Student Elections
We're a student-led charity with loads of positions to help us empower our student communities - from Full-time Union Presidents (paid) to Part-time Officers, Student Trustees, and our Union Chairperson (voluntary) - each of these roles contributes to our work.
As a student, you can nominate yourself for a position, become a candidate, and stand in our elections - with every student getting the chance to vote. Below are all our positions that students can nominate themselves for.
Our positions - will you lead us?
Union Presidents
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 Swansea, Lampeter, 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
- Carmarthen Campus President
- Lampeter Campus President
- Swansea Campus 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 the London, Birmingham and Cardiff 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 Officers
There are 17 roles on each of the Carmarthen, Lampeter and Swansea campuses. 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, Lampeter, 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 three Campus Councils has the following positions up for election:
Black Students' Officer - This role exists to extend and defend black students’ rights, promote black students’ issues and support black students. To be eligible to stand for this position you must self-define as from African, Asian, Arab or Caribbean descent.
Disabled Students’ Officer - This role exists to extend and defend disabled students’ rights, promote relevant issues and support disabled students. To be eligible to stand for this position you must self-define as disabled. This includes physical disability, mental health conditions/distress, chronic illness, sensory disabilities, neurodiverse students and learning difficulties/disabilities.
Gender Identity Officer - This role exists to extend and defend the rights of Trans students, promote Trans issues and support Trans students. To stand for this role, candidates must self-define as Trans.
International Students’ Officer - This role exists to represent International Students, seeking to enhance the international student experience and promote their issues and ideas. To stand for this role, candidates must be a non-EU student.
LGBT+ Officer (Open Space) - This role exists to extend and defend the rights of LGBT+ students, promote LGBT+ issues and support LGBT+ students. To stand for this role, candidates must self-define within the LGBT+ umbrella.
LGBT+ Officer (Women’s Space) - This role exists to extend and defend the rights of LGBT+ students, promote LGBT+ issues and support LGBT+ students. To stand for this role, candidates must self-define as a woman.
Mature Students’ Officer - This role exists to represent Mature Students, seeking to enhance the student experience for mature students and promote their issues and ideas. To stand for this role, candidates must be over 25 years old.
Postgraduate Students’ Officer - This role exists to represent Postgraduate Students, seeking to enhance the postgraduate experience and build an active postgraduate network.
Societies Officer - This role exists to support and represent union-affiliated societies, assisting them in working towards club accreditation, helping them to promote their activities and run successfully and sustainably.
Sports Clubs Officer - This role exists to support and represent union-affiliated sports clubs, assisting them in working towards club accreditation, helping them to promote their activities and run successfully and sustainably.
Student Engagement Officer - This role exists to promote student involvement in Students’ Union activities including events and survey promotion, Pop Up Unions and University Open days.
Student Parent/Carers’ Officer - This role exists to represent Student Parents & Carers, seeking to enhance the student experience and build an active Student Parents & Carers network.
Sustainability Officer - This role exists to promote sustainability, engage students in sustainable activity and campaign for a more sustainable University and the wider community.
Volunteering & RAG Officer - This role exists to encourage and promote all aspects of volunteering. The officer will help to organise volunteering and charity fundraising initiatives, working particularly closely with clubs and societies to encourage student-led activity.
Wellbeing Officer - This role exists to promote all aspects of student health and wellbeing and enhance the student experience at UWTSD.
Welsh Language Officer - This role exists to extend and defend the rights of Welsh-speaking students, promote the increased use of the Welsh language, and raise issues and provide support to Welsh-speaking students. To stand for this role, candidates must be a fluent Welsh speaker.
Women’s Liberation Officer - This role exists to extend and defend women’s rights, promote women’s issues and support women students. To be eligible to stand for this position you must self-define as a woman.
Student Trustee
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
Union Chairperson
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!
Nominations, voting & results explained
Whether you're an election veteran or this is your first time, we will take you through the process. Our student elections run in three phases - nominations, where students find a role they are interested in and submit a nomination to become a candidate - voting, where students vote for the candidates they want to be elected into the positions - and results, where we announce those who are elected. Use the tabs below to delve deeper into each phase.
FAQ, Regs, Complaints
UWTSD Students' Union is a charity here to help UWTSD students make the most of their time at university through advice, representation, and opportunities and events.
UWTSD Students' Union is a brand name of Trinity Saint David Students' Union • © Trinity Saint David Students' Union. All Rights Reserved.
Registered Charity in England & Wales: 1157951
Company Limited by Guarantee: 09103924
UWTSD Students' Union is affiliated with the National Union of Students (NUS), NUS Charity, and British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS). Learn more on our affiliations webpage.
