Nottingham Trent Students’ Union Executive

Nottingham Trent Students’ Union’s executive team pick up their Officer Team of the Year Award

Officer Team of the Year
Nottingham Trent SU

“This year at Nottingham Trent Students’ Union, our officer team have undertaken their roles effectively and efficiently in some really tough times. Starting their term of office hot-desking in the back of the Students’ Union shop, they worked hard to ensure that their reduced circumstances did not hinder their work in the run up to the new academic year.

When the opening of the new £90 million facility that the Union was due to move into was delayed by several months, the officers lived in limbo, but were key in ensuring that the experience of incoming students during Freshers’ Week was not negatively effected. On arrival, the students had no idea that mere moments before, we had been relocating premises and pushing builders out of our spaces!

The impact that our officer team can have when defending students’ rights and promoting welfare has been demonstrated most clearly in the problems that have arisen with our new development. Working through incessant drilling, the odd spot of flooding and paint fumes, our officer team have continued to work to better the experience of students at Trent, quite literally come hell or high water! In particular, when students in our new accommodation blocks were flooded and had windows falling out on them in their first few months on residency, they put the needs of these students ahead of all other issues, acting professionally in a tough political climate with our new landlords to push for the best result for their members. This has resulted in a hugely changed, and more productive than ever, relationship with our service providers, a change that is hoped will continue with the next officer team.

On a personal level, the team has worked through bereavements, long term sick leave, and some rather dramatic hospitalisations admirably, supporting one another every step of the way. In short, our officer team this year would put some staff teams to shame in their mature approach to handling crises and ensuring a good work/life balance within their team. No one officer has stuck to their remit, instead embracing the impact that they can have in other areas using skills acquired in their own. In some cases, this has led them to review and alter the portfolios of the Executive team where they have identified a closer match for the skillsets required.

This cross-pollenation, and a brave acceptance of a large number of new staff roles, has particularly led to an incredible refocusing of the Union as a whole around democracy – historically, not one of Trent’s strongest points.

In the space of one year, the officers have taken NTSU from ‘not a very political Union’ to one that holds officers publicly to account over their acts and omissions; where first time delegates to NUS National Conference are empowered to place procedural motions; where within the next academic year all student committees and representatives will be elected, online; and where all termly open meetings are now quorate for the first time in living memory.

As one of the new staff members that came in shortly before the start of the academic year - once plans for the year ahead had already been predominantly laid out - I have been amazed to see the transformation within the team, and their receptiveness to change.

The ability of these young people to roll with the punches whilst maintaining such a level of professionalism has been inspiring to witness and far outstrips the number of other officer teams that I have worked with in the past. Even in the closing stages of the year, this commitment to their Union is not waning, and the team seem just as enthused to make life better for the students of Trent as they did when I first met them.

It has been an absolute pleasure to work with this officer team and I only hope that some of them stay in the movement as it would be a devastating loss if they were all to go.”

Nominated by Amy McLaughlan, Students’ Union Staff

What some of the judges said…

“The officer team at Nottingham Trent SU have had a great impact on students’ lives this year, despite an unpredictable office environment! They took on landlords and won better accommodation for their students, drastically improved democratic engagement with the union and displayed admirable teamwork.”
Dani Beckett, Amnesty

“What really comes across from this nomination is the fact that this was an officer team who all pulled together in challenging circumstances and put the needs of students first. At the same time the officer team have clearly worked to reorientate the Students’ Union to maximise opportunities for democratic participation.” Luke Tryl, Stonewall