Students’ Unions (SU) up and down the country have many different ways of contributing to your student life. It is your representative body during your time at University and will be a constant part of your student experience.
The SU offers a wide range of services and activities to support you and enhance your student experience while at University. We offer support with welfare or academic problems, provide and support a range of sports teams and societies, facilitate new opportunities to learn new skills or develop old ones and work actively in the wider community.
The activities of the Students’ Union are overseen by a Trustees board which is made up of elected student representatives. This ensures the Union is run for you - the student - according to the policies and priorities set by its members. Certain responsibilities of this board are passed to the Executive and other committee members to ensure these policies are put in place. Supporting this activity are a range of specialist staff, who bring a wealth of expertise and experience to the day-to-day operation of the SU.
Democracy is very important within the Students’ Union; it ensures that all students have the right to have their voice heard. From this, we have various governing student lead bodies that oversee the running of the Union.
The AGM acts as a platform to hear about what your elected officers have been up to this year, what’s to come and for students to voice any concerns, ideas or questions. Any student can attend AGM and can submit a motion for discussion, which is your chance to change things!
Got something to say? Student Council is open to all students, just turn up and have your say – it’s your Union! Meeting every two weeks during term time, Student Council discusses topics raised by students, covering political debate down to the smallest areas of university life. It is the most important forum for debate and discussion, and has had a major influence on the direction and development of the University and Students’ Union in previous years.
For more information about Student Council, and to access minutes and papers from previous meetings, visit www.lincolnsu.com/council
These groups are sub-committees of Student Council and exist to provide students with a platform at which to highlight key issues such as: The Environment; International Students; Mature and Post-Graduate Students; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans-Gender (LGBT); Disability; Communications and Entertainment.
For more information about Committees, visit www.lincolnsu.com/committees
As a member of the Students’ Union, not only do you get a say about how the SU is run, but also who runs it. Each of the current SU officers were voted into their positions. The main election takes place in Semester B, whilst a by-election will take place in October 2011 to fill any vacant positions.
The National Union of Students (NUS) is a confederation of over 600 Students’ Unions, amounting to more than 95 percent of all higher and further education Unions in the UK. They have a clear mission to promote, defend and extend the rights of students and to develop and champion strong Students’ Unions.
NUS also produce the NUS Extra Card, which offers a range of exclusive student discounts locally and nationally. You can also apply for an NUS Democracy Card, which allows you to vote on national student issues.
For more information about NUS, visit www.lincolnsu.com/nus
