Bishop Grosseteste Students’ Union
By laws
Terminology
AGM: The ‘Annual General Meeting’ of the Students’ Union.
BGSU: ‘Bishop Grosseteste Students’ Union’.
BGU: ‘Bishop Grosseteste University’.
BUCS: ‘British Universities and Colleges Sport’, the organisation that manages sport leagues between Higher Education Providers.
By-Elections: Any additional elections that take place following the main elections.
By-Laws: The By-laws of the union which are amended by the Trustees by time to time in accordance with the Constitution.
Censure: The expression of disapproval.
Chair: The Chairperson of a meeting, committee or working group.
Co-Chair: Persons, usually two, who chair a meeting together
Constitution: The Constitution of Bishop Grosseteste Students’ Union.
Course Representative: An elected member of Student Council who represents a particular subject and year group of study.
Deputy Returning Officer: The person responsible for assisting the Returning Officer in the Students’ Union elections or in their absence to oversee the elections on the Returning Officer’s behalf.
Elections: The Students’ Union elections in which the Sabbatical Officers, Part time Executive Officers and Non-Executive Elected Representatives are elected.
Executive Team: The elected officers of the Students’ Union.
Order of Business: The way a meeting is held.
Quorum: The minimum number of elected representatives required to consider the formal business of that group.
Referendum: A referendum to be held by members in accordance with the Constitution and the By-laws.
Remuneration: The money that one receives in exchange for the work or services performed.
Returning Officer: The person responsible for overseeing the Students’ Union elections.
Independent Trustees: External Trustees who are not members, students or staff of the University.
Sabbatical Officers: The President and Vice President: Education of the Students’ Union
Sabbatical Trustees: See ‘Sabbatical Officers.
Service Representative: An elected member of Student Council who represents a particular department of the University.
Student Trustees: Trustees who are students and members of the Students’ Union who hold no other office within the union.
Student Council: The main student decision-making body of the Students’ Union.
Trustee Board: The main decision-making body of the Students’ Union.
Trustees: Members of the Trustee Board appointed in line with the Constitution and the By-laws.
Union: Bishop Grosseteste Students’ Union.
Vice-Chair: The deputy Chairperson of a meeting, committee or working group.
Contents
By-Law 1: Membership
By-Law 2: Student Council
By-Law 3: Annual General Meetings
By-Law 4: Referenda
By-Law 5: Sabbatical Officers
By-Law 6: Part-Time Officers and the Executive Team
By-Law 7: Non-Exec Elected Representatives
By-Law 8: Course and Service Representatives
By-Law 9: Trustees
By-Law 10: Elections
By-Law 11: Clubs, Societies and Groups
By-Law 12: Conduct, Censure and Removal From Office
Other Union policy that sits externally to the By-Laws
· BGSU Diversity and Equal Opportunities Policy
· BGSU Student Voice and Representation Policy
· BGSU Complaints Policy
· BGSU Disciplinary Policy
· BGSU Reserves Policy
· BGSU Political Stance Policy
· BGSU Data Protection and Retention Policy
· BGSU & BGU Student Charter
By Law 1: Membership
1. Full Membership
Full membership is applicable to all students registered at Bishop Grosseteste University and the Sabbatical Officers. The rights and privileges of full members are as follows:
1.1. To have full use of all facilities obtained by BGSU, subject to the general rules of use of such facilities.
1.2. To have full access to all clubs, societies, groups and activities of BGSU, subject to availability (if dependent on numbers). This will be subject to conformity to the general rules and guidelines set in the Sports, Societies and Groups Disciplinary and Behavioural Policy, the rules and regulations of BGSU, BGU and the Law of the Land.
1.3. The right to attend and speak at Student Council.
1.4. The right to vote in and nominate candidates for any election.
1.5. The right to vote in any BGSU referendum.
1.6. The right to stand and vote for all elected positions. All part-time executive members must be a registered student during their term in office. Candidates for Sabbatical positions must be a registered student or in their first term of office as a Sabbatical Officer.
