By Siti Solehah
GOMBAK, 9 December 2021: Nur Izzatul Najwa binti Zolkepli, the representative of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology (SOCA) for the AHAS KIRKHS election, has promised to do her best in serving the university community, particularly in making people aware of the existence of the department and its courses.
She won uncontested in the AHAS KIRKHS election.
When interviewed, the second year first semester student stated that her experiences on the main board of Secretariat of Sociology & Anthropology SOCASA 20/21, as well as many other experiences during her year of study at the Centre of Foundation Studies (CFS), gave her the imperative call to make changes in the community.
Asked about the vision and mission that underlies her manifestos, she stated that her vision is to empower SOCASA to fulfil its function as a society that assists both society and students.
Meanwhile, the mission is to give SOCASA the recognition it deserves in IIUM and to assist SOCA students in understanding the nature of the sociology and anthropology degrees they are pursuing.
To a question as to what changes she plans to make and how she intends to implement them, Najwa said that she will fight so that SOCASA can reach out to students and listen to their concerns. They will try to assist with what they can and will guide the students to the best of their ability.
Responding to what changes that she hopes to see in the IIUM Community as a result of her appointment, she responded: “I would like to see the sociology and anthropology courses become more well-known among the IIUM community, as I believe this subject is under-appreciated.
People both inside and outside of IIUM are unaware of the existence of this subject. SOCA students should be more enthusiastic about the courses they take. Hopefully, a lot of people are aware of this field of study.”
When asked if she had any final words or hopes for those who will vote on Thursday, she responded, “For this upcoming voting day on 9/12/2021 (Thursday), do participate in this voting. Vote for your representatives. Vote for those you can put your trust in. Vote for those you believe will bring about improvements and positive changes in yourself and your department. All of the candidates will work for you; it is your responsibility to select the best one.”
She also included two hashtags at the end of the statement: #showyoursupport and #yourvotecounts.
Ensure SOCASA IIUM gets more recognition from the IIUM community
Sociology is an important field of study that seeks to comprehend how society works. It assists people in understanding their situation and how to deal with it. It would be a waste if this secretariat did not function properly because IIUM has scholars who are experts in this field of knowledge. The IIUM community, which includes students, lecturers, and staff, is confronted with a number of challenges. SOCASA should help this community with sociological issues. As a result, one way to achieve this is to gain recognition from the IIUM community and collaborate with the IIUM clubs and secretariat to put on beneficial programmes for students and staff.
Help the students to understand the nature of Sociology and Anthropology fields. (Functions, Job scopes, Courses etc.)
Attempt to improve SOCA students’ understanding of the nature of sociology and anthropology. SOCASA had created platforms to connect students and lecturers, in addition to carrying out any related programmes. It is the best forum for students to address any academic concerns. It simply requires more promotion.
Najwa added that SOCASA should also look after the mental health of the students. Perhaps by giving the students a mental health box or a gift box every now and then might help them cope with the stress they’re experiencing? Nonetheless, if the committees are given the opportunity to serve for the next tenure, SOCASA could do a lot of things.
Students who want to directly get in touch with Najwa can do so through her Instagram and Facebook accounts.***