2010-01-28T09:08:00.000-08:00

DURHAM UNION SOCIETY

Constitution

Name, Object & Ownership

(i) The name of the Society shall be the Durham Union Society, hereinafter referred to as ‘the Society’.

(ii) The Society shall aim above all to stimulate debate amongst its members, providing them with a forum in which to express their views.

(iii) The Society shall further aim:

(a) to educate those of its members who would learn in the art of public speech and especially of debate;

(b) to represent the University at competitive debate;

(d) to provide its members with a place to meet and

(e) to hold social events for its members.

(iv) The Society shall not pursue any aim that is not set out in cls (ii) and (iii), unless it be to benefit a registered charity or to provide its members with an amenity for which there is material demand among the membership.

(v) The ownership of the Society is vested in its Trustees, who shall have ultimate authority in the Society, subject only to the Deed of Trust.

Membership

(vi) Any member of the University may apply to the secretary of the Society to become a Full Life Member of the Society. Upon payment of the subscription determined in accordance with the Rules, the secretary of the Society shall admit to membership any such applicant not previously expelled from the Society who agrees in writing to abide by the Rules. A Full Life Member of the Society shall remain such for life, unless they choose to leave the Society voluntarily or are expelled from the Society.

(vii) Any member of the University may apply to the secretary of the Society to become a Full Yearly Member of the Society. Upon payment of the subscription determined in accordance with the Rules, the secretary of the Society shall admit to membership any such applicant not previously expelled from the Society who agrees in writing to abide by the Rules. A Full Yearly Member of the Society shall remain such for a calendar year after their joining, unless they choose to leave the Society voluntarily or are expelled from the Society.

(viii) A Full Member in good order shall have the right to attend and when in attendance to vote at, General Meetings of the Society and the right to enjoy the use of all facilities that the Society maintains in the direct pursuance of the aim set out in cl (iii) (d). A Full Member in residence and in good order shall have the right to vote in Presidential elections.

(ix) Any person over the age of eighteen may apply to the Secretary of the Society to become an Associate Life Member of the Society. Upon payment of the appropriate subscription fee determined in accordance with the Rules and subject to the approval of the Standing Committee of the Society, the Secretary of the Society shall admit to membership any such applicant not previously expelled from the Society who agrees in writing to abide by the Rules. An Associate Life Member of the Society shall remain such for life, unless they choose to leave the Society voluntarily or are expelled from the Society.

(x) Any person over the age of eighteen may apply to the Secretary of the Society to become an Associate Yearly Member of the Society. Upon payment of the appropriate subscription fee determined in accordance with the Rules and subject to the approval of the Standing Committee of the Society, the Secretary of the Society shall admit to membership any such applicant not previously expelled from the Society who agrees in writing to abide by the Rules. An Associate Yearly Member of the Society shall remain such for life, unless they choose to leave the Society voluntarily or are expelled from the Society.

(xi) An Associate Member in good order shall have the right to attend and when in attendance vote at, General Meetings of the Society and the right to enjoy the use of all facilities that the Society maintains in the direct pursuance of the aim set out in cl (iii) (d).

(xii) Members of the societies listed in Schedule II, which share reciprocal relations with the Society, shall have the right to attend General Meetings of the Society and the right to enjoy the use of all facilities that the Society maintains in the direct pursuance of the aim set out in cl (iii) (d).

(xiii) A General Meeting of the Society shall have the power to confer Honorary Life Membership on any person.

(xiv) An Honorary Life Member shall have the right to attend and when in attendance to vote at, General Meetings of the Society and the right to enjoy the use of all facilities that the Society maintains in the direct pursuance of the aim set out in cl (iii) (d).

(xv) A member may terminate their membership of the Society by registering the decision to leave with the Secretary of the Society.

General Meetings

(xvi) The President of the Society shall call Ordinary General Meetings. The purpose of such meetings shall be to debate issues of interest to the membership. Such debate shall be the Main Business of Ordinary General Meetings. Ordinary General Meetings may further transact Private Business.

(xvii) The President of the Society, the General Committee or any member supported by the signatures of thirty members or one fifth of the membership whichever be the lesser may call Extraordinary General Meetings. The sole purpose of such meetings will be to transact Private Business.

(xviii) Private Business duly transacted at a General Meeting shall be binding upon the Society subject to the Rules, the powers of the Trustees and the limitations of the force of motions set out in cl (lii).

The President

(xix) There shall be a President, head of the Society and primary interpreter of the Rules.

(xx) The President shall be ultimately responsible for the furthering of the Society’s aims in their term of office, by exercising due leadership, by the calling of Ordinary General Meetings of the Society and by the provision and ultimate control of appropriate events and facilities.

(xxi) The President shall be elected to serve for a period of one term by secret ballot of the members in residence.

The Constituent Committees

(xxii) There shall be a House Committee. Each term a General Meeting shall elect members to the Committee. Members of the Committee shall act as sergeants-at-arms at general meetings and assist the President in the running of events.

(xxiii) There shall be a Consultative Committee whose members shall be the College Representatives. The members in residence of each of the Colleges shall elect one such College Representative from amongst their members as and when a vacancy occurs. The members of the Committee shall from individually and corporately the chief link between the colleges and the Society.

(xxiv) There shall be a Social Committee. Ordinary members of the Committee shall be elected in the Michaelmas term at a general meeting. Ordinary members of the Social Committee shall assist the President and the Social Secretary in the managing and the conceiving of social events.

(xxv) There shall be a Sponsorship Committee. Ordinary members of the Committee shall be elected in the Epiphany term at a general meeting. Ordinary members of the Sponsorship Committee shall assist the Sponsorship Secretary and the Assistant Sponsorship Secretary in the Society.

(xxvi) There shall be a Debates Committee. Ordinary members of the Committee shall be elected in a general meeting of the Society. Ordinary members of the Debates Committee shall assist the Director of Debating, the Debate Training Secretary and the Debate Competitions Secretary in the managing and organising of competitive debating within the Society.

The General Committee

(xxvii) There shall be a General Committee. The General Committee shall consist of:

a) the ordinary members of the constituent committees, being the House Committee, the Consultative Committee, the Social Committee, the Sponsorship Committee and the Debates Committee;

b) those officers and official elected in direct pursuance of the provisions of the Constitution;

c) such former officers and officials that the Committee has elected in direct pursuance of the provisions of the Constitution who have resigned their positions in the current term;

d) the Presidents-elect;

e) any Past Presidents in residence;

f) the President.

(xxviii) The General Committee shall be the primary legislative body of the Society.

