Your Guide to Your AGM

AGM Annual General Meeting Your Guide To Your AGM Download the motions at www.uwesu.org/agm Join in the conversation

#uwesuAGM

University of the West of England Students’ Union (UWESU)

How Do We decide What Order They Go In? All the motions will be drawn out randomly at the meeting.

Welcome to the Annual General Meeting. This booklet will tell you everything about the AGM this year and what to expect. It’s an amazing opportunity to make positive change to your Students’ Union. If you have an idea about something you’d like to see happen you can submit a motion and attend the AGM where it can be made policy and be acted upon. In previous years the motions put forward at AGM have resulted in the SU adopting the Bristol Pound at the SU Outlets, adding more officer positions to the union executive, banning pay day lenders from advertising on campus and installing water fountains in all spaces controlled by the SU.

How Will the AGM Happen?

6pm – Registration will start. We’ll scan in your Student Card on the way in to 2B025 so that we have a record of who has attended (so remember to bring your student card to the meeting!)

6.30pm – The meeting will start once quoracy is met.

Quoracy is the minimum number of student we need attending the AGM for the motions to be passed.

According to our constitution, we must have at least 150 students in attendance for the meeting to happen.

What’s a Motion?

Motions are issues that are discussed at Student Council or the Union’s Annual General Meeting which, if successfully passed, can set policy of the Union.

Motions are divided in to the following sections: This Union Notes These are facts which are relevant to the topic of the motion This Union Believes These are opinions that the motion holder believes to be true This Union Resolves These are the actions the motion holder wants to see take place to make change This Union Mandates This is which officer the motion holder wants to take responsibility for the motion

The Chair of Meetings will start the meeting. They are a student who has been elected to chair the meeting which this year is Rachel Bailey who was elected on 24 October through the UWESU By-election.

Each motion has a proposer and a seconder. The proposer is the student who is the author of the motion. The seconder is a student who supports the motion.

The full meeting agenda will be available from www.uwesu.org/agm on 13 November.

How Are They Debated?

The meeting schedule: 1. Welcome and Introduction from the SU President 2. Agree the minutes (record of notes) from last years’ AGM 3. Receive a report from the board of Trustees who run the union and ratify (approve) any new members 4. Receive a report of the annual financial accounts of the Union from an elected officer 5. Vote to approve external affiliations – companies UWESU signs up to like the NUS and BUCS. 6. To hear which policies have lapsed (expired) and are no longer policies of UWESU. 7. The Motions will be debated:

Here is how the motions are debated: 1. 1st Proposer Speaker (motion holder) 2. 1st Opposition (against) Speaker 3. 2nd Proposer Speaker 4. 2nd Opposition (against) Speaker 5. 1st Proposer Speaker (aka Proposition Summation) There may be more rounds of speaking if there is a need.

If you have submitted a motion or agreed to be a seconder for a motion then you can find more information and some top tips in our ‘Top Tips for Debating’ document available online at www.uwesu.org/agm under the ‘Debating & Tips’ Tab.

Procedural Motions Explained At any point, any member of the union can call a procedural motion (other than during a vote unless the procedural motion relates to the conduct of that vote) and shall be discussed immediately in accordance with the order of debate.

Procedural motions may be proposed as follows: 1. That the chairperson takes a further round of speeches 2. That the chairperson moves straight to the vote (and there are no more speeches for or against) 3. That the meeting be adjourned (remember you must have reasonable grounds for this) 4. That the vote be by secret ballot 5. That the vote be recounted 6. To vote on different parts of a proposal separately 7. Not to take a vote on the issue under discussion 8. That the meeting has no confidence in the chairperson 9. The debate on which the chairperson shall vacate the chair and shall be afforded the opportunity to speak against the procedural motion When discussing a motion, you can also suggest an amendment to be made. However, please remember that these should not alter the scope of the motion, and that the chair of meetings has the final ruling on whether or not to accept an amendment.

Hold your vote card up this way to vote

Voting >> Every UWE Student is by default a member of the Students’ Union and therefore can vote at the AGM* >> Each member has one vote >> Staff present cannot vote >> You can vote by holding up your vote card which you are given on the way in Full meeting rules can be found in the constitution at www.uwesu.org/union/aboutuwesu/constitution *Students can opt out of the union by writing to the General Manager of the SU.

Hold your vote card up this way if you need assistance with the procedures and staff will come and help you

After the AGM

UWESU Safer Spaces Policy

Any motions passed at the AGM will become policy of the Students’ Union for 3 years. At any time you can get an update on each policy from www.uwesu.org/policies

UWESU is committed to our core value of inclusivity and will take a zero tolerance approach to language or behaviour that is racist, sexist, homophobic, threatening or violent, that could cause offence to a student with a disability as well as any other student that feels harassed, bullied or discriminated against.

