Part-Time Officers (PTO) are voluntary roles, which include Liberation Officers and Faculty Officers. Each PTO represents a specific group of students, and it is their responsibility to promote the interests of that group. They are key student decision makers within the Union and ensure that as a Union we are student led.

The Liberation Officers represent and campaign on the behalf of the students they represent by leading their Liberation Network. They do this in a number of ways including organising events, running campaigns, attending SUBU’s Executive Committee and participating in the SUBU Summit, all on behalf of their members. These roles are important for making sure that marginalised students are heard at SUBU and BU and have a community that share similar lived experiences.

You can find out more about the Liberation Officers and Networks here.

Faculty Officers and Reps represent their Faculty at senior levels within the Union and University. Each Faculty can elect up to 2 Faculty Reps and 1 Officer

In order to be eligible to contest one of the roles you must be eligible at the point of election and for the remainder of the 2024/25 academic year.

In order to be eligible to vote or stand for a Liberation Officer you must be a Student Member of the Union and self-define as a part of the Liberation Group that the position represents.

In order to be eligible to vote or stand for a Rep role you must belong to the relevant Faculty. Further information can be found in SUBU’s Bye-Laws.

Candidates can only contest one Part-Time Officer position. They may also contest a Faculty Rep position.

Part-Time Officer roles are all voluntary so the there is no formal time commitment, but expect to spend between 1-5 hours per week on the role. Depending on the role you apply for there will be different meeting commitments that you’ll be expected to attend, such as the Executive Committee, Student Summit and other university meetings.

Faculty rep roles are also voluntary so there is no formal time commitment, but expect to spend between 1-2 hours per week on the role. This work will focus on liaising with other student reps to collect feedback and support the Faculty Officer in working on this feedback. There is also an expectation to attend the 5 BU meetings throughout the year, each one lasting between 2-3 hours.

Being a Student Leader is an incredible opportunity for you to shape SUBU and BU by having a direct say in how SUBU is run. It’s also a great developmental opportunity for you where you’ll learn transferable skills that’ll look great on your CV, as well as being fantastic for developing networks and improving your confidence!

As well as adding skills and experience to your CV, being a Part-Time Officer comes with the following benefits:

• A monetary honorarium award*

• Training • Professional headshots

• Branded hoodie, lanyard and business cards

• Social opportunities with your fellow Executive Committee members

• Ability to use your working hours towards a SUBU Volunteering Award and Graduate Skills Programme

• Guestlist entry to the Old Fire Station

• A Summer Ball ticket*

*Some benefits are conditional

Student Leaders have a full induction programme to help them learn about the Union and their role, this includes ongoing training throughout the year. Student Leaders will also work very closely with other SUBU Officers and Staff who will help them achieve their goals.

A manifesto is how candidates sell themselves to voters; it sets out their aims and priorities and may also include a little bit about themselves and why they are the best person for the job. Manifesto’s become candidates promises to students about what they want to achieve if they are elected so it is important that they are realistic and achievable.

The key to writing an amazing manifesto is being in touch with the students who will be voting for you. Think about why you want to run and share it with BU Students have different experiences during their time at university, so think about what issues are currently important to students and to you. It is also worth remembering that there are many different types of students at BU and the manifestos promises that are the best are the ones that speak to ALL students. The best way to find out what students want is to speak to them.

You'll want to include:

• Who you are
• What role you are running for
• Any relevant experience you have

Aim for around four of five policies that are the most important to you and the most appealing to students.

Be original and creative, but also practical. Students will expect you to achieve whatever you lay out in your manifesto so it is important that you keep this in mind. They’ll also know if something is unrealistic. The best policies strike the balance between what students want and what is achievable in a year.

Candidates are asked to submit a 100-word manifesto during their nomination.

If you have any questions or difficulties with writing a manifesto, please get in touch with a member of the team via subudemocracy@bournemouth.ac.uk.

In the context of elections, campaigning is what candidates do to get votes - it's not just handing out leaflets though! Successful candidates take time to listen and speak to students, find out about the current issues relevant to the role they're standing for and persuade voters with ideas and enthusiasm. Campaigning is nothing to be afraid off, though we understand that for some the task may seem rather daunting. More information on Campaigning will be covered at the mandatory candidate briefing for all candidates.

There are regulations surrounding campaigning behaviour. Candidates must not supply or handle voters devices. To find out more information please read the election regulations

Once applications open, simply fill out the online form at the top of this page.

Voting will take place online via the SUBU website. SUBU uses the Single Transferable Vote (STV) and Alternative Vote (AV) system which provides voters with much more choice and influence. STV/AV means that candidates do not need to win a majority, but instead must reach a quota/proportion of the vote. The quota is determined by the number of votes cast and the number of positions to be filled. For roles where there is only one position available the quota is half the total number of votes cast + 1. When voting students select their candidates in order of preference and are able to vote for as many or as few as they like. When the voting has closed, Candidates are excluded if it is impossible for them to reach the quota, their votes are then transferred in order of preference, this ensures that fewer votes are wasted.