A Student Panel is a group of 18-48 students, who are randomly selected to deliberate and make decisions on Policy Proposals.

What is a Student Panel?

A Student Panel is a group of 18-48 students, who are randomly selected to deliberate and make decisions on Policy Proposals.

Similar to a jury system, we use a sortition process to ensure the students selected reflect the LSE student body and bring in their own lived experience when setting Union-wide policy. For example, the number of postgraduate students sitting on the panel will be proportional to the number of postgraduate students in the wider student body.

The panel members will be presented with Policy Proposals put forward by their fellow students. The policy proposers, plus any student who wishes to oppose the proposal, will have the opportunity to present their case to the panel.

"Informed voices", including people with lived experience of any issue being discussed, will also be invited to present their perspective on the proposal.

Panellists will have the opportunity to ask questions and discuss the proposal in depth together, before voting on whether they believe the proposal should pass. 

If you would like to attend the Student Panel to hear what Policy Proposals have been put forward and what the student panellists discuss, then you are more than welcome to.

The panel will be hosted in a hybrid format, so you can attend in person or online. However, Student Panel observers cannot input into the discussion or interact with the panellists in any way. 

How to take part in a Student Panel

Policy Proposer

If you have an idea to improve life at LSE, you can submit your policy for review at an upcoming student panel. All the information you need is on our Policy Proposals Guide page.

Policy Opposer

If someone submits a policy to student panel that you disagree with, you can put yourself forward to oppose the policy. You would present your opposition case to the Student Panel, and the Panellists would be able to ask you questions.

You can view all the Policies that have been proposed by other students on our Current Proposed Policies page. If you don't believe a policy should pass, please get in touch with us at su.democracy@lse.ac.uk and we can talk you through becoming a Policy Opposer.

"Informed Voices"

"Informed voices" are people who have expert knowledge on the policy area being discussed, or who have lived experience relevant to the policy. "Informed voices" can be anyone, not just students, and they provide their perspective to the panellists after the Proposer and Opposer have both spoken. They can also be asked questions by the Panellists.

If you believe you, or someone you know, would be a helpful for an upcoming Policy Proposal, please contact us at su.democracy@lse.ac.uk and we can talk you through the next steps.

Panellist

For every Student Panel we need a group of 18-48 students who are randomly selected to act as a representative sample of the student body based on six criteria (gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, level of study, fee status). These panellists deliberate and make decisions on Policy Proposals. In return for their time, panellists receive a £40 voucher for each session they attend - and, of course, free pizza!

If you would like to put yourself forward to be selected for the next Student Panel, you just need to complete the selection survey sent out to students at the beginning of each year.

Observer

All students are welcome to attend any Student Panel as an Observer. This can be in person or online via Zoom (to receive the Zoom link, please see the SU's social media for details or email us at su.democracy@lse.ac.uk).

In order to maintain the integrity of the Panel's democratic format, we ask Observers to please remain quiet and to not interact with the panellists.

Democracy Committee Member

The Democracy Committee are elected students entrusted to uphold the democratic integrity of the Union. A key aspect of their role is facilitating the smooth running of our Student Panels.

This ranges from reviewing Policy Proposals as they are submitted, deciding which Policies progress to Student Panel (if we receive more than the maximum 6 which can be discussed at any one Panel), inviting Expert Witnesses, and chairing and facilitating the Panels themselves. 

Democracy Committee Members are elected in Lent Term each year and receive an honorarium for their work throughout the year. You can find out more about nominating yourself for a Democracy Committee position or contact us at su.democracy@lse.ac.uk if you would like to talk to a member of staff about elections.

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