Diya Mary Selastin: Candidate for Student Trustee

By Julie Capkova

As the whole campus prepares to vote in the upcoming student elections, The Print has interviewed a number of candidates standing for representative and executive positions. All candidates were invited to participate. Those who did not respond are not included. Other candidates are available and students can see all of them on qmsu.org/elections. Anything mentioned in the text reflects the candidates’ opinions, not The Print’s. The length of the interviews does not imply preferences for a candidate, but instead ensures that we are factually reporting on their interviews. 

Diya Mary Selastin, the current student president, says: ‘The reason that I am running for trustee and not rerunning as president, is because next year is going to be my final year. And while I am not going to do another year of presidency, I think it is really important for me to stay on the board and ensure that the progress that we've made this year continues.’ She then draws on her experience including her previous position as the International Rep, multiple society roles, and her involvement with the SU ‘since the beginning of her time at QMUL. ‘I want to create changes that will outlast my time as an officer, changes that stay.’ 

She says that one thing she would do differently from current trustees is being more prepared. ‘One of the most underrated but most important things about being a trustee is reading the papers, understanding them and asking crucial questions. Being able to think strategically and offering creative solutions. I would do that consistently and actively.’ 

In her campaign she addresses several points she would like to focus on. She states that most of them relate to the progress she made on campus as the student president. The issues she is most concerned with include safety on campus, clear communication and closer cooperation between the SU and societies, and the cost of living crisis. 

When it comes to safety on campus, Diya describes the progress she and her team made over the last year. That includes more active security at night time, clearer signposting for help, or improving the consent module. ‘There are currently stricter measures for universities to prevent sexual assaults. As a measure, this year we have made the consent measure compulsory for all freshers. Previously we only had completion rates in just three digits [despite there being thousands of freshers each year] but this year we’ve got sixty per cent of the freshers to complete it already. This is higher than most UK universities.’ Diya would like to build on that. ‘I am also looking to make the active bystander training compulsory for all students’ and make it more commonly delivered.’ Furthermore, she wants to ensure that the SU lobbies for more women’s only spaces. 

Diya believes that the biggest issue currently concerning students is the cost of living crisis. ‘I think that there is a lot that we can do as a university. However there is also a lot that we need to do structurally, as in through higher representation. This year I’ve been involved with a lot of lobbying and we have lobbied successfully to make many things possible.’ For example the process to ensure that there are more affordable options in shops on campus ‘have already started.’ She also stated that she and her team have started lobbying for more student friendly transport fees. 

Furthermore, Diya says, that last year, as the president of the Women in Law society, she ensured that all events were free to attend. While recognising that this might not be possible for all societies, she would like to encourage societies to get external sponsorships and utilise money effectively to ensure that they have more events ‘without cost being a barrier to participation,’ wherever they can. 

Diya also stresses the importance of ‘being more compassionate. [...] Everyone is impacted by the cost of living crisis, but some students are more disadvantaged than others.’ 

While addressing several issues, the first thing she plans to do if elected, will be going through the impact report, and ‘see where we’re headed.’ She says: ‘The first thing I would focus on is looking at the impact report. We have an impact report every year, I would look at that, connect it to our strategy, and see where we’re headed this year. What we can do better, what we’ve done well, and where we can creatively solve problems.’  

When it comes to representing the whole diverse student body at QMUL, Diya says: ‘Something I’ve learned throughout my leadership journey is that while you can represent someone, and stand by certain groups of people, a lot of times only they can speak for themselves. Your advocacy for them should never undermine lived experience. I would continue to engage with groups, listen to them, even if I don’t necessarily understand or agree. Because even then, their voice is still valid and their perspective matters.’ 

When asked what she would consider a success at the end of her term if elected, she stated: ‘Something I would consider a success at the end of my term would be seeing the continuity of my projects. Next year I hope I’ll be able to finish some of the infrastructure projects, regardless of their scale. And to see women thrive at QMUL. To see all students thrive, but also actively challenge misogyny and embrace gender equality.’ 

As a final note addressed to the students who will soon decide on their future representatives, she said: ‘I think that with the role of trustee, the most important thing is understanding it. And I think that a lot of students forget that I am actually already a trustee of the university as well as the SU. And I am not just a trustee this year, I am the chair of the board of trustees. So if there’s anyone who understands the role, it's definitely me. Simply because I am currently doing it. [...] I’d say, vote for experience, vote for someone who truly understands the role and vote for someone who won't be afraid to speak for you even if it's scary or uncomfortable. It is important and it makes a difference. And I am committed to it.’ 

Voting runs from 23 to 26 March 2026.