We asked every Lancs FTO candidate the same questions, and here’s what they said: Part One

It’s the time of year when Alexandra Square is plastered with banners, everyone starts rapidly posting Canva graphics on Instagrams, and we vote for who we want to be our next Full Time Officers at Lancaster University Students’ Union. With four positions available – President, Education Officer, Wellbeing Officer and Activities Officer – it can be a close race. This year, across the positions, there are 13 candidates for the four roles. To get a condensed view of what they want to achieve, should they be elected, we asked them all the same six questions.

Can you summarise your main campaign goals for us?

President candidates

Adam Baguley: “The crisis of capitalism is destroying education. Departments slashed and staff laid off; skyrocketing student rent and tuition fees; closure of bars. Our main goal is to create a mass student campaign that will link up with staff to end this decrepit and irrational system.”

Ben Carter: “My campaign is built around three core principles: Transparency, student voice, and real change. I want to ensure that LUSU truly represents students by making decision-making processes clearer, amplifying student concerns, and pushing for tangible improvements. Whether it’s improving mental health support, tackling housing issues, or increasing funding for student-led initiatives, my goal is to create a union that listens, represents, and delivers.”

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Ollie Earnshaw: “I’d like to change the direction of LUSU to prioritise student needs, and wants over anything else. The Union should be more transparent, The Union should be more in touch. I will do everything i can to make this happen. Other than this, my experience within The Tenants Union has set me up perfectly to lobby the university for decreased campus rent, something which should be viewed as a priority. How much money students have in their back pockets is paramount to me. Finally, bringing back the free sugar bus is something I pledge to do within my term. The Sugarbus isn’t a cost, it’s an investment. Not just an investment into Sugar itself, but in its student welfare, safety and community.”

Rory O’Ceallaigh: “I’m running on five manifesto pledges: Campus rent control, town safety for students, protect student jobs during university cuts, empower colleges to live up to the hype, LUSU transparency and accessibility. For more detail, please check out my campaign video on my Instagram @rory_oceallaigh!”

Education Officer Candidates

Matthew Lamb: “I want to reduce class sizes so students can have a higher quality education with more support. Advocate for the sale of the Sugarhouse to buy Bowland Bar and save campus life. I will ensure that LUSU is on the side of hardworking students when faced with disruption from strikes or occupation protests. Finally, if we want students to perform at their best, they must have a choice in their diet, so I will ensure meat will always be available in catering.”

Morgan O’Carroll: “My primary goals are first to continue working with the union to free Wednesday afternoons from the curriculum for good to comply with union policy. Secondly to encourage and organise more careers fairs across the academic year to attract a wider range of companies, and give students a deeper and clear understanding of the job process. Finally, create a strong bond between students and their student reps, whilst switching up how the rep system works to ensure a fair and strong service for everyone.”

Niamh McAuley: “When creating my manifesto, I really wanted to focus on changes which will better the student experience! Reading weeks for all, spreading out assessments and keeping deadlines realistic over holidays will all massively benefit students by allowing for much needed respite and improve their wellbeing. I also want to restructure the Academic Rep system to empower students within their Rep communities whilst strengthening their relationship and communication with students and departmental staff.”

Wellbeing Officer Candidates

Eliza Young: “Transparency, more support for campaigns and aid for cost of living.”

Leah Buttery: “My manifesto is made up of four main points, and I’ve included an extra one here! Push for more accessible and visible mental health support services that are proactive, specialised, and trauma informed to help tackle the causes of the student mental health crisis; Work to improve student safety in town as crime rates are on the rise; Fight for the provision of free, accessible, and inclusive menstrual products across campus; Support and encourage student-led initiatives to facilitate an environment in which student voices are being heard, and student activists are given a platform from which to campaign on issues that matter to them; Provide more structured support to Liberation and Campaigns Officers (LCOs) so that they can work more efficiently and their forums can feel better represented within the union.”

Activities Officer Candidates

Emily Woods: “I’m running to make student activities more accessible, supported, and valued. My main goals are: Improve SU transparency and communication – because students deserve to know what’s going on and be properly consulted on decisions that affect them; Expanding student leader training, covering mental health, accessibility, and sustainability – so student groups are better equipped to thrive; Hold a review of the sports pass and current kit provision to make sure costs are fair and decisions involve student input; Facilitate and advocate for women+ in activities, breaking down barriers to participation and improving representation in sport and societies; Lobbying for a more secure access fund – so no one is priced out of participation; Holding an unforgettable 60^th anniversary Roses! I’ve spent my time at Lancaster leading student activities at many levels, from running a society to leading a college netball team, serving on sports committee, and working with the college system. I understand the challenges first hand – and I’m the most qualified candidate to fix them.”

