Students’ Union

This constitution shall take effect from 28th March 2024 and invalidates all former constitutions of this Union.

This constitution shall be subject to review by the Union Parliament and the Governing Board at least every five years, in accordance with the Education Act 1994.

Part II of the Education Act 1994 requires institutions to ‘take steps as are reasonably practicable to secure that any students’ union for students at the establishment operates in a fair and democratic manner and is accountable for its finances’.

The Governing Board recognises The Courtauld Students’ Union as a democratically run organisation, committed to serving and representing the students of The Courtauld Institute of Art. The Governing Board will endeavour to ensure that the activities of the Union do not contravene The Courtauld’s equal opportunities policy nor bring the Institute into disrepute.

The constitution is a legal document that sets out the activities and procedures of the Students’ Union. It provides a framework for the operation of the Students’ Union by:

•       Defining what the Union can or cannot do.

•       Indicating how the Executive Committee can act on behalf of Union members.

•       Outlining how members can air their concerns.

The constitution is made up of three sections:

Section 1 – The Articles This section defines the aims and objectives of the Union as well as sets out what can or cannot be done.

Section 2 – The Schedules This section gives further details about how the Union operates.

Section 3 – The Appendices This section includes other regulations that the Union must follow.

 

Contents

Section 1: The Articles

1.0 Name and Status…………………………………………………………………………..….5

2.0 Aims and Objectives …………………………………………………………………………..5

3.0 Membership of the Union …………………………………………………………………….5

4.0 Union Parliament ………………………………………………………………………..…….6

5.0 Executive Committee …………………………………………………………………………7

6.0 Clubs and Societies ……………………………………………………………………..…….9

7.0 Affiliation to External Organisations ………………………………………………….….…9

8.0 Complaints Procedure ………………………………………………………………….…..10

9.0 Union Finance …………………………………………………………………………….….10

10.0 Minutes ………………………………………………………………………………..…….11

11.0 Amendments…………………………………………………………………………….…..11

12.0 Indemnity ……………………………………………………………………………………12

13.0 Referendum …………………………………………………………………………………12

14.0 Code of Conduct ……………………………………………………………………………12

15.0 Interpretation …………………………………………………………………………….…13

 

Section 2: The Schedules

1.0 Election Regulations………………………………………………………………………….14

2.0 Clubs and Societies………………………………………………………………………….19

3.0 Meeting Regulations…………………………………………………………………………23

4.0 Finance Regulations…………………………………………………………………………26

5.0 Job Descriptions………………………………………………………………………………28

 

Section 3: The Appendices

1.0 Opting Out…………………………………………………………………………………….44

2.0 Students’ Union Disciplinary Procedures…………………………………………………..44

3.0 Students’ Union Code of Conduct.…………………………………………………………47

4.0 The Courtauldian Constitution………………………………………………………………50

 

Section 1: THE ARTICLES

1.0 Name and Status

1.1 There shall be a students’ union in the name of The Courtauld Students’ Union (for the rest of the document the organisation will be referred to as ‘the Union’).

1.2 The Courtauld’s Governing Board shall make arrangements for the establishment of a Students’ Union in accordance with a constitution approved by the Governing Board.

 

2.0 Aims and Objectives

2.1 To advance the education of its members and students of The Courtauld Institute of Art (for the rest of this document the organisation will be referred to as ‘the Institute’) as a whole.

2.2 To represent the interests of its members and act as a channel of communication in dealing with the Institute and other bodies.

2.3 To promote and protect the welfare of all its members.

2.4 To promote, encourage and coordinate student clubs, societies, sports, and social activities.

2.5 These aims and objects shall be practised without discrimination on the grounds of age, sex, race, religion, creed, sexual orientation, disability, or medical condition, except that action may be taken to promote equality of opportunity.

2.6 The Union shall practice the above aims and objectives independent of any political party or religious organisation, or any other organisations whose interests conflict with 2.5 (Aims and Objectives).

 

3.0 Membership of the Union

3.1 All students who are registered at the Institute, over the age of 16, shall be members of the Union unless they have decided to give up their membership according to the ‘Opting Out’ regulations, in Appendix 1.0 of this constitution. This includes all full-time, part-time, and study-abroad students who are registered at the Institute.

3.2 Any sabbatical officer shall be a full member of the Union.

3.3 All members shall be entitled to use the facilities of the Union and take part in its educational, social, sporting, and cultural activities. Members shall be allowed to attend Union meetings, to nominate, to stand and to vote in Union elections, and to hold office in clubs and societies.