(xxix) Decisions of the General Committee shall be binding on the Society subject to the Rules, the powers of the Trustees, the authority of a General Meeting and the limitations of the force of motions set out in cl (lii).

(xxx) The General Committee shall have such sub-committees as are set out in the Rules and may institute further sub-committees by the passing of a motion to that effect.

The Officers and Officials

(xxxi) There shall be the following full Officers of the Society, elected by the General Committee from amongst its members: the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Custodian, the Director of Debating, the Social Secretary, and the Sponsorship Secretary.

(xxxii) There shall be the following further Officers of the Society, elected by the General Committee from amongst its members: the Press and Speaker Secretary, the Publications Secretary, the Assistant Secretary, the Assistant Treasurer, the Assistant Sponsorship Secretary, the Steward, the Debate Training Secretary, the Debate Competitions Secretary and the Assistant Social Secretary

(xxxiii) The chief duties of the Officers shall be as follows:

a) The Secretary shall be responsible for the writing and keeping of true and correct minutes, Rules and records of membership. The Secretary shall be responsible for the management of and liaison with the College Representatives, and shall seek to represent the views of the general membership and the General Committee to the Officers.

b) The Treasurer shall be responsible for the control and management of the Society’s finances.

c) The Custodian shall be responsible for the upkeep of the Union.

d) The Social Secretary shall be immediately responsible for the organisation of social events.

e) The Sponsorship Secretary shall be responsible for encouraging outside bodies to support the activities of the Society.

f) The Tournament Secretary shall be immediately responsible for the organisation and promotion of competitive debate and education in public speech and debate.

g) The Press and Speaker Secretary shall seek to co-ordinate the efforts of the Presidencies to invite speakers to the Society and planning and preparing for such future invitations.

h) The Publications Secretary shall be immediately responsible for the production of the Society’s publicity.

i) Assistant Officers shall be responsible for assisting their senior counterparts

j) Further to their general duties under (i), the Assistant Tournament Secretary shall, in particular, assist in the organisation and running of debating tournaments and the Assistant Sponsorship Secretary shall be immediately responsible for encouraging Graduate Life Members to support the activities of the Society.

k) The Steward shall be responsible for the management of the House Committee, the good order of the Chamber and the welcoming of members and guests to the House.

(xxxiv) There shall be a Returning Officer, an Official of the Society, elected by the General Committee from amongst the past and present Officers and Past Presidents in statu pupillari. The Returning Officer shall be immediately responsible for the fair holding of the Society’s elections.

(xxxv) There shall be an Office Manager, an Official of the Society, appointed by the Society’s Standing Committee. The Office Manager shall be immediately responsible for the management of the Society’s Office.

(xxxvi) Officers, elected Officials and the members of the Constituent Committees shall hold office for a maximum period of one year unless otherwise stated within the Rules. After this time they may stand for re-election.

(xxxvii) Officers, elected Officials and the members of the Constituent Committees may resign their post at any time and may be removed from office according to the procedure set out in the Rules.

(xxxviii)Officers, elected Officials and the members of the Constituent Committees shall serve until their successors are elected.

The Combination of Office

(xxxix) Where a member is entitled to sit on a committee by more than one provision of the Rules, they shall, nevertheless, have one ordinary vote only.

(xl) No member may hold more than one of the offices listed in cls (xxxi) and (xxxii).

(xli) No immediate President-elect may hold any other office within the Society except that of College Representative.

(xlii) No President may hold any other office within the Society except that of College Representative.

(xliii) Should a member come to occupy two positions deemed incompatible by cls (xl), (xli), (xlii) or (xliii) they must resign one position within a week of the situation occurring or forfeit both.

The Standing Committee

(xliv) There shall be a Standing Committee. The Standing Committee shall consist of the full Officers, the immediate President-elect, and the President.

(xlv) The Standing Committee shall be the Society’s executive.

(xlvi) Decisions of the Standing Committee shall be binding on the Society subject to the Rules, the powers of the Trustees, the authority of a General Meeting, the decisions of the General Committee and the limitations of the force of motions set out in cl (lii).

The Rules Committee

(xlvii) There shall be a Rules Committee. The General Committee shall elect four ordinary members to the Rules Committee from amongst its members and the past officers in statu pupillari. Any past officers elected to the Rules Committee shall be accorded membership of the General Committee. The Rules Committee shall further consist of the Returning Officer and any Past Presidents in residence and any President-elect.

(xlviii) The Rules Committee shall operate the Society’s elections and adjudicate on electoral disputes.

(xlix) Decisions of the Rules Committee on such matters shall be binding on the Society subject to the Rules and such appeals for which they allow.

Co-option to Committees

(l) Any committee may co-opt any member of the Society to sit on it. Members co-opted under this provision shall have no vote.

Force of Motions

(li) Private business duly transacted at a General Meeting and decisions of the General and Standing Committees shall be of null effect in so far as they:

a) bear on the business of the Rules Committee or the Appeals Tribunal and

b) force the President to use such powers as are accorded to them by the Rules.

Concerning the Rules

(lii) There shall be Schedules to the Constitution containing factual information only.

(liii) The Constitution or its Schedules shall only be amended after:

a) a resolution to that effect has been passed by a two-thirds majority at a meeting of the General Committee and

b) this resolution has been ratified by a two-thirds majority at a General Meeting, within a period of four Ordinary General Meetings of the motion being passed.

(liv) The General Committee, with the consent of a General Meeting, shall have the power to issue Standing Orders. Standing Orders shall have the force of the Constitution in so far as the are not inconsistent with it. Standing Orders shall be issued, deleted or amended after:

a) a resolution to that effect has been passed by a two-thirds majority at a meeting of the General Committee and

b) this resolution has been ratified by a simply majority at a General Meeting, within a period of four Ordinary General Meetings of the motion being passed.

(lv) The General Committee, with the consent of a General Meeting, shall have th epower to publish annexes to the Standing Orders. The Annexes shall set down the practice or tradition of the Society, but shall not be binding. The Annexes shall only be published, deleted or amended after a resolution of the General Committee has been ratified by a General Meeting.

(lvi) The provisions of the Constitution, its Schedules, the Standing Orders and its Annexes are ancillary to and to be interpreted in a manner consistent with the Deed of Trust.

(lvii) Copies of the Rules shall be safe-kept by the Secretary, the Returning Officer and the Office Manager and shall further be available for the benefit of members in the Society’s Office.

