7 Myths about Students’ Union Elections The University of Salford Students' Union is a charity dedicated to enhancing students' lives. We are independent of the University and led by students for the benefit of students. Every Salford student is a member of the Students' Union.
www.salfordstudents.com/elections
Voting in the Students’ Union elections is an important way for you to have your say on what happens at the Union, on campus, and within the wider student community. As a Salford student, you can stand and vote in all elections – why throw that opportunity away?! In November, students will be elected to represent Salford at the annual conference of the National Union of Students. The delegates will debate and vote on national student issues, ensuring that the views of Salford students are taken into account.
You can STAND for election as an NUS delegate by nominating yourself online: www.salfordstudents.com/elections
You can VOTE in the election via blackboard: vle.salford.ac.uk
Myth #1 “It’s just a popularity contest” There are no guarantees with elections – just because a candidate knows lots of people does not mean they will automatically vote for them.
At Salford, we regularly get over 2500 votes in the elections – no one can know that many people
Every vote counts! There are loads of ways to persuade students to vote for you, and you can learn tips and ideas from the candidate guidance sessions offered by the Students’ Union. Ultimately, students will vote for the person they believe will do a good job – you need to persuade them that you’re the right person!
Myth #2 “Elections are for people interested in student politics” If you care about the student experience at Salford, then you are the right person for the job! You don’t need to be into national or local politics, you don’t need to have been involved in the Students’ Union before, in fact you don’t have to know anything about these elections to start with! Students stand for election for a variety of reasons, some have strong campaigning ideas but most just want to make things better for students at Salford. All Salford students can vote in the elections, no previous knowledge or experience is required and the Students’ Union encourages everyone to have their say!
Myth #3 “I won’t have time” Voting online takes a few minutes and can make a huge difference to the year ahead.
Voting on Blackboard is quick and easy so take a welldeserved break from studying to cast your vote!
While standing for election will take more of your time, it will not disrupt your studies and the support and guidance available from the Students’ Union will ensure you enjoy every minute! If elected to the NUS delegation, you’ll need to attend the conference in April, but there are no ongoing responsibilities for the role.
Myth #4 “It’s too complicated” Voting is simple, all you have to do is login to Blackboard and click on the ‘Students’ Union Elections’ module. vle.salford.ac.uk
Once you’ve clicked the election module you’ll be taken to our voting portal, where you can choose to read the manifestos of each candidate by clicking on their names. Once you’ve made your choice, you simply follow the instructions and rank the candidates in your order of preference. Nominating yourself is also straightforward and can be done entirely online at www.salfordstudents.com/elections
Myth #5 “There’s nothing I want to change, I’m happy with things at Salford” You don’t have to want big changes to stand or vote in the elections Small changes and improvements can make a huge difference, so speak to your friends and coursemates about their ideas. Sometimes the University does something fantastic and as a Students’ Union, it’s our job to make sure they know that! It might be that our encouragement results in further improvements. NUS delegates represent the views of Salford students at the national conference, so while you might be happy at Salford, you may have a view on national issues like funding or student numbers.
It is your opinion and your ability to represent the opinions of others that is important!
Myth #6 “Nothing ever changes� Students have been instrumental in achieving significant changes at Salford In recent years, Salford students through the Students’ Union have successfully campaigned for: Extended library opening hours Feedback returned within three weeks Clarity on additional course costs Early timetables Improvements to the PMC procedure and many more University, College, School and programme-level changes National issues affecting students like funding, student numbers, immigration and employment are all hot topics, and as an NUS delegate you will be debating and voting on action NUS will take in the coming year.
Myth #7 “I won’t win without a big campaign team”
Having friends to help you out with your election can be really helpful, whether they play a large role in your campaign or just help hand out some flyers, but this is not essential for success. Elections can be tiring and your friends will likely want to help get you elected…so let them help!
However, Plenty of successful candidates at Salford have won on their own, and as you’ll meet plenty of people during the election period anyway, you certainly won’t feel lonely! Remember to make good use of social media and other creative methods so you don’t have to speak to every student face-to-face.
Connect with us! president-ussu@salford.ac.uk www.salfordstudents.com facebook.com/salfordsu twitter.com/salfordsu
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www.salfordstudents.com/elections