It's approaching the time of year where we vote for our SU Officers. But why should we care who gets the positions?
For the next week or so, you’re going to be hearing a lot about the SU Officer elections. Some of us know the drill – you have a week of candidates and The SU out on parade and on social media who are all trying to get you to cast a vote.
But what are we actually voting for?
The Students’ Union is exactly what it says on the tin: a union of students who want to make our University a better place. It’s the groups we join, the petitions we sign, the events we go to and the people we meet along the way. At its core, The SU is student-led, and every year we vote for six students to lead our SU for the next year. The SU Officers are those people elected to represent us and our views within the University, the local community, and even nationally. The six roles cover lots of different aspects of our student life and the officers we elect will have a direct influence on those areas for the upcoming year.
They’re the people that inform University staff about what students want or need from their experiences, ensure that our thoughts and opinions are taken into consideration with decision-making and make sure we have access to the support we need.
A good officer team can have a real impact on our student experiences. From the likes of lobbying for rent rebates all the way to consulting on what student spaces can be used for, the opinions they give and the priorities they have can have a lasting impact on student life for years to come.
During the elections period, we’re not only voting for the people who we think best represent our views but the people who we trust to represent the best parts of being a student. The officers are the ones with a seat at the table so we need to make sure it’s the people we want to have in them, the people who can stand up for our voices.
Voting is open from Tuesday 28 February until Thursday 2 March, so please do take the time to read through manifestos once they are available, ask the candidates about the things that matter to you, and place your vote once open. thesubath.com/elections