Welcome to the SUBU Patron Hub
Your one stop shop for all things related to supporting SUBU Clubs and Societies as a Patron!
Quick Links:
Getting started as a Patron Starting a Society Supporting an existing club Resources FAQs
Getting started as a Patron
Firstly, thank you for expressing an interest in supporting one of our SUBU Clubs and Societies as a Patron! These student led communities benefit from the Patron programme in a number of ways, but mainly through your expertise in a given area, particularly from our Academic Colleagues.
Starting a Society - Academic
The Student Opportunities Team will support BU Academic Staff to create Academic Societies within a given subject area. To get started follow these steps:
- Check our 'Adopt a Soc' programme for a club in your subject area - sometimes clubs close due to lack of student leadership, the adoption process is easier on all parties than setting a Society up from scratch, so always check here first!
- See if your cohort is interested - All SUBU Clubs and Societies must be student led, so the next step is to see if you have students interested in that community and some who are willing to lead it. Top Tip: Check the resources section for prebuilt presentation slides and other resources to help you!
- Contact the Student Opportunities Team - Once you know there are students interested, contact our team for bespoke advice on next steps.
Supporting an existing society
Taking part in this SUBU extra curricular activity counts towards the BU Employability Skills programme; designed to give you a structured way to develop and articulate the employability skills you gain whilst at BU.
Employability Skills Programme
Resources
Please find a compilation of pre built resources for you to utilise when supporting the set up and continuation of SUBU Clubs and Societies:
Employability Skills Programme
SUBU has a robust complaints process and we do not expect the Society Patron to resolve them. In the first instance, email us at studentopportunitiesteam@bournemouth.ac.uk to give us a heads up and we can advise from there. All Committee Members have been given Complaints Process Training so they should follow those processes as standard.
Still need help?
Can't find the answer you're looking for? Get in touch with our Student Opportunities Team and we'll be happy to help.
Email the Student Opportunities Team
FAQ's:
What is an Academic Patron?
Academic Society Patrons are typically Lecture staff from the relevant department who utilises their experience in their chosen sector to support the Committee with Academic content i.e. suggesting guest speakers. It is not the job of a Patron to run the Society on the Committee’s behalf and they hold no position on the Committee.
Is it a lot of work?
Academic Patronage is typically expected to be around two hours per month total - you may wish to engage more with your society and that's okay! The main thing to note is that BU Academic Staff can include up to two hours per month of Academic Patronage in your workload planning under "Academic Citizenship" so it balances with your other responsibilities and you are renumerated for supporting our clubs.
Is there a network of Academic Patrons I can engage with?
We aim to create a space where Academic Patrons can come together to learn from one another and be kept informed of relevant SUBU activities, such as Committee Elections. Make sure to join our mailing list to get these invites!
How do I contact my Society Committee?
Every SUBU Society has a BU provided email address (i.e. ending in @bournemouth.ac.uk), you can find this email on their Club Webpage (https://www.subu.org.uk/groups/) or in the outlook directory, if you are struggling to get in touch with them, our team can help!
What do I do if my Society has a complaint?
SUBU has a robust complaints process and we do not expect the Society Patron to resolve them. In the first instance, email us at studentopportunitiesteam@bournemouth.ac.uk to give us a heads up and we can advise from there. All Committee Members have been given Complaints Process Training so they should follow those processes as standard.