hockey, scrambling up the climbing wall, balancing in a sailing boat or playing octopush (think underwater hockey!).
Her aim for the year is to make it easier for people to play sport right from when they first join up to when they’re running the club - in other words more things online, less forms, and less faff. Throughout the year she aims to attend at least one session of every sport- so look out for her at a club near you! Email: sports@sunion.warwick.ac.uk