DRAFT CONSTITUTION BRIEFING DOCUMENT PRESENTED AT 8 DEC GENERAL MEETING
SU.RHUL.AC.UK SURHUL
The old constitution wasn’t great. It was outdated, and largely irrelevant to you as students today. So, we’ve looked into how we can make all of this better and work for you as students. We’ve reviewed, researched and asked you what you want from us and these are some of the things we have found. 1.
What is the new document structure?
The old constitution was a puzzle that didn’t really fit together anymore. We made small changes year on year that resulted in a document that meant nothing to students. We have come up with a new simple and effective structure: i.
Articles: that detail summary information on key topics
ii. Byelaws: that go into further detail and deal with operational issues The byelaws will be how we as an SU work on a daily basis. This will, in turn, ensure that the constitution shapes and guides the work of all students, officers and staff. 2.
How does the new decision-making structure work?
Last year, we decided that a re-vamp of all our democratic procedures was needed, so we introduced councils. Councils are open forums to discuss issues that matter to you as students; they are also the means through which you can hold your elected officers to account. The new constitution formalises this structure and also establishes a Steering Committee to oversee the running of all our democratic procedures, like our Councils and All Student Meetings (formally known as ‘General Meetings’). The membership of Steering Committee would be: i.
Two sabbatical officers.
ii.
One Student Trustee.
iii.
One ordinary member to be elected from each Council. (x3)
Here’s how the new structure would work.
3.
How do the Councils work?
Under the new constitution the Students’ Union will have 3 councils. These will be as follows:
Student Activities Council
Equality Council
Education Council
Each council will have its own purpose, membership and Committee, these will be outlined in this document and decided each year by the Steering Committee. A Chair will also be elected for each Council, they will then act as the Chair for the Subcommittees and the representative on the Steering Committee. i. Student Activities Council The purpose of this council is to oversee the operation of Clubs, Societies, Media Outlets and RAG (Raise and Give). It will also have the power to ratify new student groups. Student Activities Council is a body in which students meet and discuss work surrounding the sports clubs, societies, media outlets and RAG here at Royal Holloway. The council will have the power to decide new student groups and pass policy that directly affect student activities. The voting membership of the council will be:
Presidents or nominee from each Club
Presidents or nominee from each Society
Head of each Media Outlet
Chair of RAG
Student Activities Committee
Vice President Societies & Media
Vice President Sports
President
There will be a subcommittee known as the Student Activities Committee. This committee will be made up of a mixture of portfolio officers and open places. They will all be elected at the last Student Activities Council of the year for the next academic year. This Council will hold the President, the Vice President Societies and Media and Vice President Sports to account. ii. Equality Council Equality Council is a body in which students meet and discuss work, campaigns and policy surrounding various groups on campus, working towards fair representation for all students here at Royal Holloway. The council will have the power to decide campaigns and pass policy that directly affects the liberation groups, section groups and others deemed appropriate. The voting membership of the council will be:
Self-defining Black and Ethnic Minorities
Self-defining LGBTQ+ Students
Self-defining Women
Self-defining Disabled Students
Student Parents and Carers
International Students
Mature Students
Part Time Students
Returning Students
Commuting Students
Equality Committee
Vice President Welfare & Diversity
President
There will be a subcommittee known as the Equality Committee. This committee will be made up of a mixture of portfolio officers and open places. They will all be elected at the last Equality Council of the year for the next academic year. This Council will hold the President and the Vice President Welfare & Diversity to account. iii. Education Council Education Council is a body in which students meet and discuss work, campaigns and policy surrounding the educational experience of students here at Royal Holloway. The council will have the power to decide campaigns and pass policy that directly affects local and national education issues. The voting membership of the council will be:
All Course Reps
Education Committee
Vice President Education
President
There will be a subcommittee known as the Education Committee. This committee will be made up of a mixture of portfolio officers and open places. They will all be elected at the last Education Council of the year for the next academic year, except for 2 open place that will be reserved for new first year students. This Council will hold the President and the Vice President Education to account.
4.
What is Participatory Budgeting?
The new constitution also gives councils the power to allocate funds for a specific campaign or cause. 5.
How are the Officer roles changing?
The new constitution splits the role of President (Education & Campaigns) into two, and creates the following Sabbatical positions
i.
President
ii.
Vice President Education
iii.
Vice President Welfare
iv.
Vice President Societies & Media
v.
Vice President Sport
In order to make the new constitution more representative, we sought the advice of a consultant from the National Union of Students (NUS). What came out of their recommendation was the proposal to dissolve our part-time Officer roles (previously known as the ‘Executive Committee’) into the council structure. The new constitution gives the power to Steering Committee to set what elected volunteer representative roles are created from within the councils.
6.
What does incorporation mean?
We are now looking at becoming a Charitable Incorporated Organisation – broadly speaking, this would reduce the personal liability of Trustees, and enable us to own property and businesses. We need to make some changes now that will enable this process to happen swiftly if the Board of Trustees make this decision in the New Year. 7.
What has happened to the other documents?
We will still need to have a Code of Practice and Freedom of Speech policy (as required by the Education Acts 1994 and 1989 respectively) which are jointly owned by College Council and the Trustee Board respectively. They do not form part of the actual constitution.