Candidate: Phoebe Horton Andrews

Kia ora koutou,

My name is Phoebe Horton Andrews and I’m running for Student Rep. I moved here from Australia in 2021, and I’m on track to finish my BA/BCom at the end of next year.

Moving from overseas, the University has become a home and community to me over the past few years, so it’s incredibly humbling to now be running for Student Rep. I sincerely hope to give back to you all.

As one of the Co-Chairs of RainbowYOUTH, another organisation that provided me with a sense of community when I first moved here, I’ve developed a strong background in activism, advocacy, and governance, especially with regards to diversity and mental health. These strengths inform my kaupapa; I believe in listening to the variety of experiences in my community to guide my decision-making, and this is something I’ll keep as your Rep.

I’m running for this role because I believe we need to see real change that works for our student body. There are a lot of concerns that we share, but I believe the three most significant are students’ health and wellbeing, the rising cost of living, and the quality of our education. We need a representative who can both a) recognise these issues, and b) prioritise them in the University’s decision-making processes.

Our first priority needs to be students’ wellbeing. We’re witnessing a crisis of mental health, and we can see this not just in falling grades and attendance but also by talking to students. I’ve had my own experience living with Major Depression, so I know how challenging it canbe when you’re dealing with stuff like this on top of your studies. We need a Rep who stands up for students, and who advocates for better conditions like flexibility and an improved, easier aegrotat process.

Our second priority needs to be the rising cost of living. As students, we don’t have much money, so the way we can best respond to this is by reducing costs to attend the University. The Student Rep sits on the University’s Finance Committee, which oversees the university’s budgets, student fees, and debts. As a result, reducing fees for students is something I’ll actually be able to do.

Our third priority needs to be improving the quality of our education. We need a voice that encourages collaboration with the TEU, because the people who lose the most from strike action are students. We need leadership that works to improve accessibility, because one student being unable to attend a lecture is one student too many. We need leadership that upholds our reputation as a world-class institution, because that’s what we’re paying for.

We need a Representative who will prioritise students’ wellbeing, ease cost-of-living pressures, and work to maintain the quality of our education. We need someone who will listen to students, and who isn’t afraid to stand up for what they believe in.

I look forward to the opportunity to serve you all, so thank you for considering my nomination.