Student groups, academic societies and sports clubs are at the centre of most people's university experience. All student groups at GSU are run but student volunteers are called committee members.
What do committee members do?
As a committee member, you will be shaping your fellow students' experience, gaining lifelong skills and friendships in the process. The purpose of a committee is to ensure that the events and activities are fun, but are also in alignment with their constitution, and also don't break university objectives. Most importantly, the committee needs to make sure they're promoting the goals of their society and having as much fun in the process.
What do you gain by being a committee member?
Being a member of the Students' Union provides a wealth of experience that you can take into your years at university and into the world of work. From time-management to enhanced organisation skills, you are sure to develop as a person! Additionally, you can ask us for reference at the end of your year to take with you to your future employers.
Depending on the role you take you may gain a number of the below listed transferable skills:
- Leadership
- Confidence in speaking to others
- Event management
- Time Management
- Budgeting
- Verbal and Digital Communication
- Social Media Managing & Marketing
- Graphic Design use
- Applying GDPR laws in practice
- And much much more.
What is expected of someone who is a committee member?
Committee Members need to meet to ensure that there is a centralised vision for the society. You have all been democratically elected, or co-opted in a fair manner, to deliver the best experiences for society members. By meeting every two weeks, committee members recalibrate on their goals and properly plan events. Some events might take longer to plan, you might need to apply for more money or order decorations, and these tasks take time.
Specific roles on a committee will have specific duties or role descriptions. Below outlines some of the expectations that the Union has on roles that are present in every student group.
President
The role of the President is to oversee all the tasks, and ensure that each student is welcomed into the society. They need to communicate with students and be physically visible throughout activities. It is their duty to ensure the rest of the committee are abiding to the society constitution and code of conduct, as well as approving financial decisions made by the Treasurer.
Secretary/Vice President
The Secretary will be the main point of call for students, as they will be sending out email communications to keep students up to date with events, activities and updates. It is essential that the Secretary uses emails to send out messages for students who don't have social media.
Treasurer
Treasurers will focus on budgeting their finances and ensuring they have enough to sustain them throughout the year. This includes budgeting each month, planning the year ahead, knowing who the correct contacts are to process invoices and funds, and constantly checking up on your account total. To find out who your contacts are, click here.
Events Manager/Social Secretary
Event Managers will be the main person to come up with ideas for events and plan the year's events calendar. This will involve arranging room bookings with your society coordinator, organising catering, DJ arranging etc. All events need to be planned with accessibility in mind to ensure inclusivity for all society members. This includes letting students know about wheelchair access, lifts, whether the activities need sight or hearing. Accessibility can also include neurodivergent people, so consider the needs of these students when planning and promoting events! More information on event management can be found in committee resources.
How can I become a committee member?
Elections for Societies take place at the end of the Spring Term. This is where you can nominate yourself for any roles that are available in any group you are a part of. In September, some groups will be co-opting into certain roles if they haven't yet built up a fully elected committee. If you would like to find out what groups need committee members, email activities@gre.ac.uk.