INTRODUCTION This handbook is designed to give you, a newly elected part-time officer, all the information you need about the Students Union, the University, your role as a part-time officer and what it involves. Below is a contents list for this handbook.

CONTENTS CONGRATULATIONS .........................................................................................2

STAFF AND SABBATICAL PICTURES 2008/9..........................................................3

ORGANISATIONAL CHART..................................................................................4

SABBATICAL OFFICER JOB DESCRIPTIONS...........................................................5

PART-TIME OFFICER JOB DESCRIPTIONS.............................................................8

HOW TO SUBMIT A MOTION.............................................................................13

EXAMPLE MOTION ..........................................................................................14

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE UNION..................................................15

OFFICE ETTIQUETTE .......................................................................................16

STUDENTS UNION MEETINGS..........................................................................17

SITE COMMITTEES .........................................................................................20

AGENDAS AND PAPERWORK ............................................................................22

MEETING ETIQUETTE ......................................................................................23

CHAIRING MEETINGS......................................................................................23

MEETING DATES: Semester 2 08-09 .................................................................24

THE STUDENTS UNION AND SUEI ....................................................................25

STUDENT STAFF PROTOCOL AGREEMENT...........................................................28

NUS: National Union of Students ......................................................................31

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY ..........................................32

DECLARATION OF INTERESTS ..........................................................................35

CONTACT DETAILS .........................................................................................37

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CONGRATULATIONS To become an officer within the Students Union is one of the most rewarding and satisfying things you can do during your time at University. As an officer, your contribution over the coming months will help shape the Students Union, develop students understanding of the Union and influence University decisions on all kinds of issues, from environmental impact to the quality of feedback from lecturers. The Students Union has developed a long term strategic plan and later in this handbook I have included the current Vision and Values; part of your job is to help the Union achieve these. It is also your responsibility to ensure that we are effectively representing all students at Anglia Ruskin University at all times. As a part-time officer you gain a great deal of insight into the day to day workings of the Union and you will work closely with sabbatical officers and staff to maintain our standards and achieve our goals. As a part-time officer it is also very important that you take a keen interest in what the sabbatical officers are doing; it will be your responsibility to hold them to account. This means that if you do not think sabbatical officers are fulfilling their job descriptions and effectively representing students, then you need to speak out. You can do this at either of the two meetings you will be required to attend; Union Council and Student Assembly. More details of both can be found later in this handbook. Again, congratulations on being elected; I wish you all the best for the coming year. You are joining a fantastic Students Union, which is really going places and is highly effective in the decisions it effects and the campaigns it runs. Throughout this year we have made connections with more students than ever before and now that responsibility passes to you and the newly elected sabbatical team. I trust that the work you do in the coming year will have an incredibly positive impact on students at Anglia Ruskin; and that you will grow as a person because of it.

Nick Evangelista President 08/09

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STAFF AND SABBATICAL PICTURES 2008/9

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ORGANISATIONAL CHART

SABBATICAL OFFICER JOB DESCRIPTIONS We have included the sabbatical officer job descriptions to give you a clear understanding of what each person is responsible for. It is important for you to understand what the role of each sabbatical officer is in order for you to be able to hold full-time officers to account. What Are Sabbatical Officers? Sabbatical Officers work for the Union full time; they are paid a salary and they are taking a year out whilst studying or have just finished their degree. They are responsible for the long-term strategic direction of the Union. There are 5 posts in all and they are:

President (Cross campus) Academic Affairs Officer (Cross campus) Communications Officer (Cross campus) Student Experience Officer (Cambridge) Student Experience Officer (Chelmsford)

The Sabbaticals Responsibilities are: All Sabbatical officers shall:

i) Work to further the Unions objects and purposes as defined in the Union Constitution ii) Act as a trustee and major Union office holder of the Students Union iii) Carry out all duties and responsibilities as outlined in the Sabbatical Officers' Terms and

Conditions of Service iv) Carry out all duties and responsibilities in accordance with the Union's Health and Safety

Policy v) Carry out all duties and responsibilities in accordance with the Union's Equal Opportunities

Policy vi) Carry out all duties and responsibilities in accordance with the Union's Staff/Student

Protocol vii) Attend the University meetings as outlined in Standing Order 6 of the Constitution viii) Refer students to other relevant staff member or elected officer as appropriate. ix) Carry out any other duties as may be assigned to them from time to time by any relevant

Union committee if reasonably consistent with that Officer's position x) Consider the development of the Union's facilities and services as an integral part of their

role xi Spend an appropriate amount of time on each of the Universitys core campuses suitable

to their role President (Cross Campus) Shall: a) Have overall responsibility for the day to day running of the Union. b) Oversee the Unions commercial activity, in close liaison with relevant staff. c) Act as the responsible Union officer for all contact with NUS Services Ltd. and attend such

conferences, meetings and training events as necessary

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d) Be ultimately responsible for the Unions staffing in close consultation with the General Manager. e) Be the Student Governor. f) Be the Unions named press spokesperson g) Coordinate and lead the Sabbatical team and be responsible for the proper delegation of business

to Elected Officers, committees and staff. h) Be responsible for coordinating the implementation of Students Union policy and updating the

Students Union policy documents. i) Appoint or act as the chairperson on any Union committee in the absence of the appointed Chair. j) Be responsible for coordinating the monitoring and constant review of the Constitution. k) Oversee the provision of services to the Universitys regional partners. l) Be ultimately responsible for the induction and training of incoming full and part-time Officers. m) Be responsible for ensuring that review and appraisal of the General Manager takes place at least

annually. n) Consult with the Chaplain, Secretary of the University and Officers in the event of any student

fatality and ascertain appropriate student contacts and action to be taken on behalf of the Union. o) Be responsible for the Unions finances, in line with Union financial regulations and the code of

conduct agreed with the University. p) Be responsible to the Board of Trustees for the production of the Unions annual budget and the

presentation of audited accounts. q) Present financial reports to the Board of Trustees and other committees as appropriate r) Ensure that the allocation of funds to the Unions clubs and societies is fair, set down in writing

and accessible to all students. s) Have responsibility for environmental and recycling within the Union and support the part time

Environmental Officer on each campus Communications Officer (Cross Campus) Shall: a) Coordinate relations with the press b) Be responsible for all Union publications such as, but not limited to, the annual student diary and

the Students Union handbook c) Be responsible for ensuring publicity is produced and displayed on each campus regarding all

Union activities. d) Ensure that the Students Union message is consistent across all four core campuses.

ge, Chelmsford, Peterborough and Fulbourn) and any Anglia Ruskin joint ventures. at the websi

(Cambride) Ensure th te is up to date with accurate and timely information.

ast fortnightly and

g) Oversee t per. tributors on each campus and support volunteers

close collaboration with relevant

cademic Affairs Officer (Cross Campus)

hall:

) Promote education issues throughout the University, in conjunction with the Student

b) ic related matters with support from other Elected Officers. procedures,

d) liaison with

e) rn and Peterborough Student Assembly.

f) Be responsible for the Students Union e-newsletter letter which is to be at lecampus relevant.

he student newspah) Develop a team of newspaper coni) Support the part time Publications and Communications Officers on each campus j) Develop existing and investigate new communications media. k) Develop and implement the Unions communications strategy, in

staff.

