Elections - Edith Cowan University Student Guild

The ECU Student Guild is the primary representative student organisation at ECU. It is run by students, for the benefit of students enrolled at ECU. The Guild organises events and activities, provides support services and assistance as well as many other benefits for its members. Student representatives are elected as members of the Guild Senate, which is the Guild’s governing body.

Positions currently open

General Secretary Vacancy – Nominations Open

The ECU Student Guild advises Members that, following the resignation of the General Secretary, a vacancy has arisen.

In accordance with clause 56(2)(ii) of the Edith Cowan University Student Guild Constitution, the Guild will elect a Member to the position of General Secretary by secret ballot at a Special General Meeting (SGM).

Guild Members are now invited to nominate for the position.

About the Role – General Secretary

The General Secretary is a key student leadership position within the ECU Student Guild, responsible for supporting the effective governance and administration of the Guild.

Key responsibilities include:

Supporting the operations and governance of the Guild Senate
Assisting with meeting administration, records, and compliance obligations
Contributing to policy development and decision-making
Acting in the best interests of Guild Members and the student body

This role provides valuable experience in leadership, governance, compliance, and not-for-profit operations, while contributing directly to student representation.

Time Commitment and Recognition

Senators of the ECU Student Guild, including the General Secretary, receive an honoraria payment in recognition of their time and contribution.

This payment reflects the responsibilities, preparation, and meeting attendance required and does not constitute employment or a salary.

Role Overview and Responsibilities

A full Position Description is available and applicants are strongly encouraged to review it prior to nominating.

👉 Position Description – General Secretary:
Volunteer-Position-Duty-Statement-General-Secretary.pdf

📌 Key Dates

Nominations Open:
Friday, 17 April 2026 at 4:00pm

Nominations Close:
Tuesday, 12 May 2026 at 4:00pm

Special General Meeting:
Wednesday, 20 May 2026
11:00am – 12:30pm
Building 1, Room 447 (Council Chambers)

Eligible nominees will be presented to Members at the SGM.

✅ Eligibility to Nominate

In accordance with the Guild Constitution, nominations may be accepted from students who:

Are a Guild Member at the opening of nominations
Attend an ECU campus in Western Australia at the opening of nominations
Will be 18 years of age or older by the date of election (20 May 2026)

Students unsure of their Guild membership status can check via SIMO by ensuring the option to cancel Guild membership is unchecked.

🚫 General Disqualifications

A candidate will be ineligible for election if they:

Have a red or purple enrolment status at the opening of nominations
Are employed by the Guild or University (as specified) at the opening of nominations
Were removed from a Senator position within the past three (3) years
Are disqualified under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) or ACNC requirements
Are certified mentally unfit
Are disqualified under applicable laws in Western Australia
Have held the office of General Secretary in the previous two consecutive years or part thereof

📝 How to Nominate

Eligible Members must submit a completed nomination form by the closing date.

👉 Submit your nomination:
Nomination Form – General Secretary (2026)

All sections of the nomination form must be completed for the application to be considered valid.

📚 Key Documents

Members are encouraged to review the following prior to nominating:

The ECU Student Guild encourages eligible Members to consider nominating and contributing to the leadership and governance of the Guild.

Nominations Information

The ECU Student Guild Senate General Elections are held annually to give students the opportunity to choose their representatives on the Guild Senate—the Guild’s governing body. Nominations are open to eligible Guild members, and once the nomination period closes, all ECU students can vote to elect their representatives. The full election schedule, candidate requirements, policies, guidelines, and reference documents are available below to ensure transparency and fairness throughout the process.

Candidate Qualifications

In accordance with the Guild Constitution, nominations may be accepted from students who:
1. are a Guild Member at the opening of nominations*
2. attend an ECU campus in the State of Western Australia at the opening of nominations; and
3. will be eighteen years of age or older as at the date of being elected as a Senator.
*If you are not sure of your Guild membership status and you wish to nominate, you can revisit your service questions in SIMO at any time to make sure that the box next to the option of cancelling your Guild membership is unchecked.

Candidate Disqualifications

A candidate will be ineligible for election to the Senate:
1) If their enrolment status is red or purple at the opening of nomination (11 September 2025);
2) Is a full time, part time or casual Guild Employee or a full time or part time employee of the University at the opening of nominations;
3) Is a former Senator who, at any time in the three (3) years prior to the opening of nominations, was removed from office under the discipline process or had their position declared vacant in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution or the Statute;
4) Is a person disqualified from managing a corporation under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), or is disqualified from being a responsible person of a charity by the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission within the twelve (12) months prior to the opening of nominations;
5) Is certified mentally unfit; or
6) Is disqualified due to any Act, statute, regulation, rule or by-law in force in the State of Western Australia over the Guild;
7) A Candidate for President must not have held the office of President respectively in the previous two consecutive years or part thereof.

Position Snapshots

Full position descriptions can be found below.

Duty Statements (Position Descriptions)

Click on the position below to read the full position descriptions:

Departmental Policies

Election Reference Documents

It is important you read and understand the election reference materials.