3.4 Students who are eligible for membership, but choose to opt out of the Union, ‘Opting Out’ regulations are outlined in Appendix 1.0 of this constitution, shall be entitled to access the services and activities of the full membership but may be charged a fee for doing so. They may not participate in the government of the Union, hold any office in any Union society, working group or committee or vote in Union elections.

 

4.0 Union Parliament

4.1 The Union Parliament shall be the supreme decision-making body of the Union, except for a decision that is made in a referendum. It shall also raise issues that are of concern to members of staff at the Institute.

4.2 The membership of the Union Parliament shall be made up of the following categories:

i) The Executive Committee

ii) The Programme of Study Representatives

iii) The Community Officers

4.3 The Union Parliament Programme of Study Representatives and Community Officers shall be elected in October of each year according to the regulations contained in Schedule 1.0 (Election Regulations) of this constitution. They will serve as members of the Union Parliament from the date of the election to the end of the academic year.

4.4 The functions of the Union Parliament are:

i) Set the policy of the Union.

ii) Amend the constitution and schedules as appropriate, subject to the approval of the Governing Board.

iii) Instruct and hold accountable the Executive Committee on their work.

iv) Monitor and discuss the events and decisions of the formal Institute decision-making bodies and raise concerns of members to staff and management.

v) Elect delegates to appropriate NUS conferences and councils.

vi) Approve reports from committees, working parties and the Executive Committee.

vii) Approve financial reports from the Executive Committee.

4.5 The first meeting of the Union Parliament shall be held in October of each year and is chaired by the President. This meeting shall also:

·         Approve the Union’s annual budget and accounts.

·         Approve the Union’s annual report.

·         Confer recognition of clubs and societies.

4.6 An ordinary Union Parliament meeting shall be called a minimum of two times per semester by the President.

4.7 An emergency Union Parliament meeting may be called to discuss a particular issue.

4.8 All Union Parliament meetings shall be conducted according to Schedule 3.0 (Meeting Regulations) of this constitution.

 

5.0 Executive Committee

5.1 The Executive Committee of the Union shall run the Union on a day-to-day basis according to the terms of this constitution, its schedules and appendices, relevant legislation and the decisions that have been made by the Union Parliament and by referendum.

5.2 The Executive Committee shall be made up of the following major Union officers, elected by a secret ballot that is open to all members of the Union:

i) The President (chair)

ii) The Vice President

iii) The Executive Officer for Activities and Development

iv) The Executive Officer for Education

v) The Executive Officer for Student Environment

vi) The Executive Officer for Welfare

vii) The Executive Officer for Widening Participation

5.3 The Executive Committee officers shall be elected in April of each year according to the regulations contained in Schedule 1.0 (Election Regulations) of this constitution. They will serve as members of the Executive Committee from July 1st of that year to June 30th of the following year with the exception of the President who shall serve for an extra month for the training of the new Executive Committee.

5.4 The role of the Executive Committee shall be to:

i) Carry out the decisions made by the Union Parliament and by referendum.

ii) Act in the absence of the Union Parliament.

iii) Act as a channel of communication between members of the Union, the Institute management, the Governing Board, and other external organisations such as the National Union of Students.

iv) Be responsible for the direction of the Union through the implementation and development of the Union’s strategic plan.

v) Establish working groups, where relevant, and to receive any reports from working groups.

vi) Liaise with and offer relevant support to any forum for students.

vii) Fulfil specific responsibilities as laid down in Schedule 5.0 (Job Descriptions) of this constitution.

5.5 Executive Committee meetings shall be called by the President and shall meet at least once a week. Further meetings may be called by a written request of a majority of committee members to the President. The chair will be the President or their nominee. The chair may only vote in the event of a tie.

5.6 A record will be kept of all meetings of the Executive Committee which will include a summary of any decisions and action points which shall be circulated, and any necessary corrections made, at the next appropriate meeting. Confirmed meeting records shall be filed and made available to all staff and students via the Students’ Union SharePoint page unless the Executive Committee have voted to hold a specific meeting or an item of a meeting as a closed session.

5.7 Executive Committee meetings shall only take place if there is at least 50% of serving Executive Committee members present throughout the meeting.

