What’s it like being an SU Officer?
Whether you’re a part-time or full-time Officer, each day will be different! Depending on what works best for you, you’ll work flexibly at home and in the SU office.
A typical day might include meetings with students or SU and University staff, researching and writing reports, attending committees, creating social media content, and organising events.
You can find detailed responsibilities for each role here
What types of things do Officers work on?
Here are some priorities Officers have chosen to improve:
- Housing crisis
- Cost of living
- Cost of education
- Disability support
- Mental health support
- Academic experience
Officer wins include:
- Overturning the School of Education’s new travel expense policy and reimbursing affected students.
- Collaborating with Newcastle SU, Sunderland SU and Northumbria SU to write a joint manifesto and organise a North East Mayor Hustings.
- Coordinating the student submission to the University Mental Health Charter.
- Securing £20,000 specifically for Postgraduate students for the Postgraduate Participation Fund. Helping with the hidden costs of studies such as travel, conferences, resources of technology.
- Commissioned a report (The Culture Commission) to examine Durham University's culture through the student perspective, aiming to identify positive and negative aspects of the student experience and provide sustainable recommendations for meaningful cultural change.
- Held a role in the reversal of 8:00AM lectures after outcry from students due to lack of consultation and safety concerns.
Look at this year’s Officers and their priorities here, or take a look at what your SU Officers have done for you.
What support is available?
- Regular check-in meetings with your dedicated SU staff support.
- Meetings with other SU staff and Officers to collaborate on campaigns and projects.
- Opportunities for training and development, including meeting with an external coach and other SU Officers across the UK.
If you have any questions, get in touch at su.elections@durham.ac.uk
