Union By-Elections: Become a paid part-time Sabbatical Officer, a Student Leader or a Union Councillor

Following the resignation of Vice President Winchester & Sites early this term, a by-election is being held to find a replacement.

However it is a by-election with a difference. For the first time in living memory there will be two part time sabbatical roles.

Vice President Winchester and Vice President Sites were created at the first Union Council of the year. The winning candidates for both positions are expected to work 20 hours a week on a flexible contract for half the normal sabbatical pay. Any student can run for either position and any student can vote for either position.

The roles are primarily concerned with representing the views of students at the University who study or live in Winchester or one of the other sites outside of the main Highfield and Avenue campuses.  The full descriptions can be found here.

There are also a number of student leader positions which are still vacant, they represent the view of a specific group of people and also have a position on Union Council where Union policy is made and decisions are taken as to how SUSU operates.

The following positions are up for by-election:

• Business & Law (Faculty) Officer
• Community Volunteering Officer
• Engineering & Environment (Faculty) Officer
• International Students’ Officer
• National Oceanography Centre (Site) Officer
• Natural & Environmental Sciences (Faculty) Officer
• Postgraduate (Research) Students’ Officer
• Postgraduate (Taught) Students’ Officer
• Social & Human Sciences (Faculty) Officer

Finally there are also a number of positions as Union Councillors which are vacant. Union Councillors are elected to reflect the different student bodies that make up the membership of SUSU. Any current student at the University of Southampton can become a member of Council and represent the overall student body on the issues debated at Council.

Councillors have no specific remit outside of attending Union Council which meets 6 times a year. Councillor positions are divided up between faculties, and specific student groups such as international students. This is to ensure that Council accurately reflects the membership of SUSU.

There are Union Councillor positions vacant for students from the following groups:

• Post-graduate taught students (2x)
• Post-graduate research students (2x)
• Part-time students (2x)
• Mature Undergraduate students (2x)
• Students with Disabilities (1x)
• European Students (1x)
• International Students (1x)
• Faculty of Engineering and the Environment (2x)
• Faculty of Health Sciences (2x)
• Faculty of Medicine (2x)
• Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences (1x)

Nominations are open until Monday 14^th a midday. So what are you waiting for, head to www.susu.org/elections/by-election/ to nominate yourself or read more information on each of the roles, or you can email me vpcomms@susu.org if you have any questions or want any advice.

It’s your chance to run your Students’ Union.

Joe