How To Submit A Motion To Referendum

Submissions are usually on important or controversial issues when it is important to get the views of as many students as possible before policy is agreed.

We set two referendum periods a year, one in Term 1 and one in Term 2. They are pre-set dates held at a time when all students can be involved, outside of any exam period.

Referenda is accessible to all students, all you need to do is collect support signatures from 0.5% of students, currently 113. Once proposed policy has been received we publicise them, and all students are invited to submit amendments should they so wish. Once amendments have been received all policies are sent to Composite Group. Composite Group facilitate agreement between the proposers of each policy and amendment to ensure that all submissions are legal and grammatically correct.

Once the final motions have been agreed we go all out to publicise the issues and encourage debate amongst all students. Each submission has two Campaigning Groups one for the motion and one against, we give each of these groups a ‘pot’ of money to publicise and promote their views. We as a Union promote referendum through a high profile Referendum Debate when issues can then be debated by any student that wishes to attend. We promote the issue with arguments from both sides of each submission, through our website and general publicity.

Decisions are made through online ballot, open to all students, but in order for policy to pass it requires a minimum of 7.5% of all students to vote, currently 1695. Policy passed at referendum can only be lapsed or amended at a General Meeting of a further Referendum. Union Council cannot overturn or amend referendum policy.

Examples of policies passed at Referendum: ‘Sponsorship and Advertising in the Students’ Union’, banned unethical companies from sponsorship or advertising in the Union, ‘Allowing Sports Clubs to Seek Sponsorship from Currently Banned Companies’, lifted previous policies ban on Sports Clubs and Societies seeking sponsorship from currently banned companies, ‘Ethical Banking’, instructs the Union Development Officer to conduct investigations into ethical banking for UWSU.

For any more information on the referenda period contact the Democratic Services office or Democracy Officer.