The SU is student-led, meaning that YOU are put in the driving seat.
The Union has many opportunities for you to express your voice and lead your Union, from getting involved in our democratic system to taking up one of our student leadership roles. These may include leading your Club or Society as an exec member, representing the academic interests of your cohort as a Course Rep or even heading up an entire area of SU as one of our Student Officers.
All the roles detailed below are recruited via an election, meaning that your fellow coursemates, Club and Society members and students decide who they want to lead and represent them. You can find out more information about how our elections work by visiting our 'Rules and Guidance' page. You can also see what elections are currently happening on our 'Elections' page.
Use the tabs below to find out more about the opportunities you have to take the lead and Make Your Mark!
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Student Officers
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SU Committees
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Academic Representation
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Student Groups
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Other Roles
Student Officers lead your Union, and make sure that the SU and University are acting to make the student experience at Warwick as good as it can be.
There are different Officer roles which look after different aspects of the student experience or represent particular groups of students to ensure that everyone's voice is heard and acted upon. We have Full-Time Officers which are paid full-time roles, plus Part-Time Officers that are voluntary positions.
You can read more about each role below. If you are considering nominating yourself for a role but are unsure which one would suit you, feel free to contact the current officer or the Democracy Team for more information!
Full-Time Officers
Your Union has 7 full-time Student Officer roles which look after particular aspects of the student experience at Warwick.
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These roles are full-time paid roles and, if you are successful, you would become an employee of the Union earning £23,283 for your one-year term in office (excluding tax). As employees of the Union, you are also entitled to 21 Annual Leave days, excluding national holidays and closed days.
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You MUST be a Warwick Student, or current Full-Time Officer, at the point you nominate yourself to be eligible for these roles. This means that you can still become a full-time officer even if you are graduating.
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You can only be a full-time officer for a maximum of 2 terms of office, which are a year long each. These years can be taken consecutively or separately, but this rules applies across your lifetime as a student (as set in the 1994 Education Act).
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Full-time officers will also be a Sabbatical Trustee on the Union's Trustee Board. The Trustee Board is the Union's overarching decision-making body as a registered charity. There are certain criteria that you need to meet in order to be a trustee which we will check prior to you starting the role.
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The term of office (1 year) starts in August, with the exception of the Postgraduate Officer who starts in September. Howver, you would be expected to attend training and handover prior to starting your role.
If you have any questions about the information above, please contact the Democracy Team.
The President ensures that your Union is working for you.
The role
- You will be the primary spokesperson for the SU, leading and being the face of all public relations matters.
- You will be the main representative of the SU to the University, including its executive body, as well as local, regional, national, and international bodies.
- You will advocate and lobby on behalf of students for their interests and for positive change.
- You will sit on key University committees such as University Council and Senate.
- You will be a trustee of a multi-million-pound organization as well as chairing the Board of Trustees.
- In addition to this, you will carry out your own manifesto promises
Qualifications
- All Warwick students
Pay and skills gained
- 23,283
- Key experience and decision-making power in a broad number of areas including, finance, education policy, lobbying, public relations and communication.
- You will gain vital leadership and management skills through being part of a team leading a multi-million-pound charity.
Vice President for Education
The role
- You will lead on all student academic interests, lobbying for, and providing them with, the best possible education experience at Warwick.
- You will manage and work with hundreds of student academic representatives, helping them champion student interests.
- You will liaise and engage with academic-related bodies on a local, regional and national level.
- You will work closely with all academic areas of the University including departments, the Library, IT Services, Careers Services, and the Learning Grids.
- You will sit on the Senate and co-chair the Student Learning Experience and Engagement Committee (SLEEC).
- You will be a trustee of a multi-million-pound organization.
- In addition to this, you will carry out your own manifesto promises.
Qualifications
- All Warwick students
Pay and skills gained
- 23,283
- Key experience and decision-making power in a broad number of areas including education policy, lobbying, and strategic planning.
- You will gain vital leadership and management skills through being part of a team leading a multi-million-pound charity.
Vice President for Postgraduate Students
The role
- You will lead on postgraduate academic interests, lobbying for, and providing them with, the best possible postgraduate education experience at Warwick.