(lviii) Previous resolutions of the Society and its committees shall not be invalidated by the Rules except in so far as they are inconsistent with its express provisions, in which case such resolutions are immediately superseded.

(lix) All previous constitutions of the Society are explicitly revoked. The Rules shall have effect as from 9^th January 2002.

Signed_________________________ President

Signed_________________________ Secretary

Signed_________________________ Trustee

Signed_________________________ Trustee
SCHEDULE I

Definitions and Abbreviations

The following expressions and abbreviations shall be defined as follows:

the rules	The Society’s Deed of Trust, this Constitution and the Standing Orders
The Chamber	The Society’s Debating Chamber in the Union.
The Colleges	The following colleges of the University: University College, St. Chad’s College, St. John’s College, St. Aidan’s College, Grey College, Van Mildert College, Trevelyhan College, Collingwood College, College of St. Hild and St. Bede, Ushaw College and St. Cuthbert’s Society, the Graduate Society(Ustinov), Josephine Butler College, John Snow College and George Stephenson College
Their deputy	That competent Member whom the concerned Officer calls upon to act in their stead; the Treasurer shall normally act as the President’s immediate deputy; assistant officers shall normally act as the immediate deputy of their associate full officer
cl	Constitutional clause
In good order	During General Meetings, in accordance with the Rules and the wishes of the House, as personified by the Chair, or personified by the Chair and amended by the House; when voting in a Presidential election, in accordance with the Rules as enforced by the officials of the Society or as enforced by the officials of the Society and amended by the Rules Committee; elsewhere, in accordance with the Rules and with the wishes of the President, or in accordance with the Rules and with the wishes of the President as represented by the the officers, officials or members of staff of the society, or in accordance with the Rules and with the wishes of the President as represented by the Officers, Officials or members of staff of the Society and amended by the General Committee
In the usual places	On the notice-boards in the Union and in the North Bailey Club
Member of the university	Those members of the University who are in statu pupillari or in statu professori and graduates of the University
Members in residence	Those members of the Soceity, in statu pupillari or in statu professori
Members in statu professori	Those members of the Society employed by the University or one of the Colleges in an academic capacity
Members in statu pupillari	Those members of the Society who ‘keep term’ as defined under General Regulation V of the University Calendar 1997 – 1998 or the relevant Regulation of succeeding University Calendars
Professional accountant	A member of one or more of the following bodies: the Institute of Chartered Accountants, the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants and the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants
The union	The premises of the Society
The university	The University of Durham

Schedule II

Societies enjoying Reciprocal Relations with the Durham Union Society

The Society has reciprocal relations with the following societies: the Oxford Union Society, the Cambridge Union Society, Edinburgh University Union, the College Historical Society of Trinity College Dublin, the Philosophical Society of University College, Dublin.

This General Meeting of the Durham Union Society of the …………………………. gives its assent and authority to the following Standing Orders issued by the General Committee at its meeting of the …………………………. to be of effect from …………………………. 2002

I. General Meetings

1. Ordinary General Meetings

(a) The President shall have the sole right to call Ordinary General Meetings.

(b) The Secretary shall give a minimum of seventy-two hours written notice of Ordinary General Meetings in the usual places and throughout the University.

(c) The President shall call a minimum of seven Ordinary General Meetings in the Michælmas and Epiphany terms and a minimum of three in the Easter term.

(d) A member may introduce guests to an Ordinary General Meeting, with the permission of the President. Guests shall take no part in Private Business nor move procedural motions. Guests shall not normally be in residence.

(e) Subject to §3, during an Ordinary General Meeting, members of the House shall be allowed to ask questions of Officers, and of the President relative to their official duties.

2. Extraordinary General Meetings

(a) The following shall have the power to call an Extraordinary General Meeting:

(i) The President,

(ii) the General Committee or

(iii) any member supported by the signatures of thirty members or one fifth of the membership in statu pupillari whichever is the lesser.

(b) The Secretary shall give a minimum of sixty hours written notice of Extraordinary General Meetings in the usual places.

3. Quoracy

(a) No General Meeting shall proceed unless a minimum of twelve members is present.

(b) No Private Business shall be transacted unless a minimum of fifty members is present.

4. The Chair

(a) General Meetings shall be chaired by the President or their deputy, who shall be a member of the General Committee.

(b) The Chair shall be the sole arbiter of the rules of debate.

(c) The Chair shall have the power to call upon any person to explain or withdraw any expression or conduct which he considers improper.

(d) The Chair shall have the power to expel any disorderly person from the House.

(e) A member of the House shall have the right to ask the Chair, on a point of order, to exercise their powers under (c) or (d), should they consider any person’s expression or conduct improper.

5. The Minutes

(a) The Secretary shall be responsible for the keeping of the minutes of General Meetings.

(b) The minutes of General Meetings shall be available for the inspection of members in the Union’s Office.

(c) In each General Meeting, the minutes of the previous General Meeting shall be:

(i) read aloud by the Secretary or their deputy;

(ii) amended as the House requires;

(iii) confirmed by a vote of the House and

(iv) signed by the Chair and the Secretary or their deputy.

6. Private Business

(a) For the duration of Private Business, a General Meeting shall be deemed to be in committee.

(b) Private Business shall consist of one or more of the following:

(i) motions tabled in accordance with SO III § 3

(ii) questions and reports of Officers, relative to their official duties, and

(iii) the elections specified in SO V.

II. Ordering of Committees

1. Convening of Committees

(a) Committees shall be convened by their chair or co-chairs. Chairs shall be obliged to convene them at the earliest opportunity if petitioned by a majority of their members or the President.

(b) The secretary of a sub-committee shall be responsible for providing its membership with adequate notice of committee meetings.

(d) Members of a Committee shall be under a duty to attend all meetings of the Committee.

(e) Should any ordinary member of any of the Constituent Committees fail to attend three meetings of any of the committees of which they are a member in one term, without giving reasonable notice to the Secretary or their deputy for General Committee, or the Assistant Secretary for the Constituent Committees then it shall be deemed that the concerned member has resigned and they shall no longer be a member of the General Committee or any of the Constituent Committees

2. The General Committee

(a) The General Committee shall act on behalf of the membership to ensure that the Union be organised and managed in the best interests of its membership. It shall especially:

(i) oversee the Union’s finances as set out in SO IV;

(ii) elect officers and committees as required by the Union and subject to the Rules.

(b) The President shall submit a report to the Committee on the first and final meeting of each term.

(i) The President-elect shall submit a report to the Committee at the final meeting of each term.

(ii) The Social Secretary and the Sponsorship Secretary shall both submit a report to the Committee at the first meeting of each term.

