Student Leadership Team
At the Students Association, we have a Student Leadership Team who are elected every two years to represent students, and to influence all levels of decision-making within The Open University. They exist to promote your interests and to ensure the OU is more than just a place of learning – it’s a student community.
The Student Leadership Team lead the Association’s strategic direction, run events and activities and talk to The Open University on your behalf about decisions that affect students. They represent the collective rather than individual needs of the student body. It meets at least four times a year, with some members of the Student Leadership Team meeting more frequently. Any student can stand for election to be a member of the Student Leadership Team, and every student has the opportunity to vote for who they believe will best represent them.
Ways that the Student Leadership Team represent you:
University level
The Student Leadership Team take part in (and in some cases are full members of) committees and working groups, to ensure that the student voice has an input into the decisions made at the OU.
Student community
The Student Leadership Team meet with students at events, local activities and national meet-ups, to understand the student experience.
Nationally
Members of the Student Leadership Team speak to parliament and MPs about the part-time/distance learning student experience, and contribute to government led consultations to ensure that OU students’ perspectives are part of a narrative or campaign.
Our Student Leadership Team members:
President
Our President, Margaret Greenaway, leads the Student Leadership Team and is a member of the Board of Trustees.
Deputy President
The Deputy President, Gareth Jones, supports the President and is a member of the Board of Trustees.
Student Member of Council
The Student Member of Council, Matt Porterfield, joins the President as one of our two representatives on the OU Council.
Vice Presidents
Our Vice Presidents have wide ranging remits and responsibilities and are also involved in a number of ongoing projects and initiatives.
Faculty Representatives
There are five Faculty Representatives (one per faculty and one for Open and Access) and these elected students play a vital role in making sure learners within their faculty have a voice in central decision making and in turn, get information about what is happening within individual faculties.
Area Representatives
Area Representatives play a vital role in making sure students from across the four UK nations, the Republic of Ireland and Continental Europe, get a voice in all central decision-making and, in turn, get direct information back on what's going on in the Students Association centrally.