- You will manage and work with hundreds of student academic representatives, helping them champion postgraduate interests.
- You will work closely with the VP Education to ensure a consistent approach to representation across the institution to widen access and participation for all students.
- You will make sure that SU commercial services are accessible to the postgraduate community.
- You will liaise and engage with postgraduate-related bodies on a local, regional and national level.
- You will make strategic decisions concerning the long-term strategy towards postgraduate engagement with the SU.
- You will engage with many parts of the University through sitting on the Senate, amongst others.
- You will be a trustee of a multi-million-pound organisation.
- In addition to this, you will carry out your own manifesto promises.
Qualifications
- All Warwick students
Pay and skills gained
- 23,283
- Key experience and decision-making power in a broad number of areas including education policy, strategic planning, commercial issues and engagement strategies.
- You will gain vital leadership and management skills through being part of a team leading a multi-million-pound charity.
Vice President for Democracy and Development
The role
- You will lead all SU democratic processes from organising elections and All Student Votes (ASV) to delivering on policy. This will also include leading on governance related matters.
- You lead on all commercial areas concerning the SU. This means being the representative to the University on all their commercial operations, particularly by working with the Campus & Commercial Services Group (CCSG).
- You will also feedback student voices into the SU’s commercial outlets to improve them for students and other consumers.
- You will be the SU's treasurer, responsible for providing student oversight of SU finances.
- You will sit on multiple University committees which cover a wide variety of areas including finance, commercial operations, estates, and sustainability. This includes University Council (Warwick’s highest decision making body).
- You will be the lead officer on maximising engagement with students.
- You will be a trustee of a multi-million-pound organisation.
- In addition to this, you will carry out your own manifesto promises.
Qualifications
- All Warwick students
Pay and skills gained
- 23,283
- Key experience and decision-making power in a broad number of areas including, finance, commercial, sustainability, estates, public relations, and communication.
- You will gain vital leadership and management skills through being part of a team leading a multi-million-pound charity.
Vice President for Welfare and Campaigns
The role
- You will lead on policy and campaigns that help improve student welfare at Warwick.
- You will engage with many parts of the University including, but not limited to, Nightline, Welfare services, the Chaplaincy, Community Safety and Report & Support. You will help and campaign for improvements to areas related to student welfare. This will often involve working with external organisations such as our Police and the NHS.
- You will work closely with the SU Advice Centre.
- You will liaise and engage with welfare-related bodies on a local, regional and national level.
- You will be a trustee of a multi-million-pound organisation.
- In addition to this, you will carry out your own manifesto promises.
Qualifications
- All Warwick students
Pay and skills gained
- 23,283
- Key experience and decision-making power in a broad number of areas including health and wellbeing policy, charity work and campaigning.
- You will gain vital leadership and management skills through being part of a team leading a multi-million-pound charity.
Vice President for Sports
The role
- You will be the public face and leader of student sport on campus. This will involve providing students with the best possible university sporting experience, as well lobbying and liaising with the University and external organisations to make this happen.
- You will be responsible for managing, engaging and facilitating all sport clubs on campus. As part of this you will be the main point of contact for sports clubs who you will work closely with to improve sport at Warwick.
- You will work strategically to develop the direction of sports partnerships, working with the University’s Warwick Sport.
- You will work with the VP Societies to formulate strategies surrounding student development and skills.
- You will liaise and engage with sport-related bodies on a local, regional, and national level.
- You will organise large scale events such as Varsity, the Sports Ball and the Sports Fair.
- You will be a trustee of a multi-million-pound organisation.
- In addition to this, you will carry out your own manifesto promises.
Qualifications
- All Warwick students
Pay and skills gained
- 23,283
- Key experience and decision-making power in a broad number of areas including sport and wellbeing policy, event planning, mediation and lobbying.
- You will gain vital leadership and management skills through being part of a team leading a multi-million-pound charity.
Vice President for Societies
The role
- You will be the public face and leader of student societies on campus. This will involve providing students with the best possible student experience, as well lobbying and liaising with the University and external organisations to make this happen.