(iii) The Secretary submit a report to the Committee at the second meeting of each term.

(iv) The Custodian and the Tournament Secretary shall report to the Committee at the final meeting of the Easter term.

(v) The Press and Speakers Secretary shall submit a report to the Committee at the final meeting of the Epiphany term.

(vi) (i) The Treasurer shall submit full termly management accounts for the previous term to the Committee at the second meeting of each term accompanied by a written analysis of the term’s financial impact on the Union.

(ii) The Treasurer shall submit full management accounts for the previous year at the second meeting of the Michaelmas term accompanied by a full written report on the Society’s financial situation analysing how the year passed compares with the previous years.

(iii) The Treasurer shall present a budget for the coming year to the Committee at the second meeting of the Michaelmas term.

(iv) The Treasurer shall present revised budgets at the second meeting of the Epiphany and Easter terms.

(vii) The Committee shall mandate any Officer, Official or Committee to report in addition to those mentioned here.

(d) The Committee shall be chaired by the President or their deputy who shall be a member of the Standing Committee.

(e) The Committee shall be minuted by the Secretary or their deputy. The minutes of the committee shall be accessible to Members. The Secretary, or their deputy shall further ensure that an up-to-date list of motions in force is kept and accessible to members.

(f) Any member of the General Committee unable to attend a meeting of the General Committee shall have the right to nominate a member of the General Committee to act as their proxy for the duration of a particular meeting. Nominees must be in possession of their mandate to vote, which shall be wholly in the member’s own hand, a copy of which should be in the hands of the Returning Officer before the meeting begins.

(g) Any member of the Union may attend and speak at meetings of the Committee, subject to the Chair’s discretion, though they shall not vote, nor propose or second motions.

(h) The Committee shall take all binding decisions by means of the passing of a resolution.

(i) The Committee shall have the power, to arrange forthcoming events and to remit their immediate control partly or wholly to a person or a body other than the concerned President. Such events shall have no right to call upon the concerned Presidential account.

(j) Should the President vacate their office before the end of their term, the Secretary shall immediately convene the Committee, which shall be chaired by the Treasurer. The Committee shall take such action as it deems necessary.

(k) Should a President-elect vacate their office the Secretary shall immediately convene the Committee. The Committee shall take such action as it deems necessary.

(l) The Committee shall not give money to political causes.

3. The Standing Committee

(a) The Standing Committee shall oversee the day-to-day running of the Union. It shall especially:

(i) oversee relations between the Union and other persons and bodies, in particular the University of Durham;

(ii) liase with the Trustees and be responsible for reporting all decisions to them.

(iii) be immediately responsible for relations between the Union and its staff and

(iv) advise the President

(b) The Committee shall meet on at least four occasions each term.

(c) The Committee shall be chaired by the President or their deputy and meet in open session. In the event that the President deem the Committee’s business best kept confidential in the interests of the Union the Committee may hold a meeting in closed session and, if the committee agree, continue to discuss the reserved business in that closed session. Should the Committee not agree to meet in closed session, the meeting shall return to open session and the business be discussed there.

(d) The Committee shall be minuted by the Secretary or their deputy. The Committee shall have the right to keep any part of its proceedings confidential, as may be deemed in the interests of the Union.

(e) The members of the Committee shall have the power as a body and individually to expel from the Union’s premises any member whom they consider to be endangering the good name of the Union.

4. Meetings of the Trustees

(a) A meeting shall be called to consist of the Union Society’s Trustees; the Standing Committee; the Assistant Treasurer and the Permanent Secretary.

(b) Such a meeting shall be called at the discretion of the Trustees, to be no less than once per term.

5. The Rules Committee

(a) The Rules Committee shall ensure on behalf of the General Committee that the Union’s elections be conducted in accordance with the following general principles:

(i) All elections should be fair and seen to be fair;

(ii) all members should have and be seen to have an equal chance to vote;

(iii) all elections should be conducted with the minimum of personal animosity and

(iv) all elections shall be conducted in a manner which does not injure the Union.

(b) In the pursuance of the aims set out in (a) the Rules Committee shall have the power to rule candidates for elections out of order.

(d) Further to SO II §1(c), a meeting of this Committee shall not be quorate unless at least five of its members be present.

(e) The Committee shall have the right to keep any part of its proceedings confidential, as it deems in the interests of the Union.

(f) Impartiality of the members of the Committee

(i) Members of the Committee shall not openly support candidates in any election.

(ii) Should they either wish to stand as a candidate in an election, or act in open support of a candidate, members of the Committee shall have the right to stand down for the duration of an election.

(iii) Should the Committee consider any of its members to be openly partial in regard to an election, it may require them to stand down for the duration of that election.

(g) Where:

(i) the Returning Officer is unable to convene a quorate meeting of the Committee owing either to the operation of (g)(ii) or (iii), or to the resignation of members or to the inability of members to attend a meeting and that

(ii) no meeting of the General Committee is convened prior to the next meeting of the Rules Committee and that

(iii) the meeting of the Rules Committee is one required by the provisions of the Rules,

the Returning Officer, or their deputy, shall have the power to co-opt Members to the Committee. Such members shall serve only until the next meeting of the General Committee.

6. The Debates Committee

(a) The Debates Committee shall assist the Tournament Secretary and Assistant Tournament Secretary. It shall especially:

(i) provide assistance in the organisation of debating competitions held by the Society.

(b) The committee shall be chaired by the Tournament Secretary, or by the Assistant Tournament Secretary.

(c) The committee shall be minuted by the Assistant Secretary or their deputy. The minutes of the Committee shall be accessible to Members.

7. The Sponsorship Committee

(a) The Sponsorship Committee shall assist in encouraging outside bodies to provide support for the activities of the Union.

(b)The Committee shall be chaired by the Sponsorship Secretary, or their deputy.

(a) The Committee shall consist of the Sponsorship Secretary, the Assistant Sponsorship Secretary, the Treasurer and the Assistant Secretary and three ordinary members elected in pursuance of cl (xxvi).

(b) The agenda for meetings of the Committee shall be set by the Sponsorship Secretary and meetings shall be minuted by the Assistant Secretary. The minutes of the committee shall be accessible to members.

8. The Social Committee

(a) The Social Committee shall assist the Social Secretary in the organising of social events and in the generating of concepts for social events.

(b) The Committee shall consist of the Social Secretary, the President, the immediate President-elect, the Assistant Treasurer, the Assistant Secretary and the Publications Secretary, and those ordinary members elected in accordance with cl (xxv).

