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PROPOSED REPEAL OF EXISTING REGULATIONS & ADOPTION OF NEW CONSTITUTION

The ECU Student Guild Senate has endorsed the repeal of the existing Guild Regulations and the adoption of a new Constitution. Given the significant nature of these changes, the Guild Senate  resolved to host a General Meeting to allow the members of the Guild to contribute and to resolve on whether or not they wish to adopt the proposed Constitution.

The meeting was held Tuesday 8th September, 2009. Unfortunately, insufficient members attended to successfully pass any resolutions, however those who attended were broadly supportive of the changes.

These changes are now being tabled at the university for ratification, and are hoped to be in effect for 2010.

 

Guild Regulations Changes
Explanatory Notes

Introduction
With the proposed changes to Amenities & Services Fee legislation, and reviews of the existing Statute's and Regulations for compliance, now is a timely period to execute the review of Guild Regulations, which has been taking place for many years.


Summary of Significant Changes
There are a number of new provisions in this Constitution, which are significantly different to our previous structure.

Creation of Student Departments
When reviewing the regulations to see how the Guild Senate could incorporate the ISC and PGA as student departments, it became clear that to give them the level of autonomy we wanted we would have to amend the Guild regulations. As such, we have included provisions for the creation of Student Departments, as the primary student engagement taskforce of the Guild.

Under the proposed Constitution, these have some significant restrictions and abilities. These are:

Accessing Finance
The Department sets its budget, subject to approval by Senate. The Senate sets the amount of funding a Department receives.

The Department Chair, and either the Guild President or General Secretary, must sign off on funds to be expended.

Assets given to the department remain with the Department unless that Department by resolution of its committee chooses to give them up.

Chair's Voting Ability
The Chair of the Department is responsible for communication between the Department and Senate, and for its administration. As such the Chair does not have a vote on their Department Committee, but the do have a vote on Senate.

Affiliation of Societies
Clubs and Societies, if approved by Senate, may be affiliated under any of the Departments, allowing for resources to be applied more specifically to purpose, and making available more resources to student societies.


Policy and Accountability Committee
In order to create avenues for addressing and monitoring breaches of Policy, Rules or Constitution, the Policy and Accountability Committee is to be created. This Committee:

  • Is made up of the Operations Manager, General Secretary, a nominated Representative from the Equity & Diversity Department, a student rep elected at the Annual Elections, and an external rep elected at the Annual Elections (either a University Staff member, or person external to the Uni).
  • Has the power to:
Declare a resolution, action or policy of the Guild incompatible with or in breach of the Constitution or existing Guild Policy

Make recommendations on how the issue can be resolves

Call a Special General Meeting to consider the breach if the Senate does not act


Statement of Equity, Diversity and Sustainability & Affirmative Action
Creating gender identified portfolios or equity positions on the Senate has had the continual issue of potentially either expanding the Senate beyond capacity for effective management, or having the position filled by someone who does not have equity interests as their priority concern. Therefore, this Constitution attempts to try a more restrictive option, by creating a Statement of Equity, Diversity and Sustainability - with which all Guild policy and resolutions must comply. This statement can only be amended or repealed by General Meeting.

Instead of having a Women's Officer position on Senate, it is proposed that the Senate have no less than a minimum of 2 members of either gender. These positions are to be General Reps, and only created if the election results in less than 2 of a gender on the Guild Senate.


Code of Conduct & Honoraria Provisions
Instead of a Contract, which is dubious for elected positions, this constitution seeks to embed a code of conduct for all Guild Representatives. Under the Constitution, representatives can lose their position for a breach of the Code.

In addition, specific provisions for Honorarium have been included under the Schedules of the Constitution, which will enable a member's honorarium to be suspended for failing to submit timesheets, breaching code etc. It also sets the honorarium at an equitable level, regardless of age.


Increased Responsibility for General Secretary
In the proposed Constitution, the Secretary/Treasurer position is amended to be General Secretary, and has additional responsibilities:

  • To take minutes and prepare agendas for Departments of the Guild (excluding South West Campus Council)
  • To advise the Senate and Departments on the Policy and Accountability Requirements of the Guild