- You will manage, engage with and facilitate hundreds of societies on campus.
- You will be responsible for helping to promote society events, facilitating society related decision making, helping to assign society budgets and set up new societies, advising on best practice, and helping co-ordinate training for executive committee members.
- You will help organise large scale events such as the Societies Fair.
- You will work with the VP Sport to formulate strategies surrounding student development and skills.
- You will liaise and engage with a range of bodies on a local, regional, and national level.
- You will be a trustee of a multi-million-pound organisation.
- In addition to this, you will carry out your own manifesto promises.
Qualifications
- All Warwick students
Pay and skills gained
- 23,283
- Key experience and decision-making power in a broad number of areas including event planning, mediation, lobbying, public relations and welfare.
- You will gain vital leadership and management skills through being part of a team leading a multi-million-pound charity.
Part-Time Officers
In addition to your full-time Student Officers, the Union has 9 Part-Time Officer roles. The majority of these are described as representative roles, meaning that they ensure that the voice and interests of a particular group of students are heard and represented.
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These are voluntary roles that you take up alongside your studies. You MUST be a Warwick student for the whole term of your office, which is 1 year.
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There is no limit to how many years you can be a Part-Time Officer, as long as you are still a Warwick student.
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All Part-Time Officers sit on Student Council. The Liberation & Diversity Officers also sit on Liberation and Diversity Exec.
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The term of office (1 year) begins at the start of the Academic Year, but you would be expected to attend relevant training and handover prior to starting your role.
If you have any questions about the information above, please contact the Democracy Team.
Environment and Ethics Officer
Am I eligible? You will need to be a current warwick student.
- You will advocate for an ethical and environmentally friendly SU and University and create greater awareness among students about relevant environment and ethics issues, advising on them and campaigning on them.
- You will bring relevant concerns before Student Council and the Development Committee, and lobby the University to implement more environmentally and ethically sound policies, encouraging the SU to do the same.
- You will work with societies and campaign groups to facilitate campaigns about environment and ethics, and raise awareness amongst students of the University Environment and Sustainability Fund.
- You will sit on the SU Development Committee and be a full voting member of Student Council.
- In addition to this, you will carry out your manifesto promises.
Disabled Students' Officer
Am I eligible? You will need to be a current warwick student who self-defines as a person with a Disability. You can update your self-definition by clicking on your election profile found in the Your Profile area. Here you will be able to select any of our self-definition categories that apply to you and update them so that our system recognises your eligibility for relevant roles.
- You will ensure the SU is addressing the needs of students with disabilities and raise awareness of the issues students with disabilities face amongst the University community, often lobbying the University for change.
- You will plan disability awareness events as part of Disability Awareness week and campaign against ableism in all of its forms.
- You will liaise with SU staff to improve access and remove barriers to events, venues and outlets.
- You will sit on the SU Liberation and Diversity Committee and be a full voting member of Student Council
- In addition to this, you will carry out your manifesto promises.
Am I eligible? You will need to be a current warwick student who self-defines as a Women. You can update your self-definition by clicking on your election profile found in the Your Profile area. Here you will be able to select any of our self-definition categories that apply to you and update them so that our system recognises your eligibility for relevant roles.
- You will represent all self-defining women at Warwick University.
- You will ensure the SU is addressing the needs of women students and raises awareness of the issues women students face amongst the University community, often lobbying for change.
- You will plan awareness events, including as part of International Women’s Week, and campaign against sexism in all its forms.
- You will sit on the SU Liberation and Diversity Committee and be a full voting member of Student Council
- In addition to this, you will carry out your manifesto promises.
Ethnic Minorities Officer
Am I eligible? You will need to be a current warwick student who self-defines as Ethnic Minorities. You can update your self-definition by clicking on your election profile found in the Your Profile area. Here you will be able to select any of our self-definition categories that apply to you and update them so that our system recognises your eligibility for relevant roles.
- You will represent all self-defining Ethnic Minority students at Warwick University.
- You will ensure the SU is addressing the needs of students of ethnic minorities and raise awareness of the issues students of ethnic minorities face amongst the University community, often lobbying for change.
