Spring Elections 2021: Candidate Information Pack

Spring Elections 2021

Candidate Information Pack

2021

Spring Elections 2021 Candidate Information Pack

UWTSD Students’ Union is a democratic organisation which is led by students for students.

Therefore, the Students’ Union election gives all students the opportunity to have a say in the way it is run and its direction for the future. We represent students on issues they tell us to and we campaign for the changes that our members have asked for and provide services to enhance their time at University. To make sure we are relevant and effective in our work we always need students to get involved with their Students’ Union, by voting, by debating policy, telling us what we need to do better, and by standing in elections.

This information pack will contain all the dates that you need to know, some information about what to expect from the elections and some information about the roles.

If you have any questions about the Spring Elections 2021 please email:

elections@uwtsd.ac.uk

Important Dates Date

Time

Tuesday 23rd March

11am

Nominations Close

UWTSDUnion.co.uk/Elections

Tuesday 23rd March

5:30pm

Candidate Meeting

Microsoft Teams

Manifesto Deadline

Through your nomination or emailing election@uwtsd.ac.uk

Video Deadline

Emailing election@uwtsd.ac.uk

TBC Date

Staff Meet and Greet

Microsoft Teams

TBC Date

Candidate Training

Microsoft Teams

Tuesday 30th March

11am

Activity

Monday 19th April

9am

Voting opens

Thursday 22nd April

3pm

Voting closes

Friday 23rd April

3pm

Election Results

How

What to expect from elections?

Nomination period You can only stand for one position in these elections.

You have until the close of nominations period to decide which role you would like to run in the election for.

The nominations period will close on the 23rd March at 11:00am.

Candidate Meeting We’ll provide you with a variety of support, that support starts with the candidate meeting.

This meeting will highlight the rules, financial regulations, and what campaigning is like.

All candidates must attend this meeting.

The Candidates Meeting is on the 23rd March at 5:30pm.

Candidate Support & Training To support you as candidates we have a variety of training sessions to help you develop skills and learn as much as you can before voting opens.

There will be a Candidates Resources section of the website which you’ll be able to access tips for photos, videos and manifestos as well as live sessions with the Elections Team covering Digital Campaigning, Overcoming Apathy and everything else!

Financial Regulations You can only spend a certain amount of money on your campaign, this is to make campaigning fair for all. You can find more information here, in our Financial Regulations.

Campaign Week Campaign Week will run from the 19th of April 10:00am until the 22nd April at 3:00pm.

This is your chance speak to students, ask them questions about what they want from officers and for you to tell them why you would be good in this position!

Full Time Officers There are 4 full-time positions that will commence in June. These roles are paid, full time positions. In these positions there are a number of roles that the successful candidate would be required to fulfil.

1.

Charity Trustee The full-time elected officers will be formally confirmed as the Trustees of the charity that is the UWTSD Students’ Union. Being a trustee, you have a legal duty to ensure the longterm sustainability and legal compliance of the organisation and its functions as well as ensuring that the organisation operates within its stated charitable objectives. The charity that you will be a trustee of provides services to all 12,000 students studying at University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

2.

Student Representative In holding one of these positions, you are an elected representative of the student population and you will be representing the views of the whole student membership within the Students’ Union, to the University and to other organisations or individuals. This does not mean that you will or are expected to know what students want; instead, it means that you have been given the right to consult with students to understand and represent their views. You work with the Students’ Union, University and other organisations or a local, national and even international level to ensure students are getting the best experience and education whilst at UWTSD.

3.

Officer Role Your specific role may have a specific group that it represents. You will have close links with this group and need to work to satisfy their needs and represent their views within the organisation. Similar to your Student Representative role, it is unlikely that you will know what your constituents will want until you have consulted widely with them. At times their needs or wants may conflict with other groups needs or wants and part of your role will be to negotiate on their behalf.

4. Team Member You will be a member of a team of 4 full time officers and 47 part time officers. As a team will be able to achieve far more by working together than trying to achieve your own goals on your own. Not only that, but you’ll be also a member of the wider Students’ Union team, around 100 staff members who are all working towards improving the student experience at UWTSD. There are 4 potions available for Full Time Officers:

1. Swansea Campus President 2. Carmarthen Campus President 3. Lampeter Campus President 4. Group President These positions will start from Monday 14 June 2021 until Friday 24 June 2022. For the first 4 weeks sabbatical officers are not permitted to take annual leave, if this poses a problem, please email election@uwtsd.ac.uk. You will also need to sign a trustee declaration form, for more information please get in touch. These roles are full-time jobs for a year. You will have to undertake a DBS Check before starting the role.

To be eligible for any paid position you must be a registered student for this year at the time of voting closing.

As these positions are full-time, if you are studying full-time and will still be studying in the academic year 2021-2022 you will need to take an ‘interruption of study’, if your programme finishes before July 2021 then you can take up the post full-time.

If you are an international student and considering running for a sabbatical officer role, please contact your programme team and International Registry to ensure you are eligible to request an extension to your visa.

The students’ union does not provide any visa advice.

