Do you want to lead the UK and Ireland’s best representative body for student publications? Now is your chance, as the Student Publication Association (SPA) looks to elect a new chair.

Nominations are open now, and you have two weeks – until 8pm on September 1 – to throw your hat into the ring. Voting and campaigning will take place online between September 3 and September 5. Any publication members wanting to cast their vote in person can do so in a special General Meeting (GM) at 7 pm BST on September 5, during which candidates will also have the opportunity to answer questions from the floor. The successful candidate will be announced on September 6.

If you would like to be considered, please read the information below carefully, then fill out the “SPA Chair Nominations” Google Form at the bottom of this page. An agenda for the upcoming GM can be found here.

Please note that the ongoing recruitment of Regional and Project Officers will be paused for the duration of this election process, though the original deadline of August 18 still stands. Should you wish to be considered for one of these roles, you can find further information here.

Role Description – Chair

Remuneration:

This is a volunteer role and is not accompanied by any financial remuneration.

Time Commitment:

Varies; 3-4 hours per week, but a higher time commitment in the run-up to the national conference is to be expected.

Reporting to:

Board of Trustees.

Objective:

The Chair will be the public face of the SPA, providing leadership for the executive committee and working with the Board of Trustees to develop the organisation, which became an official charity last year.

The Chair will take a central role in organising the yearly SPA national conference and awards, and oversee their regional counterparts.

The Chair will act to advance the interests of student publications and their journalists, issue statements on matters of concern, ensure the executive team functions as a unit, and work closely with the entire executive of the charity to achieve agreed objectives. 

They will act as an ambassador and the public face of the charity, take responsibility for the governance arrangements and financial health of the charity, and drive the organisation towards further professionalism.

The above list is indicative only, and not exhaustive. The Chair will be expected to perform all such additional duties as are reasonably commensurate within the role.

What’s in it for you?

This is a prestigious position that would suit an ambitious, creative person who is passionate about giving back to the student journalism community.

It will bolster your public profile and enhance your CV by displaying leadership, project management, and event organisation skills.

This is your chance to help shape the SPA, ensuring it is as diverse and representative of the wider student journalist community across the UK and ROI as possible. So, if you are keen to level the playing field for those entering the industry, we would encourage you to apply and put your ideas into action.

Terms:

The charity’s chair will serve until May 1, 2022. 

The chair will be elected on a first-past-the-post system by member publications of the SPA after a fair nomination and campaigning period. 

Nominees must be individual members of the SPA. To join for free, click here.

Nominees must also have been involved, in some form, in student journalism within the last 12 months. This could be as a student journalist, a student editor, a students’ union role, or another connected role. Please indicate on your nomination how you fulfil this requirement. 

Nominate yourself here!