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What is an Executive Committee Role?

The Executive Committee is a group of current students who volunteer to help create development opportunities for UPSU's student groups as well as aiding with their function. The Exec Committee makes decisions on matters that directly affect student groups and do this on behalf of all groups. The best interests of student groups are kept in mind and are at the forefront of all decisions the committee make. Read on to discover what roles are available and the responsibilities of each.



How do I Contact them?


There are several executive positions, all of which deal with certain types of student groups. If you have a problem with a student group you are a member of please let them know. If you wish to speak to your relevant exec about your group please see their email addresses below:


Chair - societieschair@upsu.net

Vice-Chair - groupsvicechair@upsu.net

Academic and Professional Officer - groupsacademicandprof@upsu.net

Physical and Sports Officer - groupssportandphysical@upsu.net

Common Interests and Community Officer - groupscommoninterest@upsu.net

Creative and Performing Arts Officer - groupscreative@upsu.net

Culture and Faith Officer - groupsfaithandculture@upsu.net

Media Officer - groupsmedia@upsu.net

Political, Campaigns and Causes Officer - groupspoliticalandcampaigns@upsu.net

RAG and Volunteering Officer - grousprag@upsu.net



What is their Purpose and what do they do?


The purpose of the Executive Team is to make sure that the collective student voice is heard and to give each student group category a point of contact with the Union, separate from the Student Groups department but working in tandem.


The Student Groups Team and the Executive Committee meet once every three months at the end of each term to review the term just passed. They also have a briefing meeting at the beginning of every academic year (September) to discuss what will be happening with groups over the academic year.


Some of the activity that the Execs are involved with include changing, adapting and evaluating UPSU's student group code of conduct, processes and events as well as chairing and co-organising the monthly Zone Meetings that all student group committee members are invited to attend.


Being an exec can give you the opportunity to develop your workplace skills in a voluntary role as you regularly meet and debate topical UPSU student group issues, create agendas, take minutes and have your voice heard. This is a space where your ideas can come to life with the guidance and support of both the current VP Activities and the Student Groups department. An excellent CV opportunity, put your passions into practice and run for an executive position.



How to Become an Exec

 

To be an executive committee member you first need to be on a student group committee. For example, a member of the Floristry Society cannot become an executive committee member but the president of the Floristry Society can. In a similar democratic process like AGMs, Executive Committee members are voted in during the last Zone Meeting of every academic year. This consistently gives new student group committee members the option of running. Occasionally an executive may resign from their role mid-way through their term. The vacant position would then be voted on in the next Zone meeting. Communications should be sent out in advance to all student group email addresses to give all a chance to run for a role. 


There are a variety of positions however any committee member of any student group can run for whichever position they wish to. It is good to consider the practicality of your skills, interests, and experience when applying for a role however you are not limited to running for a position that is only applicable to the category of your student group. For example, if your group is a charity and fundraising group, do not feel that you are limited to running for the RAG/Volunteering (Raising and Giving) role. 


Be prepared to give a brief speech regarding the role you are running for. Include information as to why you believe that you are a good candidate for the role, why you want to take on the role, any aims short and long term you have and any ideas you wish to implement. There may be an opportunity for the room to ask you questions, so make sure that you are ready to be quizzed!



Responsibilities Applicable to all Positions


  • The candidate will be responsible for communicating with societies in their remit and supporting them through mentoring.
  • They must attend Activities Executive meetings and Activities Zones. (Or send apologies if you cannot make it)
  • They should have awareness of Union Policies that relate to societies and be able to advise their societies on these when necessary.
  • They should communicate to their societies any major changes that pass through Activities Zone and keep them up to date of their progress.
  • They should be a point of contact for societies to voice issues with welfare their members, the processes of societies and democratic concerns, for the officer to raise with the appropriate channels.
  • They may wish to engage societies in their remit in collaborative projects such as joint events or campaigns.



Chair


  • Chair This role will involve chairing the Activities Executive meetings and any subsequent Activities Zone, AEGMs (Activities EGMs) and AAGMs (Activities AGMs).
  • The role will also involve helping other members of the Exec in their roles to ensure the most efficient year possible, and making sure the Executive members are responding to their mentees. They should be responsible for ensuring the Exec continue to carry out their jobs. The Chair will also sit on the Union Actioning Body (UAB), representing the views of Societies & Media and the Activities Executive to the wider student body, as well as ensuring that ideas that pass through Activities Zone are heard and actioned where possible.
  • They will also help the Vice-Chair with creating an Agenda for each meeting. They should work closely with VP Activities to ensure smooth running of Societies, and communicate with the other Activities Executives (RAG and Media).



Vice-Chair


  • The candidate will be responsible for writing up minutes of Activities Exec meetings, Zones, AEGMs (Activities EGMs) and AAGM’s (Activities AGMs). Once written, the secretary must make these minutes available to the wider student population.
  • The secretary will be responsible for sitting on UAB if the Chair is unable to, and supporting the Chair in working with the executive.
  • In the event that the Chair is unable to chair any of the listed meetings the Vice-Chair will take on the responsibility.



Academic and Professional Officer


  • The Academic and Professional Officer may wish to work with Careers and Employability Service (former Purple Door), or department leads to support development of their societies and help to grow these groups both in membership and reach.



Physical and Sports Officer


  • The Physical and Sports Officer may wish to engage with the VP Sports to collaborate on sporting issues and support their groups in solving similar problems.



Creative and Performing Arts Officer


  • The Creative and Performing Arts Officer may wish to support joint ventures like Variety shows or other such events that allow their groups to showcase their skills.



Common Interests and Community Officer


  • The Common Interests and Community Officer may wish to support their groups in showcasing their interests and also growing their outreach in the University.
  • The Common Interest Officer takes on a primary role in the organisation of the common interest society event ‘Nerdvana’. They must coordinate the efforts and work with all involved societies.



Culture and Faith Officer


  • The Culture and Faith Officer may wish to engage with the University Chaplaincy to support joint faith projects and the University International office to support joint cultural projects.



Political, Campaigns and Causes Officer


  • The Political, Campaigns and Causes Officer may wish to engage with the President of the Students’ Union to support larger campaigns and political debating/campaigning.



Media Officer


  • The Media officer should help champion content that is produced by Victory Media & their Societies.



RAG and Volunteering Officer


  • Raising the profile of volunteering and volunteering societies on campus via social media marketing and networking with students.
  • The primary societies you would be supporting are Rotaract and VIP, but you will be able to support other societies with any fundraising and volunteering activities.
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