Division of General Counsel, Governance and Compliance

Election of Senate members

The Charter and Statutes and Regulations of the University provide that the composition of Senate should include elected members of staff.

  1. There are two academic members elected from each School of Studies (including BSMS).  Academic members are elected by and from the teaching staff (Lecturers, Senior Lecturers, Readers and Professors), and serve a term of three years. On 31 July each year half of these places fall vacant, and elections are held to fill the vacancies. Outgoing academic members are eligible for re-election provided they remain members of the academic staff. The Governance Office arranges elections in each School where vacancies arise, and publishes a Notice of Election and a Nomination Form. Eligible academic staff may nominate themselves or be nominated, with their agreement, by academic colleagues within the School. Should the number of nominations equal the number of places available in a School, the nominees are deemed to have been elected. Where there are more nominees than places, a ballot is held. A numbered ballot paper is issued to each member of staff eligible to vote, and completed ballot papers are returned to the Governance Office. Voting is carried out by the single transferable vote system and the results are published below. Should the number of nominations be less than the number of places available, the Vice-Chancellor may nominate members to fill vacancies.

  2. There are two members elected by and from the Professional Services staff.  Their term of office is also three years. Members of Professional Services staff on relevant grades (Operational Support Staff; Professional Services Staff: Professional and Management; Professional Services Staff: Support; Technical Staff: Management; Technical Staff: Support; Operational Craft Staff) are eligible to nominate, be nominated and vote as long as they hold University appointments on the census date and their continuous service with the University will be at least one year by the end of the contract which is in force on the census date. Elections are conducted in accordance with (1) above.

  3. Membership of Senate can be found on Sussex Direct. 

The Governance Office facilitate the elections of Senate and Staff members of Council only.