How The Union Works
The Students' Union represents every single student who comes to our university. Not only does the SU represent them - it is them - it is run by students for students.
Decisions are made democratically, right from the level of the elected officers - the Sabbaticals, Executive Committee and Union Council members - to the lower levels of societies and clubs, all of which hold democratic elections for their committees. It is through these committees that students can influence the working of their Union and also ensure that their views are heard acsoss the University.
The work of the Students' Union is overseen and scrutinised by a Trustee Board, as required by the Charity Commission.
Every student registered at the University is automatically a member of the Students' Union. Students do have the right to opt out of membership if they so choose. As a Student Union member, you have the right to stand for election if you are interested in representing your fellow students.
The Union is run according to a Constitution agreed by the elected officers. At course level, your ideas and opinions can be represented through Programme Representatives, trained by the Students' Union, who are you first port of call on course related matters.
In addition to the student led work of the Union, the Union has a team of permanent staff who work to provide additional services for students, falling broadly into two areas:
Representation and support - ensuring you are supported in your dealings with the University.
Student Activities - offering a range of activities such as sports, societies and social events to help you enjoy your time here at City.
The Union has produced a Statement of Service which outlines the core services we offer and we have a number of policies that underpin our work.
Sabbatical Officers
There are three full time positions for Sabbatical Officers within the Students' Union. Sabbatical Officers are elected Trustees on the Students' Union Trustee Board, and via this Board are responsible for the running of the Students' Union.
Their role is to listen to students' views and represent these on University Committees and at a national level at the NUS conference. They also run a range of campaigns each year on issues of student interest.
Sabbatical Officers are elected annually in the Spring term.
Executive Committee
The Students’ Union Executive Committee takes an active role in how the Students’ Union is run. The Executive Committee is made up of the Sabbatical Officers, elected in Spring, and the part-time Officers who are elected in October. The part-time Executive Officers each represent a specific School at City.
Union Council
The Union Council is the governing body of the Students’ Union. All members of the Executive Committee are accountable to the Union Council.
The Union Council is made up of all the Members of the Executive Committee ie the Sabbatical Officers and the Student Representation Officers plus three elected members from each School, one of whom must be a postgraduate student from each School.
Trustee Board
The Trustee Board is the sovereign and governing body of the Union and it oversees and scrutinises the work of the Students’ Union.
The Board consists of up to three elected sabbatical officers together with up to three other external trustees, who are not members of University plus one ex officio trustee, currently the Dean of Students.
The Union General Manager is the Secretary to the Trustee Board.
The Trustee Board meets at least three times a year to receive reports from the Executive Committee and to discuss and set Students’ Union policy.
Back to top