Candidate handbook 2015 by Bucks Students' Union

CANDIDATE HANDBOOK

CONTENTS Your Manifesto........................................................................................3 Sabbatical Officers....................................................................................4 Student Trustees.......................................................................................6 NUS Delegates..........................................................................................8 Campaigning..........................................................................................10 Be Creative.............................................................................................11 Price List.................................................................................................12 Complaints.............................................................................................13 Notes......................................................................................................14 Deputy Returning Officers.......................................................................16

YOUR MANIFESTO Hello and congratulations, by nominating yourself you have taken the first steps on an amazing journey that could lead you to running the Students’ Union. This is your chance to state what you plan to do during your time in office and maybe mention a couple of things you would look to change. This does not mean you are free to bad mouth your opposition/ predecessor or even provide unrealistic promises: stick to simple, achievable actions that will have a positive impact on the time of students at Bucks.

Some top tips for writing your manifesto: Set out your goals for your time in office. Research them - ensure they are realistic and achievable but try to be creative. Remember officers are answerable to the student body who might decide to ask you difficult questions. Be concise and use clear language. You only have 300 words so use them wisely. Avoid complicated words and Jargon - you won’t win awards for in jokes and you risk alienating valuable voters. Your manifesto is about you, not your opponents. Don’t waste your word limit discrediting and disrespecting others - it’s not professional and ultimately could lead to a libel lawsuit! Be relevant. Nobody wants to know about your love for animals if you’re standing for President! However they do want to know about the skills and experiences that show voters that you’re suitable for the role. Type it out wherever possible. This isn’t mandatory but it ensures that your manifesto is exactly the way you want it, rather than what somebody else has managed to decipher from your handwriting! Once you have drafted your manifesto, be sure to run it past some friends as well, after all they are the voters you are trying to convince. 3

SABBATICAL OFFICERS President The President is the chief Union spokesperson, member of the University’s governing body, Chair of the Trustee Board of the Students‘ Union and responsible for staffing, finance and the strategic leadership of the Students’ Union.

Vice President Education and Welfare The Vice President Education and Welfare is the highest point on the Unions Representation system as well as being responsible for campaigning on academic issues and leading on welfare policy. If elected you attend the University’s most senior academic committees and Chair of the Students’ Unions Education Forum and Representation Management Committee.

Vice President Student Involvement The Vice President Student Involvement is the Chair of the Students’ Union Athletic Union and Societies Council and is responsible for volunteering, Raise And Give (RAG), recreational activities, sports and societies.

Campaign expenses Sabbatical officer candidates have a limit of £100 to spend on their campaign. Please note money you spend on your campaign is your own and is not reimbursed by the Students’ Union. All receipts must be handed to the Students’ Union reception attached to an expenses sheet within one hour of the vote closing.

Fill in a nomination form at bucksstudentsunion.org/elections or for more information contact matthew.kitching@bucks.ac.uk 4

Campaign creation kit

Key dates

To get you started we have supplied you with a campaigning starter kit containing:

12 Jan Nominations open

• white bedsheet • garden canes • plain t-shirts (white) • permanent markers • blank stickers • drawing pins • cable ties • tic-tacs (to give you minty-fresh breath when talking to all those potential voters) • sweets (to keep your campaign team going or woo the voters!) • disposable camera (to chronicle your campaigning experience for future generations) • sample print allowance card for 200 credits (your official card will be kept behind Students’ Union Reception).

21 Jan Workshop - So you want to run the Students’ Union: 2pm 13 Feb Nominations close: noon Candidate briefing: 5pm 23 Feb Question Time (UXB): noon 24 Feb Question Time (HW): noon Candidate filming 25 Feb Candidate filming 2 Mar Voting Opens: 10am 6 Mar Voting closes: noon Results night: from 8pm

Printing allowance You will be given 500 printing credits: • A4, black and white : 1 credit • A3, black and white : 2 credits

• A4, full colour : 4 credits • A3, full colour : 8 credits

Download an opportunity profile at bucksstudentsunion.org/elections or for more information contact matthew.kitching@bucks.ac.uk 5

STUDENT TRUSTEES Student Trustee The position of Student Trustee of Bucks Students’ Union is a unique opportunity to be part of the team driving the strategic direction of the Union. As a registered charity aiming to improve the experience of students at Bucks New University, the Trustee Board has final sign off on the Union’s biggest plans. Working alongside Officer Trustees and External Trustees you will ensure that the charity with a turnover of over £2 million a year meets its objectives and continues to operate in the best interests of its members. You will have the opportunity for networking within the Union as well as with other professionals and representatives in the not-forprofit sector.

