Ordinance XV: Students' Union - Keele University
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Ordinance XV - Students' Union

1. There shall be a Students Union of the University (hereinafter called the Union) for the promotion of the general interests of students and to afford a recognized channel of communication between students and the University authorities.

2. Members of the Union shall be:

a) All matriculated students of the University except those who exercise the right to opt out of membership.

b) All other students of the University who are not matriculated students and who have paid such subscription as shall be prescribed by Regulation.

c) Such persons as the Union, in accordance with its regulations, may from time to time admit to associate, reciprocal or honorary membership.

d) Officers as described in Ordinance I 5(b) and I 5(c).

3 a) Regulations shall be prepared by the Union for the furtherance of the objects of the Union, which regulations shall be of effect and binding on all members of the Union immediately upon receiving the approval of the Senate and Council. Union Regulations in Sections I, II, III and IX (the election regulations, which must provide for the election by secret ballot to the major union offices) and Standing Orders Part 4.2 (a) (Finance and General Purposes Committee - membership by the nominee appointed by the University Finance Committee) may only be altered or abrogated upon receiving the prior approval of the Senate and Council. The regulations shall provide inter alia for general meetings of the Union, for the election of officers, for the appointment of all necessary committees, and for affiliation of student societies and athletic clubs to the Union and shall define the rights, privileges and obligations of the respective classes of members of the Union. (b) No person shall be elected to sabbatical office or hold paid elected office for more than two years in total. (c) Union Regulations shall prescribe a procedure for the fair allocation of resources to clubs and societies. (d) The Union must publish at least annually a list of external organisations to which it is affiliated with details of fees, donations and subscriptions; this list must be reviewed and approved at least annually by the members of the Union. Full details of decisions to make new affiliations must be published by the Union and the notice made available to all students and to the Council of the University. From time to time but not more frequently than once in any academic year, a requisition by 3% or more of the members may be made for a secret ballot on the question of continued affiliation to any particular organisation.

4.Members of the Union who are in receipt of an Award from and whose full-time fees are paid by a local Education Authority in England and Wales (or the equivalent grant-giving Authority in other parts of the United Kingdom), or are in receipt of a post-graduate grant from and whose full-time fees are paid by the Research Councils or the British Academy are not required to pay an annual subscription. All other matriculated students and students as defined in 2(b) above, other than life or honorary members, shall pay an annual subscription to be determined from time to time by the Council, at the same time as the fees of the University. Other members shall pay such subscriptions as may be determined from time to time by the regulations of the Union and confirmed by the Council.

5. The accounts of the Students’ Union shall at the end of each financial year be audited by a public accountant in the active practice of his profession and a copy of the accounts, with a signed report by the auditor, shall be given to the Vice-Chancellor and approved by the Finance Committee of the University.

6. The President of the Students’ Union shall be a member of Council (Statutes, section 20.1(4)). The President of the Students’ Union and the full-time students, to be elected by the students, shall be members of the Senate (Statutes, section 22.1(j)).

7 a) Any student who remains dissatisfied after exhausting all internal procedures in the Students’ Union and in the University either in dealings with the Students’ Union or because of a claim to be disadvantaged having opted out of Students’ Union membership may address a complaint in writing to the Secretary to Council.

b) An independent person with experience of Higher Education, appointed by the Council, will consider the complaint and report back to the Council. Procedures for hearing the complaint and any witnesses will be determined by Regulation.

c) Where appropriate, the Chair of Council may act on behalf of the Council to implement the recommended remedy to a complaint.

8. In order to comply with the Education Act 1994, the Students Union Constitution shall include the following Regulation:

a) Regulation T1

Members of the Union shall be all matriculated students of the University except those who exercise the right to opt out of membership.

b) Regulation T2

Election to the major Union offices (President, Deputy President, Treasurer, Education and Welfare Officer and other members of the Union Committee) shall be conducted by secret ballot, the procedure and arrangements to be approved by an Officer of the University.

c) Regulation T3

No person shall be elected to sabbatical office or hold paid elected office for more than two years in total.

d) Regulation T4

Resources shall be allocated to Union Clubs and Societies by means of a formula relating to the certified number of members of the Club or Society and a basic capitation sum approved by a General Meeting on the recommendation of the Unions Finance and General Purposes Committee.

e) Regulation T5

The Union will publish annually a list of external organisations to which it is affiliated with details of fees, donations and subscriptions. The list will be reviewed annually by the Students’ Union Committee and approved at a Union General Meeting.