General Election Information

UNESC functions to actively consult on, and voice student issues and concerns, facilitating institution-wide discussion on these relevant issues to encourage student engagement. The UNESC prioritises student wellbeing and education, and operates under a partnership framework of student and staff collaboration to meet these mutual objectives.

The purpose of the UNESC is to:

1. Provide a formal avenue for student consultation, collaboration and voice on UNE matters;
2. Enhance and promote the welfare of UNE students, and better the UNE learning experience;
3. Represent UNE students within, and external to the University;
4. Promote communication and interaction between UNE students and staff to inform, facilitate and engage in a partnership approach at UNE;
5. Provide an opportunity and create a safe space for student representatives to collaborate with, and provide input to the University on matters of interest, including but not limited to the engagement of current and future students;
6. Provide and coordinate Partnership Forums for the discussion and co-creation of solutions for UNE problems, where Representatives and Staff both meaningfully participate in decision making processes together;
7. Aid in the development of co-created solutions, and the provision of new and innovative ideas and practices where these are of benefit to UNE and UNE students;
8. Enable UNE to benefit from the diversity of skill, backgrounds and experience of the student population and their engagement; and
9. Act as a conduit or meeting point for student representative liaison and voice on behalf of UNE students; and
10. Make recommendations to the SSAF Committee about the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) allocation in accordance with the Higher Education Support Act and the Higher Education Support (Student Services, Amenities, Representation and Advocacy) Guidelines 2022 (as amended from time to time) and Student priorities.

UNESC may conduct any such activities which fulfil the purpose and are in accordance with UNE policies.

Duties and Responsibilities: The role of UNESC Representative carries a high level of responsibility to work in partnership with UNE and staff to meet the purpose of the UNESC. This includes making efforts to collaborate, liaise and communicate with other representatives, staff, attend meetings and Forums and participate with Students’ best interests in mind.

UNESC Representatives are tasked with:

• collating student opinions, concerns and suggestions from their consultation and recording this, and reporting agreed upon solutions back to the student body or providing updates on work being conducted towards finding an appropriate solution.
• preparation of reports and papers, which are circulated prior to meetings and are assumed to be “read” before the meeting. Meetings will focus on respectful debate and discussion of any issues arising from reports, points of clarification, and confirmation or otherwise of the proposed resolution. All meeting papers are provided electronically.
• supporting students via listening to their issues and pointing them in the right direction of services that may be of assistance.
• providing handovers at the conclusion of their term to ensure the continuity of UNESC.

For further information on the roles and responsibilities of a UNESC Representative, please take time to read the UNESC Constitution.

Skills and Experience: The role of UNESC Representative requires an interest in representing Student opinions and needs impartially, candidly, and with integrity, maintaining Student’s best interests and promoting partnership between Students and Staff. The UNESC is dedicated to building resilient and authentic student representation and promoting valued Student voice at UNE.

Conduct of UNESC Representatives: UNESC Representatives are required to abide by the UNESC Constitution, UNE policies and the law at all times.

Attendance: Representatives are required to attend UNESC Meetings, which will be held at least once per trimester and more often if required. Representatives are also required to attend the Forum Preparation Meeting and the subsequent Forum (one is held each trimester). Should a Representative be unable to attend a meeting, they are required to send a written apology.

All meetings will be conducted via digital meeting software, in addition to any in person accessibility.

Email: Regular attention to UNESC related emails is important for all Representatives. Urgent matters for decision may be distributed via email for consideration.

Additional Roles: UNESC Representatives may volunteer to undertake the role of Chairperson of a UNESC Sub-Committee.

Acknowledgement of Contributions: The UNESC Chairperson is eligible for a nominal honorarium in acknowledgement of the additional duties required of the position. UNESC Representatives will receive a formal letter acknowledging their specific contributions to the University when requested.

The UNE Council Student Member is an ex officio member and Chair of UNESC.

