Board of Trustees

What is the Board of Trustees?

The Board of Trustees is the group of people with ultimate responsibility for everything that the Students' Union does. It is responsible for the governance and financial and strategic management of the Students' Union.

In particular the Board of Trustees has the following three roles:

  1. To make sure that everything we do benefits the students at the University of Plymouth. As the Students' Union is a registered charity with set aims and objectives, we are required to ensure that everything we do benefits the students at the University of Plymouth. As well as monitoring what the Students' Union is doing now, the Trustee Board approves our strategic plan, ensuring that we will continue to benefit future generations of Plymouth students.
  2. To ensure that the Students' Union remains financially solvent.
    If the Students' Union is to carry on benefiting students, it must have the money both in the short and long term to do this. For example, the Trustees have to approve all significant items of expenditure and the annual budget.
  3. To ensure that the Students' Union doesn't break any laws or regulations relating to the work that we carry out. As the Students' Union offers so many services to our members, there are many laws and regulations that we have to follow. If the Students' Union were found to have broken any of these, it is the Trustees who would be ultimately responsible and could potentially face legal action.
Trustee Reports and Annual Accounts

Our accounts and reports provide a clear picture of our charity's activities and financial position. The trustees' annual report describes our work to you and to funding bodies.

Board of Trustee Meetings

Meeting at least three times per academic year, all Trustees meet collectively to establish and monitor the progress of UPSU in relation to strategy and vision, mission and values; reviewing targets and development plans, where appropriate. They ensure that UPSU complies with all legal and regulatory requirements and have oversight of resources of the students' union. In order to do this effectively the Board delegates responsibilities to two sub-committees; Finance, Audit and Risk and Governance and Staffing.

Summary Meeting Minutes Academic year 2026/27

  • Tuesday 27th October 2026
  • Tuesday 9th February 2027
  • Wednesday 31st March 2027
  • Tuesday 1st June 20207
Finance, Audit and Risk Sub-committee

Responsibility is delegated by the Board of Trustees to the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee regarding the oversight and development of financial management in line with authorisation limits set out in the Scheme of Delegated Authority (SODA). The Committee also has delegated responsibility to ensure the management of UPSU’s overall risk profile..

Governance and Staffing Sub-committee

Responsibility is delegated by the Board of Trustees to the Governance and Staffing Committee to carry out the appointment, induction and development of the Chief Executive, Student Trustees and External Trustees and the Sabbatical Officer Trustees, to support them in their roles.

To promote good governance and to be vigilant in respect of identifying and implementing opportunities to improve the Union’s governance.

Oversight of strategic HR issues including the development of a new people strategy and related policies and procedures.

settings forum feedback bubble_chart link
Staff Admin Widgets
Website Feedback
Chat with us
Quick Links
    Committee Admins