2. Associate Membership
2.1. Associate membership is applicable to those who are not full members of BGSU who wish to be given limited membership privileges.
2.2. Associate membership will be granted by a majority vote by Student Council.
2.3. Associate Membership will cost £20 per year.
2.4. Student Council will consider the rights and obligations of associate members. These will be with the privileges stated in clauses 1.1 to 1.3 but will not extend to the clauses 1.4-1.6.
3. Opting out of Membership
3.1. All students have the right to opt out of membership of BGSU, as detailed under the 1994 Education Act.
3.2. If a student wishes to opt out they should so inform the BGSU President in writing.
3.3. The period of opt out will be assumed to be for the duration of their studies, unless the student wishes to become a member again during their studies.
3.4. If a student wishes to opt back in to the Union, they should inform the BGSU President in writing.
3.5. Students who have opted out will not be entitled to any of the rights and privileges as detailed in section one above, but will still be able to access welfare support, representation from the Sabbatical and Executive officers and attend any BGSU organised event.
3.6. Any application to opt back in that falls within 20 working days of election nominations for BGSU will be not be accepted until after nominations have closed. Only members who have had full membership for 21 working days or more will be eligible to nominate and/or vote in BGSU elections.
4. Removal of Membership
4.1. Membership of BGSU may be removed from any individual with full or associate membership, who is not a Sabbatical Officer at any time. The only way to remove membership from Sabbatical Officers is to remove them from their positions (see By-Law 4, Clause 7)
4.2. For an individual to have their membership removed a motion should be submitted to Student Council outlining the reasons used to justify the removal of their membership.
4.3. Any individual who is the subject of a motion for their removal shall be notified of the motion being submitted, including the reasons used to justify the removal of their membership and the date of the Student Council meeting at which the motion will be proposed.
4.4. Any individual who is the subject of a motion for their removal will be given reasonable opportunity to defend their membership right to Student Council, whether in writing or in person.
4.5. A simple majority vote is required to pass the motion, with the effect of removing BGSU membership from the individual.
By-Law 2: Student Council
1. Powers and Duties of Student Council
The Student Council will:
1.1. meet a minimum of three times a semester.
1.2. To hold elected officers to account and to help them carry out their work as specified in the Constitution (10.1a).
1.3. debate and vote on motions submitted by the student body to:
1.3.1. set the policy and direction of the Students’ Union as per its democratic process detailed in Section 10 of the Constitution. This can be overturned at the AGM or by a referendum as stated in the Constitution (10.1b).
1.3.2. remove associate members of the union.
1.3.3. To censure elected officers.
1.3.4. To remove elected officers from their positions using a motion of no confidence
1.3.5. commission any committee or working group that is deemed appropriate by Student Council.
1.4. receive reports from elected officers and when appropriate from Students’ Union staff and trustees.
1.5. refer matters to elected officers, Students’ Union staff and trustees as and when appropriate.
1.6. debate and feedback to the university on their initiatives.
1.7. provide recommendations to the board of trustees.
1.8. Make and amend schedules with the trustees (10.1c) and in line with clause 15 of the Constitution.
2. Membership of Student Council
2.1. Specific elected representatives are members of Student Council, and are given the right to vote on motions presented.
2.2. The membership of Student Council is as follows:
2.2.1. The two Students’ Union Sabbatical Officers
2.2.2. The part-time Officers of the Students’ Union Executive
2.2.3. A member of each Club or Society Executive team.
2.2.4. A Course Representative from each study year of each programme of study for every subject.
2.2.5. A Service Representative from each represented department
2.2.6. The student member of University Council.
2.2.7. The two elected Student Trustees.
2.2.8. The five Liberations Representatives.
2.3. Elected members of Student Council may only hold one elected position at any one time, except where a Course Representative is also a Club or Society executive member.
2.4. If there are more than one Course Representatives for a particular course in the same year group, only one representative will be entitled to vote at any one time at Student Council.
2.5. Full members of the union, who are not representatives as detailed in points 2.2.1-2.2.8, may attend council with full speaking rights but with no right to vote.