A S a

Experience Officers. Campaign on academ

c) Monitor the implementation of the Universitys rules and regulations, policies and making recommendations and representing students interests as appropriate. Support the development of course representation across the University, in closerelevant staff. Chair the Fulbou

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Student Experience Officer (Cambridge) Shall: a) Be based in Cambridge for the majority of their working hours. b) Represent the Union on all local external bodies relevant to student needs and issues. c) Monitor the expenditure of the Unions clubs and societies. d) Be responsible for welfare, equal opportunities and student activities matters on the campus. e) Be responsible for campaigning on any welfare, equal opportunity or student experience related

issues relevant to the campus, as deemed necessary by Union Council, and to work alongside other Officers on campaign issues.

f) Liaise and support Student Assembly officers on any campus specific matters, campaigns matters and other Union business as appropriate.

g) Be responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Unions Equal Opportunities policy. h) Be responsible for the student induction activities and University open days on the Cambridge

Campus. i) Support the training and development of Part-time Officers and other volunteers on the

Cambridge campus. j) Be responsible for the co-ordination of Union Sports Clubs and Societies on the Cambridge

campus. k) In conjunction with the President and the Part-time Sports, Clubs and Societies Officer, ensure

the allocation of funds to the Cambridge-based clubs and societies is fair, set down in writing and accessible to all students.

l) Be responsible for monitoring the expenditure of the Cambridge-based clubs and societies. m) Be the University representative for external sports bodies such as BUSA and SESSA. n) Attend and support student forums, in conjunction with relevant Part time Officers on the

Cambridge campus. Student Experience Officer (Chelmsford) Shall:

a) Be based in Chelmsford for the majority of their working hours b) Represent the Union on all local external bodies relevant to student needs and issues. c) Monitor the expenditure of the Unions clubs and societies d) Be responsible for welfare, equal opportunities and student activities matters on the campus. e) Be responsible for campaigning on any welfare, equal opportunity or student experience related

issues relevant to the campus, as deemed necessary by Union Council, and to work alongside other Officers on campaign issues.

f) Liaise and support Student Assembly officers on any campus specific matters, campaigns matters and other Union business as appropriate.

g) Be responsible for monitoring the implementation of the Unions Equal Opportunities policy. h) Be responsible for the student induction activities and University open days on the Chelmsford

Campus. i) Support the training and development of Part Time Officers and other volunteers on the

Chelmsford campus. j) Be responsible for the co-ordination of Union Sports clubs and societies on the Chelmsford

campus. k) In conjunction with the President and the Part-time Sports, Clubs and Societies Officer, ensure

the allocation of funds to the Chelmsford-based clubs and societies is fair, set down in writing and accessible to all students.

l) Be responsible for monitoring the expenditure of the Chelmsford-based clubs and societies. m) Be the University representative for external sports bodies such as BUSA and SESSA. n) Attend and support student forums, in conjunction with relevant Part time Officers on the

Chelmsford campus. o) Chair the Chelmsford Student Assembly

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PART-TIME OFFICER JOB DESCRIPTIONS What Are Part-time Officers? A part-time officer is a current student studying at Anglia Ruskin University who is a volunteer and takes on the role alongside their studies. All part-time officer, full-time officer and office contact details are listed on page 39. Please feel free to use these contacts to talk about the different issues on each campus. Sharing ideas is the best way of creating changes and having a positive impact. The sabbatical officers will be encouraging and supporting good cross campus relations. What Responsibilities Will I Have? All Part-time, elected Officers shall: a) Work to further the Unions objects and purposes as defined in the Union constitution b) Help with the successful running of relevant campaigns and events including induction activities,

and as directed by the relevant Student Assembly c) Be an active member of the relevant Student Assembly d) Carry out all duties and responsibilities in accordance with the Union's Health and Safety Policy e) Carry out all duties and responsibilities in accordance with the Union's Equal Opportunities Policy f) Carry out all duties and responsibilities in accordance with the Union's Staff/Student Protocol g) Consider the development of the Union's facilities and services as an integral part of their role h) Undertake other duties relevant to their positions as directed by the relevant Student Assembly i) In addition to the general duties outlined above, these part-time officers will have additional

responsibilities as outlined below. What Time Commitment Will I Have To Make? Monthly Student Assembly Meeting 3 hours/month in Cambridge/Chelmsford 1.5 hours/month in Peterborough/Fulbourn Other meetings and Activities 3-4 hours/week (e.g., Representation/Campaigns/Conferences/Campus-related issues/Training) However, the time commitments shown above are an estimate and you can put in as much time as you feel necessary to fulfil your role. The more you put in the more you will get out!

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What Are The Part-time Positions? (Cross-campus) Chair of Union Council What Are The Part-time Positions? (Cambridge) Clubs and Societies Officer Publications and Communications Officer Welfare Officer LGBT Officer Disabled Students Officer Social and Events Officer Accommodation Officer Mature Students Officer International Students Officer (representing non-UK students) Womens Officer Part-time Students Officer Environmental and Recycling Officer What Are The Part-time Positions? (Chelmsford) Social and Events Officer Accommodation Officer Clubs and Societies Officer Publications and Communications Officer Welfare Officer LGBT Officer Disabled Students Officer Mature Students Officer Nursing and Midwifery Officer

Education Faculty Officer International Students Officer (representing non-UK students) Womens Officer Part-time Students Officer Environmental and Recycling Officer What Are The Part-time Positions? (Peterborough) Social and Events Officer Accommodation Officer Clubs and Societies Officer Publications and Communications Officer Welfare Officer LGBT Officer Disabled Students Officer Mature Students Officer Nursing Officer Midwifery Officer What Are The Part-time Positions? (Fulbourn) Social and Events Officer Accommodation Officer Clubs and Societies Officer Publications and Communications Officer Welfare Officer LGBT Officer Disabled Students Officer Mature Students Officer Nursing Officer Midwifery Officer

Individual Job Roles Part-time officers have their own specific job descriptions and you will be expected to hold each other to account in the same way as you do with the sabbatical officers. If you feel that other part-time officers are not contributing then it is your responsibility to question them and persuade them to fulfil their role. You can do this at both Union Council and Student Assembly. Accommodation Officer Shall: a) Represent the views of students living in University halls and managed accommodation. b) Represent the views of students living in the private rented sector. c) Work with NUS and the Student Experience Officer on Campaigns related to accommodation

issues Chair of Union Council Shall: a) Convene and chair Union Council. b) Co-ordinate the agenda for meetings, with support of relevant staff. c) Facilitate debate and encourage participation in Union Council.

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Clubs and Societies Officer Shall: a) Represent the views and issues of members of all registered clubs and societies. b) Help, advice and train members of all registered clubs and societies in their effective

organisation. c) Convene and chair the Clubs and Societies Committee as appropriate. d) Work with Union Officers, staff and external organisations to promote sport, clubs and societies

to all Anglia Ruskin students. Disabled Students Officer Eligibility The candidate, in addition to the requirements of the Elections Schedule of the Constitution, must define themselves as disabled. Shall: a) Represent the needs of disabled students to the Union and the University. b) Raise any issues of concern for disabled students to the Union. c) Work with the NUS Disabled Students Campaign and other regional and national bodies

representing disabled students. d) Promote the Union and its services among disabled students. Education Faculty Officer Eligibility The candidate, in addition to the requirements of the Elections Schedule of the Constitution, must be a student of the Faculty of Education Shall: a) Represent the needs of Education students to the Union and the University b) Raise any issues of concern for Education students to the Union c) Make links with local, regional and national bodies representing Education students d) Promote the Union and its services among Education Environmental & Recycling Officer Shall: a) Represent an environmental voice at the Student Assembly and be the voice of environmentally

aware students. b) Scrutinise both the union and universities environmental and recycling policies c) Assist the president and other relevant officers in creation or materials to promote environmental awareness and recycling d) To assist in the organisation of environmental awareness and recycling campaigns and events e) Campaign for better recycling facilities for students on campus and surrounding areas International Students Officer Eligibility The candidate, in addition to the requirements of the Elections Schedule of the Constitution, must be a Non-UK student. Shall: a) Monitor the Unions provision for International Students b) Take part in International Student Inductions organised by the University c) To ensure that the Union effectively addresses issues affecting International Students, and is

sensitive to their beliefs and cultures d) Promote the Union and its services among International students

