All you need to know about the Part Time Officer Elections

If you want to make sure that students have a good time at the University of Manchester and be a part of implementing positive changes, being a Part-Time Officer(PTO) can ensure that. The nominations for being a PTO are now open and here is all you need to know about it.

There are 7 different roles available to be a PTO, and around 50 positions are up for grabs. These include:

• 10 Liberations Officers: who represent people from LGBTQ+, BME or other marginalised backgrounds.
• 12 Faculty Officers: who communicate with course reps in their faculty to improve students experience.
• 7 Access Officers: who represent student parents and mature students, who are often categorised ‘non-traditional’ students.
• 6 Community Officers: who represent people living in different areas of Manchester such as Rusholme, Fallowfield and City Centre.
• 1 Ethic and Environmental Officer: who campaign for sustainability on campus.
• 1 International Student Officer: who work with the International Exec Officer to improve international students’ experience
• 12 NUS Delegates: who represent Manchester Students’ Union’s members at a national level, attending the NUS’ Conference.

The candidates standing for PTO will receive in-person training on the topics of public speaking, campaigning, senate and representation. Hence, this training gives students the chance to learn and advance skills in key areas.

An SU spokesperson stated, “This is a great opportunity to meet new people who resonate with your passions, gain a deeper knowledge of the Students’ Union and advocate for the issues you stand for on a campus-wide platform.”

The nominations opened up on the 8th of October and are open till the 22nd of October at mid-day. On the 22nd of October itself, the candidates will be given a briefing on what would be expected of them. Following this, on the 25th of October, the campaigning will commence and the voting would open. On the 27th of October, the students will get a chance to meet the candidates in-person and will get to ask them questions. Finally, on the 28th of October, the voting would be closed.

The results will be announced on the 29th of October on the Student Union website. If there are any queries students can email the SU’s Democratic Engagement Coordinator, Stefanie Cooper ([email protected]) or the SU elections account ([email protected]).

This is a great opportunity to participate in university affairs and can get you more invested in students’ day to day life.