What do the Trustees do?

If you think of SUARTS as having ‘two halves’ – the first half is the representative voice of students; ensuring our members' voice is heard within the University, locally and nationally. The other half is SUARTS as an organisation; the part that provides services, employs the staff and runs the offices, bars & galleries.

The Trustee Board deals with the organisation half, they have ultimate responsibility for the strategic direction and financial well-being of the Union, ensuring that it is solvent, well-governed and delivering on the objectives for which it exists. Trustees do not get involved in the day to day running of SUARTS; that is left to managers and staff.

The Trustee Board It would only get involved as a representative voice if that part of the organisation were to do something to threaten the reputation/ finances/ legal standing of SUARTS. The representative voice of SUARTS is dealt with by Executive Committee and Referenda.

The authority of the Trustee Board is set out in the Articles of Governance. These were voted on by students when the Board was created. The Trustee Board is keen to be transparent and, in order that students know the kinds of things it talks about, the meeting reports will be available online after each meeting. The Trustee Board also makes an Annual presentation to the Union’s Annual General Meeting on its work.

 Who are the Trustees?

The Trustee Board for 09/10 consists of:

4 Full-Time Sabbatical Officers
(who are elected each spring, by our members, and are the key representatives for SUARTS in addition to being trustees.)

Helen Gimber
James Burden
Kit Friend
Carly Aslett

3 Student Trustees
(directly elected each spring) 
Lubaina Mirza
Patrick Spencer
Jake Wiseman

Two appointed external trustees (co-opted)
We are currently recruiting our external trustees. Click here for more information online or click here to download the information pack.