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LGBT Officer Eligibility The candidate, in addition to the requirements of the Elections Schedule of the Constitution, must self-define as lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans. Shall: a) Represent the needs and opinions of LGBT students to the Site Student Assembly b) Work with the Student Experience Officer and other relevant officers to produce materials and

resources to inform and educate all students about LGBT students issues c) Campaign on a local level against discrimination d) Work with the NUS LGBT Campaign and other organisations such as Trade Unions and relevant

LGBT organisations Mature Students Officer Eligibility The candidate, in addition to the requirements of the Elections Schedule of the Constitution, must have commenced their time of study after their 21st birthday. Shall: a) Represent the needs and opinions of mature students to the Site Student Assembly, and ensure

that this is recognised in all areas of the Union's work. b) Campaign on issues relating to mature students' education, welfare and social needs. c) Work with full time sabbatical officers and NUS on issues of importance to mature students. Midwifery Officer Eligibility The candidate, in addition to the requirements of the Elections Schedule of the Constitution, must be a Midwifery student. Shall: a) Represent the needs of Midwifery students to the Union and the University b) Raise any issues of concern for Midwifery students to the Union c) Make links with local, regional and national bodies representing Nursing and Midwifery students d) Promote the Union and its services among Midwifery students Nursing Officer Eligibility The candidate, in addition to the requirements of the Elections Schedule of the Constitution, must be a Nursing student. Shall: a) Represent the needs of Nursing students to the Union and the University b) Raise any issues of concern for Nursing students to the Union c) Make links with local, regional and national bodies representing Nursing and Midwifery students d) Promote the Union and its services among Nursing students Nursing and Midwifery Officer Eligibility The candidate, in addition to the requirements of the Elections Schedule of the Constitution, must be a Nursing or Midwifery student. Shall: a) Represent the needs of Nursing and Midwifery students to the Union and the University b) Raise any issues of concern for Nursing and Midwifery students to the Union

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c) Make links with local, regional and national bodies representing Nursing and Midwifery students d) Promote the Union and its services among Nursing and Midwifery students Part-Time Students Officer Eligibility The candidate, in addition to the requirements of the Elections Schedule of the Constitution, must be a Part-Time student as defined by the University rules and regulations. Shall: a) Represent the needs of part-time students to the Union and the University b) Raise any issues of concern for part-time students to the Union c) Make links with local, regional and national bodies representing part-time students d) Promote the Union and its services among part-time students Publications and Communications Officer Shall: a) Work with the relevant Union staff and Officers in the organisation, production and distribution of

ts Union publications. Studenssist i

Ensure nities Policy.

b) A n communications in all media, between the Union and students on the campus. c) that Students Union publications do not contravene the Unions Equal Opportu

Social and Events Officer Shall: a) Research and represent the needs of students in relation to social activities, events and

entertainments provision. b) Help coordinate welcome activities for new students. c) Promote the Union and its services to students. Welfare Officer Shall: a) Support the development and implementation of welfare campaigns. b) Support the site Student Experience Officer on welfare matters relating to the campus. c) Recruit and support the welfare volunteers team. d) Work with the NUS Welfare Campaign Womens Officer Eligibility The candidate, in addition to the requirements of the Elections Schedule of the Constitution, must be a female student. Shall: a) Represent the needs and opinions of women students to the Site Student Assembly b) Work with the Student Experience officer and produce materials and resources to inform and

educate all students about the nature of discrimination against women c) Work with the NUS Womens Campaign and other organisations such as Trade Unions and

relevant womens organisations d) Run appropriate campaigns specific to women students. e) Promote the Union and its services among women students.

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HOW TO SUBMIT A MOTION What is a Motion? A motion is a way of telling the Union what students think and what the Union should do about it. Any registered student can submit a motion to any student assembly. How is a Normal Motion Structured? A normal motion needs a Proposer and Seconder at the top, both of whom must be students of Anglia Ruskin. It also needs a section called: The Union Notes: These are the facts that relate to the motion you are submitting. Example: figures and statistics. Then a section called: The Union Believes: these statements are more opinion based. And finally, a section called: The Union Resolves: this is the main part of the motion and gives the practical mandate to the Union; this is what you want us to do about the things you believe. How is a Motion Submitted? You have to submit your written motion to the Chair at least 7 working days prior to the meeting. What Happens at the Meeting? Come to the Meeting to speak in favour of your motion. Your motion will be discussed and voted on by those present at the meeting who have voting rights. An example motion can be found on the next page.

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EXAMPLE MOTION Free Choice on Scholarship Spending Proposed: Nick Evangelista Seconded: Kate Wicklow Summary Students commencing their studies before 2008 received their Scholarship for Academic Achievement as cash. Students commencing their studies from 2008 will receive choice on whether they receive their scholarship as cash or in the form of an Aspire Card. Students commencing their studies from 2009 onwards will have no choice on how they receive their scholarship and will receive only an Aspire Card. The Aspire Card can only be spent in John Smiths bookshop, on University accommodation or childcare. This motion resolves to lobby for permanent choice as we believe students have the right to decide what they spend their money on. Motion The Union Notes

1. Those students commencing their studies in 2008 will receive choice on whether they receive their Scholarship for Academic achievement as cash or in the form of an Aspire Card for the duration of their studies.

2. That students commencing their studies from 2009 onwards will have no choice on how they receive their scholarship and will receive only an Aspire Card

3. The Aspire card can only be exclusively used in John Smiths bookshop, University Accommodation and University Childcare.

The Union Believes

1. That all students should be free to spend their Scholarship on whatever they want. 2. That academic success is related to the ability to provide a means of supporting yourself as

well as having access to all the materials (books, equipment etc). 3. That having to spend all of your Bursary / Scholarship in one particular place does not allow

students to succeed at Anglia Ruskin. 4. That some students may feel the aspire card is a valuable and fair option. 5. That all students wish to spend their Scholarship freely and without restraint. 6. That students should be given the tools they need to succeed academically however, they

also need financial help in supporting their studies. This will mean working part-time whilst studying.

7. That a compulsory Aspire card system would not work at Anglia Ruskin and would be of detrimental value to the overall student experience at any institution not just at Anglia Ruskin.

8. That students who take the aspire card option need to provided with as much choice as possible and not be limited to one bookshop on campus.

The Union Resolves

1. To lobby the University on retaining choice for students. 2. To support students that want the Aspire card option and provide as much overall value as

possible which will also include ensuring the University offer extra cash incentives to take up the card, as well has having choice to spend the card at other outlets not limiting them to the bookshop.

3. To take this policy to NUS conference to ensure no other University can restrict students scholarship or bursary spending.

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE UNION

Students Union Vision and Values

The Students Union Vision and Values underpin all work that the Students Union does and ensure that all staff and officers working within the organisation remain focused on representing students.

