About Us

Download the 2011/12 SU Handbook and Cover

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Start of Year Orientation Presentation

 

Birkbeck Students' Union is the officially recognised body representing the students of Birkbeck, University of London. Founded in 1904 as an unincorporated membership body, the Students' Union incorporated in July 2008 as a charitable company limited by guarantee, with all the students at Birkbeck being the Ordinary Members.

The Students' Union is governed by a Memorandum & Articles of Association (commonly called "the constitution") and Bye-Laws. The supreme representative and legislative body is the Representatives' Council (usually simply refered to as "the Council") and the governing body powers are vested in the Trustee Board, which comprises seven executive officers (elected students elected by all-member ballot) and eight non-executive lay trustees (elected by the Council or the AGM, who are usually non students and are independent of the political representative functions).

Funding for the mission and delivery of the services and products in line with the Students' Union's charitable objects, comes from three distinct sources. First, there is an annual subvention or block grant given to the Students' Union by the Governors of Birkbeck, University of London (which amounts to £240,000 in 2011/12), secondly there is trading activity by commercial operations run by or directed by the Students' Union, including the Union's shop, the surplus generated from The George (the Birkbeck Bar) and advertising/gaming revenues, and finally, monies generated by our members or designated donations for specific areas, societies or projects.

The day to day running of the Students' Union is delegated to the General Manager by the Trustee Board, who in turn manages a team of around sixteen full and part-time staff. The work of the General Manager is overseen by the Executive Committee, who are the seven executive officers of the Trustee Board, the Chair of Council and a further three elected volunteer executive officers elected by and from the Council. The Executive Committee is charged with implementing and furthering the policy made by the Council. A presentation given to Student Orientation by the Executive can be downloaded here.