>>Candidate Training 2012<<

Training

We’re going to go through:

• Role of the Students Union and a look at our membership

• What’s it like to be:An OfficerA TrusteeAn NUS Delegate

Running for Election:

• Campaigning

• The Vote

• Rules and Regulations

• Important times/dates.

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What is the Union?

The Union of UEA Students is an independent, registered charity, with trustees that look after its assets on behalf on its membership, all students at UEA.

The Union also ‘wholly owns’ two companies:• Students’ Union Services Ltd – which runs the UFO, Paper

Shop, Travel Shop & Post Office• Waterfront Ltd – which runs the Waterfront in the city

These two companies give all their profits, tax-free, to the Union (a charity).

What’s the Point?

The Union’s objects are the advancement of education of Students at the University of East Anglia London for the public benefit by:

3.1 promoting the interests and welfare of Students at the University of East Anglia during their course of study and representing, supporting and advising Students;

3.2 being the recognised representative channel between Students and the University of East Anglia and any other external bodies; and

3.3 providing social, cultural, sporting and recreational activities and forums for discussions and debate for the personal development of its Students.

Mission, Vision, Values

Our Mission

To create positive change in the education of UEA students by effectively representing their collective views.

To provide a range of high-quality, member-led services which embrace the needs of all UEA students.

Mission, Vision, Values

Our Values

DemocracyWe are the legitimate voice of UEA students. Our policies and priorities are member-led.

CollectivismStudents are stronger when they organise together locally, nationally and internationally. Unity is our strength.

EmpowermentWe support our members to make change.

EqualityWe believe that all students deserve equal rights and opportunities. As such, we campaign to challenge discrimination and we promote equality in our organisation and beyond.

SustainabilityWe are not just here for the students of today, but also for the students of tomorrow. We are financially and environmentally sustainable.

QualityEverything we do, we do well.

Mission, Vision, Values

What do we do?

Where does the money come from?

University Block Grant (14%)

University Repairs and Utility Grant (8%)

Sports Association Fees (5%)

INTO Fees (1%)

Home Run Fees (1%)

Commercial Income (70%)

>>Diversity Quiz

What percentage of students disclosed a disability in 2009/10?

7.7% of all UEA Students

- The largest grouping of students to disclose a disability are students with learning difficulties such as dyslexia.

>>Diversity Quiz

16-2122-25

What proportion of UEA students are…?

+25(58%)(16%)(27%)

>>Diversity Quiz

68% of the 1,892 international students at UEA come from which 9 countries?

>>14,313 UEA Students 2009/10

Faculty

Health1,227 (8.6%)

Arts and Humanities3,314 (23.2%)

Science3,236 (22.6%)

Social Science5,032 (35.2%)

Mode

Full-Time12,184 (85.1%)

Part-Time2,130 (14.9%)

Level

Undergraduate11,804 (82.5%)

Postgraduate Taught1,655 (11.6%)

Postgraduate Research854 (6.0%)

Fee Status

Home11,820 (82.6%)

EU444 (3.1%)

International1,813 (12.7%)

Exchange212 (1.5%)

>>Hard to Reach

Students on Placement

Health Students

Mature Students

Part-Time Students

Students with Disabilities

International Students

INTO Students

LGBT Students

Students that Work

Students with Caring ResponsibilitiesLocal Commuting

Students

Students with faith commitments

Postgraduates

Students at UEA London

What’s it like to be a Full Time officer?

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What’s it like to be a Full-Time Officer?

To an extent it depends on your portfolio, but you can expect to do lots of the following;

Representing students at University Committee Meetings

Internal Union meetings

GOATing with students

Gathering evidence from students on

issues via surveys and focus groups

Reading agendas (boo)

Running campaigns

Writing reports

Helping organise Union-run events

Attending SOC & Union Council

What’s it like to be a Part-Time Officer?What’s it like to be a Part-Time Officer?

As a Part-Time Officer you have the opportunity to shape your role around your interests, and run campaigns with Union support.