All other members of UNESC are elected in the following categories:

• 5 x Online Student Representatives
• 2 x General Student Representatives – Undergraduate
• 2 x General Student Representatives – Post Graduate or Research
• 2 x International Student Representatives
• 1 x Residential College Representative
• 1 x On-Campus Student Representative
• 1 x Indigenous Student Representative
• 1 x Accessibility Representative

• Find out more about UNESC and understand, as outlined in brief above, the role and duties of UNESC Representatives. You are welcome to discuss the roles, in the first instance, with the Chair of UNESC, Kristy Sillman via unesc@une.edu.au or Deputy Returning Officer, Jenny Croaker, via returning_officer@une.edu.au.
• Check the eligibility criteria (see below). This criteria has also been outlined within the call for nominations email.
• Consider the time commitment required, including attendance of at least 9 meeting per year and a 2-year term of membership to which you would be committing. Please note, should you be elected to UNESC and subsequently cease to meet the eligibility criteria for the position to which you were elected (e.g. you conclude your studies at UNE) then your role on UNESC would also conclude at that point in time.
• If you are eligible and wish to nominate, follow the instructions you will receive in an email from BigPulse. You will be asked to answer a number of questions, to make a number of declarations and to provide a short candidate statement (of 200 words or less) outlining why you would like to be an UNESC Representative, and what you hope to bring to UNESC. Your statement should not include any external links. You can also upload a photograph as part of your nomination.
• Please be aware that:
  • Nominees for election agree to abide by Code of Conduct for UNESC Election Candidates.
  • Members of UNESC agree to:
    • abide by the UNESC Constitution;
    • comply with UNE policies at all times;
    • abide by the law at all times.

As detailed in section 4.5 of the UNESC Constitution, nominees for election must meet the following eligibility requirements (as at the date of the Roll (22 July 2024)):

• have an active enrolment in a course at UNE;
• have at least 3 Trimesters left in the course;
• not be a full-time permanent (or fixed-term) staff member at UNE; and
• have no recorded breaches of the UNE Student Behavioural Misconduct Rule.

Please contact returning_officer@une.edu.au if you have any questions.

Yes, you may nominate in one or in all Representative categories for which you are eligible.

Some examples:

An International student undertaking a PhD at the Armidale campus may be eligible to nominate in the following Representative categories:

• General Student Representatives – Post Graduate or Research
• International Student Representatives
• On-Campus Student Representative

A student who identifies as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander undertaking a Bachelor degree and living at college may be eligible to nominate in the following Representative categories:

• General Student Representatives – Undergraduate
• Residential College Representative
• On-Campus Student Representative
• Indigenous Student Representative

A student who has a disability and is undertaking a Masters (by coursework) online may be eligible to nominate in the following Representative categories:

• Online Student Representatives
• General Student Representatives – Post Graduate or Research
• Accessibility Representative

If you would like to nominate for more than one representative role, please complete your first nomination form, then return to your "Call for Nominations" email and click the nomination link again. You will be able to auto-populate your second and subsequent nomination forms with the information from your original nomination, and then edit the content should you wish.

All eligible students get to vote for all candidates in all Representative categories. Preferential voting will take place.

The electronic Nomination Form is accessed via a link in an email from the election provider, BigPulse. This email will be received by eligible students from 29 July 2024. If you do not receive an email and you believe you are eligible to nominate – please check your “Junk” emails in case your security settings have not recognised the BigPulse email. Your email should be from the “UNE Student Council Elections” and @bigpulse.com, with a subject including the words “UNE Student Council Elections 2024”. If you still have not received an email and you have checked the eligibility criteria (Q5 on this page), please contact the Returning Officer or Deputy Returning Officer at returning_officer@une.edu.au.

The Nomination Form must include:

• a candidate statement;
• confirmation you understand and accept the duties and responsibilities of a UNESC Representative; and
• confirmation you will abide by the candidate guidelines for elections.

Nominees are encouraged to upload a profile photo to their nomination.

The Returning Officer will advise when campaigning may commence.

All campaign information is to be authorised by the Returning Officer, as outlined in the Code of Conduct for UNESC Election Candidates.

Those candidates whose nominations are declared eligible for election by the Returning Officer, will have their candidate statements (which are provided as part of their nomination) published on the UNESC Elections webpage.

The "Invitation to Vote" email will be sent to eligible students by the University's election provider BigPulse on or around the 19 August 2024. This email will include a link to the election webpage, so that potential voters may view all candidate details.

Please contact the Deputy Returning Officer, Jenny Croaker or the Returning Officer, Susannah Warrick at returning_officer@une.edu.au.