Part Time Officers Part-time officers, these are positions for Lampeter, Carmarthen, and Swansea campuses. Part-time officers represent demographics and special interests of students. They are roles taken up alongside studying and are voluntary.

As a Part Time Officer, you will be responsible for representing students relating to your particularly demographic, working on relevant campaigns with Full Time and Part Time Officers and attending Campus Council and Union Council to ensure that students voices are heard across the Students’ Union and University.

There are 51 Part Time Officer Positions available, spread out across the Swansea, Carmarthen and Lampeter Campuses:

Student Engagement Officer (Swansea, Carmarthen, Lampeter) Student Parents/Carers’ Officer (Swansea, Carmarthen, Lampeter) Sustainability Officer (Swansea, Carmarthen, Lampeter) Gender Identity Officer (Swansea, Carmarthen, Lampeter)

Black Students Officer (Swansea, Carmarthen, Lampeter)

Volunteering & RAG Officer (Swansea, Carmarthen, Lampeter)

Disabled Students Officer (Swansea, Carmarthen, Lampeter)

Wellbeing Officer (Swansea, Carmarthen, Lampeter)

International Students’ Officer (Swansea, Carmarthen, Lampeter)

Welsh Language Officer (Swansea, Carmarthen, Lampeter)

LGBT+ Officer (Open Space) (Swansea, Carmarthen, Lampeter)

Women’s Liberation Officer (Swansea, Carmarthen, Lampeter)

LGBT+ Officer (Women’s Space) (Swansea, Carmarthen, Lampeter) Mature Students’ Officer (Swansea, Carmarthen, Lampeter) Postgraduate Students Officer (Swansea, Carmarthen, Lampeter) Societies Officer (Swansea, Carmarthen, Lampeter) Sports Clubs Officer (Swansea, Carmarthen, Lampeter)

Voluntary Positions To be eligible for any voluntary positions you must be a registered student for this year and next year (the 2021-2022 academic year).

• Cross Campus Position: SU Chairperson • Cross Campus Position: Student Trustee x2

SU Chairperson The Student’s Union Chairperson Chairs the Union council which meets 3 times a year. This position also chairs the Annual General Meeting for the Student’s Union. You can find out more information about Union Council here and our Annual General Meeting here.

Student Trustee There are two positions available for Student Trustees; As a trustee of UWTSD Students’ Union, you will have a legal duty to ensure the long-term sustainability and legal compliance of the organisation and its functions as well as ensuring that the organisation operates within its stated charitable objectives. The charity that you will be a trustee of provides services to all 12,000 students studying at University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

You will attend meetings with the Board of Trustees and subsequent sub committees of the board – you can read more about the Board of Trustees meetings here.

This post will start from Thursday 24 June 2021 until Friday 24 June 2022. You will be required to sign a trustee declaration for this position.

If you still have questions get in touch with the elections team via election@uwtsd.ac.uk/

Candidate Expenses Claim Form Candidate Name: Candidate Position: Candidate Address: This Expenses Form MUST be submitted to election@uwtsd.ac.uk before the close of voting.

Candidates who have not spent any money on their campaign are still required to submit this form.

Please also provide receipts in your email to election@uwtsd.ac.uk.

You must provide UK Bank account details as payments will be made via BACS. Date

Description of Expenditure

Amount

Total Expenses Claimed: Sort Code:

£

-

-

Account Number:

Candidate Signature:

Date:

MM/DD/YY

Returning Officers Signature:

Date:

MM/DD/YY

Trinity Saint David Students’ Union Trustee Declaration

All prospective Trustees must read and sign the declaration below and return the form with their application / election nomination.

I declare that: • I am over 18 years of age; • I have never been convicted of an offence involving dishonesty or deception that is not regarded as legally spent; • I am not an undischarged bankrupt; • I have never been removed from office as a charity trustee by a Court or by the Charity Commission; • I have not been disqualified under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986; • I have not made compositions with my creditors from which I have not been discharged; • I am, in the light of the above, not disqualified by the Charities Act 2011 (Section 178) and subsequent related amendment to the Charities Act 2011 (Charities [Protection & Social Investment] Act 2016, Section 9) from acting as a charity trustee;

Full Name (Print) Signed

• I understand that if appointed as a Trustee I will also be appointed as a Company Director in line with Trinity Saint David Students’ Union’s status as a Charitable Company (Registered Company Number: 09103924); • I understand that I shall sign a contract of employment with the Union upon taking office on Monday 14 June 2021 for the duration of approximately 54 weeks and may be excluded from employment with the Union two years thereafter.

• I understand that I shall not be permitted to take annual leave between Monday 14 June 2021 and Monday 12 July 2021, except in extraordinary circumstances.

To allow me to undertake the full training required of a sabbatical trustee.

Date:

DD/MM/YY

Candidate Declaration

All candidates must submit this form Thursday 22nd April at 3:00pm Candidate’s Name: Position:

I am satisfied with how the election process has been carried out over the campaigning period.

I recognise that I have had an opportunity to raise any complaints which I may have about this process and I am happy that any matters arising have been dealt with. I am therefore happy for the count to commence.

Candidates Signature: Date: DD/MM/YY