NEWS - SU Election Explainer
This year’s Queen’s University Students’ Union Elections are now underway.
Nominations for the Students’ Union elections were open until February 5, and students from any subject or year were able to nominate themselves for full or part-time roles.
With nominations now closed, voting in these elections will open at 08.00 on March 1, and close at 20.00 on March 4. This leaves a three-day window for students to elect their representatives.
The results of the election will be announced on March 5.
In what the Students’ Union calls the “biggest and most exciting” event in their calendar, the elections are held to choose elected representatives for the student body in the 2021/2022 academic year.
In a heavily disrupted year, the Students’ Union emphasises the importance of this opportunity for students to help shape university policy and influence the student experience.
The website describes this election as a chance for students to have their “views fully represented”, and that this is a chance for candidates to be part of a “national student voice”.
Due to Covid-19, Students’ Union election campaigns will look a little different than usual this year. Candidates will be carrying out their campaigns online, using social media to reach student voters with their manifestos and campaign issues.
There are a total of 35 positions being voted on in this election, both part and full time.
There are six full-time positions up for election, including the Union President, whose role will be to coordinate the activities of the Union. There will also be a Student Officer for Campaigns and Engagement, who identifies and organises Students’ Union campaigns. The other roles are Student Officers for Education, Equality and Diversity, Postgraduate, and Welfare.
All of these roles are essential to the successful running of the Students’ Union.
There is also a group of ten part-time Student Officers who will represent a specific group of students, and who will “influence decisions and lead change in the Students’ Union and the University, making sure that the interests of students are considered when decisions are made”, according to the Queen’s University Students’ Union website.
The part-time Student Officer roles that will be elected are the following: Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic Students’ Officer, Disabled Students’ Officer, Environmental Students’ Officer, International Students’ Officer, Irish Language Students’ Officer, LGBT+ Students’ Officer, Mature and Part Time Students’ Officer, Student Parents’ and Carers’ Students’ Officer, Trans Students’ Officer, Women Students’ Officer.
Three Faculty Representative roles are also up for election, with one representative from each Faculty being elected to represent the interests of students in that Faculty and improve the student experience.
Finally, there are 16 School Representatives role, who will be elected from each of the schools within the faculties to represent the interests and needs of those students.
All successful candidates will take up their roles for the new academic year starting on July 1.
Every student at Queen’s is eligible to vote in this election, which will commence online.
Rose Winter is a BA Literature student at Queen’s University Belfast.