This page contains information on how the Students' Union functions, such as:
- Student Leadership inlcuding how we are funded!
- Trustee Board
- Student Council
- Complaints process
Student Leadership
Executive Officers
Each year, a set of full-time Executive Officers are elected by the whole student population to work full time in the SU for the year. They keep in touch with your views and tackle all issues to do with student life and making sure the Union offers what you want. All of the Executive Officers sit on the Union’s Trustee Board.
Part-Time Officers
Part-Time Officers are crucial to the future development of the Union. Their key responsibility is to make sure that the group they represent receives the support and services they require. They seek to improve the overall experience students have during their time at the University of Leicester. Also elected by students, they work alongside our Full-time Executive Officers.
Our LGBT+ Officer, Trans and Non-Binary Officer, Accessibility Officer, and Postgraduate Officer are currently vacant with by-elections occurring in Autumn. For more information about elections, you visit our page here.
How Are We Funded? How Do We Spend Our Money?
Trustee Board
Why do we have a Trustee board?
In 2010, the Students’ Union became a charity registered to the Charity Commission; following the 2006 Charities Act and requirements for all Students’ Unions to become full charities. As a result a Trustee Board was established to provide guidance, expertise and strategic oversight of the Students’ Union.
The Trustee Board has ultimate responsibility for the overall management of the Union. This responsibility is delegated on a day to day basis to the Chief Executive and staff team. The Trustees must ensure that the Union remains legally compliant and solvent, and in ‘safe hands’ in accordance with our Articles of Association and the Bye-laws.
The Trustees meet at least four times per year and are the key decision-making body at the Guild. Generally, the Board does not get involved in the political issues or policy setting, which is led by the full-time Executive Officers and students through Union Council and Student Ideas.
The Trustees ensure that the Guild has a clear vision and strategic direction; they ensure that there are enough funds to do the things that students expect us to offer and that we comply with all regulatory requirements. This also involves the Trustees regularly discussing the Union’s performance and its Strategic plan; the annual budget and any major expenditure and ensuring that our work is rooted in our core charitable purpose.
What is a Trustee?
For information regarding the role of a Trustee in a Charity, please see:
Charity Commission or Goverment Guidance on Trustees
Who are the members of the Trustee board?
The Trustee Board is comprised of 12 Trustees:
Six of the Trustees are elected full-time Executive Officers, who are also responsible for representing the student body and elected in the annual election process. For 2022/23, they are Rhiannon Jenkins, Nic Farmer, AnneMarie Deeb, Hoor Pathan, Archie Robinson and Jack McDonald.
One Trustee is a current student at the University. This student is appointed on the basis of the skills they can bring to Trustee Board, their name is Lewis Ruddock.
Five of the Trustees are External Trustees who are appointed because of their skills, experience, interest and commitment to the Union. They serve for up to two terms of four years. They are Stuart Knowles, David Moore, Andrew Bacon and Julia Bates.
You can find more information on trustee's, their roles and responsibilities here
What are the Trustees’ role descriptions?
To act as Trustees of the Union, ensuring that all of its services are relevant with positive effects on students.
To abide by the Trustees’ Code of Conduct.
To abide by the laws of the United Kingdom and by the Union’s Constitution.
To promote the purpose, vision, aims and objectives of the Union.
To actively commit to reducing the environmental impact of the Union, whilst highlighting the best ethical practice.
To carry out all duties with due regard to Health and Safety, Customer Care and Equal Opportunities Policies
To be Directors of the Union and other appropriate subsidiary companies (where eligible in company law), having legal responsibility for its services.
Meet the Trustees
When are the Trustee Board Meetings?
Sub Commitees
Finance & Audit Committee
The purpose of the Finance Committee is to ensure that the Union meets approved income and expenditure targets, via the annual budget process and the monthly management accounts. The committee will also approve additional one off and capital expenditure. The members of the Committee are required to review and consider appropriate methods of overseeing the Guild’s financial activities. The Committee meets three times per year and the composition is as follows;
- 2 x Lay Trustees (1 Chair)
- 2 x Executive Officers
- 1 x Student Trustee
- Chief Executive and Finance Manager or nominees in an advisory capacity.
HR & Remuneration Committee
The purpose of the HR & Remuneration Committee is to ensure that the human resources of the Union are working effectively to deliver the organisation’s strategy and policy. The group also review pay and reward policies of Union staff. The Committee meets two times per year and the composition is as follows;
- 2 x Executive Officers (1 Chair)
- 2 x Lay Trustees
- Chief Executive and HR Manager or nominees in an advisory capacity.
Risk Management Committee
The purpose of the Risk Management Committee is to ensure that the Union complies with all relevant laws and regulations and that an internal system of accountability is formally set up. The members of the Committee are required to monitor and scrutinise the Union’s risk register in depth. The Committee meets 2 times per year and the composition is as follows;
- 2 x Lay Trustees (1 Chair)
- 2 x Executive Officers
- Chief Executive and Director of Membership Services or nominees in an advisory capacity.