Vision To put Anglia Ruskin students at the forefront of everything that we do. To represent, serve and support all Anglia Ruskin students to enhance their University

experience. To become nationally recognised as a first-class provider of student representation. To be central to the Universitys decision-making processes and to be recognised as a critical

factor in all plans for change and development. To be responsive to the Universitys broadening ambitions and to monitor how these reflect the

requirements of Anglia Ruskin students. Values We put students first We are impartial and independent We are professional, accessible and friendly We are inclusive and respect diversity We are proud of our democratic structure We invest in our staff, elected officers and volunteers to allow them to achieve their full potential We are proactive, actively listen and are responsive to our members We make ethical decisions and aim to minimise our impact on the environment We are a not for profit organisation and utilise our resources effectively We celebrate success We actively promote our role to our members The Role of the Students Union

The Students Union primarily exists to represent, serve and support each and every Anglia Ruskin Student with the aim of enhancing their University experience. 'Putting you first' is the tagline at the forefront of the Union's objectives and we provide many different services to ensure students at Anglia Ruskin University (the members) are well represented and their voice is heard.

Democracy and democratic structures are really important to the Students Union which is why so much emphasis is placed on the elections. However we are aware that sometimes these subjects can seem a little dry or dull. Nevertheless this democracy is the very essence of the Union and is essential to its success. Over the next couple of pages is information about the Unions structure, decision making processes and procedures. So read on to find out exactly how it works and where you would fit as an elected officer.

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Structure

The Union is run by a team of 5 annually elected full-time sabbatical officers and a number of part-time officers. These elected officers exist to represent and put forward the views of all students at Anglia Ruskin University. They meet every month to discuss both academic and social issues concerning the Union and its membership (students). They debate all sorts of student issues, campaigns, clubs and societies issues, welfare issues and finances. The officers work with the support and expertise of full and part-time permanent staff. These officers and staff work closely together to constantly evaluate and update the services the Union provides.

These services include a free, fully independent and impartial Advice Service that can be the first port of call for any student at Anglia Ruskin with any problem. It is also the job of the Students' Union to coordinate the Student Course Reps; work with and support them at Faculty meetings and assist with any problems they may voice.

The sports teams, societies and Cambridge gym are also run by the Students Union. Anglia Ruskin Students' Union also runs its own Bars, Kitchens, Shops and Entertainment Facilities.

The Constitution

The Constitution is a document that sets out the fundamentals of how the Union operates. Everything that the Union does is governed by this document. The Constitution is a working document and as new situations and problems arise the Constitution is updated by members of Union Council.

OFFICE ETTIQUETTE Behaviour in the Offices All part-time officers are welcome to use the Students Union offices and their facilities within them when they are working as part of their role. Hot desks will be available for you to use.

When you are wearing your part-time officer T-shirts and / or in the Students Union offices please be aware that you are representing the Students Union to all students, staff and visitors and you need to behave appropriately. While the office environment is an informal, friendly one, we do ask you to behave in a professional manner when you are in them.

The Cambridge & Chelmsford offices are open plan, this means that everyone within them needs to be aware and respectful of when others are on the phone, meeting with people or are trying to get some quiet work done; please be aware that interruptions and noise can break peoples focus.

When you are working as part of your role, either in the Student Union office or attending a meeting, then you are permitted to a free tea, coffee, coke, diet coke or lemonade from the bar. Remember this is a privilege not a right.

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STUDENTS UNION MEETINGS Board of Trustees Purpose of the Meeting The purpose of this meeting is to be collectively responsible for the financial stability of the Union and take legal responsibility for decisions and the implications of such decisions. It also gives firm strategic direction to the Union, setting overall strategy and monitors the performance of the Union in meeting-agreed objectives to further the aims of the organisation. The Board of Trustees are also responsible for ensuring that the Union complies with the constitution and legal requirements as well as appointing the General Manager and monitoring his/her performance. What Issues are Raised Here? The external trustees are appointed because of their experience and skills. They are appointed to make sure that the Union adheres to its main objectives and to safe guard its assets. They will scrutinise the budgets, income and expenditure, accounts, etc. Trustees should also help us to become better at what we do by asking all the difficult questions that we might not ask ourselves. The Board of Trustees also has the power of veto over policy if it feels that this policy would be detrimental to the Union. Membership President of Students Union (Chair), four sabbatical trustees, four appointed student trustees and four external appointed trustees. It may also be attended by the Students Union General Manager, guest speakers and/or staff member to provide meeting support. Frequency Four Board of Trustee meetings are held per financial year.

Union Council Purpose of the Meeting Union Council is the decision making body of the Students Union. Before any new polices may be implemented, the protocol is for them to be considered and agreed by the Union Council first. What Issues are Raised Here? Policies affecting Union wide issues, such as campaigns, governance and the Constitution are discussed at this meeting. This group is accountable to one another and therefore members provide a Union Council Report to update each other on their activities and achievements. Membership Elected chair, full time elected sabbatical officers, 2 elected reps from each site committee and 2 elected reps from each student assembly. It may also be attended by Union General Manager, guest speakers and/or staff to provide meeting support. All students may attend, however they can only attend as observers; voting rights are restricted to the membership. Frequency Union Councils occur once a month during teaching weeks via video conference to allow student on all campuses to attend without travelling.

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Student Assembly Purpose of the Meeting To debate and agree Union policy specific to the individual campus, to hold officers to account and to mandate them regarding individual campus issues. To discuss Union wide policy to refer to Union Council. What Issues are Raised Here? Policies affecting individual campus issues such as campaigns, clubs and societies and forums are discussed here. The group is accountable to one another and members provide a report updating each other on their activities and achievements, similar to the reports given at Union Council. Membership Student Experience Officer for that campus (Chair), 3 cross-campus officers, elected part time officers and members of site forums. Student Assembly may also be attended by the Students Union General Manager, guest speakers and/or staff to provide meeting support. All students of Anglia Ruskin University may attend and observe the meeting. Frequency Monthly during teaching weeks.

Sabbatical Meetings Purpose of the meeting This is the core group which feeds directly in to Student Assemblies and Union Council for policy making. Many new procedures and policies are directed to this Committee for initial approval. What Issues are Raised Here? Day to day issues affecting the Students Union are raised here, such as education & welfare policies, the APEX, bar prices and marketing. Sabbatical officers also hold each other to account by providing and presenting officer reports on their activities and schievements. Membership 5 Sabbatical Officers, the General Manager and campus specific Membership Services Administrator (minutes). Frequency Every fortnight (usually on a Monday)

JMG (Joint Management Group) Purpose of meeting At JMG, managers and officers discuss general and wide-ranging issues affecting the Students Union, including practices and policies. This is an opportunity for sabbatical officers and senior managers in the organisation to come together to share ideas and information. The group aims to develop and contribute to the Unions strategy. What Issues are Raised Here? Everything! Such as strategy, bar policies, IiP, budgeting and Governance. Membership Sabbatical Officers, Senior Managers and the Membership Services Administrator relevant to the campus (minutes) Frequency Monthly

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Student Activities Meeting Purpose of meeting These meetings are primarily for the student activities team to discuss issues directly relating to sport and student activities on each campus. What Issues are Raised Here? The team discuss department planning and issues directly impacting on Clubs & Societies, including the campus gym, Howes Close sports pitches, the University sports facilities and the health & safety within student activities. Membership General Manager, President, Student Activities Manager (Chair), Student Activities Co-coordinator, Student Experience Officer; Cambridge and Chelmsford, Part-time Clubs and Societies officers; Cambridge and Chelmsford. Gym & Sports Manager. Frequency Once a month

Advice & Representation Meeting Purpose of the Meeting This meeting is for permanent staff working in the Advice and Representation team to come together to share experience, knowledge and information. Officers are encouraged and welcome to attend to use it as a forum for sharing info with permanent staff regarding campaigns they are planning etc. What Issues are Raised Here? Any academic and welfare issues affecting the student experience that are dealt with by the Advice Service and Student Representative Coordinators. Issues raised at University Committees attended by Advice & Representation staff are also disseminated. Membership Advice & Representation Manager, Advisers, Student Representative Co-ordinators, and sabbatical officers. Frequency Bimonthly, usually by videoconference with 2 face to face meetings per calendar year. Student Staff Forum Purpose of Meeting This forum enables student staff to have an opportunity to discuss matters with the General Manager and sabbatical officers. What Issues are Raised Here? Student staff terms and conditions, health and safety, student staff survey, Union strategy and Vision and Values, staff suggestions, training and induction. Membership All student staff are invited to attend. The General Manager and representatives of the sabbatical officers will also attend. Frequency Twice a year (November and March).