(d) The Committee shall be minuted by the Assistant Secretary. The minutes of the Committee shall be made accessible to Members.

9. The House Committee

(a) The members of the House Committee shall:

(i) assist in the running of Union events;

(ii) act as sergeants-at-arms at General Meetings;

(iii) represent the opinions of the House to the General Committee and

(iv) perform such other tasks as the Steward may require.

(b) The House Committee shall normally consist of ten members in the Michaelmas and Epiphany terms and eight members in the Easter term.

10. The Consultative Committee

(a) The Consultative Committee shall consist of the College Representatives elected in accordance with cl (xxviii). Meetings shall be minuted by the Assistant Secretary shall be chaired by the Secretary. The minutes of the Committee shall be made accessible to Members.

(b) The Committee shall form the chief link between the colleges and the Union.

(i) distribute publicity to the colleges of the University

(ii) meet in order to discuss ideas for the future development of the Union.

III. Motions

1. Motions debated in the Main Business of Ordinary General Meetings shall be organised as the President sees fit. The President may at his sole discretion further hold Emergency Debates prior to the Main Business of a General Meeting. The above debate’s conclusions shall be the only ones deemed to express the views of the Union on external issues.

2. Motions before a committee shall have a proposer and a seconder, and shall generally be debated in the following manner:

(a) The proposer shall move the motion and answer any questions directed to them through the Chair;

(b) the Chair shall ask for formal opposition to the motion and if none is forthcoming ask the meeting to pass it on a general aye; otherwise

(d) general discussion of the motion shall ensue at the discretion of the Chair;

(e) first opposer and then proposer shall be given the opportunity to summate their cases; and

(f) the meeting moves to a vote at which the Chair shall have a casting vote only.

3. The Tabling of a Substantive Motion

(a) Ordinary motions of Private Business and motions at General Committee shall be submitted to the Secretary or their deputy not less than seventy-two hours in advance of the concerned meeting.

(b) The Secretary shall give a minimum of sixty hours written notice of motions of Private Business in the usual places. The Secretary shall give a minimum of seventy-two hours written notice of motions at General Committee to all members of the Committee.

(c) Extraordinary motions of Private Business and extraordinary motions at General Committee may be moved without prior notice at the discretion of the Chair. Such motions shall be of null effect in so far as they amend the Rules.

4. Motions of Amendment

(a) Motions of amendment require a proposer and seconder and may be moved at any time during the discussion of a substantive motion.

(b) Once moved, such amendments must be passed or rejected by the meeting before the meeting returns to its consideration of the substantive motion.

5. Procedural Motions

(a) Procedural Motions may be moved on a point of order in General Meetings and in Meetings of the General Committee.

(b) Should a Procedural Motion be moved at a General Meeting, the meeting shall be deemed in committee whilst the motion be debated.

(c) Procedural Motions shall take precedence over all other business and are themselves listed below in order of precedence:

(i) that a ruling of the Chair be overturned;

(ii) that the meeting be closed;

(iii) that the meeting be adjourned for a given time;

(iv) that the meeting move to a vote;

(v) that the question not be put;

(vi) that the question be remitted to another place;

(vii) that the question be laid on the table;

(viii) that the question be adjourned;

(ix) that the question be taken in parts.

(d) Procedural motions shall be debated in accordance with § 2 with the additional provision that should (c)(i) be moved the chair of the meeting shall cede their office to a deputy whilst the motion is debated.

6. Motions of No Confidence

(a) The President may, in the case of a member of the General Committee's substantial or prolonged mis-performance of duty, and as a last resort, propose a motion of no confidence in that member at a meeting of the General Committee.

(b) Should the motion be passed, the member concerned shall no longer sit on the General Committee, and an election shall be held as though they had resigned.

7. Should the Chair wish to speak on a motion they shall cede their position to their deputy whilst the motion is debated.

IV. Finance

1. The finances of the Society shall be administered by the Treasurer on behalf of the General Committee.

2. Budgets

(a) The Treasurer in conjunction with the Standing Committee shall be responsible for the setting of the Union’s annual budget, which shall ratified by the General Committee.

(b) There shall be no significant expenditure in excess of these budgets without the approval of the General Committee.

3. Accounts

(a) The Treasurer shall produce full termly income & expenditure statements for the Union’s accounts. These shall be presented to and approved by the General Committee.

(b) The Treasurer shall engage a professional accountant to prepare the Union's annual accounts.

4. The Presidential Account

(a) Each President shall finance their term from their Presidential Account.

(b) The account shall be credited with an allowance from the General Account, the amount of which shall be determined in the Union's annual budget.

(c) Net expenditure in excess of the budgeted resources of the Account shall be held to be the President's personal responsibility. Unless General Committee approves such expenditure it shall the President's personal liability.

5. The General Committee shall set the subscription rates of the Union.

V. Election Regulations

1. Unless otherwise stated, all elections shall be conducted in line with the Single Transferable Vote procedure, as defined by the Electoral Reform Society of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

2. Candidates for elections shall be in statu pupillari Members of the Union.

3. Candidates shall have a proposer and one seconder who shall be in statu pupillari Members of the Union.

4. The Returning Officer shall be responsible for the adequate publicising of all elections.

5. The Returning Officer shall keep the papers relative to all elections for a period not less than one calendar month.

6. Further to any responsibilities under SO II § 5(f):

(a) the Returning Officer, the President, the Presidents-elect shall not openly support candidates in any election other than to cast their vote in a secret ballot and

(b) in elections to an office, the immediately previous holder of the office shall not propose or second candidates.

7. In the event that no candidate comes forward during the period of open nominations, a re-election shall be held in accordance with these Standing Orders.

8. Upon the vacating of a position, an election or bye-election shall be held at the earliest opportunity.

9. In the event that an election be tied, the tied candidates may choose to see the election decided by the fair toss of a fair coin. Otherwise a re-election shall be held in accordance with these Standing Orders.

10. Re-Opening Nominations

(a) In all elections, excepting those for College Representatives, those to the Rules Committee and those held at General Meetings, in addition to the nominated candidates there shall be an additional option on the ballot papers entitled 'Re-open Nominations' (RON).

(b) The RON option shall be treated as a normal voting option in the election.

11. Presidential Election

(a) Subject to (f), a Presidential election shall be held during the term which occurs two terms prior to that term which presidency it elects.

(b) Submission of Nominations

(i) Persons nominated for the post of President must:

(1) have attended five General Committee meetings as a member of the General Committee and

(2) have spoken in the Main Business at three Ordinary General Meetings of the Society.

