Staffordshire University has never been a big player in the National Student Movement.
However, the benefits of being an active Students' Union is unbelievable - from opportunities to communities of best practice - and this will help us develop as a Union.
With the ability to see how other Unions operate, facing similar problems to the ones we face, and having a collective of student representatives to get advice from, Staffordshire University will be able to flourish.
In Darren's manifesto for the next academic year, he promised to develop our engagement within the National Union of Students (NUS), to enhance the Student Experience both here at Staffs and Nationally.
The national election season for 2017/18 has now ended, and we are thrilled as a Union to announce that we have representation in seven different areas of the NUS.
Below is a description of who these students are, and what they're doing to represent students locally and nationally.
1. Darren Clarke
Your President Elect has been elected to three positions within the NUS.
These include a seat on the National Executive Council, which is the main body that scrutinizes the National Officers and decides important policy, this means Darren will be advising and making decisions for approx. 10 Million Students.
He will also be the Chair Person for the Trading Support Direction & Oversight Board, this is the body that negotiates with suppliers for nearly all Students’ Unions that have a Shop, bar or Café on what products are available and the prices. It also helps SUs maximise their commercial operations.
Finally Darren will sit on the Services Board for NUS, which is the governing body of NUS’s Services sector, this covers all trading, suppliers and digital areas and ultimately gives NUS services their strategic direction, effecting millions of Students.
2. Sam Pillow
Your Vice President Elect has always shown a shine to advancing sustainability on campus, and through his own excitement to represent Team Staffs as your VP, he jumped straight into the National Union of Students and ran for election before he’d even been to an NUS event and won!!!
Sam will now sit on the Environmental Sustainability Advisory Group, this group acts as a high-level think-tank on sustainability and social responsibility for NUS. It reports to the NUS Charitable Services Board.
This committee will advise the NUS Charitable Services Board on new thinking on environmental sustainability work in the student movement. It will also oversee strategic relationships with partner organisations such as HEFCE, HEFCW, HEA.
Sustainability - Helping ensure impact, sustainability and supporting students in taking action on sustainability across campuses, curriculums and communities. Tackling today’s environmental, economic and social problems nationally.
3. Fiona Wood
Fiona Wood is an Ex-president of Staffs and has never stopped delivering for Students. She has been elected to the NEC as the National Part Time Student Representative. This is the second time Fiona has been elected to this position and was the first ever Transgender Student to sit on the NEC.
This is a remarkable achievement and will be influencing decisions nationally for students, focusing on Part Time Students and ensuring they are represented equally in the National Movement.
4. Tobias Wolf
Tobias has been elected as the NUS LGBT+ Committee Transgender Representative.
This role is a mix of supporting Trans & Non-binary students across the UK in FE, HE & Apprenticeships. This will involve helping set up events, going to campuses up and down the country to visit and aid in campaigns. As well as running his own campaigns and trying to make education as accessible as possible for Trans students.
5. Taylor Eagles
Taylor has been elected as the NUS LGBT+ Committee BI+ Representative.
This role is a mix of supporting BI+ students across the UK in FE, HE & Apprenticeships. This will involve helping set up events, going to campuses up and down the country to visit and aid in campaigns. As well as running his own campaigns and trying to make education as accessible as possible for BI+ students.
Tobias and Taylor hold similar roles, they will be working closely together to advance equality and accessibility for the LGBT+ Student Community.
We at the Students’ Union wish Darren, Sam, Fiona, Tobias and Taylor the best of luck in their roles. If you have any questions feel free to contact them and they will be more than happy to help, and you may help influence decisions that affect almost 10 millions students!