Campaigns

Student Officer Committee

Opportunity to be a Trustee

Mentors

ChampionVariety of RolesUnion Council

What’s it like to be a Trustee?• The Union’s 14 trustees are legally responsible for all the Union’s actions

• Some things the Trustee Board does:

• Keep an eye on Union Policy, to ensure it’s legal, responsible, and sound.

• Steer the Union’s Strategic Plan

• Scrutinise the yearly budget and monthly reports

• Manage/set targets for the Chief Executive

• Trustees meet about 8-10 times a year

• The Board is composed of:

• 4 Full-Time Officers (Finance Officer = Chair)

• 2 Part-Time Officers (elected by all the voting Part-Time Officers)

• 4 ‘lay’ students

• 3 External Trustees

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Trustee’s Responsibilities

• The Trustee Board has overall responsibility for the Union – it is responsible for the reputational, financial and legal behaviour of the Union.

• It’s job is to make sure that the Union fulfils its charitable objectives to as large an extent as possible

• As a trustee you are legally responsible for the Union and it’s subsidiary companies. If the company ran out of money the trustees could be held responsible, and liable for the difference.

• Don’t Panic – the Union has liability insurance, and a senior management team which supports the officers and trustees to make the right decisions.

• Trustee’s are ‘jointly and severally’ liable.

The Deficit

At the start of this year, the Union was budgeting a £250,000 deficit. In actual terms, the deficit this year now looks to be just above £300,000. This means that the operating costs of the Union are more than the revenue it generates, therefore we are losing money overall.

The Union has reserves of about £1.1Million. This means that the Union is not in immediate financial danger, but it must act to remedy this in the next couple of years.

It’s worth thinking about your manifesto aims in terms of how much they might cost. If something will be of large expense or high risk, it might not be possible or appropriate for now. Decisions about this will ultimately be made by the trustees.

Running for Election!

Rules6.0 The Media 6.2 No candidate shall play any part in the coverage of elections in Union funded media. 7.0 The Campaign  7.1 No campaign material may be distributed in advance of the deadline for the start of campaigning. Candidates should abide by the guidelines for publicity materials determined by the Deputy Returning Officer.

7.2 The Deputy Returning Officer shall set the level of candidate expenditure for all elections. All expenditure, up to the level set by the Deputy Returning Officer, will be refunded. Any refund of expenditure is subject to the Deputy Returning Officer or the Returning Officer receiving a completed and signed schedule of expenditure on the form provided with the nomination papers (including all receipts) prior to the commencement of the count. In addition a refund will only be payable to a candidate who achieves a minimum of one tenth of the first preference votes cast in the election.

7.3 Direct expenditure shall be deemed to include all expenditure incurred on finished election materials or services and the cost of all supporting material.

7.4 Candidates who have, in the opinion of the Deputy Returning Officer and the Returning Officer, obtained election materials or services to a value in excess of that permitted will be disqualified prior to the count.

7.5 Whereas candidates may well adopt similar policy stances and use similar publicity materials to other candidates, no candidate shall use publicity to promote another candidate, in the same or other election.

7.6 No candidate should use publicity to promote commercial activity.

Timeline

• Deadline for Manifesto & Photo’s 12pm Friday 11th May

• Campaigning Starts 9am Monday 14th May

• Voting opens 9am Tuesday 15th May

• Deadline for Expenses = 12pm Friday 18th May

• Voting Closes 5pm Friday 18th May

• Deadline for complaints – 5pm Friday 18th May

• Results announced shortly after.

CampaignIf you’re going to have a gimmick, try to use it all through your campaign!

CampaigningManifesto:

• A side of A4 – send as a PDF.

• Statement of what you’ll do if elected.

• Include a photo

• Say a little about yourself and why you are running.

• Check out the other examples of manifesto’s!

Video

• Try to make it interesting, not just talking to the camera!

Posters:

• Can be printed by the Union for you in house – cheaper!

Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1-JDTknKsc

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Getting Around Campus

The Vote

We use Single Transferable Vote in our elections (STV).

This means that in every round a candidate with the least amount of votes is eliminated – and their second preferences will transfer to the candidate they picked second…

Every vote counts! If someone is voting for someone else, it’s still worth canvassing them to give you a second preference (or third, or fourth…)

An Example…

Questions?