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Elections Committee Purpose of the Meeting The purpose of this meeting is to review and amend the year long elections plan to ensure that all students find it easy to nominate, be nominated and vote in the elections. What Issues are Raised Here? Anything surrounding elections including: Promotion of the elections, candidate training, voting systems, elections budgets and regulations. Membership The Deputy Returning Officer, The 5 Sabbatical Officers (Unless re-running in the elections being discussed by the Elections Committee), 4 students nominated by Union Council who are not standing in the election and any Students Union staff at the discretion of the committee. Frequency As needed.

SITE COMMITTEES Sports and Societies Council Purpose of the Meeting For clubs and societies to air their views and or problems relating to any club or society matter. Members of the council make decisions on how to spend Sports Federation money. What Issues are Raised Here? Any issue relating to how a club or society is run / organised. Fixtures and relating issues. Organising fundraising activities. Membership May be attended by any student however, only committee members from each Students Union registered clubs and societies may vote (only one vote per club or society). Part- time clubs and societies officer relevant to the campus (Chair), Student Experience Officer (campus specific), Student Activities Development Coordinator, Gym Coordinator (Cambridge only). Frequency Monthly. Faculty Representation Committee Purpose of the Meeting This meeting is provided to give student representatives a forum to discuss any issues or topics that affect the student body. It is an opportunity to discuss items with the representatives from the SU and for the SU to disseminate information to the student body. What Issues are Raised Here? Discussion and debate on matters that affect the student body, student issues and any course issues. Membership Academic Affairs Officer, Student Representative Co-ordinator (from the campus on which the forum is held), Student Representatives. Frequency 3 times each academic year.

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Campaigns Committee Purpose of the Meeting The purpose of the Campaigns Committee is to plan campaigns for the year ahead based on reports on current issues within the student body. The members of this committee are responsible for acting on any campaign mandate sent by Union Council and Student Assembly. What Issues are Raised Here? Current issues are debated and campaigns are created to change situations to make the University experience better for all students. Membership Student Experience Officer responsible for that campus, the 3 cross-campus Officers, part-time Disabled Students Officer, part-time Environmental and Recycling Officer, part-time LGBT Officer, part-time Mature Students Officer, part-time Welfare Officer, part-time Womens Officer, and additional part-time officers as defined by the standing orders of the Students Union and agreed by Union Council annually. Frequency As appropriate. Student Activities Grants Committee Purpose of the Meeting To decide on the amount of grant allocated to each club and society. What Issues are Raised Here? Budgets and grant allocations are discussed and issued. Membership President, Student Experience Officer of relevant campus (Chair), part-time Clubs and Societies Officer (of relevant campus), Student Activities Manager and other Students Union Sports Department staff where applicable. Frequency of Meetings Three times per calendar year. Reactive Forums Purpose of the Meeting Dependant upon the current issue being raised. What Issues are Raised Here? Again, this depends upon why the forum has been called. For example, a Save the Apex forum would discuss the future of the student newspaper. Membership All students of Anglia Ruskin University and sabbatical officers may attend. Frequency As required.

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AGENDAS AND PAPERWORK The Agenda is the framework for the meeting: it is a list of what will be discussed. An email will be sent to you approximately 8 working days before the meeting calling for agenda items. If there is something you wish to discuss at the meeting then please email this back. The agenda will then be sent out to you approximately 5 working days before the meeting. Papers to support the items on the agenda will accompany it. All agendas have the same basic layout. Apologies These are from people who are unable to attend the meeting. If you cannot attend a meeting please email the Membership Services Administrator on your campus to let them know. Minutes of the last meeting What is discussed and agreed at a meeting is recorded in its minutes. After a meeting, the minutes are written up and circulated to all those who attended. The Student Union aims to have minutes produced within 5 working days of the meeting, these will be emailed out to you. If you do not receive the minutes of a meeting you have attended, please tell the Membership Services Administrator on your campus. Read the minutes as soon as you get them and check that everything you said is recorded accurately. If there are any inaccuracies, these can be corrected at the next meeting. At the next meeting, the minutes are agreed as a correct record. Even if you did not attend the last meeting, you should read the minutes. This will give you an idea of the sorts of issues that are likely to be discussed. Matters arising This allows the Chair of the meeting to check that any action agreed at the last meeting has been carried out. Any other business This will always be the last major item on an agenda. It is for things that have arisen since the agenda was distributed. If you have anything that you want to raise under AOB, it is good practise to briefly discuss it with the Chair before the meeting starts.

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MEETING ETIQUETTE Meetings have rules of behaviour that you are expected to comply with. Behaviour at Meetings You need to remember the following rules and tips: - Turn your mobile phone off. - When you arrive at a meeting, sit in a position where you can easily catch the Chairs attention. - If you want to speak, attract the Chairs attention by catching their eye or holding up your hand. A good Chair will be constantly scanning the room, looking for people who wish to speak. - Address your comments to the Chair, whilst speaking loudly enough that everyone can hear you. - Listen to what other people are saying and respond appropriately. If you want to disagree with someone, it is always a good idea to suggest their initial point was good, but - it takes the heat out and makes it more difficult to dismiss your point out of hand. Smiling at someone while you are actively disagreeing with them is always good! - Be assertive not aggressive when putting your point it can be a fine line when you feel passionately about something. Remember, if you lose your temper, you also lose your credibility. If someone else loses their temper with you, dont react, stay calm it puts them in the wrong. - Dont speak while other people are speaking, or interrupt them. After the Meeting If you have any concerns after the meeting, discuss them with one of the sabbatical officers.

CHAIRING MEETINGS A good Chair will make or break a meeting. The Chair is responsible for ensuring the meeting achieves its aims. To be a good Chair you need to be prepared, be a good listener, be assertive and be able to recognise what is important and stick to it. All of these are skills you can learn. If you would like more of an explanation or training and assistance please speak to one of the sabbatical officers. Preparation If you have taken over as Chair of a meeting that is part of a regular series, read the previous minutes and ask an appropriate sabbatical officer to talk you through any issues or problems that you need to be aware of. Establish who will be taking the minutes (ie who will be the meeting secretary) do not do it yourself. Establish the terms of reference for the meeting: what the purpose of the meeting is (particularly if it is to be the first of a series), how often it will be held and who should attend. This should be done in consultation with Officers and staff. You will need to confirm these at the first meeting. Ensure the Agenda and any supporting paperwork is circulated to members at least a week in advance. This gives members time to get and read the papers.