(ii) Nominations shall be received by the Returning Officer:

(1) From a day of the President's choosing, generally between the third and sixth week of term and in any case far enough prior to the end of term as to allow a re-election should one become necessary under §7 or §10 (c) and

(2) for a period of not less than five days.

(iii) Nominations shall be constituted and scrutinised as set out in § 16.

(i) At two p.m. on a day not more than twelve and not less than seven days before the election day campaigning shall begin. At this time the Returning Officer shall announce nominations, place a copy of each candidate’s manifesto in the usual places and upload copies of candidate's manifestoes onto the website.

(ii) Candidates shall not campaign prior to this time and should take great care not to appear so to do.

(iii) All candidates' written publicity must be approved by the Returning Officer and must conform to the provisions of § 17.

(iv) At some stage during the period of campaigning the President shall call a General Meeting at which hustings shall be held as set out in § 15, at which candidates shall normally hust for a maximum of five minutes and proposers for a maximum of four.

(d) Polling

(i) Over a 24 hour period starting from 18:00 one evening to 18:00 the following evening the date of which is at the Returning Officer’s choosing, not less than seven and not more than twelve days after campaigning has begun, polling shall take place.

(ii) The submission of ballots will be take place electronically through an online system.

NOTE – The constitutional regulations listed below (d)(ii) through and inclusive of d(ix) will be struck

(iii) Ballot boxes shall be placed in locations determined by the Returning Officer and ratified by the Rules Committee; they shall normally be found in each college, on Palace Green and in Dunelm House during office hours.

(iv) Ballot boxes shall be open between times determined by the Returning Officer and ratified by the Rules Committee; they shall normally be open at meal times in Colleges and on Palace Green and in Dunelm House during office hours.

(v) Ballot boxes shall be manned at all times by such members of the General Committee as are not candidates in the election.

(vi) No candidate, proposer or seconder shall come within ten yards of any ballot box except when casting their vote.

(vii) No candidate's publicity shall be within ten yards of any ballot box, excepting one copy of each candidate's manifesto.

(viii) The procedure for the casting of a vote shall be as follows:

(1) A voter shall present their membership card to the Polling Clerk who shall mark their card as directed by the Returning Officer.

(2) Voters shall register their name, college and signature with the Polling Clerk who shall countersign this registration.

(3) Only after the above stipulations have been complied with shall the voter be handed a ballot paper and permitted to cast their vote.

(ix) Where a member in residence is unable to vote by means of the procedure set out in (vii), the Rules Committee may, at their sole discretion, accept from the member a postal vote. Such votes shall be:

(1) wholly in the member's own hand and

(2) submitted to the Returning Officer by five p.m. on the day preceding the election.

(e) The Count

(i) The Returning Officer shall convene the Rules Committee to conduct the count.

(ii) Each candidate may nominate a member of the Union to be present at the count as their Independent Observer.

(iii) The Count shall normally begin in the evening of the polling day.

(iv) Should there be a discrepancy of greater than or equal to five percent between the number of votes cast and those registered, the ballot box shall be ruled out of order.

(v) If after the first count the votes cast for the first and second placed candidates are within five percent of each other, there shall be a re-count.

(f) Should a re-election be required by these Standing Orders, the Rules Committee shall hold it as soon as is practicable. It shall be treated as a normal Presidential Election.

(g) Costs

(i) The Rules Committee shall determine the maximum amount that candidates shall be permitted to spend on their election campaigns at the meeting immediately previous to the election.

(ii) All expenditure deemed to benefit a candidate's campaign shall be considered election expenditure, except that expenditure which is met by the Union.

(iii) The Union shall pay half the cost of the printing of the manifestos of each candidate.

(iv) Should candidates make use of a cheap source of materials or services, these shall be accounted for at a rate agreed by the Returning Officer.

(v) All Candidates shall present a full record of their election expenditure to the Returning Officer prior to the close of polling.

12. Elections at General Committee

(a) Subject to (b) an election shall normally be held at the meeting of the General Committee immediately subsequent to the office becoming vacant.

(b) Elections shall be publicised to the members of the General Committee at least five days in advance of the election.

(d) Nominations

(i) Nominations for those Officers listed in cl xxix shall be:

(1) received by the Returning Officer:

a. from the day following the resignation of the previous officer,

b. for a minimum of five days and

(2) constituted and scrutinised as set out in § 16.

(ii) Nominations for other offices and for Returning Officer shall be made to the Returning Officer by a candidate's proposer at the beginning of the election.

(e) Manifestos & Husting:

(i) In elections where manifestos are required, the Returning Officer shall distribute a copy of each candidate's manifesto to members of the General Committee at least forty-eight hours in advance of the concerned meeting of the General Committee.

(ii) In elections for officers and for the Returning Officer candidates shall normally hust for a maximum of four minutes and proposers for a maximum of three minutes.

(iii) In elections to the Rules Committee candidates shall normally hust for a maximum of two minutes and proposers shall not hust.

(f) Polling shall take place at the Secretary's table immediately following the hustings.

(g) The Count shall be conducted by at least two members of the Rules Committee.

(h) Should a re-election be required by these Standing Orders, it shall be held at the next meeting of the General Committee and shall be treated as a normal election.

13. Elections at General Meetings

(a) The elections to the Social Committee shall normally be held at either the fourth or fifth Ordinary General Meeting of the Michælmas term and to the House Committee at the second Ordinary General Meeting of each term.

(b) Bye-elections shall be held at General Meetings as and when required.

(c) Nominations shall be received by the Returning Officer from the day one week prior to the elections until noon on the day of the elections.

(d) Hustings shall be held at the General Meeting at which the elections are to take place. Candidates shall normally hust for a maximum of two minutes, and proposer shall not hust.

(e) Polling shall take place at or immediately after the General Meeting. In House Committee elections all full members present at the General Meeting shall be entitled to vote, in other elections all full Members present at the General Meeting and in residence shall be allowed to vote.

(f) The Count shall be conducted by at least two members of the Rules Committee.

14. College Representatives

(a) The election for a College Representative shall normally be conducted by the Returning Officer or a member of Rules Committee.

(b) Nominations shall be open and publicised in the usual places for a minimum of five days.

(c) If only one candidate has been nominated, they shall be considered elected. Should there be more than one candidate, an election shall be held not more than five days after the close of nominations.

(d) Voting shall be by the first-past-the-post system. Each voter shall have one vote per position being elected.

