QUEEN'S University Students' Union has been criticised by MLAs for advertising elected student officer roles as jobs with "serious perks" that allow you to "change stuff".
The promotional material for seven sabbatical positions has been branded "silly" and encouraging only "self-interested careerists" to run for election.
Students have been sent emails entitled "We're hiring!" that give a brief list of reasons to apply for the posts, with the first being "a £17K pay packet".
The bullet points also say the roles are a chance for "excellent training opportunities" and allow you to "change stuff that's important".
The superhero-themed campaign also urges students to use their "special powers" to "save the day".
Images on the Belfast union's Face-book page do not mention that the year-long positions are decided through an election campaign, but instead say: "We're hiring 7 student officers."
One post on the site reads: "We're HIRING! A job in the Super 7 has serious perks: a £17K annual pay packet, excellent training opportunities, tons of awesome experiences, the chance to change heaps of stuff that's important to you and your fellow students, learn serious skills, lead your Union and a host of other benefits. Be smart - apply today!"
Although some posts on union's web-site refer to elections, students have said the campaign is "confusing" and encourages applications from "self-interested careerists, in it for the cash and the experience".
Assembly members who were involved in politics at Queen's during their student years have also raised concerns over the advertising.
The SDLP's Alex Attwood, who was elected president of the Students' Union in 1982, described the superhero-themed promotions as "silly".
"It is being advertised as career progression rather than what it is -leading students in their interests," the West Belfast MLA said.
"The danger is that it comes across as an exercise in careerism when it should be an exercise in leadership.
"By making this more a job than a leadership role it is about the university trying to control the students.
"The university has more and more encroached on the life of the union and they have made it more about business than politics."
Peter Weir from the DUP, now an MLA for North Down, said: "Like many people across different political parties I cut my teeth politically at Queen's.
"I think a lot of people from across the political spectrum would be sad that positions within the student union are being advertised more as being 'for hire' rather than to the winner of an election.
"It would seem that there isn't now an environment to encourage much political debate for the future."
Queen's University Belfast was once seen as thriving with political activism with many of our current politicians involved in the union.
In the late 1960s Queen's students such as Bernadette Devlin were at the forefront of the civil rights movement.
The Students' Union did not respond to requests for a comment.
* APPLICATION: The students' union at Queen's University Belfast has been criticised for inviting students to apply for elected positions (right) as part of a superhero-themed advertising campaign