Finn Van Breugel: “With my campaign I want to make sure I can help and improve the lives of as many students as possible. After the loss of the VP Societies role in the SU, society presidents I’ve spoken to have said they’ve felt neglected. To combat this I will improve the current societies drop in by advertising it more and making it more regular. I will also use the lusuactivities to communicate to societies on a less formal basis. Better communication is a common theme of my campaign I believe communication between different departments at the uni is poor and I want to work to improve this to make the day to day running of a society easier. Execs deserve more clarity on what they can and can’t do. Along with better communication one of my main manifesto points is to boost college sport support. I will do this by reviewing the college sport funding and membership system and using the lususport Instagram to boost publicity. Colleges are the heart of Lancaster – and college sport is a great way for everyone to get involved.”

Nic Robinson: “I’m really passionate about every group feeling seen, supported and understood! I would love to work with all groups and really get to know how they operate so that activities at Lancaster can be the best as possible! If elected I will: Remove Participation Barriers, grow the Student Access Fund, academic free Wednesdays, increase women’s+ sport participation, lobby for societies to have more use of university space & faculties, facilitate better communication and understanding between LUSU Finance and execs, engage often with student media groups, deliver the BEST 60th Roses.”

Tom Hopkins: “To engage a wider audience of LU into save spaces and welcoming activities.”

What do you think is the single biggest issue LUSU is facing right now?

President Candidates

Adam Baguley: “LUSU is underfunded and under the thumb of bureaucratic management. For as long as the funding is controlled by parasitic management, LUSU will be forced to be the student wing of the university bureaucracy. The only way out is to place the real power in the hands of the staff and students by kicking out the parasites.”

Ben Carter: “The biggest issue that LUSU faces is an existential one, disillusionment. Too many students feel disconnected and unheard, and we need to rebuild trust by making LUSU more transparent, accountable, and engaged with the student body.”

Ollie Earnshaw: “Student communities don’t feel listened too, they don’t feel like LUSU communicates with them properly. People feel like decisions are made behind closed doors that affect them. There isn’t a union that’s a successful union that doesn’t act in the best interests of its members. That’s why if I was to be elected I’d involve students in the decision making process at every level. We all deserve a union that’s student led, a union that serves, listens and delivers for students.”

Rory O’Ceallaigh: “A LUSU Student Trustee, I can see the biggest issue facing LUSU, students, and the University right now is money. The university is trying to make over £50 million of savings over the next two years, because not enough students are coming to university, and those who are aren’t spending money because they have none. LUSU receives the vast majority of its funding from the university (which is a problem in itself!), and that is at threat during these cuts. Without this money, everything will be stopped, from sport funding (both BUCS and internal), to the Student Advice Service LUSU runs to support students. New sources of income for the union have to be secured as the university can’t be dependent on anymore, but also student finances need freeing up so they can spend their money at both university and union outlets (college bars, food outlets, Sugar, LUSU Shop, etc!). This is why my number one manifesto pledge is rent control, because not only will it help students, it will help the university and LUSU also.”

Education Officer Candidates

Matthew Lamb: “The lack of accountability and transparency. Most of the decisions LUSU makes are done behind closed doors in committee rooms with the most abstract student representation. Unless you are a member of those bodies, it is very difficult to find what LUSU is doing until they do it and near impossible to counter it.”

Morgan O’Carroll: “Whilst I wouldn’t like to say there is one big issue, I would argue that the structure of the academic rep system is the current issue I disagree with the most. Being a student rep myself, it’s been clear as day that a lot of students do not know we are here to help and encourage them to address concerns. Ultimately this leads to an issue with how much reach the union gives to students about the reps and could easily be sorted out in due course.”

Niamh McAuley: “Transparency has been something mentioned throughout this campaign and is essential for the SU’s role in improving academic experience. Making sure that students have a really clear insight  into the work which each officer is doing, showcasing how full-time officers are making positive changes to benefit students.”

Wellbeing Officer Candidates

Eliza Young: “Single biggest issue is a lack of transparency in the SU.”

Leah Buttery: “Transparency, visibility and communication. So many of LUSU’s decisions seem to be being made behind closed doors and the majority of students have no idea what the union is doing for them. The gap between students and LUSU is growing, and I want to work to bridge this gap and foster a positive and active LUSU presence at Lancaster.”

Activities Officer Candidates

Emily Woods: “A lack of transparency, accountability, and student input. I’ve seen time and time again how clubs and societies are left in the dark about major decisions that impact them—whether it’s funding, booking spaces, or changes to finance systems. Students deserve clear communication and a real say in these decisions, rather than being handed changes with no explanation. I’ve worked inside the system as a JCR President, a society leader, and a sports rep. I know what’s going wrong—and I know exactly where to push for change.”

Finn Van Breugel: “The biggest problem LUSU is facing in my opinion is lack of finances. LUSU is full of creative people with great ideas on how to make the uni better but they just don’t have the ability to go through with their ideas due to a lack of money. I will review sport and society spending and make sure funds are spread fairly between sports clubs and societies. I will also make it easier for societies to spend their money and also hold events.”

Nic Robinson: “Funding and budget. LUSU can only work with what they are given, and unfortunately they’re limited on how far the money they do get can go. Because of this, they are not able to do everything they’d like.”

Tom Hopkins: “A lack of trust from students. There are constant complaints about LUSU communications, funding and support for societies. I think student leaders are wanting to have a reliable place where they know they can turn to people.”