Tell us a little bit about Solent Students’ Union and what you do
Solent Students’ Union is run by four sabbatical officers. They are students annually elected by other students to lead the SU and represent Solent students both nationally and locally. These sabbatical officers listen to Solent students’ concerns, lobby the University to make the changes students want to see, and campaign to improve the student experience here at Solent. The Union takes our lead from these sabbatical officers, working alongside them to ensure our resources are used to help Solent students in any way we can.
What do the Sabbatical Officers do on a day to day basis?
Each and every day sabbatical officers are working to make Solent University a brilliant place to study, socialise and grow. They take the lead on projects that relate to their individual roles, such as welfare and community or education, to make sure a student's voice is heard at meetings within the University, and talk to students about the changes they want to see.
Describe Solent Students' Union in three words
Independent, inclusive and progressive.
What exciting campaigns have been run by the Union?
We have run so many campaigns in our many decades of working with students at Solent. Probably one of our most regular campaigns is our annual mental health campaign, where we help students reduce stress and enjoy their studies. Another memorable campaign would have to be when we started to tackle ‘lad’ culture on campus. We aimed to reduce sexism on campus and the campaign culminated in the SO-Women Conference to celebrate, empower and inspire women.
What’s been the Union's biggest achievement so far?
Now, this is a very, very difficult question! Most recent achievements for the Union include successfully running a campaign to ensure there will be no charge for guest tickets at the 2018 graduation ceremony. We have also just introduced free printing for every student in the Union, to help tackle course expenses.
How can students get involved in the Union?
As a charity led by students for students, there are countless ways for students to get involved with Solent Students’ Union. These include: joining a society, becoming a sabbatical officer, voting in our annual elections, enjoying time in the Den, our on-campus cafe, or taking part in one of many volunteering opportunities throughout the year. If you want any further information on how to get involved, pop into our welcome centre on the first floor of the Students’ Union.
How can the Union help students?
We are constantly working with students and the university to encourage change around Solent that students want to see. We also run an invaluable advice service direct from the Students’ Union. The service is free, independent and open to all students. It's there to help give advice and support students throughout their academic experience at Solent.
What types of societies do you have
We are very proud of our diverse range of societies at Solent Students’ Union. We have a real mix of interests; from our arts and crafts society, or D20 (a tabletop, RPG, console and pc gaming society), to Radio Sonar. We love to encourage new societies and always want to hear of new ideas in our welcome centre located on the first floor of the union building.
Find out more about Solent Students' Union