Matt Schofield meets me in the David Wilson library café in a blue shirt and his signature Students’ Union jacket. He’s holding a velvet notebook in one hand (I have been told he takes this everywhere) and buys us both a coffee with the other.
“It’s been a difficult year,” Matt says between sips, “with everything going on around the university.”
Matt is referring to the University of Leicester’s Strategic Review and its plan to restructure certain departments to combat financial challenges.
While the Students’ Union (SU) has decided to stay neutral, they still process all student feedback. This means that as the unofficial “face of the SU”, the 21-year-old takes lot of the student criticism.
“It’s challenging,” he admits, “we take a lot of the slack and stick from students.”
“Our primary focus is: how can we protect them?”
Matt decided to run for SU president last year because he noticed that he and his friends felt “disconnected from what was going on.”
“It’s important someone’s there who voices students’ concerns. In the University Council, I speak up a lot. When an issue comes up, my first question is: “How will this affect students?””
After graduating last summer with a 2:1 in Financial Economics and Banking, Matt says that the best part of his university experience was sport and extra-curriculars: “I was on Sports Council for two years, club captain second year, hockey president final year, and then SU President.”
“I’ve played drums, guitar, hockey, cricket, and football. I’ll play anything, really.”
Although Matt says he’s “not active socially” in UoL’s Cricket Club, he is still a member and plays in the summertime when hockey is over.
UoL’s Men’s Cricket Club has been subject to scrutiny this academic year, with members being involved in an alleged assault on the way to O2 last September.
He told me he was “in bed asleep” when the alleged assault happened, to which I raised an eyebrow; everyone knows Matt Schofield rarely misses an O2 Wednesday.
“I don’t go to O2 like that,” he says, “I go to hockey, then sleep, then get up again for O2. I don’t even drink.”
Outside of term time, Matt works in a funeral directors: “If we get called out at night, we have to go. So, I don’t drink at home, and I guess it’s just carried on.
“I’ve never had a sip of alcohol.”
On the topic of cricket club, Matt insists he “doesn’t know what’s going on” with the police investigation.
“I go to cricket to play cricket, not very well, but what goes on outside that, I don’t know.”
He added, “I’ve been kept far out for my own protection. If something is true, then obviously punishment is needed, but it’s down to the police and the university.”
What does the SU president actually do?
It’s the question everyone wants the answer to. And here, brought to you by the Ripple, it finally is.
“A lot of it is meetings,” Matt says, “recruitment performance board, reputation performance board, finance and infrastructure committee, University Council… loads. I meet with people across the university, too.”
“My role is now about 90-95% [student] representation, and 5-10% projects. I’m contracted 34.5 hours a week.”
Matt is currently advocating for improvements to the campus bus service, which is currently run by an external company, and for more lights around campus.
“Student safety is a major concern. It gets dark now at 4 pm, and crime happens a lot around [Victoria Park].”
Despite it being one of his campaign promises, Matt has been unable to put up more lights around Victoria Park due to environmental laws. However, he successfully advocated for temporary lighting around the scaffolding on Fielding Johnson after “students told us it feels unsafe.”
Student safety has been a concern of the SU this year, with an SU source reporting that sports and societies officers are “overwhelmed” this year with complaints.
Matt agrees, stating, “I do know the sports and societies officers are very busy this year. They’re contracted seven hours a week but work much more. The Sport and Active Life team is reduced at the moment, and people are working tirelessly.”
He tells me the SU work all through the summer and doesn’t break for Christmas until December 23rd, adding, “student life is over.”
Will Matt Schofield run for a second term?
With the SU elections approaching and as Matt’s first presidential term comes to an end, it begs the question: Will we see President Schofield again in 2027?
A conspicuous “maybe” is all I get from the hockey coach.
“I can’t tell you until campaigning starts. We’ll have to wait and see.”
In the future, Matt plans to work in banking for a few years and then get a pilot’s license.
When asked if he would consider working with universities again, Matt said, “I think I probably will. I’ve considered sitting on the University Council in future.
“Martin Cullen was SU President here for two years, then stayed on council as chair of the alumni association. I imagine I might follow a similar path.”
Nominations for SU executives, including the president role, have now closed. Each role pays £24,450 per year and campaigning begins on 27th February, with voting opening on March 2nd.