HOW WE’RE RUN

How We Make Decisions

The University of Greater Manchester Students’ Union has approximately 8,400 student members.  The organisation is democratically run, with one sabbatical officer (elected annually) directing our work. However, the overall responsibility for the Students’ Union is overseen by our Board of Trustees, who have ultimate responsibility for the organisation.

Board of Trustees

Our Board of Trustees consists of seven Trustees, one elected sabbatical officer, two student trustees and four external trustees.  The students and external trustees are appointed through an open recruitment and selection process.  It’s important that our members know how the Students’ Union operates and how to get involved.  We are governed by a Constitution (Memorandum and Articles of Association), which sets out the rules and processes behind everything that we do. Our stances and policy decisions are made by our democratic processes, in which every student can have their say.  Staff are employed to help carry out our goals and objectives.

We are independent

We are a completely independent organisation. This ensures that we remain entirely focused on our members with one purpose in mind: to be there for every student in every way. 

We are a Company Limited by Guarantee

University of Greater Manchester Students’ Union is a company limited by guarantee in its own right, which means that the assets of the charity are held directly by the company. We are bound to comply with company law. Our Company Number is 8659862. Our regulator is Companies House, whose primary function is to oversee UK Limited companies. Our Trustee Board members are also the Directors of the company.

We are a Registered Charity

The Students’ Union is registered as a charity in England and Wales. Our regulator is the Charity Commission. (Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own charity regulatory bodies.) Our charity number is 1153573.

Being a charity means that:

We are not-for-profit: any income we generate from our commercial services goes straight back into providing services for students.

• We’re governed by charity law, which has some implications on how we can spend our money – making sure it’s spent on students, for example.
• We’re accountable to our members, which means we’re constantly looking to help students better understand what we do, and how we spend our money.

Funding

We are a charity. Our funding is generated in the following ways:

• A block grant from the University.
• Revenue from our Shop.
• Revenue from commercial activities.

Money spent in the SU Shop goes back into funding what we do. When you buy a sandwich or some stationery, you are actually helping to support our core services and, in turn, helping the Students' Union be there for every student in every way.

Affiliations

The Students' Union is affiliated to the following bodies:  National Union of Students (NUS)

Our Strategy

The Students’ Union has a Strategic Plan, revised every three years.  The current plan covers 2023 to 2026.  The plan outlines our aims and ambitions, which are measured by our progress, with reports being submitted to the Board of Trustees. 

Our Staff

The Students’ Union employs around 8 salaried staff at any one time. We also offer a range of paid employment and volunteering opportunities for students. There is a clear distinction between the Board of Trustees and those who carry out the everyday work and activities of the Union, whether they are paid or unpaid staff.

SU Staff, headed by our General Manager, delivers the Union’s day-to-day support services and activities, but overall responsibility lies with the SU Board of Trustees, our governing body.

The Students’ Union Code of Practice

The Code of Practice is issued by the Governing Body of the University of Greater Manchester, fulfilling the responsibility placed upon it by the Education Act 1994 (Part 11 Students' Union, section 22, sub-sections (3) and (4) (a)).   This Code sets out the rules the SU must comply with under the Education Act 1994, including the right to free and fair elections, finance, allocations of resources, services for members and non-members, affiliations to external organisations, and how students can complain about the Students' Union. 

Financial Statements – Annual Report and Accounts

The Annual Report and Accounts (audited by an external independent auditor appointed for this purpose) are presented to the Annual General Meeting held in March each year for approval. The AGM allows members to scrutinise the work of the Students' Union over the past year, examine its finances, and hold the Board of Trustees to account.   

Operational Policies

The Students' Union operates in accordance with operational policies set by the Board of Trustees.  These policies govern staff conduct and ensure the Union complies with its legal obligations. These policies remain in place until revised or revoked by the Board of Trustees.