Preferenda Portfolio Part-Time Officers

Each year students at SOAS get to decide the remits of 8 of the Part-Time Officers each year, these are called the preferenda Portfolio Officers. 

This model was voted for by students in the Governance Review which took place last year. The Preferenda Portfolio Officers make up the Student Executive alongside the Sabbatical Officers, Liberation Caucus Delegates and the research Students Association Delegate. Together these students are responsible for the representative and campaigning functions of the Union. By being able to decide the remit of 8 of these Officers on a yearly basis we enable students to have representatives that can reflect the current issues that students are facing.

 

Preferenda Results

The results of the Preferenda are in and this years Preferenda Part-Time Officer roles are:

 

Sustainability Officer

Students Against Securitisation and Surveillance Officer

Anti-Racism Action Officer

Mental Health Awareness Officer

Arts and Culture Officer

Cost of Living Campaigns Officer

International Students Officer

Afrikan Studies Officer

 

If you're interested in running for one of these roles, watch this space for more information about the election...

 

How The Preferenda Portfolio Part-Time Officer Process Works

Steps One: Ideas

 

In the first term of each year, there will be an open call out to students to enable them to submit the roles that they would like to see. We want as many students as possible to submit ideas about what they think is important and needs changing at SOAS. These ideas could relate to any aspect of student life, ranging from securitisation on campus, to the cost-of-living, to mental health and anything in between!

 

Step Two: Union Forum

 

These ideas are discussed and refined at a Union Forum where students are able to debate and discuss the ideas that have been submitted. 

 

Step Three: Preferenda

 

A preferendum allows all students to vote for which roles they would like to see be adopted. During a preferenda, students can vote in order of preference. There are three preferenda per year, with the first being used to decide the remits of the Preferenda Portfolio Officer roles. As there are 8 positions to be filled, we encourage students to vote for as many of the options as they like. By voting for multiple preferences their vote is worth more!

The remaining two referendums – one held in the spring term and one in the summer term – will decide the priorities that the SU will campaign on. You can find out more information about this here

During a preferendum there is an opportunity for students to campaign for a particular idea/solution, they can do this by asking their friends to vote for a specific option. There will also be an opportunity for students to submit a manifesto, a document outlining why students should vote for one of the solutions. These manifestos will then be published for students to view when deciding which option to vote for. 

Preferenda's are regulated by the Preferenda Rules, these are published prior to a Preferenda taking place and are overseen by the Governance Sub-Committee and Union Deputy Returning Officer. 

 

Step Four: Elections

 

After the preferenda has finished the 8 ideas with the highest number of votes will become the roles for that year. The next step is to elect students to these roles. Nominations will open and current students will be able to put themselves forward. After this, there will be a cross-campus ballot where students will be able to vote for the candidate that they want to see be elected. The candidate with the highest number of votes will be elected!

Elections are regulated by the Elections Rules, these are published prior to the election taking place and are overseen by the Union's Returning Officer and Deputy Returning Officer. You can find out more about elections here!

The 2023 Election dates for the Portfolio Officers will be announced shortly.

 

 

 

 

 

Preferenda Information 2022/23

 

Preferenda Notice

Preferendum Notice

Preferenda Question: Which eight proposals should be adopted as the Preferenda Portfolio Part-Time Officer Roles for the 2022/23 Academic Year?

Each year student members of SOAS SU have an opportunity to decide the remit of eight Preferenda Portfolio Part-Time Officer roles. These roles become part of the Executive and will work to represent students and campaign on their behalf.  

Students are able to vote in order of preference. As there are eight roles available, we recommend that students vote for at least eight roles to ensure that they are making the most of their vote. The count for this Preferenda will be conducted using STV and there shall be eight ‘seats’ available.  

This Preferendum was called by the Union Forum and shall be implemented following the announcement of the results. 

 

Key Dates

 

Manifesto Deadline 

Thursday 

26th Jan  

12pm 

Manifesto Booklet Published and Campaigning Starts 

Monday 

30th Jan 

10am 

Preferenda Opens 

Wednesday 

1st Feb 

12pm 

Preferenda Closes  

Wednesday 

8th Feb 

12pm 

Results 

Thursday 

9th Feb 

12pm 

Proposals

 

  1. Sustainability Officer – Proposed by Yara Derbas 

  1. Anti-Racism Action Officer – Proposed by Yara Derbas 

  1. Mental Health Awareness Officer – Proposed by Yara Derbas 

  1. Sports Officer – Proposed by Parwana Haydar 

  1. Arts and Culture Officer – Proposed by Parwana Haydar 

  1. Cost of Living Campaign Officer – Proposed by Sushant Singh 

  1. International Students Officer – Proposed by Sushant Singh 

  1. Mature Students Officer – Proposed by Sushant Singh 

  1. Alumni Officer – Proposed by Sushant Singh 

  1. Distance Learning Officer – Proposed by Aleksander Steinvoll 

  1. SASS (SOAS Against Securitisation and Surveillance) Officer – Proposed by Anonymous SOAS Student

  1. Afrikan Studies Officer – Proposed by Tueurora Kaatahi 

 

How Voting Works

Students are able to vote in order of preference. As there are eight roles available, we recommend that students vote for at least eight roles to ensure that they are making the most of their vote. The count for this Preferenda will be conducted using STV and there shall be eight ‘seats’ available. The video below explains how this works.

 

Manifestos and Campaigning

A student can submit a manifesto for one of the proposals by completing the manifesto submission form prior to the deadline. This student then becomes the Campaign Group Lead. Anyone who campaigns for a proposal shall be considered to be part of the Campaign Group and must act in accordance with the Campaigning Rules. No Campaigning may commence until Monday 30th Jan at 10am. Campaign Groups are not permitted to spend anything as a part of their campaign but they will be entitled to the equivalent of 20 pieces of printed A4, this must be organised through the SU by the Campaign Group Lead.

Preferenda Campaigning Rules

Manifesto Submission Form

 

Complaints

Any complaint shall be directed in the first instance to the Deputy Returning Officer, who shall make a ruling in writing after examining the evidence. There will be a complaints period of one hour after the close of ballots. The only complaints which will be accepted after this point shall be on irregularities brought up by the count or the conduct of the count itself. Please refer to the Campaigning Rules for further information. You can contact the Deputy Returning Officer by emailing CM85@soas.ac.uk

 

This webpage was last updated on: 09 Feb 2023 11:57