Passed by: The Big Meeting
Passed on: 20/02/2023
Policy lapses: 20/02/2026
Status: We are working on it
Officer Responsible: President
Summary
We should make changes to the Constitution so that it is more modern, up to date and more accessible to students.
Details
The Student’s Union constitution is looked at every few years to ensure it is up to date and accurate. Below, the proposed changes are laid out, and their reasoning:
Gender Neutralisation:
Purpose: to make the constitution more inclusive for those who do not utilise male nor female pronouns.
• Change ‘his or her’ to ‘their’ in points 16.1, 61.6, and 93
Removal of the Executive Committee:
Purpose: In practice, Senedd has long fulfilled much of the role of the Union Executive Committee (made up of the full Officer team). This change brings the constitution in line with current operations.
• Change all mentions of the ‘Union Executive Committee’ in point 20, 22, 65 to ‘Senedd’
• In point 28 removal of ‘or AUSU Executive Committee’.
• Remove the section entitled ‘The Union Executive Committee’ encompassing clauses 112 and 113.
• Remove 44.2
Constitutionally enabling Virtual and Hybrid Senedds
Purpose: to constitutionally enable virtual and hybrid meetings of AGM, Special general Meetings, and Senedd.
• Replace point 31 with ‘Meetings may be carried physically and/or online as long as all participants are able to simultaneously interact with each other. Where meetings are neither fully physical, nor fully online, participants must indicate by majority vote that they are satisfied with the set-up and technology’.
Clarifying ‘Meeting’:
Purpose: to ensure it is clear when the constitution means trustee meeting or an Annual General Meeting, Special General Meeting or Senedd.
• Point 12.1 – ‘as defined by Clause 24’ to be replaced by ‘Senedd, Annual General Meeting, or Special General Meeting’
• Point 6, 14, 32, 43, 44.1, 47, 73, 81 insert (Senedd, Annual General Meeting, or Special General Meeting) following Meeting. In Clause 99 to insert (Senedd, Annual General Meeting, or Special General Meeting) following ‘Meetings of AUSU’
• In point 54, 58, 73, 106, and 116.27 replace ‘Meeting’ with ‘Senedd Meeting, Annual General Meeting, Special General Meeting’
• In point 96 insert ‘trustee’ prior to meeting
• Replace ‘Attendance at Meetings’ with ‘Attendance at Senedd, Annual General Meetings, and Special General Meetings’
• Point 37 replace meeting with ‘Senedd, Annual General Meeting, or Special General Meeting’
Clarifying Chair:
Purpose: to ensure it is clear when the constitution means Trustee Chair or Union Chairperson
• Point 32.1 and 39, replace ‘chair’ with ‘Union Chairperson’
Clarifying method to call an All Student Vote and Special General Meeting:
Purpose: Clarifying how an ordinary member of the Student’s Union would go about calling an all Student Vote or Special General Meeting
• Remove 44.2
• In point 44.3, replace ‘any ordinary member’ with ‘a secure petition of 250 ordinary members (including student number) submitted to the Chair of Trustees’. This would be the same needed to call an all student vote regarding the removal of an external trustee.
• In point 62 insert ‘(including student number)’ following ‘250 ordinary members’
• In point 27 replace ‘one tenth of the membership, whichever is greater’ with ‘a secure petition of 250 ordinary members (including student number).
Other – minor edits:
• Change point 27 ; 12.2 amended; Change point 28
• Point 40 – replace ‘from time to time and from place to place’ to’(to move time or place)’
• Change point 35 –
• Point 41 – change Semedd to Senedd
• Point 48.1, 48.2, 48.3
• Point 28 remove the word Assembly
• Point 35 – insert ‘%’ following ‘50’
• 55, 68 – change election to appointment
• Change point 116.25 from ‘Part Time Officers’ to ‘Volunteer Officers’
• 84 – remove ‘and the Chief Executive at the request of the two Trustees shall’
• Point 7 remove S after AUSU.
Submitted by: Ash Sturrock
Actions List
| Action Taken |
Name and Role |
Date |
| The changes were approved by Trustee Board in DATE 2023 |
Bayanda (Union President 2023-24) |
November 2023 |
| Currently reformatting the constitution and next steps are to go to University Council for ratification |
Bayanda (Union President 2023-24) |
November 2023 |
To find out more about this policy, get in touch: