Success For Bangor Students At NUS Wales Elections

Two Bangor University students have been elected President and Deputy President respectively at the National Union of Students Wales’ annual conference in Cardiff recently. Fflur Elin, currently Bangor Students’ Union President, was elected President of NUS Wales for the forthcoming year and will be supported in the role by Carmen Smith as Deputy President. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

NUS Wales represents over a quarter of a million students and it is the first time that both President and Deputy President positions have been filled by representatives from Bangor University. Added to this, both Fflur and Carmen are Welsh-speakers, making this a truly historic achievement for Bangor University and its Students’ Union. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Fflur, from Tonyrefail, will pay particular attention to the current curriculum during her tenure as President and hopes to make it more inclusive and accessible to students from ethnic minorities and those with disabilities. Discussing her priorities for the year ahead, Fflur said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I’m really looking forward to being NUS Wales President this coming year. Some of my priorities include making education more inclusive – that is, developing a curriculum that is inclusive in terms of content, teaching and assessment. I also want to make ‘sex and relationship’ education more inclusive at all levels of education, discussing LGBT+ issues, consent and healthy relationships.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Carmen, originally from Salisbury but now living in Anglesey, was a Bangor Students’ Union General Senator and is a former president of Grŵp Llandrillo Menai Students’ Union. She was elected on her pledges to fight further cuts to Further and Higher Education, to improve the student experience for student parents and carers and to expand the part-time courses provision across Wales. Looking forward to the coming year, Carmen said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I am really excited to be elected as the next NUS Wales Deputy President. I have been involved in the student movement in Wales for nearly two years and I am proud of what the organisation has achieved since then. The student movement is powerful as a collective and I am honoured to be part of its direction in the next year.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Dylan Williams, Director of Bangor Students’ Union, reflected on Fflur and Carmen’s success and its significance to both Bangor University Students’ Union and NUS Wales: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Fflur and Carmen deserve huge congratulations on their success. They’ve both worked hard this year to develop the student voice and guarantee that the students of Bangor have the best possible experience. The current sabbatical team, headed by Fflur, were awarded ‘Sabbatical Team of the Year’ at the annual conference in Cardiff and it just goes to show the real and worthwhile impact they’ve had during their tenures. Both Fflur and Carmen are extremely passionate individuals and excellent ambassadors for Bangor. I’m certain that both will thrive in their roles within NUS Wales, championing all Welsh students and their causes with zeal and compassion.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Fflur and Carmen will begin their new roles within NUS Wales in June. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​