5.8 Whenever a matter is to be discussed at an Executive Committee meeting and a member has a personal interest in respect of that matter, they must:

Declare their interest to the Executive Committee.
Remain only for such part of the meeting as in the view of the other members is sufficient to inform the discussion.
Not be counted in the calculation of the quorum for that part of the meeting.
Withdraw during the vote and have no vote on the matter.
5.9 Any member of the Executive Committee who fails to attend three consecutive meetings of the Executive Committee or the Union Parliament without giving apologies to the President and does not provide satisfactory reasons acceptable to the Executive Committee, shall be considered to have resigned.

5.10 The President may be a sabbatical post. No member shall be eligible to stand for and serve more than two sabbatical terms of office.

 

6.0 Clubs and Societies

6.1 Clubs and societies may be recognised by the Union Parliament provided that they meet the requirements set out in Schedule 2.0 (Clubs and Societies) of this constitution and do not breach the Union’s aims and objectives.

 

7.0 Affiliations to External Organisations

7.1 Any proposal to affiliate with an external organisation shall be approved by the Union Parliament.

7.2 The Institute and members of the Union shall be informed of all new affiliations to external organisations. The notice shall include the name of the organisation being affiliated with and the affiliation or subscription fee to be paid.

7.3 Details of all affiliations to external organisations, including the names of the organisations and each affiliation fee paid, shall be included in the Union’s annual report which shall be made available to all members of the Union and to the Governing Board.

7.4 In the event of an objection to a current affiliation to any particular external organisation, a petition signed by at least 30 members of the Union must be presented to the President. A referendum shall be held on the issue. The referendum shall be carried out in accordance with Article 13.0 (Referendum) of this constitution. A further referendum on the same affiliation cannot be called in the same academic year.

 

8.0 Complaints Procedure

8.1 Complaints about an individual officer, the Executive Committee or any member of the Union Parliament shall be dealt with under the complaints procedure contained in Appendix 3.0 (Students’ Union Code of Conduct) of this constitution.

 

9.0 Union Finance

9.1 The Union shall receive appropriate funds from the Institute to enable it to effectively pursue its aims and objectives. This annual allocation of funding shall be the same as the previous year plus the rate of inflation. If a larger block grant is deemed necessary, the President shall give a proposal to the Governing Board at the last meeting of the financial year, by presenting the Union’s estimates for the forthcoming academic year.

9.2 The President and the Executive Committee will ensure that proper books of account are maintained and that these books shall be audited annually by a person qualified to undertake audited accounting.

9.3 The President shall be responsible for ensuring that the annual budget, amendments to the budget, audited accounts and all other short-term financial reports and financial proposals are discussed and approved by the Union Parliament.

9.4 A copy of the Union’s budget and the audited accounts shall be given promptly to the Governing Board each financial year for approval and be made available to all students.

9.5 The organisation of the Union’s finances and systems of control shall be contained in Schedule 4.0 (Finance Regulations) of this constitution.

 

10.0 Minutes

10.1 At all meetings of the Union Parliament, minutes shall be taken which shall be circulated and any necessary corrections made, at the next appropriate meeting. Confirmed minutes shall be filed and made available to all staff and students via the Students’ Union SharePoint page.

10.2 A copy of the constitution, including any amendments, a copy of the annual report and any plans for the Union’s activities, including the budget, shall be made available to all students via the Students’ Union SharePoint page.

10.3 All meetings of the Union shall be considered open to all members of the Union. However, the members of the meeting may vote to hold a specific meeting or an item of a meeting as a closed session.

10.4 The regulations for the organisation of Union meetings shall be contained in Schedule 3.0 (Meeting Regulations) of this constitution.

 

11.0 Amendments

11.1 The Union Parliament shall be the only body permitted to amend the constitution and schedules. All amendments will be subject to the approval of the Governing Board before they can be implemented.

11.2 All amendments to the constitution or schedules shall require the support of a minimum of two-thirds of the members present and entitled to a vote at a quorate meeting of the Union Parliament.

11.3 The constitution shall be reviewed by the Union at least every 5 years from the date of the current document’s implementation and approved by the Governing Board.

 

12.0 Indemnity

12.1 Every Executive Committee officer and person approved to make decisions on behalf of the Union shall be entitled to be indemnified out of the assets of the Union against all losses or liability which they may incur in or about the execution of their office or otherwise in relation thereto; and no officer, appointee or member of staff shall be liable for any loss, damage or misfortune which may happen to or be incurred by the Union in the execution of the duties of their office or in relation thereto; provided that nothing in this clause shall affect their liability for the consequences of any negligent or unlawful act on their part.