- You will plan awareness events, including as part of Black History Month, and campaign against racism in all of its forms.
- You will sit on the SU Liberation and Diversity Committee and be a full voting member of Student Council
- In addition to this, you will carry out your manifesto promises.
Am I eligible? You will need to be a current warwick student who self-defines as LGBTUA+. You can update your self-definition by clicking on your election profile found in the Your Profile area. Here you will be able to select any of our self-definition categories that apply to you and update them so that our system recognises your eligibility for relevant roles.
- You will represent all self-defining LGBTUA+ students at Warwick University.
- You will ensure the SU is addressing the needs of LGBTUA+ students and raise awareness of the issues LGBTUA+ students face amongst the University community, often lobbying for change.
- You will plan awareness events, including as part of Pride Week, and campaign against oppression of LGBTUA+ students in all its forms.
- You will sit on the SU Liberation and Diversity Committee and be a full voting member of Student Council
- In addition to this, you will carry out your manifesto promises.
Am I eligible? You will need to be a current warwick student who self-defines as Trans. You can update your self-definition by clicking on your election profile found in the Your Profile area. Here you will be able to select any of our self-definition categories that apply to you and update them so that our system recognises your eligibility for relevant roles.
- You will represent all self-defining Trans students at Warwick University.
- You will ensure the SU is addressing the needs of Trans students and raise awareness of the issues trans students face amongst the University community, often lobbying for change.
- You will plan awareness events, including as part of Pride Week, and campaign against oppression of LGBTUA+ students in all its forms.
- You will sit on the SU Liberation and Diversity Committee and be a full voting member of Student Council
- In addition to this, you will carry out your manifesto promises.
International Students' Officers (EU) (Autumn Elections only)
Am I eligible? You will need to be a current warwick student who pays EU fees.
- You will represent International Students at Warwick University on a campus, local and national level.
- You will raise awareness of issues affecting international students in all areas of SU and University activity, often lobbying for change.
- You will plan awareness events and run campaigns on the issues facing international students.
- You will sit on the SU Liberation and Diversity Committee and be a full voting member of Student Council.
- In addition to this, you will carry out your manifesto promises.
International Students' Officers (Non-EU) (Autumn Elections only)
Am I eligible? You will need to be a current warwick student who pays international (Non-EU) fees.
- You will represent International Students at Warwick University on a campus, local and national level.
- You will raise awareness of issues affecting international students in all areas of SU and University activity, often lobbying for change.
- You will plan awareness events and run campaigns on the issues facing international students.
- You will sit on the SU Liberation and Diversity Committee and be a full voting member of Student Council.
- In addition to this, you will carry out your manifesto promises.
Widening Participation Officer
Am I eligible? You will need to self define as a Widening Participation student who currently studies at Warwick
- Represent the interests of all widening participation students at the University of Warwick.
- Sit on Liberation and Diversity Committee.
- Be an ex-officio Committee member of the Widening Participation Students’ Association.
- Co-Chair the University’s Widening Participation Student Advisory Group.
- Be a voting member of Student Council.
- Provide reports and updates to Student Council.
- Be responsible for carrying out Union policies, where appropriate.
- Work closely with the Full-Time and Part-Time Officers to ensure issues relating to the experiences of all widening partiicpation students are addressed in all relevant areas of the University and Union.
- Lead and support campaigns relatging to widening participation.
- Seek feedback from members on matters relating to widening participation.
Part-Time and Mature Students' Officer (Autumn Elections only)
The Part-Time and Mature Students' Officer represents the collective voice os Warwick Students who are on part-time course and/or are Mature students.
Am I eligible? You will need to be a current warwick student who self-defines as Mature and Part-Time. You can update your self-definition by clicking on your election profile found in the Your Profile area. Here you will be able to select any of our self-definition categories that apply to you and update them so that our system recognises your eligibility for relevant roles.
- You will represent Part-Time and Mature Students at Warwick University.
- You will maintain communication with staff, departments, SSLC’s and the SU to raise awareness of the issues affecting Part-Time students and mature students in all areas, often lobbying for change.