Campaign expenses Student Trustee candidates have a limit of £50 to spend on your campaign. Please note money you spend on your campaign is your own and is not reimbursed by the Students’ Union. All receipts must be handed to the Students’ Union reception attached to an expenses sheet within one hour of the vote closing.

Fill in a nomination form at bucksstudentsunion.org/elections or for more information contact matthew.kitching@bucks.ac.uk 6

Campaign creation kit

Key dates

To get you started we have supplied you with a campaigning starter kit containing:

12 Jan Nominations open

• blank stickers • drawing pins • tic-tacs (to give you minty-fresh breath when talking to all those potential voters) • sweets (to keep your campaign team going or woo the voters!) • disposable camera (to chronicle your campaigning experience for future generations) • sample print allowance card for 200 credits (your official card will be kept behind Students’ Union Reception).

Printing allowance You will be given 200 printing credits: • A4, black and white : 1 credit • A3, black and white : 2 credits

• A4, full colour : 4 credits • A3, full colour : 8 credits

Download an opportunity profile at bucksstudentsunion.org/elections or for more information contact matthew.kitching@bucks.ac.uk 7

NUS DELEGATES NUS National Conference Delegates There are two positions available for NUS National Conference Delegate. It is a unique opportunity to represent Bucks Students’ Union and vote at the NUS Annual General Meeting (AGM). National Conference sets policy for the year ahead and elects the President, Vice Presidents and Block of 15 representatives on the National Executive Council. It is also where the budget for the year ahead is decided through the AGM. Voting will be online only from 10am Monday until noon Friday, no paper ballots are available for this election.

National Union of Students National Conference: ACC Liverpool (21-23 April). Train travel to Liverpool on Monday 20 April and from the conference on Thursday 23 April paid for by the Students’ Union. Accommodation near the conference for the 3 nights paid for by the Students’ Union.

Campaign expenses NUS National Conference Delegate candidates have a limit of £50 to spend on your campaign. Please note money you spend on your campaign is your own and is not reimbursed by the Students’ Union. All receipts must be handed to the Students’ Union reception attached to an expenses sheet within one hour of the vote closing.

Fill in a nomination form at bucksstudentsunion.org/elections or for more information contact matthew.kitching@bucks.ac.uk 8

Campaign creation kit

Key dates

To get you started we have supplied you with a campaigning starter kit containing:

12 Jan Nominations open

Printing allowance You will be given 100 printing credits: • A4, black and white : 1 credit • A3, black and white : 2 credits

• A4, full colour : 4 credits • A3, full colour : 8 credits

Download an opportunity profile at bucksstudentsunion.org/elections or for more information contact matthew.kitching@bucks.ac.uk 9

CAMPAIGNING Budget Please note money you spend on your campaign is your own and is not reimbursed by the Students’ Union. All receipts must be handed in to the Students’ Union reception attached to an expenses sheet within one hour of the vote closing.

Printed publicity All publicity should carry the Bucks Students’ Union logo and a line stating which election you are running in and when and where voting is available. Each candidate can have 15 minutes with our comms team to ensure the correct information is on their posters. If you do not then your posters will be removed and you will need to reprint them and it will come out of your printing credits. Please ensure that all posters are either A4 or A3 size before meeting our Comms team, they are not here to design your posters for you. Please contact the Communications and Marketing Coordinator in the Students’ Union Office, High Wycombe or via email at: sucommunications@bucks.ac.uk

