How we work
Our democratic structures
Students' Unions are all about being student led. There are a few key ways that we ensure that this is how we work:
Our Trustee Board
Trustees are essential to the organisational wellbeing and effectiveness of JMSU. Trustees have the ultimate legal responsibility for keeping the organisation focused on its purpose and directing the strategy via the CEO. They provide key support and mentoring to Elected Student Officers and Student Trustees and support for JMSU Staff where appropriate. They also have financial oversight, are responsible for resources, and are expected to ensure the organisation stays within the law as well as maximising the relationship with the University for the benefit of the Charity and its beneficiaries.
We are an organisation that employs around 50 individuals in a variety of roles, with a turnover of around c.£2.5m. Trustees ensure that the organisation is operating properly and in the best interest of students and meets between four to six times a year.
Responsibility for day-to-day operations are delegated to the Students’ Union Chief Executive Officer and staff team.
The Board is serviced by Paul Chapman, Chief Executive Officer, and you can find out more about or contact the Board by emailing studentsunion@ljmu.ac.uk
Our Trustees
Miles Craven - President and Chair of Trustee Board
As Chair of the Board, Miles heads each meeting and goes through the agenda facilitating the discussions at the meetings as well as helping to decide what needs to be discussed at each meeting. Miles ensures that the decisions we make are in the best interests of all students, and considers how they will impact on all the different types of students here at LJMU.
Joshua Darley - Elected Officer Trustee and Vice President Activities
Erin Gerard - Elected Officer Trustee and Vice President Education
Etienne Lewis-Jarvis - Elected Officer Trustee and Vice President Community & Wellbeing
The Elected Sabbatical Trustees are supported by a number of Student and Community (External) Trustees:
Joeb Hasty-Fowler - Student Trustee
Sophie Platt - Student Trustee
Heather Akehurst OBE - External Trustee
Kofi Ohene-Djan - External Trustee
Mark Humphreys - External Trustee and Vice-Chair of the Trustee Board
Evans Iyamu - External Trustee
If you are interested in finding out more about governance and the role of trustees then there is lots of information on the following websites:
Our policies
Consitution & Byelaws
- JMSU Consitution 2023
- Membership Byelaw
- Full Time Officer Byelaw
- Trustee Board Byelaw
- Student Forum Byelaw
- Referenda Byelaw
- Elections & Democracy Byelaw
- Student Members Meeting Byelaw
- Code of Conduct, Complaints & Disciplinaries Byelaw
Union Wide:
- Code of Practice (2012)
- Data Protection (2024)
- Ethical, Environmental, & Sustainability (2024)
- Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (2024)
- Freedom of Speech & External Speakers Policy (2024)
- Health, Wellbeing & Risk Policy (2024)
- Major Incident Policy (2024)
- Media Sales Policy (2024)
- Safeguarding Policy & Procedures (2023)
- Safe Space (2017)
Membership Engagement:
