What is Student Council?

Student Council is key to decision making at NUSU, and it’s where you get to help shape how your Students’ Union is run. Not only does Student Council decide some of the campaigns and events that we run and support, it’s also where we decide you can change our policies, our constitution or the major issues we raise to the University! You can also keep up-to-date with what your elected NUSU Officers are up to and scrutinise the work that they do.  

When is Student Council?

Student Council takes place six times a year. All meetings take place from 5.15pm on a Thursday and each meeting lasts for around 90 minutes. Click here for a list of times, dates and locations for this year’s Student Council meetings.

How you can get involved

Just turn up! Every single Newcastle University student is welcome to attend and participate in Student Council. If you do attend then you will have the power to find out what is happening at NUSU, question your elected NUSU Officers and debate what your Student’s Union should be focussing on.

To see what is going to be discussed at the next meeting, head to the Council Documents section of the website.

If you can’t make the meeting, there are loads of ways to catch up. Articles on the Council pages of the NUSU website, following #NUSUcouncil and watching NUTV’s live streams will get you up to date.

Shape the debate

If you have an idea about what NUSU should be focusing on and how we could improve, then make sure you propose a motion. It is really easy to propose your motion and there is also help should you need it. For more information and to propose your motion, head to the Propose a Motion section of the website.

Get voting

Reports and motions are accepted or rejected by vote and there are 65 voting places at Student Council. Many of these places are reserved for representatives from the different volunteering activities throughout NUSU; however, there are a significant number of voting places reserved for all students. To find out more about the voting places for Student Council and how you go about applying for one, head to the Attend Student Council webpage.

How does Student Council have an impact?

Student Council has a lot of authority at NUSU and is highly respected by the University. Examples of how Student Council has helped improve the student experience over the years includes:

• Helped secure funding for free bus travel between campus and St Mary’s College Halls of Residence;
• Helped NUSU to secure longer break times in the Robinson Library;
• Opposed changes to international student VISAs;
• implemented a Safe Drinking Policy;
• lobbied the University to divest in companies involved in fossil fuel;
• created provision to ensure zero tolerance to sexual harassment and diversity training for all involved in NUSU events;
• Lobbied the University to scrap their zero tolerance approach to drug use in halls. This has changed the priority, when students are found with drugs in their rooms, to harm reduction and student welfare.

Committees that support Student Council

At NUSU, a number of Exec Committees, Committees, Sub Councils and Forums feed into Student Council. Click here to see to find out more about these committees and how they help shape the agenda for Student Council.

Find out more

For more information about Student Council and how the meetings work, download our Rough Guide to Council.