SUS – a democratic member organization
SUS is a democratically governed organization where each year the members elect who will govern SUS's highest decision-making body, the Representative Assembly, as well as which issues SUS should pursue. The members decide this by voting for different student union parties in the Student Union Election. As a member, you can also join a union party or start your own!
Every student who is a member of SUS has the right to influence and affect what the organization works with. This is written in the Swedish Higher Education Act. It describes the student union’s democratic mission as being achieved through, among other things, the right of every student at the University to be a member of the student union at that University, and every student union member’s right to vote in the Student Union Election to the Representative Assembly.
SUS’s democratic governance – this is how it works!
SUS’s members elect the representatives for the SUS Representative Assembly once a year – by voting in the Student Union Election.
The SUS Representative Assembly is the highest decision-making body of SUS, and they make decisions about SUS's three-year activity plan, framework budget and what issues SUS will pursue, among other things. They also appoint the SUS Board, as well as the SUS Presidium (the President and Vice President). The 35 students who are elected to the Representative Assembly meet four times every academic year.
The SUS board is responsible for the organization’s activities as well as leading and allocating work and responsibilities by, among other things, deciding on SUS’s one-year operational plan. This plan defines the organization’s working plan to ensure that the SUS office is able to – professionally and with high quality in all parts of its work – report the results and goal fulfillments in accordance with the Representative Assembly’s wishes and decisions. The 14 students (seven ordinary members and seven alternate members) who are elected to the SUS board meet once a month.
SUS’ President and Vice President form together SUS’s presidium, heads the board’s work and play an active part in the SUS office’s work by, among other things, making decisions. They also represent the University’s students in a variety of meeting forums on a central level at SU. The SUS President and Vice President make up the SUS presidium, and part of their assignment is to maintain an active and prospective dialog with the University’s leadership. The Presidium opens doors, creates spaces and drives influence, as well shining a light on opportunities in existing and newly developed forums. The two students that are chosen for the presidium are considered elected representatives with full remuneration for the span of one year.
The Student Union Election – the members decide!
The Student Union Election gives the members of Stockholm University Student Union (SUS) a say in who should lead SUS for the next year and what issues that student union should prioritize.
Stockholm University Student Union’s highest decision-making body is the SUS Representative Assembly. Which parties will make up the Representative Assembly is determined by the Student Union Election that is held every spring semester. During the Student Union Election, every member of SUS has the right to vote for the parties running, as well as for specific people within the parties.
The election results determine the composition of the Representative Assembly for the coming term of office. The student union parties who win enough votes to surpass the mandate-threshold are assigned seats in the Representative Assembly based on how many votes they received relative to the other parties. SUS’s representative Assembly has 35 ordinary seats and an equal number of alternate seats.
Together the student union parties dictate the conditions for SUS's activities each financial year. How much power an individual party can exercise depends on the distribution of seats and possible coalitions. The appointment of the SUS board takes place via another list election in the Representative Assembly.
The Student Union Election takes place during the spring and the voting is done via a personalized digital link. More specific information regarding how and when the election will take place can be found on SUS’s website closer to the student union election period, which usually falls around April and/or May every spring semester.
SUS’s democratic mission is a fundamental cornerstone of the organization’s operation, and because of this it’s important that voting as well as making an informed decision on which student union party to vote for, is readily accessible. The election takes place online via a personal voting link. Information about the election is available on SUS’s website and through email to SUS’s members each spring semester.
Get involved in a student union party
The easiest way to influence SUS is to make an informed decision and vote in the Student Union Election that takes place every year. If you find a student union party which you share values with, a good idea is to contact them directly to see if you can join their party.
If you are active in a student union party then you can be elected for the representative assembly, which gives you the voting rights and the opportunity to affect what the board’s priorities should be. The representative assembly appoints who will be on the student union's board, maybe you are SUS’s future president?
Can’t find a student union party you identify with? You can always start your own student union party. All you need to do is:
Get signatures from at least 15 members of SUS who would like for your party to run in the Student Union Election.
Have statutes for the party.
Have a protocol from the party’s first meeting where decisions were made regarding the party’s statutes, running in the student union election as well as having appointed a party ombud.