- You will sit on the SU Liberation and Diversity Committee and be a full voting member of Student Council.
- In addition to this, you will carry out your manifesto promises.
Your Students' Union has a democratic structure in place that enables you to be a part of the decisions and actions that the Union and your Officer team take. This is primarily done at Student Council where motions are debated and voted on. Student Council also has devolved committees called SU Committees, who work year round to improve SU services.
Committees are made up of both directly and indirectly elected students. There are 8 Committees made up of unpaid elected members who work with a relevant Sabbatical Officer and other elected students to achieve improvements for students within the related SU area (called zones).
You will attend Committee meetings to discuss and debate topics and if you are the Chair of your Committee you will also sit on Student Council where you can help decide what goes to an All Student Vote and what becomes Policy
Any student can nominate themselves for an Committee position. All Committee’s, with the exception of the Liberation and Diversity Committee, have directly elected members that the wider student body choose by voting for their preferred candidates. Committee members will be elected in the Autumn Term.
You can read about each role below but here is some important information you should know about our SU Committee roles:
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These roles are unpaid voluntary roles that you do alongside your studies. You must be a Warwick student for the whole term of your office which is until the end of the third (Summer Term) of the academic year you were elected.
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There is no limit to how many years you can be an SU Committee Member as long as you are still a Warwick student.
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All SU Committee Members sit on Super Council with only the chairs of each Committee sitting on Student Council as voting members. Committee members who are not the Chair can attend Student Council to make comments, but not vote.
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The term of office starts at the point you are elected and it is expected that you attend relevant training.
If you have any questions about the information above then please contact the Democracy Team.
Democracy Committee Member
Democracy Committee ensures that the Union's Democratic Structures are followed so that you can have your voice heard. They support students in the development of motions that are debated and steer those motions to relevant SU Execs to look over and propose amendments. They also support the Democracy and Development Officer with their manifesto points and areas of work holding the Officer to account to ensure they are working for students.
As a member of Democracy Committee you will be an integral and objective part of the democractic process. You would have a keen attention to detail and are passionate about ensuring the views of all students are heard.
Am I eligible? You will need to be a current warwick student at the point of nominations and for the whole academic year you will be in the role.
Development Committee Member
You will ensure the Union's commercial activities are in the interests of students, for example through encouraging sustainable practices, and decide on the allocation of funding from a number of the Unions funding pots including the Projects Fund and Campaigns Fund. You will help the Democracy & Development Officer with their manifesto pledges and policy mandates, and hold them to account to ensure they are working for students.
Am I eligible? You will need to be a current warwick student at the point of nominations and for the whole academic year you will be in the role.
Postgraduate Comittee Member
You will review and discuss issues and topics relating specifically to the Postgraduate experience at Warwick. Postgraduate Experience Exec takes a lead on organising and promoting relevant campaigns and other activities that enhance the Postgraduate experience, and undertake research where necessary. You will support the Postgraduate Officer with their manifesto pledges and policy mandates and hold them to account to ensure they are working for students.
Am I eligible? You will need to be a current warwick postgraduate student at the point of nominations and for the whole academic year you will be in the role.
Please Note: that two roles are reserved for Postgraduate Taught students, two for Postgraduate Research students and two are open to any Postgraduate student.
Societies Committee Member
You will lead on and discuss topics to support Societies at Warwick. You also approve new societies and emergency funding bids, and run events that celebrate student activities at Warwick. The Societies Exec supports the Societies Officer in their role and holds them to account to ensure they are working for students.
Am I eligible? You will need to be a current warwick student at the point of nominations and for the whole academic year you will be in the role.
Environment Committee Member
You will lead on and discuss topics around sustainability and help carry out environmental campaigns. You will also advise students and allocate funding according to regulation 5 - Funding Regulations.
Am I eligible? You will need to be a current warwick student at the point of nominations and for the whole academic year you will be in the role.
Education Committee Member
You will lead on and discuss topics around Education Experience and help carry out academic campaigns.
Am I eligible? You will need to be a current warwick student at the point of nominations and for the whole academic year you will be in the role.
