WE’RE 25,000 STRONG.WHERE WILL YOU LEAD US?

/HERTFORDSHIRE.SU @HERTFORDSHIRES U

HERTFORDSHIRE.SU/ELECTIONS

@HERTSSU #HERTSSUVOTES

INSPIRING STUDENT-LED CHANGE

• We represent students by listening to student opinion and meeting with decision makers in the University, community and government to ensure that the student voice is heard;

• We run Hertfordshire’s top nightclub, the Forum Hertfordshire, bringing you the best in live music and events;

• We make student life incredible through our societies, volunteering, RAG, Halls League and Give It A Go opportunities, as well as our regular campus events;

• We provide an impartial, confidential and free Advice and Support Service, including academic, housing and money advice;

• We campaign for positive change through our Student Reps and Elected Officers, and by providing students and student groups with the resources and support to lead their own campaigns.

Hertfordshire Students’ Union is the membership organisation for the University of Hertfordshire’s 25,000 students.

At Hertfordshire Students’ Union we aim to make student life incredible, and we’re proud to be led and directed by students. Our annual elections are fundamental to our work in making sure students’ voices are heard loud and clear. This is the opportunity for students across the University to elect students to represent, act, and speak on their behalf.

If you’re thinking of standing in our elections, fantastic! In this handbook you will find everything to guide you through the elections. If you have any questions about being a candidate, drop in to the SU office and talk to us about it.

You can find more information about roles, rules and running online at www.hertfordshire.su/elections

WHAT ARE THE ROLES?

Part time positions

• 10 School Officers

• 4 College Officers

• Research Students Officer

• 6 NUS Delegates

• Chair of Council

• Deputy Chair of Council

• 1 Student Trustee

The Full time Officers lead the Students’ Union. They represent students within the Union, university, and wider community, and campaign for positive change within these spaces. They also deliver specific services for our members, and are responsible for the strategic direction of the Union.

These roles are full-time, paid jobs with an elected term of one year.

In this role you will meet regularly with senior University management and community leaders on student and campus issues. You oversee the work of the Officer team, Chair the Trustee Board and sit on the University’s governing board.

In this role you lead the Student Rep system and make sure that the Union is democratic and representative. You will also meet regularly with senior University staff on service-based issues, and oversee the direction of the Union’s commercial outlets.

The President leads the work of the Officer team and represents students to the University and wider community.

The Vice President Democracy & Services shapes the work of our commercial services and democratic processes.

What are the roles?Full time positions:

• President

• Vice President Democracy & Services

• Vice President Education & Welfare

• Vice President Student Activities

• Vice President Communications & Media

Find full details about all of these roles at hertfordshire.su/elections

In this role you will work with our Advice & Support Centre and the University’s Wellbeing Centre to ensure student wellbeing is at the heart of campus life. You will also meet regularly with key University staff to ensure that students are getting the best academic experience possible.

In this role you will act as Editor-in-Chief of Trident Media and oversee the direction of our Marketing and Communications. You will also work with the University to ensure their communications work for students.

In this role you will head up our societies, RAG, volunteering, and other campus activities. You will also partner with the Athletic Union and Active Students on sports clubs and opportunities.

The Vice President Education & Welfare lobbies for a great academic experience and keeps you happy, healthy and safe.

The Vice President Communications & Media leads Trident Media and makes sure you know all about our services and events.

The Vice President Student Activities oversees student opportunities for fun and development, making sure you get the most out of your time at University. Part-time roles are a fantastic

opportunity to change things for the better for students around you, and gain invaluable experience in campaigning, project management, and a host of other skills. All of these roles are voluntary and flexible, fitting around your study schedule.

PART-TIME ROLES

The College Officers represent the needs and views of higher education students at their College to Student Council and make sure the Union can effectively represent their academic needs to the University. There will be an Officer for each College:

• Hertford Regional College

• North Hertfordshire College

• Oaklands College

• West Herts College

COLLEGE OFFICERS

KEY DATES

Nominations open 12pm 15th Feb

Candidate Academy 2pm 17th Feb

Nominations close 12pm 26th Feb

Candidate Academy 6pm 29th Feb

Manifesto deadline 5pm 3rd Mar

Candidate Briefing 5pm 3rd Mar

Voting open 12pm 4th Mar

Voting close and results

2pm 11th Mar

Expenses deadline 3pm 11th Mar

Results 6pm 11th Mar

Student Council is our regular meeting of student representatives. The Chair and Deputy Chair ensure that all Student Councils are conducted in a fair and democratic manner. These are part-time, voluntary positions.

CHAIR & DEPUTY OF STUDENT COUNCIL

Each year we send student delegates to NUS Conference, the annual meeting of Students’ Unions. This is the largest democratic gathering of students in the world, and is your chance to have your say on national student representatives and NUS policy.

You will need to be available from 19-21 April 2016.

The Research Students Officer represents all research students at the University and in the Doctoral College, and feed back their views to Student Council.Our Trustee Board oversees the strategic

direction, finances and governance of the Students’ Union, ensuring that we act within the law and are secure and stable for the future. Student Trustees play a vital role in ensuring that everything that the Union undertakes is in the best interests of students. This is a part-time, voluntary position.