2.6. The Students’ Union Vice President: Education will act as Officer to the Student Council and will take a responsibility for organising and distributing the agenda for meetings.
2.7. The Students’ Union Manager will act as advisor to the Chair and will be able to speak if the Chair invites them to do so.
2.8. The Students’ Union Manager will also act as Minuting Officer to Student Council
2.9. Quoracy, which is the minimum number of Student Council members present to be able to vote on motions, will be one third of all Student Council members plus one.
2.10. If a member of Student Council ceases to be a registered student, they automatically cease to be a member of Student Council. They should inform the BGSU Vice President: Education in writing that this is the case.
3. Chair of Student Council
3.1. The Chair of Student Council will be an elected independent member of council and therefore will not be able to hold any other elected positions.
3.2. The roles, responsibilities and powers of the Chair of Student Council shall be:
3.2.1. To chair all Student Council meetings and ensure that meetings are conducted in an appropriate manner.
3.2.2. To chair BGSU’s Annual General Meeting (AGM).
3.2.3. To ensure that Student Council operates in accordance with BGSU’s Constitution and By-Laws.
3.3. Terms of office for the Chair are detailed in By-Law 7: Non-executive elected officers.
3.4. The Chair will have the casting vote in Student Council.
3.5. In the Chair’s absence, a Vice-Chair will be elected from Council’s membership to fulfil the Chair’s duties in their stead, and for their period as Vice-Chair will hold the casting vote.
3.6. Should the Chair cease to be a student of BGU (Including the event of intercalation) or a member of BGSU at any point during their term in office, they shall automatically cease to hold the position of Chair of Student Council.
4. Order of Business
4.1. The order of business of Student Council meetings will be as follows:
4.1.1. Chair’s Business: Attendees/Apologies, Minutes of the previous meeting, responses to the matters arising.
4.1.2. Guest Speakers
4.1.3. Sabbatical Officer Business
4.1.4. Motion Proposals
4.1.5. Reports
4.1.6. Any Other Business.
4.2. Comments and questions will be taken after Each piece of piece of business.
4.3. The proposer of a motion will have 2 minutes to present their argument which shall be followed by a 2-minute speech against if there are any to present. The Chair may grant additional rounds of speeches if they feel this is required. Following all rounds of speeches, the Proposer will have 1 minute to summarise. Points of clarification can be used to clear up any queries, but must not be used as an argument against.
5. Attendance
5.1. If a member of Student Council is unable to make a meeting they must send written apologies by noon on the day of the meeting. Apologies received after this time will not be accepted and recorded.
5.2. If a member fails to attend three meetings in a row without sending apologies, then council may discuss the matter at the discretion of the chair which may lead to their removal from post by a majority vote.
5.3. If a member is removed from their position on Student Council, then they are automatically removed from their elected position.
6. Voting Procedures
6.1. If a vote is required then all members of Student Council will be entitled to one vote and will be asked to show their voting cards to vote for, against or to abstain from a motion.
6.2. A motion will be passed by a simple majority.
6.3. If a member of council feels that the vote has been incorrectly counted they may submit a procedural motion for a recount.
6.4. The casting vote, in accordance with Clauses 3.4 and 3.5, will be held by either the Chair or the Vice-Chair and will be used in the event of tied voting.
6.5. Motions passed at Student Council meetings will become, or inform, Students’ Union policy for one year from the date the policy is passed unless the motion caused an amendment to the By-Laws or the constitution.
6.6. After this time the policy will lapse unless a motion in favour of retaining the policy/policies is received and passed by Student Council.
6.7. If Council is not quorate a proxy vote via email may take place at the discretion of the Chair.
7. Procedural Motions
7.1. Procedural Motions are articles of governance for Student Council. A Procedural Motion can be proposed by any voting member, who will do so by getting the attention of the chair. The proposer will quickly speak to the procedural motion, and then a vote will be taken.
7.2. A majority vote is required to implement a Procedural Motion.
7.3. A procedural Motion can only be added to Council’s governance as a result of a majority vote from Student Council. A majority vote is needed to remove a motion from Council’s governance.