BYE-LAWS
OF THE
HULL UNIVERSITY UNION
(to come into effect August 2007)
INTRODUCTION
1. The Bye-Laws shall provide for the conduct of Union affairs and the implementation of Union policy and interpreted in such a manner as not to conflict with the Constitution. The Bye Laws shall only be amended in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, Section XV.
MEMBERSHIP OF THE UNION
2. Categories All registered full-time and part-time students of the University shall be Full Members unless exercising their right not to be a member in accordance with the Education Act 1994. Other categories of membership are detailed below.
a. Honorary Life Members Honorary Life Membership may be conferred by a Union General Meeting or by Union Council in recognition of services to the Union.
b. Life Members Former full-time students of the University are eligible for Life Membership.
c. Reciprocal Members Students of other UK Universities, including the Open University, or any college or institution of further or higher education in the Hull and Scarborough areas, provided that they are at least 18 years of age, shall be Reciprocal Members.
d. Associate Members The following shall be eligible for Associate Membership, providing that they are at least 18 years of age.
(1) employees of HUU and the University of Hull;
(2) past Full Members;
(3) spouses of Full Members;
(4) students attending courses ‘franchised’ or ‘validated’ by the University of Hull;
(5) general public members of the Sports and Fitness Centre;
(6) Members of Hull York Medical School situated on the York campus;
(7) such other persons as the Council shall elect.
The total number of Associate Members to be elected under this sub-section and their allocation between the above categories shall be determined by the Council in October of each session, provided that at no time shall the total exceed one quarter of the total number of Full Members.
e. Temporary Members Any person may be elected by the Council as a Temporary Member, provided that no such Temporary Member shall be elected or re-elected for a period that shall exceed in all one month in any session, and that no such Temporary Member shall be admitted to membership until at least 48 hours after election.
3. Proof of Membership Proof of membership is provided as detailed below:
a. full Members: University of Hull registered student card;
b. reciprocal Members: student card issued by the college or student union;
c. University and Union staff; staff cards;
d. temporary membership: names to be displayed on the official notice boards; and can prove identity with photo id
e. other categories; relevant HUU membership card.
4. Subscriptions Honorary Life Members, Reciprocal Members, Temporary Members, and members of the Open University shall pay no subscription. Other categories shall pay a subscription to be determined from time to time by Council upon the recommendation of the Finance & Commercial Services Committee. Any member whose subscription is more than four weeks in arrears may be excluded from the exercise of any of the rights of membership by Council.
5. Cessation or Termination of Membership Membership of Union shall cease automatically in the following circumstances:
a. a Full Member: on the first day of the session following that in which his/her course terminates except where the Member:-
(1) is rusticated or excluded; for the period of rustication or exclusion;
(2) voluntarily withdraws or is expelled: from the effective date of withdrawal or expulsion.
b. an associate member: on the day after the first Council Meeting of the session following that in which he/she was elected;
c. a temporary member: at the end of the period for which he/she was elected.
Anyone ceasing to be a Member shall be deemed to have vacated any office he/she holds and membership of any Committee shall lapse.
6. Termination of Membership Council shall have the power to expel any Associate or Temporary Member in accordance with the provisions of the HUU Constitution Section V. Additionally the membership of a Life Member will be terminated, if in the opinion of Council his/her conduct renders him/her unfit for membership, such a member having been given seven days' written notice to attend the meeting of Council at which his/her case is to be discussed, together with details of any complaint. The Member may be represented by a Full Member of Union. The Life Member may be excluded from the premises of the Union pending the aforementioned meeting of Council, or by order of the Union Executive Committee. or the licensees
CHAIRPERSON OF COUNCIL
7. Election Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of Council shall be elected by Council, from amongst its voting members, each semester at the first meeting of Council. The Chair of Council is to be taken by a member of the Union Executive Committee for the election of Chairperson of Council. The Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson shall be eligible for re-election. If for any exceptional purposes ( the chair has not been elected, the Union President shall act as Chair until the election has taken place.