NUS DELEGATES

RESEARCH STUDENTS OFFICERS

STUDENT TRUSTEE

School Officers represent their Schools and head up the Student Reps for their School, liaising with key academic staff.

SCHOOL OFFICERS

HOW TO VOTE

COMPLAINTS

RULESTo make sure the Elections are fair, we have several rules in place. Please make sure that you and your team are well aware of these before campaigning starts. The full list and advice on rules can be found at www.hertfordshire.su/elections/candidates

1. Respect other candidates. You are all in it together, and it’ll be more fun for everyone if you keep it friendly!

2. Respect student voters. Please talk to as many students as possible but don’t bug them when they are studying or eating. You must let voters cast their ballot freely, so don’t interfere once they’ve begun to vote.

3. Don’t do anything that other candidates might not reasonably be able to do, including accessing certain spaces or using certain social media or mailing lists.

Any questions? Talk to a staff member or email elections@hertfordshire.su

Sometimes Elections don’t always run smoothly. If you believe that rules have been broken and you wish to make a complaint, please email elections@hertfordshire.su or visit the office to speak to a staff member.

We use the transferable voting system, which allows students to list candidates in order of preference. This means that they not only vote for their favourite candidate, but also for their second and third favourites, etc. Students place a ‘1’ by their preferred candidate, a ‘2’ by their second, and so on.

For every position we always include ‘Re-open Nominations’, or ‘RON’. This gives students the chance to vote to re-open the nominations should they believe that no candidate on the ballot sheet fits the role.

Therefore a sample ballot paper might look like this:

Candidate A 2Candidate BCandidate C 1RON 3

We have a video explaining the voting system online at www.hertfordshire.su/vote

BUDGETAs a candidate you will be reimbursed for campaign expenses up to:

• £55 for independent candidates

• £50 for candidates standing in a team

You have a budget of £55 for independent candidates and £50 for candidates in teams for publicity and campaigning. Don’t run over your budget and make sure your publicity is accessible to all students.

When considering how to spend your budget, think creatively. What can you do that will catch the eye of potential voters? Throughout the week before voting opens we will have our Campaigns Hub open to you, with glue, pens, paint and other resources available for you to use.

MYTH

Elections are a popularity contest and students won’t vote for me.

TRUTH

Students vote for who they think they can trust. If you don’t know everybody (and nobody does!) then you can convince them through your campaigning and policies.

MYTHBUSTERS

MYTH

I’m graduating next year, so I can’t stand.

TRUTH

All students currently registered at the University of Hertfordshire can stand. You will either take a year out of your studies, or take on the role after graduation if you are in your final year.

MYTH

I’ve never been involved in the SU so I shouldn’t stand.

TRUTH

Any student at all can stand. Being an Officer is your chance to have an impact not just on the SU but on the University and wider community too.

MYTH

I want a real job, so I can’t stand.

TRUTH

Full-time Elected Officer positions are paid at £21,000 for the year. Your responsibilities include being a Director and Executive Trustee of the Union, managing a portfolio, and a number of career-related experiences that will look great on your CV.

1. Think outside the box! Every candidate will have printed posters and leaflets, but what else could you create to stand out from the crowd? Go big and bold and voters won’t miss you.

2. Talk to students. Voters want to know who you are and what you stand for. Don’t sound like a robot when you’re discussing your policies – take the time to have a proper chat.

3. Plan your time well in advance. Campaigning shouldn’t take over your life and definitely shouldn’t stop you attending lectures. Ask your team or friends to help if you can’t make an event.

4. Check that students know how to vote. Don’t forget that you’re asking students to vote for you as their first preference, or if not, then their second preference. Voting will take place online at www.hertfordshire.su/vote

WRITING A MANIFESTO

CAMPAIGNING

Your manifesto is your vision for the Union and your pledges for your time as an Elected Officer. From this, students can see whether what you are promising will be right for them, and why they should vote for you.

Your manifesto will be listed on our website for students to read before voting, so make sure it looks exciting! Keep your points clear and make students want to read it.

The key to a successful election is a strong campaign. Here are our top tips for campaigning:

If you’re unsure what to include in your manifesto, work through the following:

1. Think about the issues that you’d like to change in the University, your School, or the wider community. Have a chat with your friends or coursemates. What are big issues on campus?

2. Pick three or four issues that strike a chord with other students and are most achievable. What would you do to resolve these issues? These are your policies.

3. Who are you? Why should students trust you as their representative? Tell voters about yourself!

DON’T FORGET TO SUBMIT YOUR MANIFESTO TO www.hertfordshire.su/elections BY 5PM, 3rd MARCH 2016

Still have questions? Come along to our Candidate Academy on 17th February

elections@hertfordshire.su

YOUR KEY CONTACTS

Complaints and support: Faith Goligher

Candidate Academy, campaigning and promotions: Brittany Tomlinson

Anything else: Scott Grace

Want to talk to us in person?

SU Office, Hutton Hub, College Lane