You will lead on and discuss topics to support sport at Warwick and help organise sporting events and campaigns such as Varsity and Reshaping Sport. The Societies Committee supports the Sports Officer in their role and holds them to account to ensure they are working for students.
Am I eligible? You will need to be a current warwick student at the point of nominations and for the whole academic year you will be in the role.
You will lead on the organisation and promotion of Welfare Campaigns, from accommodation to sexual health. You also support the Welfare & Campaigns Officer in their role and hold them to account to ensure they are working for students.
Am I eligible? You will need to be a current warwick student at the point of nominations and for the whole academic year you will be in the role.
Mental Health Awareness Campaigns Representative
The Mental Health Awaresness Campaigns Representative(s) sit on Welfare Exec and work on mental health campaigning at Warwick to support all students at Warwick.
Am I eligible? You will need to be a current warwick student at the point of nominations and for the whole academic year you will be in the role.
Your Union has a three types of Academic Representation roles to ensure that your academic interests are listened to and acted upon at all levels of the University whether this is on your course, in your department or across all the faculties. They are empowered and supported by the Union as well as the Education Officer and Postgraduate Officer to make your academic experience as good as it can be.
You can read about each role below but here is some important information you should know about our Academic Representation roles:
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These roles are voluntary roles that you do alongside your studies.
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There is no limit to how many years you can be a Course Rep or Faculty Rep as long as you are still a Warwick student.
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You can only be a rep for your cohort whether this is the year of your course or the faculty as a whole.
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All these roles are supported by Staff both at the Union and University to ensure you, and those you represent, get the most out of the Academic Representation System at Warwick
If you have any questions about any of these roles then please contact the Democracy Team or the Academic Representation Team by emailing: ...
Course Reps are essential to the Unions work to represent the academic interests of students are Warwick. As a Course Rep you will be the front line interacting with, and collecting the feedback of, your fellow students. You will work alongside University and Union staff to voice the views of your cohort and create mutually satisfactory solutions to any barriers that impact the positive academic experiences of students.
Course Reps are elected at two main points in the year. The first is at the start term 1 (Autumn Term) where you elect your first year reps and any other vacant course rep roles. The second is in term 3 (Summer Term) where you elect your reps for the following academic year.
You can find out more about the Course Rep role by clicking here.
Departmental Representatives
Department Reps is an essential role in the Academic Rep System that makes sure student voice is heard and escalated to the right areas of the University & SU.
As a Department Rep, you will be working with all of the Course Reps within your department to create change by attending departmental meetings. You will also help escalate feedback through the Faculty Reps and work with them on University Wide Change. You will help develop your department to be better and cerate changed based on the student voice. You will also help gather student feedback on department level issues and reporting to the department on your findings. As a Department Rep, you will have a passion to make your department the best it can be through an active student voice.
You can find out more about the Course Rep role by clicking here.
Faculty Reps ensure that the academic interests of all students in their faculty is heard. They attend faculty meetings with the University. In the Students' Union they sit on the Faculty Exec of their faculty as well as Academic Council where they hold your Education Officer and Postgraduate Officer to account. They are essential in ensuring that the student voice is heard at all levels of the University, working with your Student Officer team and the Course Reps in their faculty.
Faculty Reps are elected at the start of the academic year along with first year and vacant Course Rep roles.
The Union has over 200 Societies and 65 Sports Clubs that are all student led and run. Each student group has an executive committee that oversee the day to day operations of their group for their members.
Student Group Exec roles are great opportunities to lead your community, gain valuable skills and experience and make a difference to the experience of students outside of the classroom.
Each year, typically in term 2 (Spring Term), every group elects their new exec committee that will run the group in the following academic year.
Am I eligable? You can only be an Exec member of a Student Group is you are a standard member of that group and student member of the Students' Union. You may also have to pay relevant group fees associated with being a member of a student group.
Each Student Group are able to create their own exec roles that will be outlined in their constitution and agreed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of that student group. However, each student group exec must have a minimum of three exec members for the student group to exist.
