shape your union
The Students’ Union (SU) is your voice at Cardiff Met. We exist for you.
We are democratically run, with students elected to leadership positions within the SU. Being student-led is crucial to our DNA and we’re looking for ways to improve what we do and how we operate.
As part of this we’re conducting a democracy and governance review of the SU with support from the Good Governance Institute (GGI).
The review was commissioned by the SU’s Board of Trustees and started in December. Throughout February and into March there will be lots of opportunities to get involved.
We want you, our members, to be part of this process. This is your chance to shape your SU.
Click here to have your say!
Purpose of the SU
The purpose of the Students’ Union, in the simplest terms, is to represent the interests and rights of and, issues impacting, its members. You, the students.
All students are members of the Students’ Union.
What is governance?
In simplest terms, governance is about how the organisation operates, makes decisions, and how it is held to the account.
How is the SU governed?
The Students’ Union is an organisation fully separate from and independent of the university. It is set up legally as a charity.
It is led by a Board of Trustees. The Trustees are made up, currently, of the chief executive of the Students’ Union, the sabbatical officers, school reps and an independent trustee external to the SU.
The Board of Trustees is responsible for how the SU is run and have overall authority and responsibility for decision-making about SU matters.
The Board of Trustees has a finance sub-committee which specifically looks after the financial matters of the SU and its work is informed by the Annual General Meeting.
The AGM is an annual meeting, open to all students, to come together, review the performance of the SU and debate and help shape the future direction of the SU. Students can put forward motions, regarding issues they care about, to the AGM and give the SU direction.
How am I represented?
The SU functions democratically using a representative model.
(Representative) Democracy is a form of governance, in which you elect representatives who get the delegated authority to take decisions on issues you care about on your behalf, and this review explores that system, as well as your role within it to ensure your voice is heard and impacts decisions.
In the current arrangements you are represented by the Student Sabbatical Officers – the President and Vice President – whom you elect. You are also represented by the school reps, lead reps and course reps as well as through the work of the part time officers.
The Student Sabbatical Officers represent your interests at the very top level. They represent you in the university's decision-making structures and act as the key link to the University Vice Chancellor, and Pro Vice Chancellor Student Experience as well as other key stakeholders.
The role of the President includes acting as the chair of the Board of Trustees, along with being responsible for the financial position and performance of the Students' Union. The President is the voice of the students at the highest internal level and externally.
The role of the Vice-President is to represent the students and make sure that their voice and opinions are heard.
You can find out more about representation here.
Why are we doing one?
Times are changing. Student priorities and experience are changing.
The review will take an in-depth look at the Students’ Union’s governance and democratic structures to ensure they are fit for purpose and serving you as effectively as they can.
We want to ensure that our governance and democracy is transparent and accountable and with opportunities for you, our members, to feed in and get involved at every level.
It has been a while since the SU’s governance and democracy was reviewed and it’s a really good opportunity for you to shape the future of the SU.
What will it focus on?
The review will focus on student voice, participation and representation and the SU’s policy making processes. Things like our elections processes, SABs and reps structure, and decision making.
The review will also take an in-depth look at the Students’ Union’s structure and its governance. This will include reviewing the SU’s principle governing documents that set out our role and purpose, and how we function.
What do we want to achieve?
Some of the key things we want the review to help us achieve are:
- Governance and democracy structures which are more transparent, have clearer accountabilities and provide the best possible platform for the SU to successfully deliver on its purpose
- A more representative system that better reflects the student body and provides more opportunity for member involvement
- Improved policymaking processes, opening up more opportunities for member involvement and input and to ensure policies
What has happened so far?
Since December GGI have been conducting a thorough document review and a number of selective interviews. They are now looking for broader input, with a specific focus on our democratic structures and student voice and participation in how the SU is run.
Over the next month they are going to running a number of focus groups with the SU’s Student leadership Team, SU reps and a number of workshops with students across both campuses with the wider student body at the end of February into early March
How can I get involved?
Together with GGI, we will be running workshops with students across both campuses in early March.
Workshops will be open to all students. We’ll release information soon, including how to book onto the sessions. Keep an eye out for how to get involved.
If you have any ideas, opinions or just want to get involved but can’t make it to these sessions, you can share them with us.
You can share them with us by emailing CMSUreview@good-governance.org.uk.
What happens next?
The review will conclude with the development of a report with an assessment of our current arrangements, a series of recommendations for areas we could develop and improve and an implementation plan.
The report will be considered by the Board of Trustees and go in front of an AGM meeting in April for consideration.
Elections
The democracy and governance review comes at an exciting time and those elected in March will play a key role in driving forward the recommendations from the review and improving how the union works and the say you have in this.
The university is going through changes and there is an opportunity for the Students’ Union, through your representatives, to have a greater say on the delivery of the university’s new strategy, on the plans to develop the campuses and influence the appointment of the new Vice Chancellor.
Student Workshops
Sign up to the student workshops and have your say!
Shape Your SU - Student Workshop Cyncoed (Earlier Session) Tuesday 14th March 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Shape Your SU - Student Workshop Cyncoed (Later Session) Tuesday 14th March 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Shape Your SU - Student Workshop Llandaff (Earlier Session) Thursday 16th March 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Shape Your SU - Student Workshop Llandaff (Later Session) Thursday 16th March 4:00pm - 5:00pm