(e) Should it be necessary under (c), polling shall take place in the college and the count conducted by one of the College Representatives and one member of the Rules Committee.

15. Hustings

(a) For the duration of hustings the Returning Officer or their deputy shall take the chair.

(b) Candidates shall hust and then answer any questions directed at them through the chair.

(c) Where these standing orders make such provision, proposers shall hust in their candidates' name and then answer any questions directed at them through the chair, whilst the candidates are absent from the room.

(d) Where a candidate is unable to attend hustings, the Returning Officer may at their discretion allow the candidate's nominee to hust in their stead.

16. Written Nominations

(a) Where these Standing Orders make provision for the submission of written nominations they shall consist of:

(i) a letter of proposal signed by a proposer and at least one seconder;

(ii) a draft manifesto and

(iii) a passport-sized photograph of the nominee.

(b) The Rules Committee shall scrutinise nominations, draft manifestos and passport-sized photographs within forty-eight hours of the closure of nominations and shall declare invalid:

(i) any nominations not conforming to the requirements of (a), subject to § 19 and shall notify the candidate in writing;

(ii) manifestos contravening § 17, subject to § 19, and shall inform the candidates of the decision in full.

(c) A candidate whose manifesto has been rejected may revise it and re-submit it to the Rules Committee for further consideration. Should the manifesto remain invalid at the start of campaigning the Returning Officer may declare the nomination invalid, subject to § 19.

17. The Candidates' Code of Conduct

(a) Candidates shall not indulge in attacks on any member of the Union.

(b) Candidates shall not bring the Union into disrepute.

(d) Candidates shall not act in bad taste.

(e) Candidates should ensure that their supporters conform to this Code of Conduct.

18. Electoral Misdemeanours

(a) The Rules Committee shall determine electoral misdemeanours as falling into one of the following categories:

(i) Electoral Irregularity, which shall be defined as any technical infringement of the rules.

(ii) Electoral Misconduct, which shall be defined as infringing the candidates’ Code of Conduct, but without perverting the course of democracy.

(iii) Electoral Malpractice, which shall be defined as perverting the course of democracy.

(b) Further to (a) Rules Committee shall have the power to impose the following penalties:

(i) rule candidates for election out of order

(ii) limit a candidate’s election budget

(iii) limit the number of days for which a candidate may campaign.

(c) In all cases where the Committee rules a candidate to have committed Electoral Malpractice, that candidate shall be ruled out of order.

19. Complaints and Appeals

(a) Any member may make a complaint to the Rules Committee concerning the conduct of an election or the conduct of any candidate in an election.

(b) The Committee is bound to hear all such complaints made prior to the count, and may also consider complaints made after the count if they see fit.

(c) No complaints or appeals shall be heard by the Committee after one calendar month has elapsed from the date of the election.

(d) Should any plaintiff or defendant be dissatisfied with the decision of the Rules Committee they may revert to the Rules Committee to seek a revision of their decision.

(e) Should any plaintiff or defendant wish to appeal against a decision made by the Rules Committee under (d) they shall appeal to the Appeal’s Tribunal:

(i) The Appeals Tribunal shall normally consist of the President, one Trustee of the Society nominated by the Trustees annually and one member, selected by lot, from a panel of qualified persons. The panel shall comprise:

a. all members who have served two terms on the Rules Committee still in residence

b. all former Returning Officers still in residence

c. all former members of the Standing Committee in residence provided that no currently serving member of the Rules Committee or the General Committee, nor any former office-holder removed from office by a vote of no-confidence, shall be included in the panel

(ii) The Tribunal shall be chaired by the President.

(iii) The Rules Committee shall be represented by the Returning Officer or his deputy. Any plaintiff or defendant shall put his own case.

(iv) All parties and the Appeals Tribunal Committee shall have the right to call whichever witnesses they see fit.

(v) Appeal Tribunal proceedings shall be held in closed session and any deliberations shall remain confidential.

(vi) The Appeals Tribunal shall deliberate and reach a decision in accordance with the Rules.

(vii) The decision(s) of the Appeals Tribunal shall be published in the usual places.

(viii) All plaintiffs, defendants and the Rules Committee shall receive full reasons for all decisions in writing. The reasons for the decisions should remain confidential.

(ix) In the event that the Appeals Tribunal cannot be convened within a reasonable time, it shall be postponed and the electoral process suspended, until it can be held and has reached a decision.

(x) All decisions made by the Appeals Tribunal shall be both final and binding on all concerned.

VI. Internal Debating Competitions

The Robson Cup

(a) The Robson Cup exists in memory of F A B Robson (Hatfield College) and of his generosity to the Society, and is the competition to find the Society’s best debater in statu pupillari.

(b) The Cup shall be awarded in the Easter Term of each year.

(c) Every member of the Society in statu pupillari shall be eligible to enter the Cup with the exception of the President.

(d) Selection of the Finalists

(i) The President shall select six members to compete in the final of the Cup, unless more are required under the provision of (ii) or insufficient interest is shown in the competition to fill it, chosen according to the procedure outlined below.

(ii) Any previous winner of the competition, still a member of the Society in statu pupillari, shall be offered a place in the final without requirement to compete in any preliminary rounds.

(iii) The President may further offer a number of members places in the final without requirement to compete in any preliminary rounds. The total number of members selected in this manner shall not be such that the number of members selected under this provision and that of (ii) exceeds three.

(iv) The President shall choose the balance of the finalists from those who do best in the preliminary rounds of the competition.

(e) Preliminary Rounds

(i) Where necessary, the President shall hold preliminary rounds for the Cup at some time in the fortnight preceding the final.

(ii) The choice of judges and motions for the rounds and the overall format of the competition shall be at the discretion of the President with the consent of the Standing Committee.

(f) The Final

(i) The President shall arrange for the final of the Cup to take place as the main business of an Ordinary General Meeting.

(ii) The motion for the final shall be chosen by the President.

(iii) The judges of the competition, whose decision shall be final, shall be chosen by the President and shall consist of at least one person not in statu pupillari and three in all.

(iv) The Cup shall be presented by the chairman of the judges.

The Robson Shield

(g) The Robson Shield exists in memory of F A B Robson (Hatfield College) and of his generosity to the Society, and is the award for the member in residence who has made the year’s best speech in the main business of an Ordinary General Meeting.

(h) Every member of the Society in residence shall be eligible to win the Shield with the exception of the year’s three Presidents.

(i) The winner of the Shield shall be chosen by a meeting of the year’s Presidents. Where no exceptional speech has been made in a year, the President shall have the right to declare the Shield unawarded.

