UCL Union

Well, elections are nearing, which means that you will all soon be able to vote for who is running your Union next year. What this also means is that you will be able to stand for office!

With the Governance Review underway, we will not be electing quite so many people as usual just yet - but you will still be able to stand for any of the positions on the Union Executive. This includes Sabbatical positions, which are full time and paid, and part-time positions, which are taken on by students who will still be studying during their time as a Union Officer.

Others are much better placed to tell you what it is like to be a sabb, but with the opening of nominations just days away, I thought that I should share with you some of my thoughts on what it means to be a part-time Exec Officer.

The weirdest thing about being a part-time exec officer is just how many opportunities there are for you to get involved. Your job title will provide you with a starting point - for example, I am Activities Officer, so most of my time in the Union is spent on things relating to student activities. This is, though, only a starting point. One of the greatest things about becoming an Exec Officer is that you are in a position to affect change across the entire Union. This is a tremendous responsibility, but one that I would not have missed for the world. You spend time doing things that affect the way the Union is - from discussing the best structure for UCL Union, to thinking about how we can make Gordon's Cafe more environmentally friendly.

For me, being an Exec officer has been an amazing experience. If you are thinking about standing for election, I would say go for it - you'll have the time of your life if elected!