Following more than 16 months in the role of President here at Herts SU, we are writing to inform you that Rhiannon will be finishing her second term in the position slightly earlier than planned. Rhiannon will be taking on an exciting opportunity at the University College London's Students' Union. As of January, Rhiannon will be their Representation & Democracy Coordinator where she will lead on UCL SU's representational work. Given Rhiannon's own student leader journey here at Herts, Rhiannon is excited to draw on her experience to grow the student voice at UCL and support their student representatives.

We'd like to take this opportunity to thank Rhiannon for all the work she's done for the benefit of students during her time as President at Herts SU, and during her time as a School Community Organiser for the School of Law. Just a few of Rhiannon's highlights over the years:

• Lobbied the University to implement its first ever Safety Net policy, meaning students weren't academically disadvantaged through Covid
• Worked with the University to end the use of non-disclosure agreements in cases of sexual misconduct
• Organised a vigil in support of survivors of sexual assault
• Secured £10,000 in funding to run two SHAG weeks across both campuses
• Lobbied the University to more than double its hardship funding for international students and double its hardship funding across the board

We’re so proud of all that Rhiannon has achieved during her time with Herts SU and will miss her deeply. We know that colleagues and students across the University will feel the same way.

"It has been an absolute privilege being elected as your President for two terms and I am so grateful for all of the opportunities I have had in this role. Thank you so much to the SU Senior Leadership Team, SU Staff Team and both of my Elected Officer Teams for guiding me and supporting me throughout my time here. I also want to thank the SCOs, Student Reps and the wider student body for their continued feedback and input into everything I have been working on over the past 16 months. I am really proud of everything I have achieved and I will remember this time with so much joy.

This has been a really difficult decision to make, however I am really looking forward to continuing my journey within Students’ Unions and being able to support future student leaders in my new role."

- Rhiannon Ellis

We would like to wish Rhiannon the very best of luck at UCL SU, who are very lucky to have her! We know she's a perfect fit for the role and we're chuffed that she'll be able to use her passion for improving the student experience in her new position.

Please note that because of the full-time nature of the role, it is not possible to hold a By-Election to fill the position midway through an academic year. Whilst the role of President will remain vacant for the remainder of the 2022-23 academic year, Rhiannon's work will be shared out between the remaining Sabbatical Officers to ensure there is no disruption to students or their representation within UH. Elections will take place early in semester B for the new Elected Officer team who will begin in July 2023.