Your Union is directed by its members, the students here at Warwick. In order to adopt a "collective stance" on an issue and decide what we are going to do about it, we debate and pass
policy. There are three key ways in which policy can be passed:
Referenda are online votes that any student can vote in by simply logging into the Union website. Our most serious and important issues are put to an online vote so that as many students as possible can have their say. You will probably see lots of publicity and excitement during our referenda! These take place in Term 1 and Term 2 in Week 9.
General Meetings are held once a year, or when a major issue arises. They are large, town-hall style meetings that any student can come to and vote on important issues, as well as asking questions to elected Officers. There are the following General Meetings this year:
Union General Meeting - Term 1 Week 5, at 7.00pm in the Ramphal Lecture Theatre (R0.21).
Annual General Meeting - Term 2 Week 2, at 12 noon in the Cooler (Students' Union).
Union Council is an elected, representative body, similar to a Parliament or Congress. This meets three times a term and passes most of the Union's policy and regularly checks what Union Officers have been doing. Elections for Union Council are held at the start of every year so that Council is truly representative of the student body. Council will meet on the following dates:
Term 1
Week 4, Monday, 7.00pm MS.01
Week 7, Monday, 7.00pm MS.01
Week 10, Monday, 7.00pm MS.01
Term 2
Week 3, Monday, 7.00pm MS.01
Week 7, Monday, 7.00pm MS.01
Week 10, Monday, 7.00pm MS.01
Term 3
Week 4, Monday 7.00pm MS.01
Union Officers are the people who put these policies into practice. We have 7 full-time Sabbatical Officers who run the Union on a day-to-day basis and 34 part-time Officers who look after specific areas such as campaigns, societies, democracy, sports, academic representation and welfare. 16 Union Officers sit on the Executive Committee, which meets once a week and decides how to implement policy.
Union Committees are made up of Union Officers and other students who are elected to implement policy. This committees include; Welfare committee, Campaigns committee, Democracy committee, Communications committee, Societies Federation committee, Sports Federation committee, Academic Representation committee, Postgraduate committee, Lifelong Learning committee and International committee.
Officer Elections are held in Week 5 of Term 2 and if you want to really get stuck in and take an active role in the running of your Union then please consider standing to be a Union Officer. If you want to impact the direction your Union takes, have ideas for the Union's future and are willing to commit time to the Union, then standing to be a Union Officer is a great way to get involved.
If you have any questions please e-mail the Finance, Democracy and Strategy Officer - Tom Callow.