What position will you run for?

Here are all the roles you can run for in the 2024 Students’ Union Elections! We currently have three sabbatical officers at the GSA and five sabbatical officers at YUSU . As we merge to become one Union, there will be seven sabbatical officers*, each representing a different area of student life. All roles are open to both UGs and PGs, so take a look to see if there is one you’d like to run for.

*The number of Sabbatical Officer roles is subject to approval at the Student Members’ Meeting on 22 February – which you’re invited to! Here, you’ll be able to approve the revised Articles of Association for the new Students’ Union. You can read more about those Articles here.

Union Affairs Officer 
Serving as the Head of the Union, you will play a crucial role in representing and advocating for the interests of the student body here at York. You will take on leadership responsibilities, like Chair of the Trustee Board; you’ll oversee Union policies; you’ll act as college liaison; you’ll participate in university council – all to ensure that the student journey is as good as it can be.

Union Development Officer
You’ll be taking on events and on-campus venues! Your primary responsibility will be to lead the development and execution of memorable, engaging and inclusive events and volunteering and fundraising activities. Alongside this, you’ll be spearheading sustainable practices and creating a socially responsible and engaged university community, connecting students with local and national community projects. In short, your creative approach and strategic vision will enhance the vibrancy of the student community and the Union’s commitment to responsible and sustainable practices.

Academic Officer
You will be the key representative for academic matters within the Students’ Union. You’ll advocate for the academic interests of all students, ensuring quality assurance, fostering student partnerships, and promoting the student voice in academic decision-making. Your work will help to create a supportive and enriching learning environment for all students.

Sports Officer
You will be at the forefront of promoting and enhancing the student sports experience at the University. You’ll be leading the Sports Committee, developing sports facilities, collaborating with college sports committees, and opening up sports to all students. Your work will help to create a vibrant sports culture within the university community.

Equality and Inclusion Officer
With a focus on community engagement within liberation groups, you will be a crucial advocate for marginalised and underrepresented communities at the University. You will be the main point of contact for liberation groups, you’ll work to integrate intersectionality into policies, and work with the University to address systemic barriers, all to foster an inclusive environment here at the University.

Wellbeing & Community Officer 
Dedicated to student wellbeing, you will be a passionate advocate and supporter of student mental health and overall wellness at the University. This role involves responsiveness to student issues, close collaboration with University support services, and supporting the College Wellbeing Representatives.  But you won’t just be working in the University context, you’ll also be looking at student wellbeing both locally and nationally too.

Activities Officer
This role exists to support, enhance, and encourage student participation in diverse extracurricular endeavours – because university doesn’t have to just be about your studies! You will work closely with societies to develop their work and increase opportunities and oversee and support student media groups to enrich the overall student experience at the University.

Eagle-eyed students will notice we’re not opening nominations for part-time officers just yet, and there’s a very good reason for this. Work is still underway behind the scenes to ensure that our part-time officer structure is inclusive and truly representative of York’s student population so this academic year we’ll only be holding elections for the full-time Sabbatical Officers roles. Keep an eye out for more news on this in the new academic year!