Wednesday 27-05-2020 - 09:49

The Students’ Union has launched a wide-ranging review of the organisation to ensure that it is working democratically and that students’ voices are heard at every level. 

In late October last year students at the Union’s annual general meeting voted for a review of governance and democratic procedures. This was endorsed by the Trustee Board in December and now that review has formally commenced. 

The review will take an in-depth look at the Students’ Union’s governance. This will include the Union’s Memorandum and Articles of Association and its By-Laws, to ensure they are still fit for purpose and serving our student membership properly. These are the principle governing documents for the Union and set out its role and purpose, and how it functions. 

There will also be a wide-ranging democratic review to look at the structure of the Union and how it operates. This will focus on representation and the policy process. The aim is to develop structures and procedures that really engage our members in the decisions made on their behalf by the Union. The review will examine the ways in which policy is created: currently through referenda, motions to general meetings, and the Executive Committee. It will also include the roles of the Full-Time Officers.  

The review will include extensive student consultation before the proposals are put to students in a referendum. 

Victoria Hatch (Interim President) said: “This is a crucial moment in the future of Lancaster Students Union that will really define it as an organisation in years to come. We really want members to be part of this process so that they shape the Union to represent them and their needs and make sure they are heard at every level of the Union’s decision making.” 

Following a tender process, the Union’s Governance Sub-Group has appointed consultants CounterCulture to work with us on the full Governance and Democracy Review. The group was pleased to see a proposal with a significant focus on student feedback and consultation.  

The work on the review has begun now and is expected to go on until December. We will be keeping you fully informed of the progress of the review and how you can be involved in it at every stage. This is a fantastic opportunity for you to be involved where you can truly shape your students’ union.  

If you have any queries you can email lusu.governance@lancaster.ac.uk.