 

13.0 Referendum

13.1 A referendum, in which all members will be allowed to vote, shall be held on any issue if the Union Parliament decides by a two-thirds majority to call a referendum. The President shall call a referendum if they are handed a petition detailing the issue and containing the name, programme of study, student number, and signature of at least 30 students who are members.

13.2 A referendum shall only be considered if it has a 50% student response rate and a simple majority win.

13.3 The Returning Officer, named in Schedule 1.0 (Election Regulations) of this constitution, shall be responsible for approving the wording of the question of the referendum.

13.4 The referendum shall be supervised by the Returning Officer. Voting shall be open for 2 Institute days.

13.5 The result of a referendum will take priority over any existing Union policy on the same issue.

 

14.0 Code of Conduct

14.1 The Executive Committee shall draw up a Code of Conduct (Appendix 3.0 of this constitution) which shall be approved and amended every 2 years by the Union Parliament. The first year of this review was 2016/2017.

14.2 All members of the Union shall be required to adhere to this code, particularly when on Union premises, or attending events organised by the Union or its clubs or societies.

14.3 The Code of Conduct may include restrictions up to and including the unlimited suspension of any or all the rights of Union membership.

 

15.0 Interpretation

15.1 In the event of a challenge to the interpretation of any part of this constitution, the ruling of the President shall be sought.

15.2 In the event of a challenge to the President’s ruling, following legal advice, the decision shall be taken to the Union Parliament.

15.3 If a member of the Union remains unsatisfied with the ruling of the Union Parliament they may appeal to the Governing Board. The ruling of the Governing Board shall be final.

 

Section 2: THE SCHEDULES

 

1.0 Election Regulations

 

1.1 Returning Officer

i) The returning officer shall be the Academic Registrar.

 

1.2 When elections should happen

i) The President shall ensure that the election of the Executive Committee takes place before the end of May each year. Once elected the members of the Executive Committee shall take office from July 1st of that year and shall serve for not more than 12 months with the exception of the President who shall serve for an extra month for the training of the new Executive Committee.

ii) The dates of elections for Executive Committee members and a copy of the election regulations shall be made available to all students via the Students’ Union SharePoint page before the end of March.

iii) The President shall ensure that the election of the Union Parliament takes place before the end of October each year. Once elected the members of Union Parliament shall serve until the end of the academic year. In cases where a programme of study begins at a different time of year, Programme of Study Representatives will be elected at the first available opportunity.

iv) The dates of elections for Union Parliament members and a copy of the election regulations shall be made available to all students via the Students’ Union SharePoint page before the end of September.

 

1.3 Standing for election

i) The members of the Executive Committee shall be:

·         The President

·         The Vice President

·         The Executive Officer for Activities and Development

·         The Executive Officer for Education

·         The Executive Officer for Student Environment

·         The Executive Officer for Welfare

·         The Executive Officer for Widening Participation

ii) All members of the Union Parliament shall be:

Programme of Study Representatives:

·         BA1 Representative

·         BA2 Representative

·         BA3 Representative

·         MA Art History and Conservation of Buddhist Heritage Representative

·         MA Curating the Art Museum Representative

·         MA Conservation of Easel Paintings Representative

·         MA History of Art Representative

·         MA Conservation of Wall Paintings Representative

·         Graduate Diploma in the History of Art representative

·         PhD Programme co-representatives (teaching and non-teaching)

Community Officers:

·         BAME Students Officer

·         Disabled Students Officer

·         LGBTQIA+ Students Officer

·         International Students Officer

iii) No member who has opted out may stand for any position on either the Executive Committee or Union Parliament.

iv) Only members of the Union who are enrolled in the programme of study specified may run to be a Programme of Study Representative.

v) Members of the Union who run for a Community Officer role must identify as a member of the group related to their chosen position.

vi) Only one member of the Union will be able to hold one position on the Executive Committee or Union Parliament at any one time.

vii) Reopen nominations (RON) shall be a candidate in all Union elections.

viii) Nomination forms will be available from the Student Union office and on the Students’ Union SharePoint page thirty Institute days before the election. The nomination form shall contain a copy of the description of the role of each position in the election, the Code of Conduct, and election regulations. It shall also contain information on the facilities the Union will make available to each candidate during the course of the election.

ix) Members of the Union may stand for election upon completion of a nomination form signed by the candidate, their manifesto, and a picture of themselves.

x) Nomination forms must reach the President or a person appointed by them not later than 5.30 pm on the day, 5 Institute days before the date of the commencement of the ballot.