How Can Students Influence The Trustees?
Whilst the Trustees have to take a number of decisions that may not seem directly relevant to your student experience, it is vital that they are accountable to the members of the Students' Union.
As members of the Students' Union, you can influence the Trustees in a number of ways:
By contacting the Executive Officers
Archie – su-president@le.ac.uk
Jack – su-activities@le.ac.uk
Prachi – su-education@le.ac.uk
Jade – su-equality@le.ac.uk
Joe – su-sports@le.ac.uk
By initiating the removal of a Trustee (Student, External or Officer Trustee)
Should you have reason to call for an External or Student Trustee to be removed from office, there is a set procedure that you must follow as the Students’ Council need to support the removal.
There are two ways in which a Trustee can be removed from their position:-
- If a motion of no confidence in the Trustee is passed by a two-thirds majority in a secret ballot of Student Council. When a motion of no confidence is submitted the Trustee in question has the right to submit a written defence to the meeting in question. If the motion is passed then the Trustee would be immediately be removed from their position.
- A Trustee may be suspended if a majority resolution of no confidence is passed by the Trustees, the Trustee in question the resolution of no confidence is then presented to the Student Council to consider a motion of no confidence, which if passed by a two-thirds majority would cause the Trustee to be removed from Office.
Should you want advice on this, you can speak to the President who is Chair of Trustee Board or our Student Voice Manager
Archie – su-president@le.ac.uk
Ian (Student Voice Manager) – irb2@le.ac.uk
What Are The Union Memorandum & Articles?
The key governing document of a charitable company is its Memorandum and Articles of Association. A charitable company is registered and regulated both by Companies House and by the Charity Commission. This means that if a charitable company wishes to make any changes to its governing document, it will need to register the changes with Companies House and with the Charity Commission. If the changes are regulated changes, the charity will require the prior written consent of the Charity Commission before making such changes.
Our Memorandum & Articles can be found here
What Is The Union Constitution & Bye Laws?
The Students' Union's constitution and bye-laws is a list of rules and regulations which the Students' Union works to. It covers areas such as Students' Union Officers’ powers, Union Council, our democratic structures, sports club and society regulations, the Union complaints procedure and our democratically passed policies.
Our Constitution & Bye-Laws can be found here
Student Council
Student Council
The Union is run by students, for students. Student Council is a group of students from across different groups and departments who oversee what the SU does.
In October of each year the Union runs elections in order to recruit the Students’ Union Representatives who sit on Student Council. To become a member of Council you nominate yourself for your chosen network, prepare a manifesto and then then take part in a cross campus election.
Decisions Made By Council
Council meets monthly during term time and debates motions/proposals that students have submitted via the Ideas system which have received a majority of 20 or more likes from students. Council discussed the proposal by hearing speeches for and against and then a general discussion when any student present can take a full part in the discussion. At the end of this a vote is held and if there is a simple majority of Council members in favour of the motion it passes and it becomes Union Policy for 3 years.
Once a motion has passed at Council an Action group is set up to implement the outcomes, any students are welcome to get involved, recent Action groups have included:
- Declaring a Climate Emergency
- Child Friendly Room on Campus
- International Volunteering Opportunities
- Tabloid Newspapers on Campus
- Union stance on strikes
Student Ideas
One of our key goals as a Union is to always be listening and acting on your ideas to improve your University experience. Any student can submit your ideas via our simple Ideas System, as well as rate and comment on existing ideas from other students.
How Do I Submit An Idea?
You can submit your idea on how the Union or the University can improve its work here
What Happens To My Idea After Submission?
If the idea is something simple and straight-forward, we will implement the change as soon as possible. For anything more complex, it will be opened to students for comment and approval; ahead of implementation if passed by students.
Your Voice Is Vital
We are YOUR Students’ Union, led by YOU. If you have an idea on anything we can do better, please let us know!
Complaints Process
SU Service Complaints
Please email su-complaints@le.ac.uk with any concerns regarding the services the SU provides, the Activiites Officer will alongside the relevant Staff member ensure that complaints are resolved as outline under Ordiance XXII
SU Staff Complaints
Complaints about members of SU staff are to be made to the Chief Executive Officer, who will allocate an appropropriate investigating officer within the Union staff team, as per the Union's staff handbook
SU Elected Officer Complaints
The Complaints Committee shall deal with complaints against Part Time and Executive Officers, complaints submitted against other volunteer elected positions shall be invesitgated in-line with the Union Complaint Matrix, to Please email su-complaints@le.ac.uk with any concerns.
And Finally
Complainants not satisfied, having utilised in full the procedures internal to the Union, have a right to refer the matter to the Registrar and Chief Operating Officer of the University for consideration under the University’s Complaints Procedure