The SRC (The Student Representative Council)

The SRC is key to how GSASA represents you - our members - at GSA. The SRC is so important to us, we can’t function without them and they can’t function without you!The SRC exists as three committees, exclusively comprising students, that help to keep this place running. 

Campaigns Committee 

• They oversee a budget of £1000 per Semester for Campaigns to take place across the Academic Session. 

• They discuss the running of the Students’ Association, which will be key to developing programming ideas around Campaigns and contributing to the Association’s business plans in the coming year.  

• Their voice is at the forefront of decisions made at the Students’ Association. 

• They express their opinion on what works well, and what doesn’t.  

• They are a creative and representative group comprised of new Liberation Officers who push new ideas. 

Funding Committee 

• They discuss and allocate the funding of £3000 per semester which the Students’ Association awards for extracurricular Student Initiated Projects. 

• They help ensure that the Students’ Association are being fair in supporting students practice and personal development. 

• They make amendments to funding processes to make sure these processes are as fair and practical as possible. 

• They are a supportive group who help projects find valuable resources for their fellow students. 

Societies Committee 

• They are the decision-making group in relation to the activities and funds of the student groups and societies at GSASA.  

• They are a sociable group who bring people and projects together. 

• They are a space for societies and student groups to share about their recent and upcoming activity, collaborate together, and seek a supportive environment from other students, Sabbatical Officers, or GSASA staff.  

• They work to approve new societies, monitor and approve funding made to existing societies. 

Whole SRC Meetings 

There are at least three meetings of all three committees of the SRC this year. These are formal meetings for the President and Events Convenor to report back to all members on their core activities in the first semester and priorities going forward, and for Council members to raise important issues pertaining to the Association and its activities. For SRC members who wish to stand for Election to the GSASA Board of Trustees, the first meeting is a chance to make your case for election to other council members, and an election of council members to the Board will take place.  

How to be Elected 

Liberation officers apply for positions at the beginnin of the academic year. SRC members stand for election to the Campaigns, Funding and Societies Comittee in October of each year, nominations for the SRC close at our AGM in early October, followed by a two week election period.  

If you are elected as a Class Rep for your programme, you are invited to join any of these Committees and will not need to undergo the online election process unless you wish to stand for Liberation Office.   

Liberation Officers

Liberation Officers ensure the voices of marginalised students and interest groups are heard at the Students’ Association in supporting and working to represent a specific demographic of students. Issues such as ableism, homophobia, transphobia, bigotry, racism, the climate crisis, patriarchy, misogyny, gender inequality, xenophobia and ageism exist in all elements of our society. We must ensure we are listening and learning from each other’s points of view and be open to identifying any role we have played in the injustices they have faced, or anything we can do to address them.  

GSASA recognise the value of lived experience, the value of self-organisation and the value that having representation in these areas will bring to all aspects of student life and experience at GSA. Liberation Officers will be elected annually to represent the interests of specific groups of students. They do this by organising campaigns; communicating with and collating feedback from students; and ensuring student voices are represented on the SRC Campaigns Committee. Any GSA student that self-identifies as these liberation roles, can stand in the elections.  

These are new positions for GSASA, and we want to support students and listen to their experiences whilst being a Liberation Officer. We recognise the roles and pressures on people operating in Liberation roles and want the experience of being a rep to be empowering and beneficial to you and the broader community you represent. Our commitment to students in these roles is:  

• We will monitor and evaluate the workload and expectations on reps by the Association and School on an ongoing basis, and at the end of your term.  

• Support and advice is available for all reps through the Student Engagement Team throughout the year.  

• The Officers will receive a £200 honorarium per semester for semesters 1+2  

• There is a time commitment of no more than 4 hours per week as to not negatively impact visas for international students and otherwise work or caring commitments.   

These students will have the opportunity to:  

• To act as a recognised spokesperson for Liberation groups and issues represented through the Liberation Officer roles.  

• To be an active member of the GSASA Campaigns Committee.  

• To provide feedback and advocacy to the Association and the school on key issues relating to the student experience in the Liberation Officers key area of expertise.  

• To champion the participation of students in GSASA and it's work, and support the work of student led initiatives supported by the association such as Societies.  

• To run and support campaigns, and collaborate with your fellow Liberation Officers, and lead and inform the preparation of campaign materials and resources that support these campaigns.  

• To assist the Association, and where appropriate the school, in the preparation of policies and procedure.  