 

1.4 Publicity about the election

i) The President shall produce a list of candidates which shall be shared via the Students’ Union SharePoint page within one Institute day of the close of nominations.

ii) Candidates may produce a manifesto to a specification to be determined by the Executive Committee, which must be handed in with the completed nomination form.

iii) On receipt of a valid nomination form the President shall provide the candidate with a set number of A3 colour print credits which can be redeemed in the Union office, the number of which will be decided by the Executive Committee.

iv) Candidates can utilise the Union’s social media to publicise their campaigns.

v) Each candidate is eligible for one post on the Union’s social media accounts, the specification for which will be determined by the Executive Committee.

 

1.5 Campaigning

i) Candidates may commence campaigning at the close of nominations.

ii) A ‘hustings’ session shall be held at a time and date to be determined by the President. Any candidate absent from question time without apologies to the President shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the election. The length of speeches and responses by candidates to questions shall be determined by the President. A chair shall be appointed by the Executive Committee.

iii) Candidates have no budget for campaigning and cannot spend any money (either their own, that of the Institute, the Union, or any other source) on their campaign.

iv) Candidates may offer no incentives in return for votes.

v) No campaigning is permitted in the library, in pigeonholes or directly to students’ email inboxes or social media accounts.

vi) The President shall publicise the location and arrangements of the hustings and voting procedures, together with a list of candidates and manifestos, 5 Institute days before voting.

vii) Any candidate found to not comply with the campaign procedure will be removed from the election.

 

1.6 Voting procedures

i) The Returning Officer shall ensure that all members of the Union have access to vote no matter their place or time of study.

ii) All members of the Union shall be able to vote for the positions on the Executive Committee.

iii) Union Parliament positions may only be voted for by members of the Union currently enrolled on the programme of study of the representative (i.e. Only BA1’s may vote for the BA1 Representative).

iv) All members of the Union may vote via the official voting link emailed to their student email account.

v) A single-use vote will be sent to each student inbox.

vi) Voting will be kept confidential by the Returning Officer.

 

1.7 Counting and declaring votes

i) The President shall inform the candidates of the time and venue of the count. The candidate or their appointed representative may, if they so wish, attend the counting of the votes as observers only.

ii) The current President will count the vote. The count shall be conducted according to the most recently published edition of the rules for the operation of the first past the post voting (FPTP) system as set by the Electoral Reform Society: https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/voting-systems/types-of-voting-system/first-past-the-post/.

iii) Once the votes have been counted they should be kept for a period of six months in case of appeals against the result.

iv) Results of the elections shall be declared by the President when the count for each post has been completed and any complaint has been resolved to the satisfaction of the Returning Officer.

v) A list of successful candidates will be made available to all students via the Students’ Union SharePoint page within one Institute day of the declaration of results. The President should send a copy of the result to the Union Parliament and the Governing Board.

vi) The results will become official 48 hours after they have been posted provided that no complaint has been lodged with the President or returning officer within 48 hours. In the event of a complaint being received by the President or Returning Officer, the results shall be suspended until the complaint has been resolved.

vii) In the case of a tied vote, the Returning Officer and the President will have the final decision, with three Institute days for students to appeal against the decision in which case a re-vote will take place.

 

1.8 Complaints

i) Any challenge or complaint concerning the administration and good conduct of the election will be heard and determined by the Returning Officer within 48 hours of such a complaint being lodged by any full member or the candidate or their nominee.

ii) Any complaint against the conduct or administration of the election should be received by the Returning Officer before the start of the count.

iii) A challenge or complaint during or following the count, must only relate to the conduct of the count, and be lodged with the Returning Officer who shall resolve the complaint within 48 hours of it being lodged.

iv) In determining a resolution to the complaint, the Returning Officer after hearing all the appropriate evidence may not uphold the complaint; or may halt elections for the specified post(s) or disqualify specified candidate(s) if, in their view, a candidate(s) has breached election regulations. The ruling of the Returning Officer on any complaint shall be final, subject only to a successful appeal to the Secretary of the Governing Board, in accordance with clause 3.9.4 of the complaints procedure, contained within Appendix 3.0 (Students’ Union Code of Conduct) of this constitution.

