The annual committee (including branch officer) elections happen at or shortly after the annual general meeting (AGM), which is 3.45pm – 5pm on Thursday 18 May.

Uncontested posts are declared elected at the AGM, for contested posts a ballot of all members will be arranged following the AGM.

The deadline for nominations to committee is the day before the annual general meeting (so, Wednesday 17 May). 

Here’s information about the different roles on committee and about how to nominate colleagues: standing for election to the UCU committee

When making a nomination, or thinking of standing, it’s useful to consider the importance that the committee represents the whole membership and no one group is over-represented to the accidental exclusion of others, as happens some years (but not every year) with the over-representation of white and/or male UCU members.

Every branch officer and committee position is elected every year at or shortly after the AGM, and the term of office is the academic year (1 September to 31 August).

The only positions not up for election at the AGM are the immediate past president (which Chloe Wallace will become on 1 September) and any members elected to UCU’s national executive committee who are in this branch.

I would strongly encourage all UCU members to think about which of your colleagues might be good UCU reps, either on the branch committee or for your department (including UCU department postgraduate reps, anti-casualisation reps, equality reps, workload reps and health and safety reps). In doing so I’d encourage you to challenge any stereotype you have of what union reps are like, be conscious that white and male union members are more likely to put themselves forward, and bear in mind that while someone who is more vocal at raising problems might be a good rep, it might also be that they are already in a relatively more privileged situation so feel more able to complain without consequence. In my view a good union rep will often be someone that colleagues have confidence in, whose judgement they trust, and who is a good listener.

Alan Smith, branch administrator/organiser

Remember, nominations are also open for UCU department rep by-elections, where there are vacancies, until 12pm Thursday 8 June.

This page was last updated on 5 May 2023