You are invited to come and join us for Post-AGM Drinks in Escape bar from 9pm where you can chat about what went on at the AGM. There will be live entertainment as well as drinks offers.

The chair of meetings reserves the right to ask any member to leave the meeting should they be in conflict with this policy. Should you feel anyone is in contravention of this policy please report to a member of staff.

Your Essential Questions Answered Q. I want to see the AGM, but I can’t make it. What do I do?

A. You can watch the AGM live online at www.uwesu.org/ watch and get involved by tweeting questions and opinion to @uwesu and by using the hashtag #uwesuAGM. There will also be photographs available on UWESU Flickr afterwards and videos made too.

Q. Can I cast a vote without attending the meeting?

A. Unfortunately not. We don’t currently have the technology for proxy voting, but is certainly something we’ll aim to do in future.

Q. I want to put a motion through but I can’t attend, what do I do?

A. You can still submit a motion without being there but your seconder must speak for the motion on your behalf.

Q. How long is the AGM? A. We’ll aim to get through all the motions in a timely manner. The length of the meeting depends on how long these take to be discussed, but we’ll aim to finish by 9pm.

Q. I’m a Student Rep, do I get paid for attending the AGM? A. You’ll be attending the AGM as a student yourself, rather than as a representative, so you won’t be paid for attending this meeting.

Q. How do I submit a motion?

A. All the motion submissions for AGM are done online through www.uwesu.org/agm. The deadline for motions is Thursday 6th November at 5pm. If you miss this you can always submit one for Student Council – email vpeducation@uwe.ac.uk to submit one or for any questions.

Q. Do you provide transport?

A. We’ve chosen a location that is easily accessible via public transport on the basis that most students should find it easy to get there. If you have any concerns about getting to the AGM then e-mail vpeducation@uwe.ac.uk Q. If I have a disability, can I request support?

A. Of course, please email JJ Clark (vpeducation@uwe. ac.uk) with at least 5 working days notice so we can arrange something for you.

Q. Can I bring someone who is not a UWE Student?

A. The AGM is a meeting only for UWE Students. Any queries please email vpeducation@uwe.ac.uk . Remember, anyone can watch live online at www.uwesu.org/agm Q. Can I submit questions for the elected officers in advance?

A. Yes, you can. Please send any questions to JJ Clark (vpeducation@uwe.ac.uk) at least 5 working days before the meeting.

Q. Will the elected officer reports be available online afterwards?

A. Yes, they will be able for download on www.uwesu.org/agm Q. What happens if we lose quoracy?

If at any point we have less than 150 students we have lost quoracy and must stop the meeting. If this happens then any motions left to be debated will be deferred to the next Student Council meeting, which is on February 19th.

This is not an exhaustive list, so if you have any other questions about the AGM please get in touch with JJ Clark (vpeducation@uwe.ac.uk)

Jargon Buster AGM Annual General Meeting Amendment A change or alteration made to part of a motion

Spread the word!

Chair The student elected to be in charge of the meeting Constitution The self-set rules the union must abide by

Motion An idea of concept for change

We’ve just set up a new Thunderclap campaign for the AGM. We need 100 supports to follow the link below and add their support with Facebook, Twitter or Tumblr.

If we can get 100 supporters, a few days before AGM the following message will be sent through the supporters social media accounts (creating a viral effect and getting lots of people talking about it!):

Motion holder/proposer The student who has written the motion

I'm going to make change at #uwesuAGM 2014! Are you? www.thndr.it/ZOLSOa

SU Students’ Union

Share this URL to promote it – www.thndr.it/1wuJhW8

Minutes A record of the notes from the meeting

Quoracy The minimum number of students present to make the meeting valid

We need 100 supporters for the message to go out, so add your own support then share it through your own channels and let’s get everyone talking about the #uwesuAGM!

If you have any questions please ask a member of staff wearing an SU t–shirt. Enjoy the AGM!

UWE STUDENTS’ UNION

ELECTIONS 2015 Think you would be good at Representing 30,000 students?

Nominations open

3rd February

Nominations Close 26th February

Voting 6th—12th March

Like what you’ve heard today; think you could do better?

You could be stood here this time next year 5 full-time positions available www.uwesu.org/elections

AFTER THE AGM You are invited to come and join us for PostAGM Drinks in Escape bar from 9pm where you can chat about what went on at the AGM. There will be live entertainment as well as the following drinks offers:

Rekorderlig cider only £3

Any draught beer only £2.50 a pint

J20s only £1 a bottle