Nominations are now open for Leeds Beckett Students’ Union’s Leadership Elections! Your SU is run by and for students and the Elections are a really important step in that process. Candidates will campaign all across campus, putting up posters and speaking to students, and students get to vote on who they want to represent them next year.

While the Elections don’t fully kick off until Term 2, it’s never too early to think about running for an Officer role or to have a think about what change you’d like to see on campus.

What are the Leadership Elections?

The Leadership Elections are how the student body democratically elect their student leaders, this includes both the Student Officer Team and the representatives that will attend the National Union of Students (NUS) Conference later in the year.

Any Leeds Beckett student is eligible to run either as a Student Officer or as an NUS Representative. The elected Student Officer Team will either take a year out of their studies (a sabbatical) to work full-time or they’ll take up the role as a graduate position if they’re elected in their final year of studies.

Why it’s important

LBSU represents the entire student body here at Leeds Beckett University, and we need you to choose the students that you want to represent you!

The Student Officers lead campaigns, work for positive change on campus, input into important senior meetings at the University and even organise great activities and events to make your time at uni the very best it can be.

Past Officer achievements

In the past, our Student Officers have worked to support students during the Covid pandemic, secured free sexual health and period products for students from the Students’ Union, campaigned for gender-neutral toilets on campus, influenced the menu in The Hive to ensure it’s inclusive, and even worked with the University to secure a vital cost-of-living package to support students who were struggling financially.

You can read more about some of our Officers’ achievements here.

What you need to do to become an Officer

To stand in the Leadership Elections, you’ll need to nominate yourself here.

Nominations are open until 23:59 on Friday 9 February.

After nominations close, candidates will receive more information and support on campaigning and the elections process.

Once official campaigning begins, candidates will campaign to win students’ votes and let them know why they’re the best person for the role. From social media messages and videos to posters and banners around campus, there are lots of different ways to campaign.

Candidates will also outline their policies and positions in a manifesto that students can read so they’ll know what platforms candidates are campaigning on.

What the role will be like

The Student Officers represent Leeds Beckett students both on a national and local level. They lobby for students’ interest in University spaces and also work on local and national campaigns on student issues, including everything from welfare, education, sustainability and beyond!

Each of the four Student Officer roles has different remits and responsibilities, but they all work together to make positive change and improve students’ lives here at Beckett.

You can learn more about what it’s like to be an Officer at LBSU here!

Perks of being an Officer

One of the greatest perks of being an Officer is getting to take your ideas and make a real difference right here on campus! If there are things you want to change or opinions you want heard, being an Officer gives you an incredibly important platform to make positive change.

Being a Student Officer is also an amazing development opportunity! Not only is it a year’s work experience, but you’ll be able to chair meetings, lead projects and work with other influential senior staff across a major university. You’ll also be able to get involved in local and national campaigns and develop your skills. Talk about making your CV stand out!

The Student Officer roles are full-time positions, and the successful candidates will take up their posts in July 2024 and represent the student body until June 2025. These roles are paid £23,667 per year and the contracts are for 12 months.