This week’s campus celebrity is the 2014-2015 President of the University of Strathclyde Students’ Association (known to most as The Union), Gary Paterson!
It must have been a big decision to stand for President. What gave you the idea, or the motivation, to stand for President?
I decided to run for President because I wanted to improve the level of support available for students. We’ve been working on loads, but we’ve also achieved a lot in a short time. So far I’ve managed set up a crisis fund for students who can’t access current support, got loads more jobs for students in the Union & on campus, and we’re getting new travel & living facilities on campus. There’s still more to come, I’m looking forward to making it happen!
If you hadn’t stood for the position of President in the Union, what would you have been doing this year?
I would have been doing a lot of studying and probably in the university a lot less because I have more meetings than I had lectures! I was a Student Rep and was involved in some societies so I probably would have still been involved in the Union. I really enjoy what I am doing now, its busy work but a privilege to be able to make a difference for students.
My favourite floor in the Union is definitely The Priory…especially on a Friday (Half price Frappuccino!) What would you say your favourite floor is?
Part of me would love to say Level 3, due to the awesome new bar and the cool Taco joint! But I can’t miss out Level 7 because that’s where all the work of the Union happens. The place is always full of students engaged with clubs and societies, volunteering, sports teams, and campaigning; it’s the place where exciting stuff is happening!
What’s up and coming in the Union over Christmas and into 2015?
We’re currently in the 50th Anniversary for the Students’ Association, so on the 11th December we’ll be having a big party across different floors in the union. We’ll be off for Christmas then straight back into it for the New Year with plenty of events, campaigns, and activities throughout the next semester!
Since it is a pretty big job, do you have any tips for future presidents of the Union?
I’d say for anyone who wants to do this job, or any of the others in the Union, that the big focus has to be not only representing students, but really focusing on making change happen on campus. Our Union has over 50 years of making change; we have a great opportunity to do it, and any student can use the Union to see the change they want to see in their education, on campus, or in society.
Gary Paterson, USSA PresidentEmail – ussa.president@strath.ac.uk