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Before the meeting, go through the Agenda again, deciding in your own mind which are the points which will or should provoke the most discussion. Decide how long you are going to allocate for each point and make a note of the time against it on the Agenda (only use this as a guide dont be too rigid in sticking to it). This will help you keep control. At the Meeting Arrive in good time: give yourself time to set up and choose where you are going to sit. You need to be able to see everybody who is at the meeting. Sit with the person who is taking the minutes. You may need to confirm what should and should not be minuted. It is a good idea to put your watch on the table to keep track of the time. Start the meeting punctually: peoples time is valuable and if some members are discourteous enough to be late that should not be allowed to inconvenience the rest. Your role as Chair is to manage the discussions by inviting people to speak. Begin by introducing yourself, welcoming everyone and reiterating the reason for the meeting. If any members are new to the meeting, go round the table asking all present to identify themselves and their role. Place cards can be useful if you do not know everyone at the meeting you can read a persons name before inviting them to speak, which makes you look very efficient! Announce each agenda item. Briefly mention why it is on the Agenda. Ask for comments and opinions. Do

Keep control of the discussion keep participants to the point. If necessary, suggest that discussions can continue at another time and place.

Ensure people can make their point without interruption or heckling. Keep scanning the room to spot anyone who wants to speak. If a number of people want to

speak, it can be helpful to list them, when calling on them to talk, by saying, for example Jo first, then Andrew, then Will.

Keep an eye on the time dont allow discussions to run on beyond the point at which people have nothing new or constructive to say.

Summarise a discussion and the decision that was reached as a result, before moving on to the next point.

Do not Get emotionally involved in the discussions. Allow any one person to dominate the discussions you dont need to be rude, just ask for

comments from another, appropriate, participant.

Allow participants to denigrate another members ideas or beliefs. Allow side conversations politely ask people who are not attending to the discussion to shut

up! At the end of the meeting, thank people for attending. Set or confirm the date and time for the next meeting

MEETING DATES: Semester 2 08-09

Union Council Tuesday 28th April 2009 at 4pm via video conference (QB3 Hel 001 - Peterborough) Cambridge & Fulbourn Student Assembly Tuesday 21st April 2009 at 4pm in HEL 252

Chelmsford Student Assembly Thursday 23rd April 2009 at 4pm SAW 101 Peterborough Student Assembly Tuesday 5th May 2009 (Room & Time TBC)

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THE STUDENTS UNION AND SUEI What is SUEI? The Students Union Evaluation Initiative, also know is SUEI, is a two year long assessment model that assists in improving the services and activities delivered to members of the Union by indicating areas for continuous improvement. SUEI is comprised of five themes; What is so special about the Union? What is the Union aiming to achieve? Is their quality stewardship? Are there quality outcomes? What underpins this quality? In each theme there are a number of questions, known as key lines of enquiry, designed to evaluate our services and outcomes in the greatest of detail. Why SUEI? Anglia Ruskin Students Union represents over 25,000 students across 4 major sites located in Cambridge, Chelmsford, Peterborough and Fulbourn. We have a small staff base of only 25 and a high percentage of our students study at a distance or are part-time. In Spring 2008 the Sabbatical Officers launched an annual student survey entitled How do you feel about your Union? to gain feedback from students on how they felt the Union worked to represent them. The results were not what they expected but reflected students attitudes at the time. Officers were not student focused and there was no motivation to go out and talk to students. This was reflected in the fact that only a small percentage of students filled out the survey and it was only available online.

The SU doesnt know what my needs are because it has never asked Comment taken from the 1st Annual Student Survey

Quotes such as the one above sparked waves of change within the Union and we began SUEI in May 2008 with the vision of becoming completely member focused. However it wasnt all doom and gloom prior to SUEI; our Student Written Submission was highly regarded and our representation system was one of the areas off good practice highlighted by the QAA audit in 2007. Our main vision is to be recognised as a national leader in representation and again we thought SUEI would be the perfect structure for evaluation to be able to identify any gaps we have and to drive improvement. The Beginning of SUEI and the SUEI Steering Group The first SUEI workshop was attended by the President, Communications Officer, Advice and Representation Manager and General Manager. These Officers and members of staff were chosen to attend because it was felt that the President and Communications Officer were the natural officer roles to take this project forward. The Advice and Representation Manager was chosen to be the Project Manager of SUEI due to her excellent organisational skills and the General Manager fell naturally into the position of Project Sponsor.

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This small team was joined by the Commercial Services Manager so that all senior managers were involved in the process. The team set aside 24 hours (4 lots of 6 hours) when they went through the entire SUEI handbook and gave current and target scores for each Key Line of Enquiry. This allowed us to identify our strengths and weaknesses. The team evolved gradually into what we now know as the SUEI Steering Group (SSG) with the addition of all Sabbatical Officers, who we considered fundamental to the process, the Student Activities Manager, Membership Services Manager and Membership Services Administrator (Chelmsford) so that all areas of the Union were covered. Following the work of the small team, we ere able to make an informed decision on which two themes we should begin the project with. Choosing the First Two Themes We chose Theme A: Whats so special about the Union? as we thought participation, representation and governance underpinned everything we did. We also chose Theme C: Is there quality stewardship? because we recognised that our HR structure needed a complete shake up; this led us to employ an HR consultant. During the 24 hour scoring session we noticed that there were underlying trends that ran through the whole of the SUEI structure, one of those being communication. We felt that we couldnt start SUEI and focus on outcomes without also addressing Theme E, KLE 1: Communication. Once we had picked the first two themes we started to put together action plans and engage staff in the process by holding staff away days, the first in July 2008 and the second in January 2009. At these staff days we brainstormed the questions asked in the KLEs and divided the staff into project groups to look at each individual line of enquiry. The feedback from the away days was positive as it allowed staff members from different campuses to interact and share ideas and also to engage in the SUEI project. Making Plans and Collecting Evidence The SSG then created a simple table for each KLE with no more than 3 priorities and no more than 3 objectives per priority. We also felt the need to SMARTen these action plans so we added columns for resources, time, who and evidence. This is now colour coded using a traffic light system to show progress, making it easy for any member of staff or students to identify where we are in the SUEI process. Collecting the evidence was the next challenge. For this, each member of the SUEI steering group was allocated evidence to collect from the starting evidence list provided when we began the SUEI project. All evidence is now collected in electronic format and stored on a dedicated SUEI drive. The Project Manager created alphabetical evidence lists along with a thematic list to enable us to see where evidence crosses over KLEs. This is useful as it is very easy to see what evidence we have and identify any gaps we may have; the thematic list also means that we dont duplicate our work unnecessarily. Officer Involvement Sabbatical Officer involvement has been crucial to the SUEI project as they have all been the champions and advocates of SUEI to other Union staff, University staff, students and other Unions undertaking the project. A SUEI workshop was held as part of the Officer induction in July 2008 which meant that the SUEI project was at the forefront of Officers objectives and priorities from the beginning of the year. This will continue to be the case as we recognise how important it is to have all Officers involved in the project. Each current Sabbatical Officer also leads a project team and the project has helped Officers remain focused throughout the year. Nine Months into SUEI We are now nine months into SUEI and we can positively say that it is making a huge difference to the Students Union as a whole. Staff as well as Sabbatical Officers and Part-Time Officers have felt energised and there is a real focus on achieving outcomes for what students want. We held a

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Freshers Opinion Poll and asked students to vote on which campaign should be the Union campaign for the year ahead. This has been very successful and as a result we held a regional day of action in Cambridge, highlighting the issues surrounding Higher Education Funding. We are aiming to do a similar thing in Chelmsford on the issue of travel to campus.

