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Why is the Union undertaking a Democracy Review?
The Students Union is committed to its mission "To be the voice for students at UWS, effecting change and maximising the student experience, by creating a sense of belonging and offering opportunities to improve students' lives". In order to achieve this mission, we require the active engagement of our diverse student community at all levels of our representation and democratic structures.
The University population has changed dramatically over the past few years and our structures need to be reviewed to ensure that they are fit for purpose. Students have also told us in our surveys that there are barriers which we had previously not considered in getting involved in our activities. To be the voice for students at UWS, we must therefore look to improve our structures and our opportunities for engagement.
Our surveys have also let us know that awareness of the Student Union isnt increasing across the campuses and we feel that this is because the Union is not making itself relevant to students at their course levels.
What changes are being proposed?
The Union is proposing changes in three main areas. These are:
- Changes to the officer structure
- We have received feedback from students regarding their inability to get invovled in our officer positions. This is because they are full time and some professionally acredited courses, like Nursing, Midwifery, Paramedics, Social Work and Teaching do not have sufficent time built into their accreditiation frameworks to allow for a year, or two to be taken out of the course. Also, students have told us that they would like more part-time opportunities as they are unwilling to delay their graduations to take office.
- We also know that traveling around the campuses is time-consuming and it is especially difficult for our officers to get to London. We therefore need a solution that can increase the overall number of officers to spread the cross-campus responsibilities.
- We're proposing reducing the number of full time officers from four to two - with the President and Vice-President Education remaining full-time. The salary for the remaining two positions would be used to create four part-time positions - one for each School. So a Vice-President BCI, CEPS, ESS, and HLS. The Union would also look to find funding for another Vice-President position which would represent London.
- These five part-time positions would be for 15 hours per week, which would allow both international and home students to apply.
- We would look to apply these changes for the election for the 2026/27 officers.
- You can find a consultation presentation in the resources section below.
- Changes to the election process
- Over the last few election cycles, there have been growning numbers of students standing for election immediately after they have arrived on their course. This enthusiasm is appreciated, but because the resulting officers lack a basic understanding of the UWS Community, the Union has to expend significant resources in bringing these individuals up to speed.
- Our Surveys have told us that a significant proporition of students do not understand what the officers are trying to achieve with their manifestos
- We're proposing that firstly, new election regulations are put in place that mean that a student must have had active participation in the Union for at least one term before they can stand to be a candidate.
- We're also proposing that the candidates are able to demonstrate that they can communicate effectively.
- Finally we want to transfer the responsbility for deciding if these two new criteria are met to a panel of students, which will be selected from our Rep pools and from the wider student body. The members of the panel will recieve training and there will be strict guidance issued to ensure impartiality.
- Changes to the policy creation & decision making processes
- The intention behind the policy creation and decision making proposals is to simplify how students can influence the actions, campaign priorities and policies of the Students Union.
- Individual students and student groups can suggest ideas to improve the Union and/or their student experience or campaigns that we should be involved with.
- The Union will be able to create student forums around particular issues or topics as required. These groups will meet in accordance with their purpose and will continue to meet until that purpose has been achieved.
- The following Committees will be amended:
- Executive Committee - Membership will be expanded to include all the new part-time officers and co-opted members from under-represented groups. The Committee will also be able to submit policy and have the responsbility for actioning the policies and decisions of the student body.
- Societies Council - The chair and vice chair will be elected from the group and the Chair will sit on the Executive Committee.
- The following committeees will be created:
- School Forums - one forum for each of the Schools of UWS. Will be chaired by the appropriate Vice-President for the school.
- London Forum - a forum for the specific challenges of the London Campus. Will be chaired by the Vice-President London.
- Campus Forums - Forums which will be created and disbanded as needed.
- We are also deciding whether or not Student Council needs to remain as it is, or if its functions can be replaced entirely by the Executive Committee and we will consult on that going forward.
- Academic Societies
- Academic Societies represent a radical change in how we structure our representation systems at UWS. The feedback that the Union has from its surveys shows that large groups of students remain unaware of the Union's activity, regardless of how much we may try and advertise ourselves.
- It is felt that this is because the Union is operating at a level above the awareness of the student body, and academic societies are our attempt to bring the Union down to programme level.
- Academic societies will have three priorities:
- Building a sense of belonging and community among students within their course
- Representing Students
- Improving academic sucess and being work ready
- The Union is piloting academic societeis now and if you are interested in having one for your area please email societies@uwsunion.org.uk
What is the timescale for implementation?
The implementation of the recommendations will be done in stages over the next three academic years.
Academic Year 2024-25 (Current Year)
- Student Consultations
- Using information leaflets, the student officers will consult with students across all campuses in November and early December.
- Student Council Consultations
- October Council - Introducing the changes proposed by the review and discuss new officer structure
- December - Discuss the selection panel
- Finalising the referendum question.
- Democracy Review working group
- This group is comrpised of officers, students and appropriate staff. This group will agree the detailed proposals for the new democratic structures and discuss any constitutional changes required.
- Emails
- We will email students to update them on the democracy review's progress and invite students to our consultations.
- UWS Consultation
- Speak to the Deans of School about the proposals and how they can be embedded.
- University's Quality Assurance Team
- Senate/Student Experience Committe and Student partnership forums.
- Student Officer Positions
- The Union's board will agree the changes to the officer positions by April 2025.
- Referendum
- The Union will ask all students to vote on the changes in the election cycle in March 2025. We will provide support for students who wish to campaign for and against the changes.
- 3% of the active student population is required for the vote to be valid.
- University Court
- Papers detailing the changes need to be presented to the Governance and Nominations Committee meeting by May 2025.
- Papers will be passed to University Court for final approval.
Academic Year 2025-26 (Next Year)
- Implement the new officer structure and have the selection panel fully active.
- Evaluate progress and gather feedback on structures
- Implement any changes required.
Academic Year 2026-27 (Following year)
- Implement the new democratic structures
- Create Union Policy statements and agree them at the AGM in March 2027
- Evaluate progress and gather feedback on structures
- Implement changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
These will be added over time.
Resources
How can I contribute?
You can contribute your feedback to the democracy review in a number of ways:
- Watch out for our emails - We'll be asking for students feedback via email over the coming weeks
- Attend one of the consutlations - keep an eye out for when the officers will be visiting your campus and attend the session.
- Come to Student Council - If you are a rep the Review will be getting discussed at all of the Council meetings this year.
- Join the Democracy Review Group - if you are interested in taking part in the review group please email uwsunion@uws.ac.uk - Spaces on the group will be limited and once its full, its full.
- You can also review the information in the resources and complete the consultation survey's below.
Consultation 1 - New Officer Positions
Your Students' Union are reviewing your democratic processes and structures, including student president roles and how Union policy is created. These changes will be voted on in a referendum. More details coming soon!
What do you like about the proposed changes to the Officer Positions, the introduction of a selection panel, or the changes to Student Council?
Do you have any questions or concerns about the proposed changes to the Officer Positions, the introduction of a selection panel, and the changes to Student Council?
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I would be happy to be contacted to discuss my responses further
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