Election Timeline

Elections made simple

This year there are more positions available to student than ever before thanks to the new constitution. I thought it would make sense to take some time and explain what exactly will be going on over the next 5 weeks.

The timeline is as follows:
Week 3 - nominations close on Friday.
You not be able to stand in any of the elections past this point
Week 4 - the first week of campaigning.
Tradiitionally one of the slower/quieter weeks in the election as everyone prepares for the following weeks.
Week 5 - second week of campaigning
This is the penultimate week of the election and stress levels are rising as campainging is in full swing.
Week 6 - last week of campaigning and voting opens and runs from monday to thursday.
This is the most intense week of the election. Ballot Stations will be around all the main campuses and every candidate will be postering, flyering and campaigning with renewed enthusiasm as the end is in sight.
Week 6 - Friday the counting starts and the results are announced in an evening election party usually in Morals Bar but this will be confirmed nearer the time.

For some of the positions this year, the Students' Union will be providing candidates with a budget to use for campaigning. This is aimed at improving the number of candidates as well as reducing the financial impact of standing for election.

The Positions available at this election include:
OBSU President and four Vice Presidents; Welfare and Equal Opportunties, Academic Affairs, Commercial Development and Communications, Activities and Development. These positions are full time and receive a salary. You will need to take a year out of study.
6x non-sabbatical (part time) Diversity Officers; LGBT, Women's, International Students, Mature Students, Students with Disabilities, Ethnic Minorities.
Union Council position available include:
Independent Chair - runs all the big important meetings of the Union such as Union Council
Environment Officer - does what it says on the tin! (the tin is recycled by the way)
Halls Rep - represents all student living in Halls
Sports Liason Officer - represnets all students involved in sports at Brookes
PostGrad Taught Rep - represents students on post graduate taught courses
PostGrad Research Rep - represents students on post graduate research courses
Campus reps - five students from each of the campuses represesnting students on that campus, Wheatley, Harcourt Hill, Gipsy Lane and Headington Hill (includes Marston Road)
General Reps - 5 reps from the general student body
Placement Rep - representing students on placement

There are also positions for NUS Delegate. NUS is the national version of the Students' Union. Whereas the SU represents all students at Brookes, NUS represents all the students' unions in the country. To attend Annual Conference you must be elected to the position of NUS Delegate for your SU. The President is automatically a member, and anyone can stand for these positions. There are 9 available.

This is only a really basic over view and i would encourage anybody who is interested to check out the website www.thesu.com. Click on the Representation tab and then Elections. More info as well as nominations forms will be available from the Students' Union reception in Week3. Alternatively you can email me - obsu.cdc@brookes.ac.uk for more info.