University of Nottingham Students' Union

The University of Nottingham Students' Union is the students' union at the University of Nottingham.

Introduction

The Students' Union is a charitable organisation, enshrined by legislation such as the Education Act 1994, and responsible for a number of areas of work – Student Representation, Student Activities, Student Advice on Education and Welfare, and Campaigning.

Prior to 2000, the University of Nottingham Students' Union was known as the University of Nottingham Union, abbreviated to UNU. The renaming was intended to clarify the Union's status as a Students' Union. Its current full name is the University of Nottingham Students' Union, shortened to the Students' Union where appropriate; its name is not usually abbreviated to initials.

Subordinate Bodies

There are several categories of subordinate bodies of the Students' Union. These carry out various parts of the remit in a fairly decentralised way. The Associations and Student-Run Services report directly to Students' Union Council.

• Associations
• Student-Run Services
• Societies
• Athletic Union

Associations

Residential Associations

• Broadgate Park Residents' Association (BPRA)
• Cavendish Hall JCR
• Off-Campus Students' Association (OCSA)
• St Peter's Court JCR
• Sutton Bonington Association

Non-Residential Associations

• Disability Action
• International Students' Bureau (ISB)
• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Association (LGBT)
• Mature Students' Association (MSA)
• Medical Society (MedSoc)
• Men's Campaign
• Nursing and Midwifery Association (UNNAMA)
• Physiotherapists Students' Association (Physios)
• Postgraduate Students' Association (PGSA)
• Racial and Religious Equality (RARE) Campaign
• Women's Campaign

Associations are also referred to as 'Associated Bodies'.

Student-Run Services

The Student-Run Services are services run for students, by students:

• CD & Record Library
• Forum (Guest Speakers and Debates)
• Gayline (Similar, but less frequent service to Nightline)
• Impact (Student Magazine)
• Karnival (largest student-run rag in the UK)
• New Theatre (Student Theatre group)
• Nightline (Welfare based listening service and telephone information service)
• Unifilms (Cinema on campus)
• University Radio Nottingham (Radio Station)
• Week One (freshers' week organisation)
• TEC PA & Lighting (Sound and Lighting Company)

Prior to around 1999 the Student-Run Services were known as 'Ancilliary Services'.

Societies

There are over 100 Societies affiliated to the Students' Union. Some of these are long-standing and have existed for many years; others will run for a few years before winding down.

Prior to 2002 the Societies section of the Students' Union was called 'Clubs & Societies'. This was changed to 'Societies' to reflect the fact that most of the non-sporting organisations are called "Xyz Society", and most of the sports organisations are called "Abc Club"; there are certain exception to this rule where an organisation that falls within the Students' Union's Societies section is named a club, and vice-versa.

Athletic Union

There are over 70 sporting clubs affiliated to the Students' Union, which fall under the Athletic Union.

As well as the Sports Clubs, the Athletic Union also runs an Intermural sporting system – the annual competitions of Interhall, Society/Association sports matches, as well as the organisation relating to sports matches against other Universities.

Governance

The Students' Union is governed by its Constitution and Regulations. The Constitution is a relatively short document, which is changed infrequently; any changes to the Constitution have to be approved by the University Council. The Regulations can be amended without reference to the University, but are subordinate to the Constitution. The Students' Union also maintains a Policy File, which outlines its stance on various issues.

The Students' Union is established by the Statues of the University, which provide that "There shall be a Union of Students of the University" and that "Ordinances shall prescribe the constitution functions privileges and other matters relating to the Union of Students." Ordinance XI: Union of Students fulfils this role.

The Students' Union is, naturally, subordinate to the law of the land; one of the most relevant pieces of legislation is Part II of the Education Act 1994, which specifically deals with students' unions.

Changes to the Constitution, Regulations and Policy File are typically made by Students' Union Council; however, the whole membership can vote on a policy in a referendum. Referenda are generally fairly infrequent, and on major issues.

Students' Union Council

Students' Union Council is the highest regularly-meeting decision-making body of the Students' Union. It meets around eight times per year. For Council to make any binding decisions it has to be quorate; quoracy for Students' Union Council is set at 50% of voting members of Council.

