• Full-time
• Paid
• 4 Positions

Our Presidents (Sabbatical Officers) lead the Union on a daily basis. We have four positions - 1 x Group President that's open to all students, and 3 x Campus Presidents which are open to Cardiff, Swansea, London, Birmingham, and Carmarthen students. You should run for this position if you have ideas and enthusiasm and are ready to take on student representation as a full-time job for a year.

• Group President
• Birmingham and London President
• Cardiff and Swansea President
• Carmarthen President

Together, the team of Sabbatical Officers leads the Students’ Union on a daily basis, providing direction to the Union’s staff team and making sure that the work of the organisation is relevant to the experience of our students. Sabbatical Officers are considered to be the primary student representatives by the University and provide student ideas, issues and opinion on a variety of topics by participating in project, partnership and committee work within the University.

Sabbatical Officers set the agenda in terms of new ideas and activities for the Students’ Union to try, and work hard to make sure that all students know what their Union is for, and how they can get in touch. Sabbatical Officers automatically serve as trustees of the Students’ Union, and any candidates should read the Student Trustees section to make sure they are eligible.

Responsibilities of all sabbatical officers include...

• To work in such a way that promotes the values and mission of the students’ union and does not bring the Union into disrepute.
• To effectively represent the views of students to the University and other stakeholders in order to advance the experience of students at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.
• To fully participate in the University’s committee cycle by attending designated committees, groups and boards and making representation on behalf of UWTSD students.
• To ensure that the Union is operating according to its constitution and bye-laws.
• To work in a transparent manner, updating students regularly through articles, blogs and other methods of communication as deemed appropriate. 
• To understand how issues of Higher Education policy affect current and future students, and disseminate knowledge and collectively organise students to act in their best interests.
• To encourage students to participate in an activity that strengths student voice, improves their University experience, develops their skills and/or creates a vibrant and engaging community.
• To serve as a ‘Sabbatical Trustee’ on the TSDSU Board of Trustees in accordance with Articles 24-50 of the Memorandum and Articles of Association.
• To champion core SU policies, including a commitment to equal opportunities; zero tolerance to harassment; sustainability; and bilingualism and the Welsh language.
• To increase student involvement in all aspects of the Union’s processes, structures, and activities.
• To work together as a team to strengthen and advance the aims of the Students’ Union.

Responsibilities of the campus presidents include...

• To oversee the provision of high-quality activities and facilities for students and the development of the range of activities and facilities available on each campus.
• To support the development of localised engagement opportunities for student in activities and volunteering.
• To support the development of the student representation system and provide advice, guidance and assistance to Course and Faculty Reps as required.
• To ensure information is gathered and fed back between the Students’ Union, the University and Students regarding issues, wins and challenges.
• To promote and refer students to the relevant University support services.

Responsibilities of the group president include...

• To represent students on all campuses and develop a system of representation on those campuses that works for the needs of those students.
• To maintain contact with representatives in UWTSD partner colleges and, where there are no representatives, work with student liaison officers to ensure students on UWTSD courses are effectively represented.
• To represent the Students’ Union at University Council and University Senate.
• To chair the Executive Committee, and to support the work of the Campus Presidents.
• To attend, and report to, Students’ Union Council, the campus Student Councils, and the Annual General Meeting.
• To support initiatives that encourage student well-being and promote community cohesion.
• To attend, and report to, Students’ Union Councils, the appropriate Campus Student Councils, and the Annual General Meeting.

• Part-time
• Voluntary

There are five roles on each of our campuses - that's a total of twenty-five (5 in Birmingham, 5 in Cardiff... etc). Each campus has it's own unique line-up of officers. The positions represent either a particular demographic of students or an area of interest. Part-time Officers represent a particular community of students and attend Campus Council.

You should run to be a part-time officer if you are passionate about one of the roles and have lots of ideas about how you can get students involved, campaign for change, or make students’ lives better.

These are voluntary positions, which exist to make sure that SU decision-making is representative of our students and to help create a lively and active campus culture. Each of our Swansea, Cardiff, Birmingham, London, and Carmarthen campuses have a Campus Council, which is populated by their respective Part-time Officers. Campus Council meets once a month during term-time and discusses and implements student ideas. Each of the Campus Councils has the following positions up for election:

Birmingham: 

• Multicultural Officer
• Wellbeing Officer
• International Officer
• Women's Officer
• Volunteering and RAG Officer

Cardiff: 

• Welsh Language Officer
• Wellbeing Officer
• LGBT+ Officer
• Multicultural Officer
• Student with Disabilities

Carmarthen:

• Welsh Language Officer
• Gender Identity 
• Wellbeing Officer
• Ethics and Environment
• Students with Disabilities

London: 

• Multicultural Officer
• Wellbeing Officer
• International Officer
• Students with Disabilities 
• LGBT+ Officer

Swansea: 

• Welsh Language Officer
• Wellbeing Officer
• Multicultural Officer
• Ethics and Environments Officer
• Women's Officer

What do these roles entail?

