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Your Presidents

What is an SMSU President?

In the spring each year the student body elects two fellow students to work full-time for SMSU and to lead it on behalf of every student.

Education President Student Life President

Who are the Presidents?

The ‘Presidents’, ‘Sabbs’ or ‘Officers’ have either taken a year out of their studies to take up the role or are undertaking it in the year after they’ve graduated University.

We have two Presidents here at SMSU, the Education President and the Student Life President (often called ‘SLP’). Whilst each President has a portfolio, they jointly take on the responsibility of leading SMSU and ensuring that it meets the needs of the student body.

  • ElectedThe student body elects two fellow students, in the spring each year
  • Full-timeSabbatical Officers who work full-time for SMSU
  • Year out, or just afterTaken a year out of their studies, or in the year after graduating

You may hear them called Presidents Sabbs Officers Sabbatical Officers

Two Presidents, two portfolios

Together

Whilst each President has a portfolio, they jointly take on the responsibility of leading SMSU and ensuring that it meets the needs of the student body. Both Presidents sit on SMSU’s Board of Trustees, which also includes two lay (external) trustees, one university nominated trustee and two student trustees. How SMSU is run

What a President does

The portfolios are different, but the job is the same at heart: speak up for students and make things happen.

  1. Lead the charity

    SMSU is a charity, and its Trustee Board is there to make key decisions and to guide its direction, in line with its strategy, vision, mission and values. The Student Life President chairs the board, which meets five times a year.

    See how we work

  2. Represent students where decisions are made

    The Education President is the Student Governor and sits on senior academic committees. Feedback gathered by course reps flows through the Subject Chairs to the Education President.

    How course reps work

  3. Deliver a manifesto

    Every President sets out their aims in a manifesto, grouped into themes. Each President’s page lists their manifesto aims and shows where each one is up to, so anyone can hold them to it.

  4. Listen, research and lobby

    Throughout the year SMSU runs surveys and campaigns to hear the voice of students, then uses the findings to lobby for change. Presidents have run surveys as part of their manifestos, such as the Online Lecture Capture survey.

    Read our research

  5. Back student campaigns

    When a student wants to make change happen, Sabbatical Officer connections and lobbying power are part of what SMSU offers, along with a national network of Students’ Unions and sabbatical officers.

    Start a campaign

The kinds of things Presidents take on

These are the themes in the current Presidents’ manifestos.

Education

  • More educational opportunities
  • Improving education facilities for all
  • More help whilst studying
  • Improving student communications
  • Bringing back study abroad

Read the full manifesto aims

Student life

  • Improving food options and affordability on campus
  • Improving nightlife in The 1850
  • Increasing support for societies and inclusive activities
  • Improving communication and accountability

Read the full manifesto aims

Thinking about becoming a President?

Every spring the student body elects the Presidents, so every spring is a chance to put yourself forward. Here is the route in a nutshell:

  1. Step 1: Put yourself forward

    Choose the portfolio that excites you most: Education or Student Life.

  2. Step 2: Students vote

    The student body elects two fellow students in the spring.

  3. Step 3: Lead SMSU

    Work full-time for SMSU and deliver the aims in your manifesto.

Questions to ask yourself

  • Which portfolio would you love to lead: Education or Student Life?
  • Could you take a year out of your studies, or are you about to graduate?
  • What would you change for students at St Mary’s? That is where a manifesto starts.

To see the role up close, read what the Education President and the Student Life President say about it on their own pages.

Ask us about running

Want to know what the year involves, or when and how to put yourself forward? Email smsu@stmarys.ac.uk and we will help.