8. Temporary Election The Chair at Council and Union General Meetings shall be taken by the Chairperson of Council or, in his or her absence, or at his or her request, by the Deputy Chairperson of Council. In the absence of either one or both the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson, the Union or Council Meeting shall elect a replacement from amongst its number in accordance with the relevant Standing Orders, who in any case shall not be a member of the Union Executive Committee, to take the Chair for the duration of that meeting. An election of Chairperson shall be conducted by a member of the Union Executive Committee. The Chairperson shall conduct the election for Deputy Chairperson.
9. Casting Vote The Chairperson or Deputy Chairperson, when in the Chair at a meeting, shall not take part in any debate or discussion and shall have no vote except the casting vote in the event of the voting on any motion being equal. The Chairperson or Deputy Chairperson when in the Chair shall stand down when directly or indirectly involved in a motion.
ELECTION OF MEMBERS OF COUNCIL
10. Members of Council Voting members of Council shall hold office from Monday of the first week of Semester1 following their election the previous academic year; except in the case of Councillors elected to fill consequential vacancies. Nomination and election shall take place in Semester2, as detailed below:
a. Nominations Nominations for election shall be lodged with the Returning Officer before noon ten clear days prior to the election.
b. Election The election shall be held in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, and Standing Orders Governing Elections.
c. Vacancies Should a casual vacancy arise from the voting membership of Council during the academic year, Council reserve the right to hold an emergency election, by any means, to ensure Council is at full membership. Should a vacancy arise after elections are held in week 7 of semester 2 and before the start of the following academic year, the respective number of councillors from those elections will fill the vacant places as required in descending order of votes cast and subject to availability.
MEMBERSHIP OF COUNCIL
11. Membership Membership of the Council shall consist of:
a. 16 voting Councillors to be represented as follows:
(i) 2 members of the Academic Council
(ii) 2 member of the Athletic Union
(iii) 1 member of the Campaigns Committee
(iv) 1 member of HUSSO Executive
(v) 1 member of the International Students Association
(vi) 1 member of the Mature Students Committee
(vii) 1 member of the Post Graduate Committee
(viii) 2 members of the Scarborough Executive Committee
(ix) 2 member of Societies
(x) 2 members of Welfare & Equality Committee
(xi) 1 member of Finance Committee
These Councillors are to be democratically elected from within the body they are to represent. They may be any member of their relevant committees, including Chairperson, and are to represent the interests of that wider body. Each body may also elect a deputy to fill any subsequent vacancies through voluntary resignations or valid apology.
A member of the Union Executive Committee shall act as Returning Officer for the elections which must take place in the second semester before the end of Week 12; such positions to be confirmed with the Union Secretary & Treasurer. They will take their position on Council from Week 1 in the following Semester.
b. 16 elected Councillors without portfolio to be elected by cross-campus ballot in week 7 of semester two in accordance with the Standing Orders governing Election procedures.
Nominations will take place in Week 5 of Semester 2 and voting will take place in Week 7. Voting members of Council are to hold office on Union Council from Monday of week one in the first semester of the academic year following the election, for one year. A member of any committee or representative body, except the Union Executive Committee, may stand to be an elected member of Council.
c. Members of the Union Executive Committee shall be ex-officio members of Council without voting rights. Chairpersons of Standing Committees, Select Committees, Societies Officer, Equal Opportunities Officer, student members of Senate and members of the Finance Committee shall also be ex-officio members of Council without voting rights unless elected in points a and b above.
Quoracy of Council shall be 50% plus one of the voting members.
MEETINGS OF COUNCIL
12. Meetings shall take place in weeks 3, 6, 9 and 12 of Semester One and weeks 3, 6, 9 and 12 in Semester Two. One Council each year must take place at Scarborough Campus.
13. Notice Meetings of Council shall be convened by the Union Secretary & Treasurer). Notice of the meeting, together with the agenda and the minutes of the previous meeting, shall be sent to each member of Council via E-mail and shall be displayed on the official notice board in University House and on the official website. Such notification and display shall be effected at least two clear days before the meeting.
