The Students’ Union is excited to announce our Student Leadership Elections for the 2026/27 academic year. This election will include our Sabbatical Officer roles, Student Group Committee members, Student Priorities and a referendum on our Articles of Association.

We recognise that discussing Elections can be confusing, and the idea of democracy can sound quite intimidating and daunting for students. To help you, we’ve put together this quick guide that breaks down the Student Leadership Elections and what democracy is.

Sabbatical Officers (paid, full-time)

The Sabbatical Officers are the elected leaders of the Students’ Union. It’s a full-time, paid job, where you’ll work closely with colleagues from across the University, Students’ Union, and nationally via the National Union of Students, to campaign for positive change for students at Roehampton.

Following our Democracy Review, the roles up for election this year have changed. It’s important you read the job descriptions (to be published on our website by the end of January) of each role carefully, as you’ll need to convince the wider student body that you’re the right person for the job when voting comes around.

The two roles that you can stand for are:

• President Education
• President Community

The start date for these roles is 15 June 2026 and run through to 30 June 2027. As a staff member of the Students’ Union, you will receive a monthly salary, pension, benefits, and a detailed training and induction package to get you ready for the role.

Student Priorities

The Students’ Union is led by students for students. This means students inform the campaigns and work we do as an organisation to ensure we’re advocating and representing you on the issues that matter to you most. That’s why we’ve moved away from short-term manifesto pledges and projects which required the Students’ Union to constantly change focus, and instead, we’re introducing Student Priorities.

During the Student Leadership Elections, you can vote on which priorities the Students’ Union should focus on during the 2026/27 academic year. This is your opportunity to tell the Students’ Union what matters to you most and where we should be concentrating our skills, expertise, and resources to make student life better.

Student Group Committee (voluntary)

Every student group at Roehampton is powered by an amazing team of volunteers called the Committee.

These student leaders keep each group running smoothly and help create the fun, welcoming, and memorable experiences members enjoy throughout the year.

Joining a Committee isn’t just a great way to shape the experience of students on campus. It’s also an opportunity to build valuable skills, boost your confidence, and stand out during your time at Roehampton and beyond.

If you’re passionate about your group and want to help make it even better, why not get involved?

All student groups will participate in Elections, and will have all committee roles up for nomination.

A couple of key notes. To nominate yourself, you must be a paid, standard member of the student group and be a student during the 2026/27 academic year through to 30 June 2027. These conditions also apply to current committee members looking for re-election. You’ll only see student group elections for any group you’re a member of. For the purposes of College societies, you’ll be eligible to vote for the College that is registered to you on your student record.

You can read more about Student Leadership Elections for student groups on Freshdesk.

Key Dates, Times and Locations

Nomination and Voting Eligibility

All Full Members of the Students’ Union are eligible to participate in elections, referenda and voting for Student Priorities. This includes nominating yourself for a full-time Sabbatical Officer role (you can only stand for one of the two roles).

A Full member is:

• A current student enrolled at the University of Roehampton, who has not opted out of membership as outlined in the Union’s governing documents.
• A current Sabbatical Officer of the Students’ Union

For student groups, only registered members (who hold a purchased membership) of that group can nominate themselves for a role, as well as take part in the committee voting process. Please note, membership sales for all student groups will be closed on Fri 6 Mar 2026. For those standing for a committee role, you must be a student during the 2026/27 academic year through to 30 June 2027

How to Submit a Nomination

You can submit your nomination(s) through our dedicated elections site from Friday 6 February.

For any enquiries about the Student Leadership Elections, please email elections@roehampton.ac.uk.