The Students’ Union (UoNSU) has confirmed a new structure for its Officer Team – the team of students elected to lead the Students’ Union and represent students across the university – following the first phase of its Democracy Review.

The new structure follows extensive research and consultation, including a student referenda on what you’d like your Officer Team to look like, and aims to make UoNSU more representative and effective.

Here’s how we got here:

• UoNSU conducted months of research, looking at how other Students’ Unions structure their representation and exploring best practices.
• Next, the referenda, where you voted on how you’d like your Officer Team to be structured, with a clear call to embed more academic representation.
• Then, student focus groups refined the ideas, ensuring the structures proposed to our Trustee Board reflected students’ wants and needs.
• Finally, the Trustee Board approved the new structure, giving UoNSU the green light to introduce these new roles:
• President (Democracy & Community)
• Vice President Welfare & Liberation
• Vice President Postgraduate & International
• Vice President Sports
• Vice President Activities & Development
• Vice President Education.

In addition to this, each role (except for Education) will be allocated a specific faculty to liaise with, ensuring tailored support for students in different academic areas.

The Vice President Education will continue to represent all students on academic issues holistically, addressing university-wide concerns.

This structure strengthens faculty-specific connections, acknowledging that each faculty has unique experiences and challenges. By focusing on both academic representation and student life, the SU will be better placed to support you and ensure your voice is heard.

For any questions or queries about the Democracy Review or the upcoming officer elections, contact studentvoice@uonsu.com

If you’re interested in becoming an officer and representing fellow students, register your interest on the UoNSU website.