Bridgwater & Taunton College (BTC) is pleased to announce the results of the recent Students’ Union (SU) elections for the key leadership roles of Higher Education (HE) and Further Education (FE) Student Governor and SU College Group President for the 2025/26 academic year.
These elections mark the introduction of a new SU governance structure, following the in-progress merger of Bridgwater & Taunton College with Strode College to form the new UCS College Group.
BTC are delighted to introduce the successful candidates:
- Munashe Chapisa has been elected as the FE Student Governor and SU College Group President. Munashe will be studying Access to Nursing at Taunton.
- Sam Witts has been elected as the HE Student Governor and SU College Group President. Sam is entering their second year of Animal Management, Ecology and Conservation at Cannington, and is also a residential student.
Both Sam and Munashe are eager to represent the student voice, collaborate with staff across the College Group, and continue building on the Student Union’s work to enhance the student experience.
Emma Fielding, Tutorial and SU Manager, commented,
Congratulations to both Sam and Munashe! We look forward to supporting them in their new roles and creating opportunities for them to engage with colleagues over the coming months.
As we welcome the incoming presidents, we also need to say our goodbyes to the current. Leaving quite the legacy, Sarah Shaw and John Jenkins have gone above and beyond in the roles, and will be sorely missed.
The new SU structure aims to provide comprehensive representation across all colleges and levels of study. In addition to the newly elected UCS College Group Presidents, each College – Bridgwater, Taunton, Cannington, and Strode – will also have dedicated HE and FE presidents.
A range of managerial roles focusing on areas such as Raise and Give (RAG) Community Liaison, Events, Social Media, Climate Action, Digital Transformation, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, and Mental Health and Wellbeing, will also be established at each College. These additional roles will be elected at the start of the next academic year.
The Student Governor roles (both HE and FE) carry significant responsibilities, including:
- Attending NUS training prior to taking office
- Participating in and ensuring notes are taken at all union meetings, making them accessible to students and relevant departments
- Sitting on the Board of Governors and other relevant college committees to implement strategic aims
- Meeting with the Student Experience Team regarding elections and notifying parties of any officer resignations
- Organising, publicising, and co-chairing executive committee meetings with their respective HE/FE counterpart
- Managing SU finances
- Acting a key representative for students and liaising with the college on student matters
- Leading or nominating delegations for UCS conferences
- For the HE President: engaging with the UCS HE Team on student feedback and policy development
- For the HE President: serving as the student representative for meetings with the Office for Students (OfS)
If you have any questions regarding the Students’ Union, please contact SU@btc.ac.uk.
For more information on future events and BTC’s multitude of educational offerings, please visit www.btc.ac.uk or get in touch with the Information & Advice team by emailing info@btc.ac.uk.
