Committee Resources

Committee Resources

committee resources

Understanding what a Committee does


A committee is a group of people who run an activity. It's important that the committee represent the whole organisation and work well together. Without them, the society or club can't exist.

Signatory Roles
Signatory roles take full responsibility for the organisation. Without them, the activity couldn't exist. It only takes around 2-4 hours a week to commit to these roles

PRESIDENT

  • Is a signatory role
  • Head of society/club
  • Ensures SU procedures are followed
  • Overseees meetings + elections
  • The main contact/representative between the SU and members
  • Oversees all group activity and ensures all other committee members are fulfilling their duties
  • Ensures reasonable conduct of all members
  • Ultimately responsible for the safe return of all rented equipment belonging to or hired by the SU
  • Votes on new society applications and new activities fund applcations

SECRETARY

  • Is a signatory role
  • Takes minutes in meetings
  • Works with the activities department to organise spaces for meetings/ training
  • Keeps an updated member's database
  • Key administrator for all official events, fixtures or admin
  • Oversees/confirms transport arrangements, room or venue bookings
  • Collaborates with all members within the society
  • Organises fair and transparent processes in accordance of the constitution

TREASURER

  • Is a signatory role
  • Keeps current, accurate financial information of the society/club's activities
  • Oversees all financial transactions
  • Presents budget to the committee and SU when required
  • Plays a key part in making bids for additional funding, from both UOSSU and external bodies
  • Manages memberships and registration
  • Acts as fundraising officer where appropriate

 

Optional Roles
Having a social secretary or wellbeing officer helps manage the sport in every department and offers more support to students. It only takes around 1-2 hours a week to commit to these roles.

SOCIAL SECRETARY

  • Organises appropriate regular social functions, activities and themes
  • Books accessible venues, catering and entertainment as required
  • Oversees and manages the social media, recruitment, advertising and communications (chats, forums, etc.)
  • Organises awards, incentives and recognition
  • Collaborates with other activities to provide a variety of activities
  • Finds new ways to engage players and maintain attendance

WELLBEING OFFICER

  • Safeguards (or allocates someone to) all events
  • Acts as an Active bystander
  • Ensures smooth reporting of wellbeing concerns and put signposting measurers in place
  • Allocates sober members at socials, and buddy systems on nights out (does not have to be someone who stays sober at every social, but can allocate and oversee safe drinking)
  • This role is not a counsellor, but someone who can handle a potentially stressful situation
  • Manges the general advice and support system of the society or club


Can we share roles or make up new ones?

You cannnot share roles - It's also important to stick to the roles you were elected as in order to ensure cooperability and transparency in all aspects of the leadership roles. This way you can hold a committee member accountable and easily handover role responsibilities. Committee roles are designed to be managable for one person too.
If all the Key Signatory roles are filled, then you are able to create a new type of committee member that you believe would suport your society. Email su.activities@uos.ac.uk with a description of the new role and why it would benefit your activity.


How are students elected onto the Committee?

New societies fill their committee before starting in their application. If a society started during the current academic year, they are allowed to run the society again for another year before they have to run in the elections.
If a society is over a year old, they must elect their committee during the SU Activities Elections. This is ran similary to general elections and the candidates with the higest votes get elected. Only paid members can vote.

 

If during the year, you'd like to step down, please contact the activities department via email su.activities@uos.ac.uk. 


An Update of Committee Takeover of A Society form can be filed out for anyone wanting to re-activate a dissolved society or wanting to rearrange the roles of the committee (e.g. swap positions or introduce a new member). Once filled, send to su.activities@uos.ac.uk 


Commitee Meetings

These should be formal meetings, held in a professional space. Someone should be taking minutes and ideally all committee members should be in attendance. Committee meetings should be held monthly to plan the next month and discuss the month just passed. You can use these meetings to discuss:

  • Trips out
  • Assign admin tasks
  • Plan events
  • Work on social media
  • Feedback on events