The Guild Senate is the student representative governing body. Elected Senators lead policy, budgets, and advocacy to improve student life, oversee departments (e.g., Social, Sports, Equity, International, Undergraduate, Postgraduate, First Nations, Environmental, South West), and ensure clubs and events run well with the support of Operational Staff. The President, General Secretary, Vice Presidents, and Departmental Officers are elected roles.

Any ECU student who meets the Guild’s eligibility criteria can nominate to run for a Senator position, including President, General Secretary, Vice Presidents, and Departmental Officers. Detailed eligibility and nomination procedures are published on the Election site.

To nominate, email nominationsnp@waec.wa.gov.au, and request a nomination form.  The Guild will provide a direct link to download nomination forms in due course.

You will need to make a decision on your current commitments and whether you will be able to manage the additional workload required as a Senator.  Typically the time commitment is similar to a part-time role with peak periods (orientation, budget setting, campaigns, elections). It requires time for meetings, reporting, stakeholder engagement, and departmental work. Plan ahead for busy periods and use the provided governance and operations support to help manage workloads.

No, Senators are not employees of the Guild.  Senators are Volunteers elected to their roles for an annual term.  Roles are not ongoing and you will not receive an employment contract, nor will you receive annual leave or other benefits of employees.  Senators are not covered under the FairWork Act 2009.

• President: Lead student voice, set policy positions, represent ECU students publicly, oversee governance, and chair Senate meetings.
• General Secretary: Governance and compliance lead; ensures meetings run properly, records are accurate, finances are transparent, and decisions are implemented.
• Vice Presidents: Lead departmental initiatives, plan programs, and support Student Representatives and Officers within their departments.
• Departmental Officers: Lead specific portfolio areas (e.g., Social, Sports, Equity, International, Undergraduate, Postgraduate, First Nations, Environmental, South West) and help deliver departmental programs and campaigns.

The Guild provides governance, Work Health & Safety, and finance training, onboarding from the Operations Manager, and established processes for submissions, risk assessments, and event approvals. Additional role-specific mentoring or handover support is available through the Secretariat and Operations team.

Senators receive an honoraria (not to be confused with a salary).  An honoraria is an honorary reward for voluntary services.  The President receives $4056.19 per month, Secretariat (General Secretary and Vice Presidents) receive $2028.08 per month and other Senators receive $793.19 per month.  More information about the Honoraria and the terms under which it is paid can be found in the Honoraria Policy here.

The Senate follows defined governance processes, with budgets, risk management, and reporting integrated into quarterly and annual cycles. The role includes regular meetings, reporting requirements, and collaboration across Departments, with a focus on clear communication and accountability.

The Guild Elections are open to independent nominees and to groups.  If you are nominating as a part of a group, you will need to ensure that this is captured in your nomination form.

The Guild prioritises inclusion and student representation. If you feel unwelcome or face barriers, contact the Operations Manager at operations@ecuguild.org.au or the Returning Officer at NPro_ECUStudentGuild@elections.wa.gov.au

• Your nomination will be reviewed by the Returning Officer.   They determine your eligibility to nominate and stand for Guild election based on University records and the criteria set out in the Guild Constitution.  Once confirmed, you will need to attend the Candidate Meeting with the Returning Officer.  This meeting will take you through campaigning expectations, candidate conduct and rules during the polling period.
• Campaigning areas will be established at each campus during voting and you are encouraged to represent yourself on campus during polling to let students know what you stand for and what your plans are if you are elected to the Senate.
• The Western Australian Electoral Commission will count the votes for each candidate and results of the elections will be published to the Guild’s website and social media platforms on Monday 20^th

• This year the Guild Election will be conducted by in-person voting.  This means that you will need to come to campus and obtain a ballot paper from the Electoral Officers.  You can physically mark your ballot paper with your preferred candidates and deposit your vote in the provided bins.
• Your vote is private and you do not have to share who you voted for with anyone.
• If you are unable to come to campus during the voting period, you may apply for a postal vote.  Please see the Guild Senate General Elections page for more details on postal votes.