• Where appropriate and possible, to attend conferences or events relevant to your Liberation Role.  

The roles: 

- Disability Officer  

As part of the Campaigns Committee, the Disability Officer represents the needs and interests of students with disabilities visible or non-visible in the GSASA and the school.   

They will have the opportunity to make meaningful changes for students with disabilities on decision-making bodies within the Students’ Association and the school and create and run campaigns on issues that affect students with disabilities, build and strengthen community across campus and work as part of the Campaigns Committee to improve accessibility throughout the student experience. They will be working alongside and supported by the Sabbatical Officers to represent these collective interests to GSA and beyond. This role is part-time and can be delivered alongside studies.  

- Queer Officer  

As part of the Campaigns Committee, the LGBTQIA+ Officer represents the needs and interests of students who identify as LGBTQIA+ in the GSASA and the school. 

They will have the opportunity to make meaningful changes for students who identify as LGBTQIA+ on decision-making bodies within the Students’ Association and the school and create and run campaigns on issues that affect students who identify as LBGTQIA+, build and strengthen communities across campus and work as part of the Campaigns Committee to improve accessibility throughout the student experience. They will be working alongside and supported by the Sabbatical Officers to represent these collective interests to GSA and beyond. This role is part-time and can be delivered alongside studies.  

- POC Officer  

As part of the Campaigns Committee, the Anti-Racism Officer represents the needs and interests of students who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Colour) in the GSASA and the school.   

They will have the opportunity to make meaningful changes for students who identify as BIPOC on decision-making bodies within the Students’ Association and the school and create and run campaigns on issues that affect students who identify as BIPOC, build and strengthen community across campus and work as part of the Campaigns Committee to improve accessibility throughout the student experience. They will be working alongside and supported by the Sabbatical Officers to represent these collective interests to GSA and beyond. This role is part-time and can be delivered alongside studies.  

- Environmental Officer  

As part of the Campaigns Committee, the Environmental Officer represents students’ priorities and interests relating to environmental sustainability in the GSASA and the school. The Officer will play an important role in how both organisations respond to the Climate emergency and advocate for climate justice. 

They will have the opportunity to make meaningful changes for students on decision-making bodies within the Students’ Association, work with GSA’s Sustainability in Action Group and create and run campaigns on issues that affect students, build and strengthen community across campus and work as part of the Campaigns Committee to improve accessibility throughout the student experience. They will be working alongside and supported by the Sabbatical Officers to represent these collective interests to GSA and beyond. This role is part-time and can be delivered alongside studies.  

- Gender Equality Officer  

As part of the Campaigns Committee, the Gender Equality Officer represents the needs and interests of students who have experience of a marginalised identity in the GSASA and the school. This is inclusive of Trans and Intersex people, non-binary and gender fluid people, cis women, and anyone with a nonnormative gender identity.  

They will have the opportunity to make meaningful changes for students who have the experience of a marginalised identity on decision-making bodies within the Students’ Association and the school and create and run campaigns on issues that affect students, build and strengthen community across campus and work as part of the Campaigns Committee to improve accessibility throughout the student experience. They will be working alongside and supported by the Sabbatical Officers to represent these collective interests to GSA and beyond. This role is part-time and can be delivered alongside studies.  

- International Students Officer  

As part of the Campaigns Committee, the International Officer represents the needs and interests of students who have joined the GSASA and the school from outside of the United Kingdom.   

They will have the opportunity to make meaningful changes for international students on decision-making bodies within the Students’ Association and the school and create and run campaigns on issues that affect international students, build and strengthen community across campus and work as part of the Campaigns Committee to improve accessibility throughout the student experience. They will be working alongside and supported by the Sabbatical Officers to represent these collective interests to GSA and beyond. This role is part-time and can be delivered alongside studies.  

- Mature Students Officer  

As part of the Campaigns Committee, the Mature Students Officer represents the needs and interests of students who have joined the GSASA and the school over the age of 30. 

They will have the opportunity to make meaningful changes for Mature students on decision-making bodies within the Students’ Association and the school and create and run campaigns on issues that affect mature students, build and strengthen community across campus and work as part of the Campaigns Committee to improve accessibility throughout the student experience. They will be working alongside and supported by the Sabbatical Officers to represent these collective interests to GSA and beyond. This role is part-time and can be delivered alongside studies.

Illustrations - Ema Ferreira