Tuesday 26-04-2022 - 10:57

When most people think of Edge Hill University, their mind goes to Ormskirk. But hidden away in Manchester, on Oxford Road, lies the St. James satellite campus – a huge student base for Faculty of Health, Social Care & Medicine courses. 

 

My first term at St. James was not the best. The culture was very different to what I was used to at the main campus in Ormskirk. When I arrived at St James, I thought the reception was frosty and unwelcoming.  I noticed that staff were reluctant to smile at you in the corridor, and conversation was kept brief. I could not understand why this was happening, especially when Ormskirk had been so friendly. But after my first ambulance placement, this began to make sense. 

 

The ambulance service has an unspoken hierarchical social structure, where you only interact with people doing the same job as you. This became apparent when patient transport and paramedics would sit at opposite ends of the crew room during breaks. When I came back to St. James, the culture issues made sense. Staff took the same approach to teaching and lecturing as they did to working in the NHS – serious, no-nonsense, life-saving work. 

 

While the St. James was difficult to navigate, it’s unfair to put the blame on the staff. At times, it feels like the Ormskirk campus has forgotten about everybody at St. James. Many students – myself included – have complained they don’t get the opportunities Ormskirk students do. I can understand how cold, unwelcoming cultures come about when people don’t feel a sense of belonging.

 

Resources such as library services, student wellbeing, and general facilities on the Ormskirk don’t mirror to the other campuses. If a St. James student wants to access wellbeing, they have to travel to Ormskirk or book an online appointment – which mightn’t be the best option for them. They can’t see someone face-to-face, which is especially concerning considering the exposure to trauma and difficult situations the students at St James face on a regular basis. Meanwhile, the library closes at 17:00, and students are expected to pack their bags and move to a different university. This interruption of study time is not great when you’re trying to focus, and most students go home rather than expending their last drops of energy on finding a library for a few more hours study. 

 

Things are improving at St. James. Wellbeing will have a physical presence from September 2022, staff are becoming more approachable and friendly, and other students are slowly interacting with each other. I regularly meet with the Head of Manchester Campus to discuss how we can improve student life at St James, and as the newly elected Manchester Campus Student Engagement Officer, I am aiming to increase the visibility of the Students’ Union at St. James in the next academic year. While it good to see a shift in the right direction, St. James still has a long way to go to be more inclusive and friendly campus.

 

- Sean Domingo, Faculty of Health, Social Care & Medicine Officer