2014 UCLU Spring Elections for Dummies

At 10.00 am on 28th February, voting opens for UCLU Spring Elections online, here.

UCL students have the chance to elect fellow students standing for a whole host of nebulous positions like ‘Activities and Events Officer’. Suspend any cynicism, however. This is your chance to make a difference.  Student representatives can do lots of things, like make amateurish posters, amusingly unrealistic promises and tweets with a false veil of authority.  

Successful candidates will be announced on Friday 7th March.

The Tab has a round up of some positions up for grabs this year, the candidates standing and who’s backing them.

Democracy and Communications Officer

What? This full-time role involves promoting an understanding of the Union’s ”activities, developments and achievements” or  lack thereof with students, stakeholders and the public. The successful candidate receives an annual salary of £25,000, gulp.

Who? 

Hannah Sketchley (unopposed)…endorsement from President of Pi Media, President of Labour Society, President of Islamic Society, LGBT+ Officer and others.

Education and Campaigns Officer 

What? This vanilla-sounding role involves representing the academic needs of students to UCL.  The successful candidate receives an annual salary of £25,000.

Who? Timur Dautov…endorsement from ‘get on board the train of historical necessity’*. Pekka ‘Pick Pekka’ Piirainen…endorsement from President of Labour Society, President of Debating Society, President of European Society and others. Lukmaan Kolia…endorsement from President of Islamic Society, President of Hindu Society, President of Friends of Palestine and others.

£25,000, please.

Ethics, Environment and Operations Officer 

What? This strangely titled full-time role involves overseeing UCLU finances and ensuring commercial and membership services adequately meet the needs of students. The successful candidate receives a salary of £25,000 (or 25,000 medium McFries and £250 cash in hand)

Who? Julian Bassey…endorsement from President of UCLU UNICEF , President of African and Caribbean Society, President of Music Society and others. Samuel Bayliss…endorsement from ‘get on board the train of historical necessity’* (Marxist Society). Omar Khan…endorsement from UCLU Community Officer, President of India Society, President of Pakistan Society, President of Islamic Society.

Looking for a hard-nosed finance type…

Ethics and Environment Officer 

What? This part-time role involves ensuring  that UCL operates in an ethically and environmentally sound manner as possible (not including UCL Qatar).

Who? Zakariya Mohran…endorsement from President of Islamic Society, President of Buddhist Society, President of UCLU People and Planet, UCLU Community Relations Officer and others.

LGBT+ Officer

What? This part-time role involves representing the interests of self-defining lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students. The successful candidate will not receive a penny for his, her or their efforts.

Who? Tom Robinson…UCLU Disabled Students Officer, UCLU International Students Officer, UCLU Community Relations Officer and others.

Union Chair

What? This part rime role involves chairing 5 Council meetings and 6 General Assembly meetings per year, and ensuring they run in ‘a fair and democratic manner’.

Who? Vlad Kardapoltsev…endorsement from Polish Society, Russian Society and several sport societies.  Mohamad Fahed…endorsment from Islamic Society, Arab Society, Friends of Palestine, Anti-War Society and others.

One of him, minus the personality…

Welfare and International Officer

What? This full time role involves helping create a safe and welcoming environment for students at UCL – and representing the needs of international students. The successful candidate receives a salary of, ahem, £25,000.

Who? Matt ‘Believe in Deaves’ Deaves…endorsement from LGBT+ Officer, International Officer, Ethics and Environment Officer and others. Leah Francis…endorsement from President of Rare FM, President of RUMS Football, President of Makeup Society and others. Shafeeq Shahajan…endorsement from President of Pi Media, President of Debating Society, UCL African and Caribbean Society and others.

Women’s Officer

What? This full time role involves representing the interests of UCL’s 8134 women students and representing them externally to organisations such as NUS. The successful candidate receives a salary of £25,000.

Who? Annie Tibury (unopposed)…endorsement from representatives in Labour Society, Women’s Network, Gender and Feminism Society and others.

* = reading between the picket lines: Marxist Society.