A big thank you for all your hard work representing the student body. Keep up the excellent work

Feedback from a student via facebook, December 2008

As you can see, we are already receiving better feedback compared with this time last year, which hasnt made us complacent but in fact has inspired us to work even harder to achieve great outcomes. Moving Forward Working on SUEI this year has driven changes to our staff structure as we have looked at the needs of our students and tailored our services to represent them. We have also re-evaluated our governance structure to be more student-inclusive and representative of our demographic. The key changes from the first nine months of SUEI are listed below:

We have changed the perception of the Students Union by talking to students and remaining campaign focused.

We have changed the way we do things by asking students opinions on everything we do. We now work for students, not for ourselves. Consultation, action, feedback is our priority. Communication as a whole has improved and been recognised as a high priority. SUEI has been a driver to move on in teams, not only departmental teams but cross-union. We are more organised and focused on long-term planning. Less sabbatical time is spent at desks as the focus is to ask students their opinion and the

best way to do this has been going out and talking. Staff and students have more confidence in the Union as a whole.

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STUDENT STAFF PROTOCOL AGREEMENT 1. Anglia Ruskin Students Union has as its principal purpose, the provision of opportunities

for students of the University to experience education in its widest sense, which comes from participation in the communal activities of the institution.

2. To this end the Students Union was established as a collective self-governing organisation. 3. Central to the resources of the students union are the employed staff who provide for

continuity, professional advice, managerial expertise and the day to day operation of Union services and the implementation of Union policies.

4. The purpose of this protocol agreement is to establish the best possible working

relationships between students, their elected officers and union staff. Specific Intent It is the specific intention of this Agreement that the Union shall: 1. Comply with current employment legislation at the time being in force and any future

legislation concerning the employment of staff. 2. Empower the relevant committee i.e. Staffing Committee specified to act with the full

authority of the sovereign body of the Union, provided that they remain within the terms of reference of the Constitution and Schedules, Standing Orders and staffs terms and conditions of employment.

3. Protect the individual employee from breaches of reasonable confidentiality, in respect of

personal affairs and ensure that Staff contractual matters are dealt with only by the Unions authorised agents.

4. Protect the union from any interference by its own employees in policy-making, except

as specifically stated herein. 5. Strive to be an equal opportunities employer. 6. Maintain sound employment practices and good staff relations. 7. That all parties covered by this protocol agreement will treat each other with courtesy

and respect. 8. That the management and organisational structures of the Union will endeavour at all

times to comply with best management practices in its treatment of staff. By establishing a Staffing Committee the Union seeks to remove discussion of confidential personnel issues to a body competent to deal with them.

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Staffing Committee 1. There shall be a Staffing Committee that is a sub-committee of the Executive with

responsibility for all staffing matters. Its meetings will all be deemed as reserved business.

2. Its membership will be the President (Chair), the two Student Experience officers and the

General Manager. The officers shall all attend personnel training during their induction period.

3. Reporting structure and terms of reference: a) The Staffing Committee will report to the Finance & General Purposes Committee on any

items it has dealt with that need to be reported to or approved by the Executive Committee

b) Will work within a budget agreed with the Finance & General Purposes Committee

(subject to the constraints on discussion on individual matters) c) Will work according to the staffing policy passed by Executive (subject to the constraints

/limitations on the discussion of staffing matters listed below) 4. The Committee shall be responsible for: a) Overseeing and implementing the Students Unions terms and conditions of

employment. b) Conducting the annual salary review of staff c) Maintaining contact and negotiating with trade unions d) Processing all other staffing matters for which formal procedures are not laid down either

in this document or other written documents.

5. The General Manager shall be responsible for producing reports for the Committee on:

a) staff development proposals b) disciplinary or grievance issues c) all other staffing matters deemed necessary by the Committee

Responsibilities of staff 1. Staff must not become involved in the democratic processes of the Union except in the

administration of elections. They must not seek to influence any of the Unions policy-making bodies.

2. Staff may attend meetings of any body of the Union, when invited to do so by the

Executive Committee 3. Staff may be appointed by the Executive Committee to service any committee or body of

the union. 4. Staff may not vote in any meeting, organised under the terms of the Constitution, unless

specified elsewhere in this protocol. 5. Staff are expected to advise officers of the union on matters within their area of work or

expertise, but shall not seek in any way to influence the policy-making process. 6. Staff will not take part in any public discussion of union policy issues, nor give public

expression to views contrary to the policies of the union. 7. Staff will not comment to the media in their role as a member of staff without approval.

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8. Staff shall not involve themselves in any way in the activities of the union societies which

are designated political societies. Responsibilities of the Students Union Except as detailed in the role of the Staffing Committee, the officers of the Union shall not permit discussion of matters relating to the responsibilities, conditions of employment, performance or conduct of members of the employed staff: 1. In meetings, formal or informal, with members of the Union or university. 2. In articles, correspondence or any other publications produced by the Students Union

without the permission of the Staffing Committee and the individual concerned. Disciplinary and Grievance Procedures The Union has agreed disciplinary and grievance procedures, negotiated with the principle trades unions representing the staff, to which members of staff agree when they enter employment with the Union. These procedures will be followed, where necessary, as a result of any matters arising out of the Student Staff protocol.

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NUS: National Union of Students

Around 600 Students Unions across the country are currently affiliated to the National Union of Students (NUS) and Anglia Ruskin Students Union is one of them. NUS represent the interests of over seven million students in further and higher education across the UK.

Affiliation to NUS makes the Union part of a national movement and gives us benefits from the wide range of services they offer.

NUS run campaigns throughout the year from free education to free prescriptions, from fighting for the rights of disabled students to representing those who rent student accommodation. With more than eight decades of campaigning experience, NUS can support our local campaigns and maximise their effectiveness by lobbying on a national scale and to national bodies. You might want to check out the NUS website nus.org.uk to get an idea of national student issues and see what campaigns are currently running to help you with your manifesto.

NUS offer various training programs and conferences for Union staff and Officers throughout the year to help both their personal development and the development of the Union they work for. They also offer support via the research they carry out, the materials they produce and the documents they publish. Effectively its like getting an additional team of over 50 staff and 25 elected Officers to assist our students and our Students Union.

Also, NUS provide services directly to individual students via their website, in the form of information and resources on topics such as housing, student finance, welfare, diversity, and many others. The NUS Extra card is also available via the NUS website; this card gives students over 80 national discounts online or on the high street and is estimated to have saved the average student as much as 189 over the year.

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY Although the Students Union is independent from the University it is important for you to know the Universitys Vision and Values, along with the student demographic, to allow you to understand the students you are representing and the Institution you will be representing them to.

University Vision and Values

Vision

We are passionate about the advancement of knowledge and the education of students. We take university education in imaginative new directions. We are important to the region and want to be viewed in the UK and internationally as

exceptional. Our key contribution is to the enhancement of social, cultural and economic wellbeing.

Specifically, we are working to ensure that:

Nine out of ten students would recommend us to a friend. Each Faculty's teaching receives public endorsement of its quality overall and is recognised as

a UK leader in one or more of its disciplines. Each Faculty hosts one or more international standard research centres. 25% of our activity is at postgraduate level and we award at least 50 PhDs across at least 10

disciplines each year. We educate an equal number of students off-site and on-site, through remote delivery

partnerships at home and abroad, and distance learning. Anglia Ruskin at Cambridge and Anglia Ruskin at Chelmsford are known as magnets for

overseas students and 20% of our UK campus-based students are from outside the EU. Every student may study entrepreneurship and 10% of our students choose self employment

when they leave us. Every year, we help at least 2000 organisations with Knowledge Exchange in particular,

through a range of on-campus business incubator facilities. We are recognised for successful innovation in the way in which services are provided and for

imaginative new learning environments. We are champions of employer and community engagement. We readily attract talented staff and prepare everyone to achieve our goals through continuing

staff development.

