Ivo Garnham

Your Undergraduate Education Officer
2021-2022

Hi, I'm Ivo. I'm your Undergraduate Education Officer for this year!

This is my 4th year here at UEA and I do Politics and Media Studies. When we’re not stuck indoors because of lockdown, you’ll often find me pulling some tasty moves on the LCR dance floor, singing ABBA on karaoke (badly) at Loft, or blasting something out on my trumpet with Music Society.

My Manifesto

Some of my key manifesto points include:

• A referendum on student confidence in the Vice-Chancellor: Throughout the pandemic, we’ve been forced to fight for our education. It was unfair that we had to fight for a safety net policy two years in a row. Whilst vice-chancellors at other universities have taken pay cuts to help out financially, we’ve seen increases to rent for accommodation on campus. The only way to bring about real change is to hold a decisive vote expressing our discontent, so that our tuition fees will finally be spent on our education.

• Keep lectures recorded: The pandemic has proved how useful it is to be able to look back over previous lectures. Maybe you missed a lecture because you had a doctor’s appointment? Maybe the bus let you down? Maybe you needed a day off to take care of your mental health? Whatever the reason, lectures should be accessible to everyone.

• Decolonising the curriculum: Throughout my 4 years at UEA, the majority of content on my course has been written by or about white men. I want to take real action to decolonise our courses by bringing in a target to have at least 50% of core readings written by women, non-binary people or ethnic minorities.

• Adding content warnings: Mental health is a serious issue. I want to introduce content warnings to module outlines and blackboard materials where sensitive topics are discussed. This will prevent anyone from being triggered by their own education. In addition, I want to create a no-detriment policy whereby you cannot be penalised for missing weeks that could affect your mental health.

• Bring back Pimp My Barrow: As the voice of undergrads, I would use my position to bring back one of the best events UEA has to offer. When it was first cancelled 2 years ago, I held the officers of the day to account. If I am elected, I will complete that journey by restoring our barrow-pimping shenanigans to their former glory!