PRESIDENTIAL SHOWDOWN: David Gilani

From being a course rep – to Programme Controller of Surge Radio – to Vice President Communications, all I’ve wanted to do is help improve the experience of students. I believe that I can do that once again, and benefit more students than ever before.

My name is David Gilani, and I’m running for your SUSU President because of my ideas, vision and experience.

What will I achieve?

Students at Southampton do a lot, so my manifesto shows that I have the understanding of these many areas and that I can provide support for them. This includes things like fighting with International Students against fee increases during their degree; lobbying the University with the AU to fix drainage at Wide Lane; pushing for common room redevelopments in halls.

Our current vision for all that we do (from 80 sports clubs, 200 societies, our commercial outlets, media departments, performing arts, welfare advice) is limited due to our money. We get £2.1 million from the University each year, however they spend £25 million a year on the student experience in total! It is from this larger pot that we have to begin to form our vision to achieve great things – and it’s very achievable…

Higher Education is more than just a degree, and the University understands this. When we invest in sports provision, more students will come here who like sport. When we invest in welfare services, less students drop out of their course – the University want to support these projects, but need SUSU to use their initiative. I believe I can be the President to do that through my experience as VP Communications working with them this year.

Why vote for me?

Ideas can be said by anyone, surely? So why should you trust that I’ll get things done? – Quite simply: because I have this year.

Your experience in SUSU is only as important as what you’ve done with your opportunities. I’ve given my all to SUSU this year as VP Communications, and gotten some great praise.  I believe that in the coming year, SUSU needs a President who understands the importance of communication and accountability – two massive things that I’ve been working on this year… a President who has worked through tough circumstances, like the NUS Referendum, and still came out loving SUSU.

If you like what you’ve read, then I invite you to Join the Gilani Army.

Davids facebook page can be found here.

David’s manifesto can be found here.

 

We also shot some questions at David:

What is your favourite sport?

• Underwater rock, paper scissors

What is your drink of choice?

• SUSU Water – the best water on the planet!

What was your New Years resolution for 2013?

• It’s a bit of a soppy one, but I’m trying extra hard this year to tell people when / how they’ve changed my life for the better.

What have you done in life that has no relevance to the role you are going for?

• I used to be in a comedy band called the ‘David Gilani Experience’

Did you take a gap yarh?

• No gap yarh, I did travel to Spain over the Summer before Uni… when I got back, I decided to give up drinking – I’ve only drunk 3 times since then.

Are you graduating or taking a year out between your second or third year for your sabb position?

• Neither, I’m already a Sabbatical Officer. By law, Sabbatical Officers in the UK are allowed to stand for a maximum of 2 years in office, and I’m going for my second.

Was Southampton University your first or second choice?

• It was my second behind Warwick. I have often thought how amazingly different life would have been if I’d passed their mathematics entrance exam. Luckily Southampton gave me an offer of EEE, so I definitely had a place here – must have been fate.

What is your favourite place to spend a night in Southampton?

• Because of some great socials there this year, I’m gonna say Popworld.

If you could do any degree apart from your current/ previous one, what would it be?

• I sometimes wish that I’d done music because it would have forced me to keep up my piano playing… I don’t play it nearly enough anymore.

What’s your pin code?

• Oh sure yeah… it’s three one…waiitt a minute! Nice try.

Favourite TV show…

• At the moment – West Wing. I love the quick wit, and the topics of communication are always quite relevant to my VP Comms role at the moment.

What is the worst thing to ever happen to you in a nightclub?

• There was at night in seOne in London a good few years ago, where I got asked if I had any drugs a worrying high number of times. The first few you just assume it’s a dodgy place, after that you have to realise that you must be looking dodgy.

Define SUSU in three words.

• Increasingly amazing potential

What do you want to do as a future career?

• The program controller for Radio 1 or something in the charity sector

What’s the worst rumour you have ever heard about yourself?

• When you’re a sabbatical and people disagree with you, they can sometimes lose trust in your intentions. The worst rumour (which I’ve been much less a victim of than other Sabbs, but still…) is that I don’t care about SUSU – when you’ve volunteered countless hours of your life to something, that lack of trust… it can really hurt.

Who is the hottest person in your campaign team?

• Probably Dan Tovey – he’s a student musician… and has melted my heart with his looks and guitar on a number of occasions. He played Enrique Iglesias’ ‘Hero’ last year at AIM’s Frequency… CORR

Where do you call home?

• Southampton is now my home. My ‘home home’ is Ewell (back in Surrey).

Where did you last go on holiday?

• Last holiday must have been to Cornwall to stay with Moggy Mogford in his Dad’s caravan with some friends from SUSU Media.

If you could compare yourself to a current Sabb who would it be and why?

• Well… besides the obvious answer 😛 I suppose Sasha. We’re both quite ‘introverted’, so we’ll both often think a lot before talking about our stance on something. It’s been great having him in the team this year because it gives you confidence that the first answer isn’t always the best answer.

If you could write something on the top of the Maths tower, what would it be?

• ‘Insert better building design here’

NUS: Yes or No?

• I led the organising of the NUS Referendum and so had to remain impartial throughout. This means not disclosing a public opinion on the subject. I still maintain this stance, but will say that – as students voted “no” (very decisively) that is how I act as a representative of them.
  

To view what the other candidates have to say, click here.