Values

A sense of belonging. We are proud to be part of Anglia Ruskin University. We know that lifelong relationships are formed here.

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Academic ambition. We want our teaching and research to be excellent. We are determined that our students and staff will realise their full potential.

Innovation. We are purposeful, challenging and curious about our world. We are prepared to do things differently. We are creative, entrepreneurial and bring enthusiasm to everything we do.

Supporting each other. We are friendly and inclusive, and celebrate individuality and diversity. We support and encourage everyone, and strive hard to anticipate and meet needs and aspirations.

Honesty and openness. We operate with integrity, trust and respect for each other and we deliver on our promises. We share ideas, information and challenges and we seek out views and opinions.

Concern for the environment. We want our concern for a sustainable environment to inform every aspect of what we do.

Structure University Management Structure (The Decision Makers) Board of Governors The Vice Chancellor The Vice Chancellors Group

Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research, Scholarship and Development) Deputy Vice Chancellor (Advanced Systems) Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) Director of Finance Secretary and Clerk

The University has five faculties and each has its own Dean: Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Science Faculty of Science and Technology Faculty of Education Faculty of Health and Social Care Ashcroft International Business School Facts And Figures Campuses at Cambridge, Chelmsford, Peterborough and Fulbourn Awarded University status in 1992 Total student population of approximately 25,000 One of the largest Universities in the country The largest provider of part-time higher education in the country, after the Open University One of the highest University populations of mature students (65%) One of the most significant suppliers of nurses and teachers Several local and international Partner Institutions (Courses run by or validated by Anglia Ruskin

University) Demographics The student population at Anglia Ruskin University is extremely diverse and often the statistics can be a bit of a surprise. The summaries below should give you a broader understanding of the Anglia Ruskin University student population and therefore help you create campaigns that are relevant to all Anglia Ruskin Students.

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Cambridge Nationality

British

Internationalstudents

Cambridge Gender

Cambridge Undergraduate

Student Age Group

Over 30Under 30

Cambridge Mode Of Study

Full time StudentsPart time Students

MaleFemale

Chelmsford Gender

Male

Female

C h e l ms f o r d N a t i o n a l i t y

B r i t i s h

I n t e r n a t i o n a ls t u d e n t s

E U

Chelmsford UndergraduateStudent Age Group

Over 30Under 30

Chelmsford Mode of Study

Full timeStudentsPart timeStudents

Arts, Law and Social Sciences

ChelmsfordCambridgeOther

Ashcroft International

Business School

ChelmsfordCambridgeOther

Education

ChelmsfordCambridgeOther

Science and Technology

ChelmsfordCambridgeOther

Health and Social Care

ChelmsfordCambridgeFulbournPeterbourgh

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DECLARATION OF INTERESTS It is important for anyone involved in decision making relating to financial or personnel matters and access to SU services (e.g. Advice Service/gym, etc), to demonstrate that they do not benefit personally from any decision that they make. Staff, elected officers and trustees have an obligation to avoid any conflict of interest between their private and any external business interests and those of the Students Union. Staff, elected officers and trustees must also declare any personal benefits offered to them before accepting such items. Where an employee, for instance, is offered free stock, this should be accepted on behalf of the SU and entered into the stock as free stock. If an employee is offered other inducements (e.g. a free trip, holiday, etc), this should be declared in advance and advice sought from your line manager or the General Manager. Students/suppliers sometimes want to show their appreciation for the assistance/business they have received from the Students Union. Only gifts of a nominal value (up to 20.00) may be accepted. Gifts/donations of more than a nominal value should be discussed with a member of Senior Management prior to acceptance. Donations of cash would not be acceptable. If it is decided that the gift/donation is inappropriate, the student/supplier must be given a full explanation as to why, in such a way as to not cause offence. A central record of all gifts/donations received should be recorded as a matter of good practice. It should be recorded in the back of the office diary. The entry should have the following information: Staff members/Officers name Gift/donation Case Number (if applicable e.g. Advice Service) Date

Failure to disclose gifts/donations, etc or other personal benefits may result in disciplinary action being taken. By asking staff and elected officers/ trustees to declare any pecuniary or personal interests that they might have in any matters where they are involved in making decisions, it should help to avoid any question about a member of staff/ elected officer/trustees influences and motives. (For example if you or your spouse runs a window cleaning company and the SU was considering placing a contract for window cleaning, you could be seen to have a particular interest in how the contract was awarded.) Such an interest should be declared. It does not disqualify you from continuing as a member of staff/ elected officer or trustee. Equally, any personal relationships between staff/elected officers/trustees should also be declared in order to avoid any doubt, especially where one of the parties is in a position to make decisions about employment matters. NAME. Have you or your immediate family members any direct pecuniary interests or personal interests in any matters likely to be considered by the Union? YES / NO

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If Yes, please outline interest below ............................................. ............................................. ............................................. ............................................. Signed . Date It is advisable that a declaration of interest form is completed at least annually. Please send your completed declaration to Linda Collett. A copy of all completed declarations will be kept on file alongside personnel files.

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CONTACT DETAILS Office Contact Details Cambridge Office: 01223 460008 Chelmsford Office: 01245 258178 Peterborough Office: 01223 883260 Fulbourn Office: 01223 88596500 info@angliastudent.com Sabbatical Officer Contact Details President: president@angliastudent.com Communications Officer: communications@angliastudent.com Academic Affairs Officer: academic@angliastudent.com Student Experience Officer (Cambridge): cambs-experience@angliastudent.com Student Experience Officer (Chelmsford): chelms-experience@angliastudent.com Cross Campus Staff General Manager Phil Mackay p.mackay@angliastudent.com Advice and Representation Manager Gill Thompson g.thompson@angliastudent.com Commercial Services Manger Toby Cunningham t.cunningham@angliastudent.com Student Activities Manager Jo Harbrow j.harbrow@angliastudent.com Membership Services Manager Sarah Boston s.boston@angliastudent.com

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INTRODUCTION CONTENTS CONGRATULATIONS STAFF AND SABBATICAL PICTURES 2008/9 ORGANISATIONAL CHART SABBATICAL OFFICER JOB DESCRIPTIONS President (Cross Campus) HOW TO SUBMIT A MOTION EXAMPLE MOTION WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE UNION The Constitution The Constitution is a document that sets out the fundamentals of how the Union operates. Everything that the Union does is governed by this document. The Constitution is a working document and as new situations and problems arise the Constitution is updated by members of Union Council.

OFFICE ETTIQUETTE Behaviour in the Offices

STUDENTS UNION MEETINGS Union Council

Sabbatical Meetings JMG (Joint Management Group) Student Activities Meeting Advice & Representation Meeting

Student Staff Forum

SITE COMMITTEES AGENDAS AND PAPERWORK MEETING ETIQUETTE CHAIRING MEETINGS Preparation At the Meeting

MEETING DATES: Semester 2 08-09 THE STUDENTS UNION AND SUEI STUDENT STAFF PROTOCOL AGREEMENT Staffing Committee NUS: National Union of Students WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY Vision Specifically, we are working to ensure that: Values

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