Fazley Nirob: Candidate for Welfare Rep

By Paris King

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. 

Fazley already represents student ideas and voices as a practicing Well-being Representative, with additional experience as Vice President and Social Media Manager for Bio-Soc. Across these roles, Fazley has built a strong reputation as someone who actively advocates for the needs and struggles of students. In an ongoing effort to support students' physical and mental well-being, Fazley has been involved in initiatives such as Bio-Soc park walks and arts & crafts events in the library. However, he aims to broaden his scope by working with students across all departments, using his perspective as an Environmental Biology student to foster a beneficial relationship between the environment and well-being. Fazley demonstrates compassion and care for the needs of students, presenting himself as both a friend and a professional. He holds a certificate from the MHFA (Mental Health First Aid) training, completed through the SU. This program has equipped him with the skills to recognize signs of mental health struggles and implement support practices that can benefit the wider student population. Additionally, Fazley emphasises his ability to leverage social media and his proactive approach to improving student welfare.

Fazley plans to prioritise community and accessibility. He recognises issues with student-advisor relationships and proposes the implementation of “monthly advisor check-ins” as his first 'major' change at QMUL. Fazley frames this within the context of challenges related to timetabling, deadlines, and exams, stating: “The deadlines are horrible. I think I had two or three deadlines to hand in at once.” He identifies this as an excessive source of stress for all students. Fazley proposes “monthly advisor check-ins” with the aim of creating a more responsive and supportive academic environment, emphasising visibility through consistent contact between students and advisors. He also highlights the importance of improving familiarity with new spaces, such as lab facilities, and fostering stronger student-lecturer relationships. Fazley points to existing initiatives, such as SBBS neurodivergent drop-ins, and suggests expanding these programs across the university. Advisors and lecturers could gather feedback on issues like overlapping deadlines and academic stress through increased informal opportunities for students to connect with staff, helping to alleviate stress and foster a supportive academic environment. Fazley hopes to establish a feedback system that empowers students to speak about their challenges, starting with improved time management. He advocates for better deadline spacing and the early release of exam timetables. By extension, he highlights how these changes would benefit commuting students, giving them more time to plan their travel. Fazley’s focus on organized study schedules aligns with his commitment to reducing academic pressure. This feedback would inform student voice meetings and drive meaningful policy changes. Additionally, Fazley advocates for better communication about hardship funds and food banks to support students facing financial difficulties. 

Fazley recognises his “love for nature and plants” and his significant role in Bio-Soc as unique qualities he can bring to the position of Welfare Representative. He aims to introduce welfare events and nature-based activities to promote mental well-being. Feedback from previous events described as a 'nice, calming experience' highlighted the benefits of fostering a sense of community and intimacy, particularly through small group activities. Fazley suggests that this feedback will inform future events, encouraging community practices that engage students with the environment around them. 

Fazley identifies key issues facing students, such as commuting challenges and tight deadlines. To address these, he proposes better promotion of welfare events and support services through social media. Drawing on his experience as Social Media Manager for Bio-Soc, Fazley recognizes online platforms as effective tools for reaching students. He hopes to use the SU Instagram account to promote welfare events and counselling advice. Fazley also proposes reinstating Teams or Zoom lectures to accommodate commuting students, ensuring they can stay on track with their coursework and actively participate in teaching sessions. He highlights the need for quiet spaces and inclusive environments to further support student well-being. He also recognizes a lack of understanding of the physical well-being of students. Accessibility issues are another focus, as he notes challenges with certain campus facilities, such as narrow hallways and heavy doors, which hinder access for individuals with disabilities. 

To engage with students who are less active in student life, Fazley hopes to capture their attention through more posters and signage in significant areas. Fazley also re-emphasises the importance of feedback mechanisms that allow a direct stream of feedback from students to lecturers. To encourage this further, Fazley plans to introduce a "purple box," which allows students to anonymously share concerns that are reviewed and addressed by university staff. Ultimately, the goal is a strengthened community. Fazley’s campaign focuses on representing diverse student groups with greater promotion of liberation events and diversity initiatives through Liberation Week. By increasing participation and awareness of these events with societies, he hopes to raise awareness of important social issues as they relate to identity. One way he would implement this change is by offering incentives to societies for encouraging participation in liberation activities. Fazley hopes to represent students who disagree with him by creating a more inclusive university community. By creating partnerships across the university, with societies, advisors, lecturers, and students, Fazley hopes to create a more engaged university experience to improve student mental well-being. 

Fazley would mark success by seeing active change: 'Deadlines being at least a week apart. Having regular events […] and having quiet spaces, and maybe also [exclusive] spaces for neurodivergent people to go in.' Success would also include greater attendance at welfare events, collaboration between elected representatives and the student union, and improved student-lecturer relationships as a merit to his efforts. 

Voting runs from 23 to 26 March 2026.