Fancy being an Union Officer?

It may seem like only yesterday that your Sabbatical Officers were elected, but despite being in office for just over a term, Week 7 of this Term sees the election of next year’s Officers. The Sabbs are a team of 7 people who take a year out (usually after their degree, but not always) to manage the day to day running of the Students’ Union, each with their own specific role and responsibilities. The roles will be changing slightly for next year: There will be slight changes to the Governance & Finance and the Communications roles. Below is a list of all of the Sabbatical Officer positions, each with a brief job description:

 

The President is the figurehead of the Union. Overseeing various projects throughout the organisation, it is his/her responsibility to make sure that everything the Union undertakes is for the long term benefit of its members. The President represents the Union and its members throughout the University as well as the wider world and is the only Union representative in the country to sit on its University’s Management Committee. The spearhead for campaigns across campus and beyond, the President works to encourage student involvement in all things political and acts as a signpost to the parts of the Union which can be the most help.

 

If you want to be next year’s Union President, talk to Andrew Bradley who will be able to provide information on the role and talk about his experiences (andrew.bradley@warwicksu.com)

 

To put it bluntly, the Education Officer concentrates on improving the reason that we are all here: our academic experience. Coordinating the Student-Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC) system they make sure that students have a say in how their course is run on a grassroots level. As well as this they also sit on a number of University committees and working groups to give the institution the student viewpoint on any decisions being made or projects being taken forward. The Education Officer also administers and organises a large number of personal projects, from the Student Debt campaign to the setting up of a campus-wide personal tutor system there is always something to keep you busy. He/she is also the Deputy President, taking on the role of the President in his/her absence.

 

Sumaiya Khaku (sumaiya.khaku@warwicksu.com) is able to provide plenty of information on what it takes to be a good Education Officer.

 

This is a new role for next year made up of chunks of the current Governance & Finance Officer and Communications Officer remits. On the Democracy side, the Democracy and Communications Officer is responsible for overseeing the Union’s entire democratic process. Whether this is checking that a Union policy is not going to upturn the Constitution or making sure that the Union’s Referenda and Elections are run smoothly, he/she is involved at all levels. On the Communications side of things, the Democracy and Communications Officer is responsible for making sure the voices of all students are heard, and that they are at the heart of every decision that is made in the Union. He/she is responsible for ensuring students are kept up-to-date with the entire goings on in the Union, and for publicising the big events we do.

 

This is also a new role for next year and comprises of the remaining parts of the current Governance & Finance and Communications roles. The Finance Officer oversees the Union’s £6m turnover and coordinates the entire budgeting process to make sure that students remain at the heart of the Union’s financial performance. He/she would also take on the commercial development aspect of the Communications Officer role, developing our commercial services in line with feedback to ensure that we offer what student wants. Whilst personal projects will be possible, the Finance Officer will be expected to deliver on a wide range of administrative tasks, essential to the success of the organisation.

 

For information on either of these new roles, contact both Andy Perkins (andy.perkins@warwicksu.com) or Isaac Newton Acquah (Isaac.acquah@warwicksu.com).

 

The Welfare Officer is responsible for the health and wellbeing of every member of the SU, both on and off campus. He/she works closely with the Student Advice Centre, taking on casework and steering its strategic direction. He/she is also available for any student who feels that they have been mistreated by an incident in the Union or the wider world. The Welfare Officer is key in ensuring that students and the Students’ Union are seen in a positive light in the local community. He/she works closely with various regional groups to help improve the reputation of students and to educate students about how they can better integrate. The Welfare Office is also responsible for upholding Equal Opportunities and ensures all our services are freely and fairly available to anyone.

 

If Welfare Officer sounds like your ideal role, you may want to talk to Sami Wannell (sami.wannell@warwicksu.com) who can answer your questions.

 

The Societies Officer coordinates all of the student societies and is the first port of call for any student executive or member if they need support for anything society related. Working closely with the staff in the Resources Room, He/she helps students deliver all the amazing events and activities which we enjoy here at Warwick. Central to this role is the personal development our members experience when involved in societies. The Societies Officer allocates all the societies’ budgets for the following year, and manages the essential training for every society executive committee, which gives them the skills and facilities to ensure their society is as successful as possible. He/she is also a key contact within the Union for the big “one-off” events which we support such as One World Week and SPLAT.

 

If you’re passionate about helping Societies, contact James Hall (james.hall@warwicksu.com).

 

The Sports Officer is the vital link between the Union and the University which enables the pioneering partnership of Warwick Sport to happen. He/she is the public face of student sport and ensures that as many people as possible actively engage with sport at Warwick. He/she works with the Student Sport Committee to provide opportunities to students, staff and members of the public for getting involved in sport. Along with the President, the Sports Officer guides the strategic direction of Warwick Sport and makes sure that students remain a key focus of its policy and operation. He/she works daily with the staff at Warwick Sport to deliver the smooth running of the organisation.

 

If you think you’ve got what it takes to fulfil this role, speak to Alex Twiss (alex.twiss@warwicksu.com).

 

 

Hopefully that will have inspired a few of you to stand in the elections this term. If so, here are a few dates for your diary:

 

Friday February 5^th, noon (Week 4) – Nominations Open

Friday February 12^th, noon (Week 5) – Nominations Close

Monday February 22^nd, 9am (Week 7) – Campaigning Period Starts

Wednesday February 24^th, 9am – Voting Opens

Friday February 26^th, 9pm – Campaigning and Voting Finishes

Saturday February 27^th – Results announced at the Elections Party

 

The Sabbaticals are always able to offer advice on the roles and detail as required so feel free to contact us via e-mail or pop into our offices in SUHQ.

 

Here’s to hoping you have a great term!

 

The Sabbatical Team 2009/2010