How We Are Run
LiverpoolSU – It Starts With You
Liverpool Students’ Union is run to represent all LJMU students. As a student, you are central to deciding how the organisation is led and on our priorities.
You vote in the annual elections for Sabbatical Officer positions. The four Officers work full-time for the Union and are responsible for the day to day running and decision making. They also sit on the Trustee Board which is our overall governing body.
You can nominate yourself to stand for election as a Sabbatical Officer – any student can do this either part way through your course or during your final year to take up the position when you graduate.
You can also stand for election as one of our NUS Delegates. These positions represent LJMU students at the national conference.
You can contact current the Sabbatical Officers at any time. They have been elected to represent you and welcome suggestions on improvements that could be made to students’ experience of the University, Union or wider student life in the City. If you think there should be a campaign on a particular issue that affects students – then suggest it.
You can attend any of our Forums – Better Union, Better University and Better City. Here your Sabbatical Officers present progress reports on their work and it’s an opportunity for you to make comments and suggestions and steer future action. The Forums also provide a chance for you to discuss important issues with other students; leading to the Students’ Union taking up new work on your behalf.
You could put yourself forward to be Chair of one of the Forums at the start of the Academic Year. You would lead the Forum and ensure the students who attend get full opportunity to question your Sabbatical Officers. As a Forum Chair, you would also have a place on our Trustee Board.
You can also put yourself forward to be a Forum Delegate. You get support from LiverpoolSU to take forward a priority initiative or campaign, representing a particular group of students, such as mature students; international students; women students. Ask for more information on our Forums for a full list of Delegate positions.
You have the opportunity to give LiverpoolSU ideas and feedback when your Officers and Union staff are GOATing (Go Out And Talk). We spend as much time as we can each week in different locations asking you what you think.
You give us invaluable feedback on how we’re doing every November in our Big Student Survey and we take notice of every response we get to our other surveys and questionnaires through the year.
Our Trustee Board
Leading and taking oversight of everything that happens at LiverpooSU is our governing body. Sabbatical Officers and Forum Chairs take seven places on the trustee board, along with four community trustees – volunteers from high profile outside organisations who add knowledge and expertise to what we do.
Trustees are also accountable to the Charity Commission and ensure we make sound financial decisions, obey the law and respond to the needs of all students.
Responsibility for day to day operations are delegated to the Students’ Union Chief Executive and staff team.
Click here to view our current trustees.
View agendas and minutes of meetings here
If you are interested in finding out more about governance and the role of trustees then there is lots of information on the following websites:
Charity Commission
http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/Charity_requirements_guidance/Charity_governance/default.aspx
Know How Non-Profit
http://knowhownonprofit.org/leadership/governance/getting-started-in-governance/the-responsibilities-of-charity-trustees
NCVO
http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/advice-support/trustee-governance
If you would like to read our current Constitution then click here.