(j) Subject to (c) the Shield shall be awarded at the last meeting of the Easter term following the accession of the incoming Michaelmas-term President to the chair, presented by the President in whose term the best speech was made.

The Inter-Collegiate Debating Trophy

(k) The Inter-Collegiate Debating Trophy exists as the competition to find the University’s best constituent college debating team.

(l) The Trophy shall be awarded in the Epiphany Term of each year.

(m) Teams of two members shall be eligible to enter the competition where both members are recognised by the University as members of the same constituent college in statu pupillari.

(i) The President shall select four teams to compete in the final of the Trophy.

(ii) Where more than four teams enter the competition, the President shall choose the finalist teams from those who do best in the preliminary rounds of the competition.

(n) Preliminary Rounds

(i) Where necessary, the President shall hold preliminary rounds for the Trophy at some time in the fortnight preceding the final.

(ii) The choice of judges and motions for the rounds and the overall format of the competition shall be at the discretion of the President with the consent of the Standing Committee.

(o) The Final

(i) The President shall arrange for the final of the Trophy to take place as the main business of an Ordinary General Meeting.

(ii) The motion for the final shall be chosen by the President.

(iii) The judges of the competition, whose decision shall be final, shall be chosen by the President and shall consist of at least one person not in statu pupillari and three in all.

(iv) The Cup shall be presented by the chairman of the judges.

The Freshers’ Cup

(p) The Freshers’ Cup is the competition to find the Society’s best first- year debater in statu pupillari.

(q) The Cup shall be awarded in the Michælmas Term.

(r) Every first year member of the Society in statu pupillari, who is wholly without first-hand participatory competitive experience of Inter-Varsity debating, the universities’ John Smith Memorial Mace competition, the World Debating Championship, their preceding and any succeeding competitions and their equivalents in other countries, is eligible to enter the competition.

(s) Selection of the Finalists

(i) The President shall select six members to compete in the final of the Cup, unless insufficient interest is shown in the competition to fill it, chosen according to the procedure outlined below.

(ii) Where more than six individuals enter the competition, the President shall choose the finalists from those who do best in the preliminary rounds of the competition.

(t) Preliminary Rounds

(i) Where necessary, the President shall hold preliminary rounds for the Cup at some time in the fortnight preceding the final.

(ii) The choice of judges and motions for the rounds and the overall format of the competition shall be at the discretion of the President with the consent of the Standing Committee.

(u) The Final

(i) The President shall arrange for the final of the Cup to take place as an item of business at an Ordinary General Meeting.

(ii) The motion for the final shall be chosen by the President.

(iii) Where possible, the competition shall be judged by the previous year’s winner of the cup, whose decision shall be final. Otherwise the President shall appoint a nominee to judge the competition, whose decision shall be final.

(iv) The Cup shall be presented by the President.

(end)

Durham Union Society Constitution

Name, Object & Ownership

Membership

General Meetings

The President

The Constituent Committees

I. General Meetings

1. Ordinary General Meetings

(a) The President shall have the sole right to call Ordinary General Meetings.

(b) The Secretary shall give a minimum of seventy-two hours written notice of Ordinary General Meetings in the usual places and throughout the University.

(c) The President shall call a minimum of seven Ordinary General Meetings in the Michælmas and Epiphany terms and a minimum of three in the Easter term.

(d) A member may introduce guests to an Ordinary General Meeting, with the permission of the President. Guests shall take no part in Private Business nor move procedural motions. Guests shall not normally be in residence.

(e) Subject to §3, during an Ordinary General Meeting, members of the House shall be allowed to ask questions of Officers, and of the President relative to their official duties.

2. Extraordinary General Meetings

3. Quoracy

(a) No General Meeting shall proceed unless a minimum of twelve members is present.

(b) No Private Business shall be transacted unless a minimum of fifty members is present.

4. The Chair

(a) General Meetings shall be chaired by the President or their deputy, who shall be a member of the General Committee.

(b) The Chair shall be the sole arbiter of the rules of debate.

(c) The Chair shall have the power to call upon any person to explain or withdraw any expression or conduct which he considers improper.

(d) The Chair shall have the power to expel any disorderly person from the House.

(e) A member of the House shall have the right to ask the Chair, on a point of order, to exercise their powers under (c) or (d), should they consider any person’s expression or conduct improper.

5. The Minutes

(a) The Secretary shall be responsible for the keeping of the minutes of General Meetings.

(b) The minutes of General Meetings shall be available for the inspection of members in the Union’s Office.

(c) In each General Meeting, the minutes of the previous General Meeting shall be:

(i) read aloud by the Secretary or their deputy;

(ii) amended as the House requires;

(iii) confirmed by a vote of the House and

(iv) signed by the Chair and the Secretary or their deputy.

6. Private Business

(a) For the duration of Private Business, a General Meeting shall be deemed to be in committee.

(b) Private Business shall consist of one or more of the following:

(i) motions tabled in accordance with SO III § 3

(ii) questions and reports of Officers, relative to their official duties, and

(iii) the elections specified in SO V.

II. Ordering of Committees

1. Convening of Committees

6. The Debates Committee

(a) The Debates Committee shall assist the Tournament Secretary and Assistant Tournament Secretary. It shall especially:

(a) The Social Committee shall assist the Social Secretary in the organising of social events and in the generating of concepts for social events.

III. Motions

3. The Tabling of a Substantive Motion

4. Motions of Amendment

5. Procedural Motions

IV. Finance

1. The finances of the Society shall be administered by the Treasurer on behalf of the General Committee.

2. Budgets

3. Accounts

4. The Presidential Account

V. Election Regulations

1. Unless otherwise stated, all elections shall be conducted in line with the Single Transferable Vote procedure, as defined by the Electoral Reform Society of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

5. The Returning Officer shall keep the papers relative to all elections for a period not less than one calendar month.

6. Further to any responsibilities under SO II § 5(f):

7. In the event that no candidate comes forward during the period of open nominations, a re-election shall be held in accordance with these Standing Orders.

8. Upon the vacating of a position, an election or bye-election shall be held at the earliest opportunity.

9. In the event that an election be tied, the tied candidates may choose to see the election decided by the fair toss of a fair coin. Otherwise a re-election shall be held in accordance with these Standing Orders.

11. Presidential Election

12. Elections at General Committee

a. from the day following the resignation of the previous officer,

13. Elections at General Meetings

14. College Representatives

16. Written Nominations

17. The Candidates' Code of Conduct

18. Electoral Misdemeanours

VI. Internal Debating Competitions