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What is the Students’ Union?

Goldsmiths Students’ Union is a registered charity representing over 10,000 students studying at Goldsmiths, University of London. Every student is automatically a member. We’re here to provide support and advice to make university life easier, whilst representing students on the issues that matter. Goldsmiths Students’ Union is a democratic organisation, run for students by students. We represent the views of Goldsmiths students through our team of elected Officers, who are elected annually and are supported by a permanent staff team. In addition to being the voice of Goldsmiths students, we also run commercial services such as the SU Shop, the SU Cafe, the Nursery, which fund services for students such as clubs, societies and the Advice Service. As a student-led organisation, we run elections every year to find the students who can shape the organisation for the year to come.

What are the Student Union Elections, and how are they run at Goldsmiths SU?

Sabbatical officers are paid, elected executive positions, students who take a year out of their studies to lead Goldsmiths SU from the front. These posts are full time. There are also six voluntary Liberation Part Time Officer positions. Part Time Officers run the liberation networks and play a role in the governance of the SU.

The Election process is generally:

Nomination Period > Candidates sign election rules > Drop-in info sessions & video opportunities for candidates > Candidates submit manifesto > Voting Opens > Voting Closes > Election Results Night & After Party

How do I run for a position?

To apply for any of the open positions, you will need to complete the online form. You’ll need to prepare a statement about your ideas and why you think you’re the best candidate, these should include clear messages to students about your ideas and an introduction to your campaign.

I’m not interested in running, but I know someone who is…

Student Officer roles aren’t for everyone. If you know someone who might be a great candidate for any officer roles we’d love to hear from you - suggest a friend for a position by filling out the online form on the page 'suggest a friend'. We’ll take it from there!

I’m an International Student, can I run?

International students can nominate themselves for any position. Sabbatical Officer roles in particular are full time positions so you may need to be aware of any Visa implications, pop by to our international student drop ins. If you’re elected as an officer then we’ll be here to support you if you require changes to your visa. You can ask us any questions you may have in advance. In short - don’t be discouraged to nominate yourself if you think you’re right for the role!

You can find a helpful guide for international students here.

I’m in the middle of my PhD or Postgrad Degree, can I run?

Yes, you can still run. Depending on where you are with your thesis and would still like to run it would be advisable to speak to your supervisor about your intentions to run and consider your plans seriously. You can also speak to a member of the democracy team at the SU if you have any questions.

I’m a First Year Student, can I run?

If you’re not in your final year of study you can still apply any part time role without taking a break from studies and, if you choose, take a year break from your studies to be part of the Sabbatical team and pick up your studies where you left off the following year. You can always speak to a member of the democracy team at the SU if you have any questions.

What do I need to do after I’ve applied?

Once you have applied you will officially become a candidate. The democracy team will follow up with you on the finer details of everything you need to know but here’s a quick lowdown:

  • You will be expected to campaign for the position. This can mean a variety of things from asking to host a 5 minute shout out in lectures, to making a banner to hang in the SU building, to talking to students on campus.

  • During this time you will need to abide by the Student Union election rules. The democracy team will be sharing these details with you.

  • There will be a number of mandatory (as well as optional) candidate training and briefing sessions which you will be asked to attend, these will be either online or in person.

    • You will not be expected to be an expert in campaigning before you become a candidate - We’re here to give you the tools you need.

What is a manifesto?

When running for an elected position, you have to write a manifesto. Your manifesto should explain why students should vote for you. It can include any campaign pledges, promises, an explanation of yourself, any relevant experience you have, your motivations, and any endorsements from other students. The manifesto should be no more than 600 words to ensure it’s accessible, understandable, and to the point! Remember, this is what students see when voting.

How do I know I’ve definitely nominated myself?

You will receive a confirmation email when you submit your application. You must click ‘submit’ at the end of your application, otherwise you will not be nominated.

Help! My photo won’t upload

Photos on our system have to be 400x400 px. You can use a photo cropping tool to get your photo to the correct dimensions.

I can’t see the role I’m looking for

You won’t be able to log into the SU’s website unless you have registered as a Goldsmiths Student, which you can do via the University’s website.

There is also room for human error with our elections system, so if you have registered and still cannot see the election that you’re looking for, contact the Student Voice Team at democracy@goldsmithssu.org

My name is showing up wrong on the election, how do I change it?

You can change your name on the Student Union’s system by logging in and heading to ‘My Account’. From there you will be able to request a name change.

If I need to, Who can I contact for help?

If you would like to discuss anything in further detail please contact democracy@goldsmithssu.org and we will get back to you.

What is Candidate Question time?

CQT is an event for all students at Goldsmiths to ask any candidate any question they may have about their campaign and manifesto.

What are the election rules?

For our elections to be fair, open and accessible to every student, we have to ensure a level playing field.

We achieve this through the Election Rules, which are binding for candidates and campaigners in our elections. These rules prevent candidates from using unfair advantages or extra resources that their competitors might not have.

For example, we limit the sum of money a candidate can spend on campaigning, to ensure that people with more expendable money can spend this on marketing for their campaign. We also do not allow slates or negative campaigning. Breaching these rules will disqualify you from candidacy.

We also prevent candidates from doing things that may annoy students, such as spamming society mailing lists, harassing potential voters, or casting votes on other people’s behalf.

You can see the full list of rules here.

If you feel that a candidate or campaigner has broken the election rules, let us know straight away on democracy@goldsmithssu.org. We will then investigate and decide if a rule has been broken, and take appropriate action.

How do students vote?

During voting time students will be able to vote either in person at one of the voting ‘pop up’ booths, these will be in the SU building over the course of the week (keep your eyes peeled for times and dates) or vote in your own time online. All you need to do is sign into your Goldsmiths SU account and vote.

Remember - every student at Goldsmiths is a member of the Students Union so this is your chance to create change and elect the candidates of your choice.

How are the results announced?

We hold an event, open to all, at the SU Venue. We ask that all campaigning candidates attend along with anyone who may have been supportive of your candidacy. We also host a celebration not only for the newly elected officers but for anyone who has campaigned; after all your hard work whether you are elected or not this is a chance to relax and celebrate your achievements. Announcements will also be made online and via an all student email sent by Goldsmiths SU.

What does re-open nominations mean?

We offer voters the chance to reject all of the candidates for a particular position. You can do this by ranking ‘Re-open nominations’ as your first preference if you think none of the candidates are suitable for the role.

You can alternatively select ‘Re-open nominations’ for your second, third or further preference if you think some of the candidates are electable, but others are not suitable for the position.

If Re-open nominations receives more than half the votes for a particular position, then no one wins, and Goldsmiths SU will re-run the election for that position again at a later date.

What and who is the Deputy Returning Officer?

Our DRO is Rhiannon Suchak (Student Engagement Manager) who works full time at the SU. Their role as DRO is to ensure the elections run fairly. This includes enforcing the election rules, answering candidate questions, and arranging elections-related events. They are the designated person to go to if a candidate has a complaint about the process or thinks a rule has been broken. They will make an initial ruling and judgement according to the election rules.

If you need to contact Rhiannon, you can do so by emailing democracy@goldsmithssu.org

What and who is the Returning Officer?

The Returning Officer is an independent, external person who is only involved in elections when a candidate or voter appeals against a decision of the Deputy Returning Officer. They are not a member of staff of the SU or the College, and do not know any of the candidates at all. This provides an extra level of impartiality.

To contact them please email democracy@goldsmithssu.org and state clearly that your email is intended for the Returning officer.

I have another question that hasn’t been answered

If you would like to discuss anything in further detail please contact democracy@goldsmithssu.org and we will get back to you.