By Beds SU
Monday, 27 February 2023
The Beds SU Student Elections are one of the most important events in our calendar because they offer students here at the University two key opportunities:
- To apply for one of four, full-time, paid Sabbatical Officer roles
- To vote for the students who wish to take on these positions
Sabbatical Officers – how they support students
Sabbatical Officers play a crucial role in the lives of students here at University of Bedfordshire (UoB), working on behalf of our student community to listen and gather your feedback and recommendations on the changes you believe will enhance both, your learning and social experience, whilst university. They also have a commitment to advocate on your behalf, attending regular meetings with senior members of staff, including the VC to discuss, propose and bring about positive change.
Who takes on these positions is not decided by the University or the Students’ Union, but you and all students here at (UoB).
Why vote?
Why vote you might ask, well for the reasons mentioned above but also because it’s your right. Every student here at the University is eligible to vote for your preferred students, hoping to take on one of these four roles.
Every vote is important, wherever you are based your voice will be heard and play a part in the outcome of which students make up your 2023/24 Sabbatical team.
This is because we use the Campus Points Counting System, which put simply means the students running in the elections must win on more than one campus to be elected. You can read more about this here.
We also use the Alternative Vote system which means you rank the students you are voting for in order of preference. For example, place a ‘1’ next to you first choice, ‘2’ next to your second and so on. This means that if your first choice doesn’t win, you vote gets transferred to your second, so no vote is wasted.
Who is R.O.N?
On your ballot paper and in communications during the elections you will see a reference to R.O.N (Re-open nominations), this means that if you don’t wish to vote for any of the candidates named, you can simply select R.O.N.
R.O.N is seen as a valid candidate so if R.O.N wins on one or more positions we would need to re-open to new applicants and another vote.
What if I don’t want to vote?
Voting is available to all students but it’s also your choice if you don’t wish to vote for any of the students standing. You can spoil your ballot for any or all of the positions you don’t wish to vote for.
You can find out more details on all the above including the Election rules, hear from the students campaigning for your votes and key dates in this year’s elections over on our website.
Don’t forget voting is open now until 4pm, 9 March and you can see the results live, from the Metro, Luton campus from 12.30pm Monday, 13 March. We will also be updating our socials with all the news so you can be across the event wherever you are.