14. Extraordinary Meetings of Council An Extraordinary meeting of Council may be called by the following, given that five clear days notice is given:
a. the Chairperson of Council;
b. the Union Secretary & Treasurer; and
c. 18 voting members of Council
15. Business Only the business published on the agenda shall be transacted at the a meeting of Council, provided that this shall not preclude the amendment of any motion thereon and provided that any other business not having previously appeared on the agenda may be taken, if in the opinion of the Chairperson it would not have been possible for the business to have been published on the agenda and that it is a matter of extreme urgency which cannot reasonably be left over until the next meeting of Council.
16. Absence Grounds for apologies are:-
a. involved in University or Union business;
b. through illness or other valid cause.
Written apologies and explanations for absence must be sent to the Union Secretary & Treasurer prior to the start of the meeting. If the validity of the reasons given for absence are challenged, the Chairperson of Council shall be required to give a ruling. The member so challenged must be present at the appropriate Council meeting or will be deemed to have resigned unless covered by sub paragraph ‘b’ above. Examinations shall be deemed a valid cause of absence provided they are on the day of the meeting or within two full weeks following the day of the meeting. Any member deemed to have resigned from Council under this section may appeal to Council.
i) Any elected member of Council, absent from any meeting of Complaints Panel or from any meeting of Elections Advisory Panel, provided that two days’ notice has been given, without giving notice of apology shall be deemed to have resigned subject to the above allowances and criteria.
ii) Any member of Council (as specified in point 11 a. above) who is absent from any meeting of Council without giving notice of apology and has failed to find a deputy shall be deemed to have resigned subject to the above allowances and criteria.
iii) Any member of Council (as specified in point 11 b. above) who is absent from any two meetings of Council in a semester without giving notice of apology shall be deemed to have resigned subject to the above allowances and criteria.
17. Move into Committee The Council may resolve to go into committee, in which case committee shall report back to Council. If Council goes into committee no records shall be kept of its proceedings unless Council resolves to do so. Council may exclude any or all of those present who are not voting members of Council.
18. Minutes The minutes of all meetings of Council are held in Administrative Services Office and made available for inspection by Full Members during normal office hours.
UNION EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
19. Membership Membership of the Union Executive Committee shall be in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution Section VIII.
20. Election to Union Executive Committee Members of Union Executive Committee shall hold office from midday Friday of the third week of the summer vacation after their election for one full year. Nomination and election shall take place annually in semester two as detailed below.
a. Nomination Nominations for election shall be lodged with the Returning Officer before noon ten clear days prior to the election.
b. Election The election shall be held in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, and Standing Orders Governing Elections.
c. Electoral Provisions The following provisions apply where appropriate.
(1) No nomination in Semester Two. If no nominations are received by noon on Wednesday of the third week of the semester two, nominations will again be called for by noon on Wednesday of the fifth week of semester two, for election in the seventh week.
(2) No nominations after second attempt. If no nominations are received after the second attempt, Council shall elect from amongst its voting membership a person to fill the vacancy, who shall serve until the next statutory elections are held.
d. Resignation If any officer or officer-elect resigns or vacates his/her appointment the following action shall be taken:
(1) Council having been notified of the vacancy, shall decide whether to confirm the interim arrangements detailed below until the next statutory election or direct that an extraordinary election be held to fill the appointment.
(2) Until a new officer is elected the duties shall be covered by the remaining elected trustees of Hull University Union and members of staff. They would be expected to report in the same manner to the Union Executive Committee and to Union Council.
STANDING COMMITTEES OF COUNCIL
21. General Standing Committees of Council, which may be established by order of a Union General Meeting or Council, shall be charged with the responsibility for helping to formulate and execute Union policy. The composition, duties and rules of procedure shall be laid down by Council in Standing Orders. All voting members of a Standing Committee shall be Full Members of Union. The list of Standing Committees is attached at Annex A.