Ethics and Environment Officer :This role exists to promote ethical and environmental issues, alongside sustainability, engage students in sustainable activity, and campaign for a more ethical, environmentally friendly, and sustainable University and the wider community.   

Gender Identity Officer: This role exists to extend and defend the rights of Trans students, promote Trans issues, and support Trans students. This role also exists to represent students who identify as trans men, trans women, trans non-binary, non-binary, and other genderqueer identities.   

International Officer : This role exists to represent International Students, seeking to enhance the international student experience and promote their issues and ideas. The role has opportunity to facilitate conversations around culture and community, and work to ensure all UWTSD students are included, especially those far from home.   

LGBT+ Officer :This role exists to extend and defend the rights of LGBT+ students, promote LGBT+ issues, and support LGBT+ students. The role has the opportunity to facilitate conversations and events of an inclusive nature and can collaborate with sabbatical officers in lobbying for change.   

Multicultural Officer :This role exists to represent the interests of underrepresented students and works to ensure that their voices are heard both within the Union and the University. The role represents the interests of underrepresented students and works to combat prejudices.   

Students with Disabilities Officer :This role exists to extend and defend disabled students’ rights, promote relevant issues, and support disabled students. This includes support for visible and invisible disabilities, including physical disability, mental health conditions/distress, chronic illness, sensory disabilities, neurodiverse students, and learning difficulties/disabilities.  

Wellbeing Officer:  This role exists to represent the needs and concerns of students in relation to student mental health and general wellbeing, advocating for improved services and initiatives, and signposting to existing services where appropriate. The role can collaborate with sabbatical officers in lobbying for change.  

Welsh Language Officer :This role exists to represent the interests of Welsh speaking students. The role can raise awareness and promote the interests of students they represent; can lobby for change across the university, can plan and run campaigns, as well as create and facilitate inclusive events showcasing the Welsh language and culture.   

Women’s Officer :This role exists to extend and defend women’s rights, promote women’s issues, and support women students. The role can represent and campaign on issues affecting women and can collaborate with sabbatical officers in lobbying for change.   

• Part-time
• Voluntary

Trustees sit on our board and are our final decision-makers and have responsibility for our success. This is our highest level of management and governance.

You should run to be a student trustee if you are interested in how organisations make decisions, are keen to ensure that the Students’ Union works for the benefit of UWTSD students, and want to help shape the strategy and future direction of the organisation.

These are voluntary positions, through out-of-pocket expenses are available to enable trustees to attend Trustee Board meetings. Student Trustees help to ensure that the Union is being run in the best interests of students at UWTSD by scrutinising performance and making sure that the Union is complying with the law and being run in a financially sustainable way.

Trustees have legal control over and are personally responsible for, an organisation. 

A full induction to the Board and trustee training is provided to all successfully elected Student Trustees. The Board meets four times a year (usually 10 am - 3 pm) and each Trustee is also allocated a sub-committee which meets three times a year (usually for 90 minutes a time).

To be eligible to become a Trustee:

• You must be at least 18 years old to be a trustee of the Students’ Union.
• You may not act as a trustee if you are disqualified under the Charities Act. This includes if you:
• Are disqualified as a company director
• Have an unspent conviction for an offence involving dishonesty or deception (such as fraud)
• Are an undischarged bankrupt (or subject to sequestration in Scotland), or have a current composition or arrangement including an individual arrangement (IVA) with your creditors
• Have been removed as a trustee of any charity by the commission (or the court) because of misconduct or mismanagement

• Voluntary
• Part-time

The Union Chairperson provides direction during talks at our Annual General Meeting, Union Councils, and other student forums of discussion.

Open to all students. The Union Chairperson provides direction during talks at our Annual General Meeting, Union Councils, and other student forums of discussion. They ensure talks are fair and balanced, so all students are heard.

You should run for this position if you are not currently a Students' Union officer or Trustee, are interested in the work of the Students' Union, and are keen to make sure that the Students' Union is acting in the best interests of its members. You will be provided with meeting chairing training on successful election to the role.

This is a voluntary position. The Chairperson role chairs the Students’ Union Annual General Meeting and each meeting of the Union Council. The role exists to make sure that debate at the meetings is fair and balanced, and that everyone has a fair opportunity to speak and share their thoughts and ideas. Training is provided!