As another academic year begins, Cardiff University will welcome a new cohort of students, alongside those who are returning to continue their courses. But one thing applies to all, whether they are a fresh-faced first year or an experienced veteran, they will all interact with Cardiff’s Student Union.
The Student Union’s role at the university is multifaceted. The Guild of Societies and Athletic Union are both run by it, supporting over 200 societies (including student media like Gair Rhydd) and 60 sports clubs.
It is also the primary outlet for student democracy, an umbrella which includes the likes of the Student Senate, any elected officers (including sabbatical officers), and the University’s student Annual General Meeting. A student automatically becomes a member of the Student Union when they enrol at the university and gain full voting rights in all elections.
These are held twice a year, with the first set in November which elects 25 Student Senators and the executive committees of each sabbatical officer, as well as settles any outstanding by-elections. The second set of elections are held in March and elect the seven sabbatical officers, who all serve one-year terms. These are full-time paid roles that each represent a specific section of students.
The seven current sabbatical roles are: Student Union president (responsible for leading the SU and the elected officer team), Vice President Undergraduate Students (which replaced VP Heath Park after its abolition in 2025), Vice President Sports and Athletic Union President, Vice President Postgraduate Students, Vice President Societies and Communities, Vice President Cymraeg (representing the university’s Welsh speaking community and championing the use of the Welsh language), and Vice President International Students (representing all international students at the university).
Ten campaign officers are also elected during the March elections: Anti-Racism Officer, Mental Health Officer, Estranged Students’ Officer, two LGBTQ+ Officers, Accessibility Officer, Ethical & Environmental Officer, Women’s Officer, and two Heath Park Students’ Officers. Unlike the sabbatical officers, these are part-time unpaid roles that students take on alongside their studies.
The Students’ Union is far more than just elections and campaigns, though. Through its own nightclub, Y Plas, the Student’s Union puts on events such as YOLO, which has remained a firm student favourite night out for years. The venue also regularly plays host to gigs from a variety of popular music acts and is located just a stone’s throw away from the SU pub, Y Taf, a favoured haunt of Cardiff students. Whether it be through democracy, student nightlife, or other means, the Student Union is at the heart of Cardiff University, and its particular beat shows no signs of stopping soon.