 

1.9 Vacancies for positions on the Executive Committee

i) If any post on the Executive Committee falls vacant then a by-election shall be arranged by the President and Returning Officer. Nominations shall open no later than five Institute days after confirmation of the vacancy arising. All other election regulations apply.

 

2.0 Clubs and Societies

 

2.1 There shall be clubs and societies of the Union.

2.2 Setting up a club or society

i) No club or society may receive funds from the Union or use the Union facilities without recognition in each academic year by the Union Parliament.

ii) To be considered for recognition, the club or society shall lay before the Union Parliament a plan of activities, a proposed budget, and the names of the heads.

iii) No club or society will be recognised if its objectives conflict with those of the Union. However, this restriction shall not be interpreted so as to prevent the establishment of political, religious or ethnically based clubs and societies.

iv) Any club or society that wishes to be recognised by the Union shall present to the societies and events officer:

·         a list of 5 signatures of members.

·         the proposed membership fee if any.

·         a completed society approval form and budget proposal.

 

2.3 Head(s) of clubs and societies

i) The head(s) of new and existing clubs and societies will be nominated by its members through the society approval form and be subject to approval by the Union Parliament at the first meeting of the academic year in question. Members will have three institute days to appeal the decision of the Union Parliament, in which case nominations will be re-opened.

ii) The head(s) of clubs and societies shall maintain their position for the duration of the academic year in question but may be renewed for the following year in accordance with 2.3 i) (Head(s) of clubs and societies).

 

2.4 Money for clubs and societies

i) The Executive Committee shall earmark a sum in the Union budget which shall be for grant aid to recognised clubs and societies.

ii) To receive funding an eligible club/society shall submit a budget proposal to the President. This should be submitted before the first Union Parliament meeting of the academic year in question.

iii) The Union Parliament shall meet and allocate funds at the first Union Parliament meeting of the academic year in question. Allocations will be made on the basis of the level of activity in the club/society, the number of members it has and special equipment and travel considerations. A contingency fund shall be set aside, the value of which shall be determined by the Executive Committee.

iv) All clubs and societies shall have their budget confirmed by the President. Any request for expenditure must be approved by the President and paid via reimbursement.

v) The correct reimbursement documents must be submitted to the President before the end of the semester in which the payment was made.

vi) Reimbursements must be submitted promptly, any reimbursements submitted after the semester in which the cost was incurred will not be reimbursed unless a reasonable justification can be given and is approved by the Executive Committee.

vii) Heads of clubs and societies will be given guidance from the President on how to manage and maintain records of their finances.

 

2.5 Meetings of clubs and societies

i) A club or society will hold an event within the first month of each semester in which the group intends to be active.

ii) Each club or society should have a minimum of 2 meetings or events per semester with a minimum of 5 attendees if they are to secure funding.

iii) The head(s) of societies and clubs are responsible for arranging the dates of meetings.

iv)  For a club or society to release a statement, the head(s) of the club or society must convene a meeting of its members and regular attendees to discuss the statement with a minimum of 3 working days’ notice. A vote with a simple majority win in favour of the statement must take place for the statement to be released.

 

2.6 Responsibilities of Clubs and Societies

i) No one from a club or society may commit either the club or society or the Union to any expenditure without prior authorisation through the Union’s budgetary control system. Failure to secure the authorisation of the Union before the expenditure may be cited by the Union as a reason to refuse reimbursement to a society.

ii) The club or society shall be responsible for promoting itself during Welcome Week to encourage new membership.

iii) All clubs and societies’ committees will produce an activities report and the head(s) will submit an income/expenditure sheet to the Executive Committee at the end of each semester, following a request from the President. The President will incorporate the semesterly income/expenditure sheets into the Union’s annual report.

iv) The club or society shall not hold its own bank account and all its finance will be administered through the Union.

v) The club or society shall hold no funds whatsoever outside the Union accounts.

