On 9th March we held an Emegency General Meeting in The Vault, Winchester Student Union (University Centre, main campus). The business of the meeting was to discuss and approve the Student Union’s proposed new Constitution and governance structure, ahead of the organisations mandatory registration with the charities commission.
The following documents were forwarded for approval:
New Student Union Constitution
Bye Laws 1-3
Motions to formally adopt a new constitution for Winchester Student Union were approved as follows:
Motions:
1. Proposed by Seb Miell, President; Seconded by Krissy Ball, Vice President Communication & Campaigns
- To adopt from effect from July 1st 2011, a new governance structure and constitution as detailed in the documents, Constitution of Winchester Student Union and Bye-Law’s 1 & 3
2. Proposed by Jez Davis, Vice President Activities & Services; Seconded by Krissy Ball, Vice President Communication & Campaigns
- To adopt with immediate effect Bye-law 2, procedures to govern elections.
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The context:
Winchester Student Union is legally obligated to register with the charities commission by the end of this academic year. Whilst we will still be governed by the tenets of the education act 1994, the Student Union will also have to comply with current charity legislation and best practice from point of registration onwards. Part of that compliance will be to demonstrate that the Union’s governance structures are robust and provide an adequate level of continuity in its trustees. As this is an issue facing all Students’ Unions, the National Union of Students, to who we affiliate, have researched and launched a model constitution that has been pre-approved by the Charities Commission and that can be adapted for use by any member Union.
At a meeting of the current trustees of Winchester Student Union on 1st March it was formally approved to seek final ratification from Union Council and a meeting of our membership to adopt a new constitution and governance structure that reflected charity law & best practice.
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See minutes of Union Council Meetings 2010-11
More minutes of Official Student Union meetings (University Portal)
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