22. Chairpersons of Standing Committees, and other posts as deemed necessary by Council as detailed in SO2.003, shall be elected by ballot of the full membership in the seventh week of the second semester, and shall hold office from Monday week One of the following academic year, unless provided for in the relevant standing orders. The Bye Laws shall make provision for the election of a successor in the event of an office becoming vacant during a session.
a. Nominations Nominations for election shall be lodged with the Returning Officer before noon ten clear days prior to the election.
b. Elections The election shall be held in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, and Standing Orders Governing Elections.
c. Electoral Provisions If no nominations are received by noon on Tuesday of the fifth week of semester Two or any officer resigns his/her appointment before completing the full term in office, Council shall elect from amongst its voting membership, unless otherwise provided for in the relevant Standing Orders, a person to fill the vacancy. Persons so elected under these provisions shall hold office as if they had been elected under sub-paragraph 22b above.
23. Election of other members Election of other members of Standing Committees shall be in accordance with the relevant Standing Orders except for the officers detailed at paragraph 24 below.
24. Election to the FinanceCommittee Elected members of the Finance Committee shall hold office from Monday of the first week of the semester One of the Semester after they are elected, for one year, except in the case of members elected to fill casual vacancies. Nominations and elections shall take place once annually for eight members and any casual vacancies that have arisen, as described below.
a. Nomination Nominations for election shall be lodged with the Returning Officer before noon ten clear days prior to the election.
b. Election The election shall be held in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, and Standing Orders Governing Elections.
c. Electoral Provision If no nominations are received by noon on Tuesday of the fifth week of semester 2 or a member resigns his/her appointment before completing the full term in office, Council shall elect a person, from amongst the membership of the Union, to fill the vacancy, who shall serve until the next statutory elections are held.
REMOVAL FROM OFFICE
25. Motion of 'no confidence' The Constitution shall make allowance for motions of ‘no confidence’.
26. Appeal An officer who is suspended from duty as the result of a motion of 'no confidence' shall have the right of appeal to a Union General Meeting, provided that the motion resolving to overturn the decision of Council is handed to theUnion Secretary & Treasurer (UST) within two clear days from the date of the relevant Council Meeting.
27. Appeal Procedure The UST shall arrange for the motion to be discussed by a Union General Meeting within five clear days of receiving notice of the appeal, called in accordance with the Constitution Section XIII. In the event of the meeting being inquorate, the matter shall be resolved by a referendum, to be held in accordance with Standing Order 2.002. The appellant may withdraw the appeal at any stage.
28. Termination of Office The UST shall confirm termination of office in writing, to be effective either at the end of period of notice or in the event of an appeal, where either the motion falls or the Union General Meeting is inquorate.
ELECTION OF MEMBERS OF UNIVERSITY SENATE
Para To be reviewed
29. Student members of University Senate shall be elected in Semester Two, in accordance with University Ordinance VIII and Standing Order 2.003 and shall hold office for one year from Week One, Semester One in the academic year following their election. If a vacancy should occur during the year Senate may co-opt, provided that the person so co-opted is a valid representative within the terms of the Ordinance. Nominations for such vacancies shall be placed on the agenda of the relevant Academic Council meeting, provided that the vacancy has first been posted in the Union seven clear days from the date of the meeting. Where there is more than one nomination for a vacancy, Academic Council shall decide which nomination shall stand; where there is only one nomination, Academic Council shall take note.
RECOGNISED SOCIETIES
30. Recognition Any society wishing to be recognised by the Union shall submit its proposed constitution to the Council and must comply with such other requirements as are specified in Standing Order 2.009 and 6.004. Council may grant or withdraw recognition at any time. Amendments to the constitution of any recognised society shall require the approval of Council.
31. Conditions Recognised societies:
a. shall be allowed to use Union facilities for advertising and for club activities in accordance with Standing Order2.009 and 6.004;
b. may receive financial aid from the General Funds of the Union in accordance with Standing Order2.004
The Chairperson, Treasurer and Secretary of all Societies shall be Full Members of Union.
Annex:
A. Standing Committees of Union
PW-O/SEB
August 06
Passed at UEC:
Passed at Board of Trustees:
