An effective Law Student Association (LSA) means different things to everyone within the Faculty, however there exist a point of convergence where the LSA Structures can be utilized to meet the needs of the diverse interest of students. Hilda Xorlali Nana Nkumah Rosenthal and Taylor Mahendra are students of the GIMPA Law Faculty aspiring to be the next LSA President and Vice President respectively. This four-part Manifesto is an expression of the collective interests of the average student in the LSA.
In her bid to achieve her goals, Hilda has drawn up the four policy plan she intends to implement and enforce when voted into power. She believes that every leader must have a vision and that vision should reflect the needs of the student body. Her approach to addressing these issues is to be an all-inclusive approach where the basic needs of students are addressed.
- The Communication Bridge
The new narrative for the LSA begins with visibility, accessibility and effective communication between the leadership of the LSA and the student they serve. In line with this, the Hilda led administration would introduce a structured student forum which would take place at least twice a semester to strengthen the communication gap between the student body and the LSA leadership.
In addition to this, the LSA leadership would collaborate with the Dean of the Law Faculty to schedule bi-weekly meetings with the Dean to abreast each party on the progress of existing projects and facilitate the resolution of concerns of the student body. Essential updates from these meeting would be shared by the General Secretary on all relevant students’ platforms.
Lastly, the LSA Office would run an open-door policy with fixed office hours where students can visit to express their needs. The diverse committees would take turns on defined days to run the office to ensure the office remains accessible within those fixed hours and allow students to access direct updates from these committees.
- Academic & Professional Elevation
The Hilda led administration, as part of its efforts to encourage interactions between the two streams of the student body will create a sustainable peer mentorship program. This program will have continuing law students being paired with freshers to help guide them through their first few months of law school and eventually prepare them for a career in the legal profession. The aim of this program is to ensure easy adaption to the legal environment for better understanding and appreciation of the law courses.
In addition to this, the Hilda led administration through the peer mentorship program, will put in place measures to encourage interactions between the evening stream and day stream of students, to expose the day student body to the job/internship opportunities available. This program will allow the evening stream of students to provide “insider” knowledge on their profession or industry and also engage the day students through mock interviews, review CVs and provide guidance to help them acquire the requisite soft skills needed to excel in the professional field.
As part of the plans of the Hilda led administration, the team is committed to promoting and fostering the development of mooting and debating skills among the student body since this is important in the build up to the legal practice. This policy seeks to put in place structures to create a sustainable, vibrant and active mooting society that will provide equal opportunities for students to develop their mooting skills. Periodic internal mooting competitions will be held within the faculty.
- Welfare and Social Development
3.1 The Hilda Rosenthal led administration also intends to enforce policies geared towards protecting and promoting the welfare of the student body in a holistic manner. In order to address financial challenges faced by some students, the Hilda led administration intends to set up a bursary to serve as a cash pool to provide financial support to the less endowed students. This bursary will be funded by a portion of the LSA dues and sponsorship deals agreed upon with external persons.
3.2 The Hilda led administration intends to introduce a shuttle system to help ease the pressure on the student body. It should be noted that, a trial stage will be conducted in the early stages by engaging transport companies purposely for feasibility studies. The success of the trial stage will determine the sustainability of this policy. The success of the trial stage will determine the sustainability of this policy.
3.3 The Hilda led administration will collaborate with the GIMPA Counselling Centre to tailor their services to the peculiar mental health needs of law students.
4. Digitilization
The Hilda led administration in collaboration with existing Experts within the faculty will utilize the Information Technology systems to collate academic resources peculiar to the academic needs of the average law student and ensure students have access to it.
Alone we can only do so little but together we can do much more.
About Hilda Xorlali Rosenthal
Hilda Xorlali Rosenthal is a student of the Law Faculty of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). She holds a BA (Classics and Philosophy) from the University of Cape Coast. She hails from Aflao from the Volta Region of Ghana. She is a 24year old lady with the ambition of becoming a lawyer.
Hilda Rosenthal is a person who is driven to succeed while maintaining a very strong moral compass and positive attitude. Her ambitious nature and desire for leadership made her stand out among her peers during her days in basic school. She was first appointed class prefect and subsequently Main Head Girl in her basic school.
She has always been opened to lead and take the mantle when the need arises.
The New Narrative
Hilda Xorlali Nkumah Rosenthal
Taylor Mahendra
