Leadership Elections: Introduction to the roles

Introduction to the roles

We’ve pulled together the key responsibilities for the eight Sabbatical roles you can run for, to help you make an informed decision on which role suits you best. You do not need any prior experience to run for a Sabb role, just a passion for improving the lives of Cambridge students. A reminder that these are full-time paid positions, you will need to take a full year out of your studies or be graduating this summer. 

Undergraduate President: 

You must be an Undergraduate at the time of the election in order to stand for this role.

• Be the lead representative of Undergraduate students at the University. 

• Sit on the University Council and a number of other committees.

• Taking a leadership role in the running of the Union, chairing either the Executive Committee or the Board of Trustees and being accountable to the University for some aspects of the SU’s work.

• Supporting and enabling collaboration between JCRs and MCRs including College Forum.

• Be a lead spokesperson for the SU to external organisations and the media.

• Work closely with the Postgraduate President on many of these responsibilities. 

Postgraduate President: 

You must be a Postgraduate at the time of the election in order to stand for this role.

• Be the lead representative of postgraduate students at the University.

• Sit on the University Council and a number of other committees.

• Taking a leadership role in the running of the Union, chairing either the Executive Committee or the Board of Trustees and being accountable to the University for some aspects of the SU’s work.

• Supporting and enabling collaboration between JCRs and MCRs including College Forum.

• Be a lead spokesperson for the SU to external organisations and the media.

• Work closely with the Postgraduate President on many of these responsibilities.

Undergraduate Access, Education and Participation Officer: 

You must be an undergraduate at the time of your election to stand for this role.

• Representing students on the General Board, the University’s senior academic body, and a number of other committees.

• Overseeing (with staff support) the SU’s access schemes for Undergraduate study.

• Supporting and enabling collaboration between JCR Access Officers.

• Training and supporting Academic Reps, including coordinating Academic Forum.

• Working closely with the Postgraduate Access, Education and Participation Officer on many of these responsibilities.

Postgraduate Access,Education and Participation Officer:

You must be a Postgraduate at the time of your election to stand for this role.

• Representing students on the General Board, the University’s senior academic body, and a number of other committees.

• Overseeing (with staff support) the SU’s access schemes for Postgraduate study.

• Supporting and enabling collaboration between MCR Access Officers.

• Training and supporting Academic Reps, including coordinating Academic Forum.

• Working closely with the Postgraduate Access, Education and Participation Officer on many of these responsibilities.

BME Officer: 

You should be a BME student to stand for this role.

• Taking a leadership role in the BME Campaign, in keeping with its constitution. This includes coordinating the Campaign’s campaigning and representative work. 

• Sit on some University committees.

• Being accountable to BME students via the BME Campaign for their work.

• Supporting and enabling collaboration between College BME Officers.

Disabled Students’ Officer: 

You must be a disabled student to stand for this role.

• Taking a leadership role in the Disabled Students’ Campaign, in keeping with its constitution. This includes coordinating the Campaign’s campaigning and representative work.

• Sit on some University committees.

• Being accountable to disabled students via the Disabled Students’ Campaign for their work. 

• Supporting and enabling collaboration between College Disabled Students’ Officers.

Welfare & Community Officer: 

• Being the lead officer for issues around the relationship between students and the local community and the engagement of students with local and national democracy.

• Sit on University and college committees related to student welfare.

• Overseeing (with staff support) the SU’s activity to support students’ welfare & rights, including the Student Advice Service.

• Supporting and enables collaboration between Welfare Officers in colleges and other student groups.

Women’s Officer:

You should be a student for whom “woman” forms a part of your gender identity to stand for this role.

• Takes a leadership role in the Women’s Campaign, in keeping with its constitution. This includes coordinating the Campaign’s campaigning and representative work.

• Is a lead representative for students at the University for whom “woman” forms a part of their gender identity.

• Sit on some University committees.

• Is accountable to students via the Women’s Campaign for their work.

• Supports and enables collaboration between College Women’s Officers