Social media Social media will help you reach many more people and also allow potential voters to get in touch with you, giving you the chance to explain why you’re the best person for the job! Facebook is probably the most widely used social network in the world. You should probably make use of this... You can find us on there by searching Bucks Students’ Union. Twitter is another useful tool! These are the Students’ Union’s and University’s official Twitter channels: @buckssu @BucksSU_UXB @bucksnewuni Youtube has a more personal touch, allowing you to talk directly to your audience with a video! Check out our Youtube channel search for Bucks Student TV. 10

BE CREATIVE How will you design your t-shirts? Will you spray paint them, draw on them or even iron on a transfer? Where will you display banners/posters* to have the greatest impact? In the Students’ Union foyer? In Beats? In halls? Or even outside your flat/ house? (although beware this can upset neighbours and the Council!). Are you going to offer incentives for people to vote for you? You can’t pay for votes (e.g. offering to buy everyone a drink) but you could give out sweets or cakes. What type of sweets represent your campaign and do voters associate those sweets with you? What else could you do in order to win votes? How about a video manifesto? Or simply doing some legwork and going to flats in halls talking to students, face to face?

*Posters can only be put up around High Wycombe campus in designated boards in Beats as well as the notice boards in the break out areas in North Wing 2nd, 3rd & 4th floors. If you need the key to get into the notice boards in Beats come to the Students’ Union office and ask at Reception. Notice boards in Uxbridge are situated on the first and third floor - please speak to one of the Students’ Union staff for the key.

PRICE LIST Useful items You should give your receipts in with your expenses form within one hour of the vote closing, however if you already have items that you are planning on using let us know and we will assign a ‘price’ for your expenses form. Some common item are listed below:

Wilkinson’s • Broom handle £1.00 • Paint 50ml tester pot £1.10 • Paint 100ml spray can £3.50 • Paint 400ml spray can £5.00

Pound Land • Permanent markers 10 pack • Dry erase (whiteboard) markers 4 pack

£1.00 £1.00

Primark • Double bed sheet £6.00 • Single bed sheet £5.00 • Plain t-shirt £2.50 • Onesie £12.00 Any items not on this list will be priced using the above three stores or as decided by a Deputy Returning Officer.

Printing Costs: Black and white Single sided Double sided

4p 8p

9p 18p

Full colour Single sided Double sided

20p 40p

35p 70p

Please note: this is a specially discounted rate for candidates during elections. 12

COMPLAINTS We hope that everyone will enjoy their experience of campaigning in elections and will help ensure that others can as well by abiding by the rules laid down in your briefing after the close of nominations. Remember that the rules are there to create a level playing field, not to stifle your creativity or disadvantage anyone. It’s important to maintain a sense of fair play and friendly competition throughout the elections, not only because it reflects very well on you and in turn gets more voters, but also because your fellow candidates (competitors included!) are the only people who know what it’s really like to run an election campaign here at Bucks! If you are ever in doubt, please ask: check first, don’t try to apologise later! And be sure to attend the daily briefings throughout the week of voting to keep up-to-date with any rulings made by the Returning/Deputy Returning Officers. Should you consider that someone has broken a rule and you feel you need to make a complaint, it must be made in writing (email is acceptable) to the Deputy Returning Officers stating who broke which rule, how, and any evidence or witnesses that you have to support your complaint. Please note, all complaints must be received before the count commences (2.30pm on the final day of voting).

Quick rules: DO NOT campaign within 3 metres of a ballot box (polling clerks will make you aware of boundaries) DO NOT harass students while they are voting DO NOT use Students’ Union resources to promote your own campaign DO NOT break any rules laid out by the University, the Students’ Union or the Law. If you are in any doubt please check with a Deputy Returning Officer before you act upon it. 13

NOTES

DEPUTY RETURNING OFFICERS

Matthew Kitching Membership Services Manager matthew.kitching@bucks.ac.uk

Will Hoskin Student Engagement Coordinator, DMM william.hoskin@bucks.ac.uk

High Wycombe Campus: Queen Alexandra Road High Wycombe Bucks HP11 2JZ T: 01494 601 600 union@bucks.ac.uk

Uxbridge Campus: 106 Oxford Road Uxbridge Middlesex UB8 1NA T: 01494 605 180

bucksstudentsunion.org charity no. 1144820