Though he is the youngest candidate for Student Union President in years, Giovanni Li sees himself as a “fresh unbiased outlook on the college”. Li, who is a first year Middle Eastern and European Languages and Cultures (MEELC) student, said in a conversation with The University Times, “I’ve only been here for so long and I see so many issues”.Li currently serves as the Ethnic Minorities Officer for the SU as well as assistant treasure for the Korean Society.
Li’s manifesto for the role of president is extensive and covers topics from sleeping pods for students, a Student Union leased accommodation, and reforming exam resits. All of his points, he shares, are aimed at making Trinity “a stronger, more connected, and economically resilient student body” as he says, , “I don’t care about the role of being president. It’s more about being able to serve the students because at the end of the day the students are my boss.”
Li’s ideas for education include resits at periodic intervals during the year, easier course switching with transferable credits as well as the abolishment of the student contribution fund. In regards to the fund, finances are a priority for Li and something he believes he holds an advantage in, saying “I’m very well versed in finances. I know how to work with money. I know how to make money. I know how to give money back to the students”.
Li explains that in his view, the college treats it’s students as cash cows, particularly its international students, who despite paying high fees aren’t having their basic needs met. Li proposes a zero profit policy for the SU’s budget which he explains as the Student Union not making any money but rather, giving its profit back to students in forms of support or jobs. He states that this circular economy “would help students alleviate a lot of costs, instead of spending it on external things” adding that the idea is “to give students jobs and ownership of their agency within the college”.
Student wellbeing is also a high priority for Li, who hopes to implement ideas such as food and stationary banks, student cleaning services and fancy dress rentals. Li tells UT, “it’s about making needs be met because we have to look at the basic basic principles of things for us. People are struggling, they’re not able to pay rent, they don’t have a place to live. They don’t have places to heat up their food, things that are becoming too expensive, they don’t have jobs”.
If elected, Li promises to push back against college for these basic rights as well advocate for cheaper accommodation and begin the process of leasing a building through the SU that would accommodate and offer rooms to students at a low price. He explains that the building would be run by students, giving students jobs as well as accommodation, saying that this would give students the opportunity “to take back their financial freedom to not struggle against our oppressors within the college”. He acknowledges that this process is a long-term venture and would prioritse laying a foundation.
Li also proposes other long term projects such as sleeping pods, which he explains are common in Japan and where students can stay overnight for reduced fees. He shares he hopes this will alleviate stress for commuter students and pose an answer to the logistical issues of accommodation and Dublin public transport.
Li additionally pushes ideas for equality in his manifesto with pushes for trans visibility with workshops, trans mentorship programs, and a “pushback against the health sector in Ireland to establish broader base of supports for LGBTQIA+ students. To this point, Li states that “I will harass them if I need to” to ensure students have access to these treatments including HRT, blood tests, and surgeries.
On the ongoing work of the current Students Union, Li says he would hope to continue to work with the BDS Chair to make sure that college completely divests from anything that funds the genocide in Palestine. Li praises current SU president Jenny Maguire and former president László Molnárfi for having set up a “really strong basic foundation”, calling the SU’s “extremely negative stance against Israel” as “absolutely needed”. Li adds that the main thing to be done is to work with the ongoing momentum and continue to question college about their Israeli ties.
In addition to continuing the current SU’s support of Palestine, Li also hopes to continue the union’s work for the Irish language. Li proposes pushes for college to make lessons, translations, and interpretations accessible to students as well as “tactical campaigning to advocate for courses to be taught as Gaeilge and literary”. Li firmly states in his manifesto, “we cannot and will not abandon the Irish language, we must embrace it and allow it to flourish”.
In all that Li hopes to accomplish, he sees compromise and diplomacy as key. Li explains that he believes he can run a team well due to his background as the son of a diplomat, saying that he sees a compromise in every situation. He shares that he hopes he will “be able to learn from the role and be able to develop myself as a person as well as be able to give the opportunity to other students to develop” in all regards, not just academic.
Li pushes back against the other two candidates running for president saying, “some of the other candidates may have more experience in me in terms of how long they’ve been here, but experience means nothing when you do nothing with it”. He is also firm in his belief that the political affiliations of the other candidates is a disadvantage, saying he doesn’t “think it is in the best interests of students”. Li wants “to raise concerns about” these affiliations, saying “in politics, people are trained to be able to speak well, be able to manipulate. So I want students to be able to know what they’re voting for”.
Li consistently expresses his desire to represent all students, sharing he doesn’t want to leave students behind. In a closing statement to UT, Li says “I think just everyone should be careful and do their considerable research into, you know, what each political candidate represents because you wanna be fully informed on what you vote for”. He adds, “if you’re voting for the other candidates, then you must understand the politics that goes behind it within these parties. And if you like them, by all means vote for them… But if you want to remain in a position where students come first, then I would urge you to vote for me. Vote Giovanni and break free”.
Campaigning has begun this week on Monday the 17th and will continue until next Friday. Fill out the University Times Election Poll here: https://forms.office.com/e/E1DHa3XmB0
