SU Spring Elections 2026 Interviews: Alex Prepelita, President

In the run-up to the Warwick Students’ Union (SU) Spring Elections, The Boar offered all Full-Time Officer (FTO) candidates the opportunity to be interviewed.

First-year student Alex Prepelita joined The Boar to discuss his campaign for SU President, outlining his experience within the Students’ Union, the key priorities set out in his manifesto, and how he believes the Union can better represent the concerns of Warwick students.

Why did you decide to run for this position and what do you think makes you stand out from the other candidates?

Prepelita said that his experience working with the SU “shadowing other roles” and his involvement in a wide range of societies encouraged him to run for the role.

“I’ve been part of at least 30 societies in my time, so I get to know a large variety of people”, he said. Alluding to his status as a so-called ‘BNOC’ – having been proclaimed victor of the Warwick Tab’s ‘Biggest Name on Campus’ competition in January – he added that “every time somebody meets me I’m just a nice and friendly face around campus, and that’s sort of what I’ve been known for the past year I guess”.

What are your key manifesto pledges?

Prepelita said his manifesto includes 10 key policies, but focused on one in particular which he believes will better engage students with the SU.

“My first policies will be implemented immediately, because I really do believe in transparency between the Students’ Union and the rest of the student body and the University Executive Board team”, he affirmed.

One of these is to create dedicated FTO office hours, he outlined, quoting his catchline ‘10 students, 10 minutes, 10 weeks’. “I or other FTOs would discuss with different students who are really, really passionate about a certain issue about the University, and which they really want to see fixed.”

“I really do think that the SU and the University should take the students’ voice more into consideration”, Prepelita said, suggesting that improving this communication could be a route to ensuring that student concerns are better represented within the University’s decision-making structures.

What do you think the biggest issue facing Warwick students is right now and how would you plan to tackle it?

Prepelita said there are several key issues currently affecting Warwick students, highlighting wellbeing, nighttime safety, and transport as particular areas of concern.

“I want to focus on creating a safer environment for nighttime for people at Warwick, especially after a club night when you lose your friends, and it’s after midnight in Coventry or 3am in Leamington Spa.

“Of course, I know quite a lot about the nightlife having experienced it myself, and I know for a fact that the buses are a really big concern for people and for some friend groups who do not want to spend over £25 on an Uber to get home.”

Another of his key concerns relates to lectures and study spaces, The Boar heard, with Prepelita suggesting that when students have 9am classes he would push for “a platform for recorded lectures for all departments”.

He also wishes to introduce an SU price freeze until 2027, and said “opening up the Dirty Duck or Terrace Bar until 2am will cover that revenue”. On a side note, Prepelita – still in his first year – here gave his thoughts on the presidential salary, saying he think it is too much “and, honestly, I don’t want it”.

Expanding on this policy, he outlined how he would aim to work with SU outlets first and then the Warwick Food Group to freeze prices, while adding that capping a POP! ticket at £5 would guarantee his third policy of making Wednesday nights more affordable and would “bring money to the SU from maximum ticket sales” – he noted how POP! very infrequently sells out.

Prepelita also spoke on his ‘safehaven’ policy, which would see SU Officers posted at locations like the Community Safety Hub and Senate House.

The SU has to work closely with the University throughout the year and, if you were elected as President, you would be the face of student voice in communications with the University. What sort of relationship would you want to foster between the SU and the University? 

“I already have a pretty forged professional relationship through people in the community”, Prepelita claimed, noting how some people have asked him favours to promote them in “lesser society elections”.

“I’m pretty calm with negotiating things, and if things don’t work out for the first time I could easily call them for a second meeting”, he told The Boar. Equally, he said, “if one of my policies turns out to be a little bit too ambitious and is not really achievable in a year, than I would most likely communicate with the future President”.

It’s a perennial debate on campus: the cost-of-living crisis. What would you do as SU President to support students who feel priced out of uni life or who are struggling at university financially?

“I do feel like a cheap meal deal option for lunchtime is a necessity”, Prepelita said. “I would like to make sure that no essential meal goes over £5”, he added, mentioning the toasties and paninis he’s had “hundreds of times” at the Food Station.

After reiterating his price freeze plan, the candidate also claimed that he’s heard from third-year treasurers that “some societies are spending up to £10,000 a year on pizza”, a figure which he said “could be cut down a little bit”. The Boar cannot verify this statistic, however.

“I do think my policies will gain the SU a profit, even though it might  be lesser than other years because my policies are a bit bold”, Prepelita admitted. He added, however, that he thinks the SU is missing an opportunity to profit from its alcohol license, stating that if he were able to liaise with Co-op for a 24-hour store, alcohol sales would be restricted from 2-6am to prevent “dangerous alcoholism”, while the Dirty Duck and T Bar would also be able to sell drinks for longer.

He feels this would ensure “the SU doesn’t bankrupt itself on my other policies”.

How will you work to make the SU more sustainable and hold the University accountable for its net-zero targets?

First, Prepelita mentioned how he believes “vegan and vegetarian food option should be at the same low prices as other options”.

He would also like to “spend a bit on looking after our green spaces”, given they are often used for socialising, and said planting trees in “the disaster that was The Forum” might see it used more.

“I’ve been here a while, and I’ve never seen anyone in The Forum. And I do think it was a bit of a waste of money by whoever implemented that. But I think that sort of place could be turned into a sustainable place on campus.”

He also intends to “partner with other green organisations” to improve provisions of facilities like recycling bins.

Research by The Boar found that three quarters of Leamington students are missing lectures due to bus delays. How would you seek to improve transport for students, especially for those living off campus?

Prepelita argued that ensuring students have safe and reliable ways to return home through securing “24-hr buses” should be a priority for the SU. “I don’t want any Warwick student to ever feel unsafe”, he said, adding that “if a student is stranded somewhere at 5am, then that could be a fear for their safety, especially in the winter”.

More than 600 freshers were placed off campus this year after the University ‘ran’ out of rooms for those first-year students. What do you think the SU could do to support these students, and any students who may be affected in the coming academic year?

Here, Prepelita suggested that “the extra money which is implemented by my 24-hour policies could be used to expand the Residential Community Team (RCT) to perhaps cover off-campus [private providers of] accommodation where first-years are most commonly situated”. Weekly drop-ins for a couple of hours with RCT members or Community Safety would also be beneficial, he told The Boar, and would build on the visit by incumbent SU President Alijah Taha to off-campus accommodations this academic year.

This interview, along with all other interviews for Full-Time Officer positions, can be watched in full using the link here.

You can also view a list of all candidates and their manifestos here.