Members of Students' Union Council can be either voting or non-voting members. The voting members are designed to be representative of the membership of the Students' Union as a whole. Most non-voting members sit on Council to represent various views that it is felt important to have represented at this level, but where they do not represent a clear constituency of students; each Student-Run Service, for example, has a non-voting seat on Council, since it is felt that there will be issues that it useful to have their input on, but that those involved in their organisation are already represented through a Council Rep.

The Constituencies for Voting Members of Students' Union Council are, for the most part either residential or subject-based. Generally, first year undergraduates are grouped into constituencies determined by their residence (e.g. Hall of Residence)., with students in subsequent years represented through their subject or faculty.

The remaining Council positions are held by the Executive Officers, JCR and Association Heads, and Student-Run Service Heads. It is worthy of note that despite representation on Students' Union Council, and elsewhere in the Students' Union, the majority of JCRs at the University remain entirely autonomous from the Students' Union. This has been a controversial issue for many years.

Affiliations

The Students' Union is currently affiliated to:

• The Aldwych Group
• The National Union of Students (NUS)
• British Universities Sports Association (BUSA)
• Universitas 21 Student Network

By law the decision to affiliate to external bodies has to be made on an annual basis, so these affiliations are reconsidered yearly.

Executive Officers

The Executive Officers of the Students' Union, who also act as trustees of the charity, currently number thirteen (although this number has changed over the years). There are currently five Non-Sabbatical Officers and eight Sabbatical Officers. Non-Sabbatical Officers hold their position alongside their studies, whilst Sabbatical Officers hold the position full time, either taking a year out from their studies, or for a year after they finish their course. An individual is only allowed to hold the office of the Sabbatical Executive positions for one term (equal to one year). Individuals are allowed to hold non-Sabbatical Office for multiple years, or multiple Executive years of office – providing the one Sabbatical term rule is adhered to.

The Executive Officers are elected by a cross-campus ballot of all students. In recent years the University of Nottingham Students' Union has achieved relatively high levels of participation in its Executive Officer elections.

Executive Officers 2004–2005

Past Executive Officers

Key : (s) = Sabbatical (ns) = Non-Sabbatical

Prizes and Awards

There are currently three levels of awards granted by the Students' Union to graduating students:

• Ordo Caligulae
• Honorary Life Membership
• Union Prize

The Students' Union makes the following awards to non-students:

• Don Varley Award
• Golden Jubilee Award

Ordo Caligulae

The Ordo caligulae is the highest award of the Students' Union, and includes Honorary Life Membership of the Students' Union, and consequently members of the Ordo Caligulae enjoy those benefits detailed under Honorary Life Membership.

Membership of the Ordo Caligulae (literally, "The Order of the Boot") is granted to those "who have given outstanding contribution to the University of Nottingham Students’ Union." It is probably named after Jesse Boot (later Lord Trent), who was a great benefactor of the University.

The existence of the Ordo Caligulae is laid down in the Ordinances of the University (Ordinance XI: Union of Students), which are themselves approved by the Privy Council.

In recent years typically a maximum of one or two new members have been admitted to the Ordo Caligulae in any year.

Honorary Life Membership

Honorary Life Membership is conferred on those who have furthered the achievements of the aims of the University of Nottingham Students’ Union.

The Students' Union Constitution lays down certain rights of its members (including Honarary Members):

1. Take part in functions organised by the Students’ Union. 2. Become members of all Clubs and Societies affiliated to the Students’ Union. 3. Attend Union Council, Executive Committee and Standing Committees 4. Wear official University colours.

(Further rights, such as the ability to stand and vote in Students' Union Elections, are reserved for "Full Members" – those registered as students at the University).

In recent years typically five to eight new Honorary Life Members have been created in any year.

Union Prize

With typically thirty recipients each year (from a graduating class numbering around 8000), this prize is highly regarded, and is presented to graduating students of the University of Nottingham in recognition of contribution of time and resources to the benefit of the Students’ Union.

External links

• University of Nottingham Students' Union Official Site
• University of Nottingham Official Site
• Ordinance XI: Union of Students – the Ordinance of the University of Nottingham which establishes the Students' Union