Your Union also has a number of other voluntary roles that we elect at different points in the academic year. These roles are described below but if you should have any questions about these roles then please contact the Democracy Team.
Warwick Students' Union is affiliated to the National Union of Students (NUS) which provide the Union and its members with different benefits. Every year the NUS holds its National Conference which is its main democratic event and delegates from every affiliated Union attend.
NUS National Conference is where Union Delegates discuss, debate and decide on NUS policy as well as electing NUS Officers and other student leadership roles. It is a great opportunity to network with students from across the UK, engage in debate on national issues that impact all students and represent the collective voice of Warwick Students.
This years National Conference will be taking place from Tuesday 31st March to Thursday 2nd April. The Union will organise your travel, accommodation and allowance for food so all you need to do is be available on these dates. You will also be provided with training and support from our Officers and Democracy Team.
Please Note: that half of Warwick SU's delegation must be self-defined Women so you will be asked how you define during the election period. This is set by NUS and is not something that we can change.
Student Council your Unions main student decision making body and is where members can raise motions that are debated and voted on either at Student Council or sent to an All Student Vote.
Student Council is lead by the Chair of Student Council who organises the agenda, chairs and keeps order at the meetings and makes decisions on behalf of Student Council outside of meetings. They also chair the All Student Vote meetings to make sure that its runs smoothly and that everyone has the opportunity to speak. These are the main duties of the chair but they also are a member of Democracy Exec, are involved in assessing the impact of motions and are part of our elections adjudication panel that handle election complaints.
Please Note: that there is also a Deputy Chair of Student Council role that supports the Chair of Student Council and acts as the chair in the absence of the chair.
Non Elected Roles
The Union has other student leadership roles that we do not elect. These roles are opportunities to be involved in particular areas of the Unions governance structure but are recruited by applications instead of elections.
The Students' Union as a registered charity is overseen by a Trustee Board. The board has three types of members: Sabbatical Trustees (which are the Full-Time Officers), External Trustees (which are people external to the organisation) and Student Trustees (which are current Warwick Students).
Student trustees will sit on the Trustee Board, the governing board of the charity. Trustees are responsible for making sure the Student’s Union is run effectively, complies with the law, has a strong strategic plan based on member’s needs and is financially secure.
The Board of Trustees will have ultimate responsibility for the financial matters and financial procedures of Warwick Student’s Union. Trustees will accept ultimate responsibility for giving firm strategic direction to the Union, and ensuring that it is solvent, well-governed, and delivering the objectives for which it has been set up.
Effective communication between members, University of Warwick, and other bodies. Will work collectively, and with the Chief Executive Officer and other senior staff to ensure that Warwick Students Union has a clear vision that recognises its values and meets the needs of its members. Will scrutinise board papers focusing on key issues and provide guidance. Expected to actively contribute to the Board of Trustees, using any specific skills, knowledge or experience to help the Board of Trustees reach sound decisions.
How do I become a Student Trustee? When a Student Trustee position becomes vacant the Union will advertise the role out to students and take application. Applicants are then interviewed with the final person recommended to Student Council for approval.
Am I eligible? You only need to be a warwick student to apply. If successful you will also need to be a warwick student for the term of office of the role which can vary but will be advertised.
The Returning Officer
How do I become the Returning Officer? Every year the Union advertises the role of Returning Officer and take application. Applicants are invited for interview with the successful applicant being offered the role. The Union also chooses some applicants to be Deputy Returning Officers which support, and where appropriate, act as the Returning Officer.
The Returning Officer is integral to upholding Democracy at Warwick SU and ensures your elections are transparent and fair. The Returning Officer will be present when approving candidates in SU elections and at all SU elections and ASV results counts. They sit on the Adjudication Panel that deal with complaints received during elections and All Student Vote campaign periods. The Returning Officer will sit on the Democracy Exec which meets before Student Council to steer motions and ensure they are the best they can be. The Returning Officer works closely with Democracy staff and the Democracy & Development Officer and receive staff support during their time in the role.
Am I eligible? You only need to be a warwick student to apply. If successful you will also need to be a warwick student for the term of office of the role which can vary but will be advertised.