LUSU VP Education resigns

The Lancaster University Students’ Union Vice President for Education 2021/2022, Gayatri Shewani (she/her) has resigned from the role with immediate effect.

This has occurred four days before the end of the academic year and her term in the office.

The second-year Entrepreneurship and Management student stated in her manifesto that “I will be held
accountable for the changes I make as VP in my final year.”

She ran on a campaign of restructuring the academic rep system to allow students to suggest improvement via the Student Portal, providing BAME students with access to tutors of the same ethnic background, de-colonising the curriculum, making scholarships open to international students and increased staff mental health support.

Student newspaper SCAN reported that, after speaking to a LICA academic rep, they had “only seen her at one of the faculty wide meetings in the past academic year”.

It also reported that the BAME Forum confirmed that they had not been approached by Shewani for “mentoring or tutor accessibility”.

LUSU stated in its press release that it wanted to make it clear that it thanked Shewani for her service this year.

LUSU President Oliver Robinson (he/him) released a statement, saying: “I am deeply frustrated that this resignation comes so late in the term after such a very troubled year in education. I can only apologise to our members for the Union’s deficit. Nevertheless, I understand her reasons for doing so and I only wish Gaya the very best for her future.”

Related articles recommended by this writer

• LUSU VP Societies and Media result announced
• LUSU disaffiliate from GLOW Nightclub
• I cycled 40km to find the end of the Lancaster canal so you don’t have to