Student Elections 2020 - Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Sabbatical Officers?
Sabbatical Officers are full-time, paid elected representatives of the student body at Aberdeen University. All of these positions are elected for a period of one year, from July 1 to June 30.
What do Sabbatical Officers do?
The Sabbatical Officers represent students and campaign for their rights and interests at the University of Aberdeen, locally and nationally, focussing on issues within their roles designated area and beyond. The Officers chair meetings and oversee the work of relevant standing committees within AUSA. The Sabbatical Officers will agree and work on team objectives for the academic year in addition to their election manifesto. The Officers also participate in the work of University bodies, sharing these responsibilities among themselves, and report regularly to relevant committees and the Student Council. The Council may pass policies that further directs the Sabbatical Officers’ work. All Sabbatical Officers must become members of the Student Associations’ Trustee Board.
Do Sabbatical Officers receive any training?
Immediately after their election, the successful candidates shall be invited to attend Student Council and the Committees of which they will be members when they assume office. The Officer-elects often receive training for two weeks prior to their term of office, and it is advised that newly elected Sabbatical Officers get in touch with their immediate predecessor and shadow them to learn more about their jobs.
How can I become a Sabbatical Officer?
Sabbatical Officers are elected through a cross-campus single transferable vote ballot. Candidates must submit their nomination for the position via an online form. Nominations are open from 12th February until 28th February, and candidates have to submit a list of their supporters alongside the nomination form. Voting will take place between the 10th and the 12th of March.
Am I eligible to become a Sabbatical Officer?
To become a Sabbatical Officer you must be a registered student at the time of elections. You also must be suitable to become a Trustee for the Students’ Association. In order to be qualified for a Trustee role, you must not be someone who is an undischarged bankrupt, someone with an unspent offence involving deception or dishonesty, someone who has been removed from trusteeship of a charity by the Court or the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) for misconduct or mismanagement or someone under a disqualification order under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986. Candidates will be reuqired to indicate they meet this criteria when nominating themseleves and will be asked to sign a declaration of their eligibility before the close of nominations.
If you have further questions, please contact the Chair of Elections Committee by emailing to elections@abdn.ac.uk