The head(s) of the club/society shall:

vi) Be responsible for the smooth running of any social events and activities and shall be responsible for convening and publicising events and meetings.

vii) Be responsible for ensuring that all expenditure is legitimate and that it does not exceed the club or society allocation for that year.

viii) Ensure that an accurate list of all equipment or resources purchased (speakers, DVDS, art materials etc.) is kept and all equipment is returned to the Union at the end of the academic year.

ix) Ensure that all income received by the club or society is paid directly into the Union accounts and that no funds received by the club/society are withheld.

x) Ensure that an income and expenditure account for the previous academic year is sent to the President of the Union.

xi) Be responsible for ensuring its activities do not conflict with the aims, objectives, and Code of Conduct for the Union.

xii) Be responsible for completing all the necessary paperwork required to put on their event and submit it to the President prior to their event. An event which has not had the proper paperwork completed, for example, a presentation by an outside speaker without a pro forma submitted to the President, is ineligible for reimbursement by the Union. A society pack containing all the paperwork needed will be provided to society heads once they are ratified by the Union Parliament.

xiii) Be responsible for submitting the correct documents before the end of the semester in which the payment was made to the President if in need of reimbursement.

xiv) Failure to abide by these regulations and the Union constitution may result in suspension of the club or society by the Executive Committee.

 

2.7 ‘The Courtauldian’

i) There shall be an official Students’ Union publication published at the Institute, known here as The Courtauldian.

ii) The Courtauldian shall be funded by the Union, funding for which will be allocated at the beginning of the semester as outlined in this Schedule (Clubs and Societies).

iii) The content of The Courtauldian will be determined by the editor, who shall be elected in accordance with The Courtauldian’s constitution, and articles published in print or on its website may not necessarily reflect the views held by the Union.

iv) The Courtauldian will adhere to all society and club responsibilities outlined in this Schedule (Clubs and Societies).

 

3.0 Meeting Regulations

Meeting regulations shall apply in full to all Union Parliament meetings. They shall apply to all committee meetings of the Union in terms of conduct of meetings.

 

3.1 Union Parliament

i) The business of the Union Parliament shall be divided into two parts:

•       Institute business: to discuss any matters relating to members as students of the Institute associated with their education and other Institute issues.

•       Union business: to discuss all other issues of interest to members of the Union.

 

3.2 Union Parliament Membership

i) All members of the Union Parliament will be expected to attend all meetings of the Union Parliament. Any member of the Union Parliament who fails to attend three consecutive meetings without giving apologies to the chair, and does not provide satisfactory reasons acceptable to the Union Parliament, shall be considered to have resigned.

ii) Any full member of the Union may attend the Union Parliament. Any individual/s who are not members of the Union who wish to attend must receive permission from the meeting by submitting a request to the chair. The chair shall then take a vote on whether the individual/s may attend.

iii) Any full member of the Union Parliament may speak at the Union Parliament.

iv) Any full member of the Union may attend the Union Parliament and speak with the permission of the meeting. Members of the Institute senior management team may attend and speak at the Institute business part of the meeting but will not be entitled to speak or attend the Union business part of the meeting unless expressly requested by the meeting. Any other individual may attend and speak as a guest if invited to do so by either the Union Parliament or the Executive Committee.

v) Any member wishing to speak must raise their hand. The chair of the meeting shall decide the order of speaking.

 

3.3 Voting Arrangements for Union Parliament

i) Only members of the Union Parliament who are present at the meeting may vote.

ii) The chair of the Union Parliament may not vote unless the vote is tied, in which case they may have the casting vote.

 

3.4 Arrangements for Union Meetings

i) All items for discussion shall be submitted to the President five Institute days before the meeting. Proposals for amendments to the constitution and schedules must be submitted seven Institute days before the start of the meeting.

ii) The President shall be responsible for the publication of details of all Union Parliament meetings five Institute days before the meeting via the Students’ Union SharePoint page.

iii) Proposals of changes to discussions may be submitted by any full member of the Union. The changes require the signatures of at least two members and shall be submitted to the President two Institute days before the start of the meeting.

 

3.5 Organisation of Meetings

i) The President shall be responsible for the agenda and publicising the meeting.

ii) The President shall take the chair of the Union Parliament meetings. The Vice President shall take deputy chair of the Union Parliament meetings.

iii) In the event of any situation arising not being covered by meeting regulations then the chair shall rule on the procedure to be adopted. Such ruling shall be subject to the approval of the Union Parliament.

iv) In the event of the chair being in conflict or alleged to be in conflict with the item under discussion, the chair should be resigned for the duration of the item under discussion to the deputy chair.

 

3.6 Agenda and Presentation of Papers

i) The agenda of meetings shall normally be taken in the following order:

a) Institute business:

·         Welcome from the chair.

·         Approving the minutes of the previous meeting.

·         Matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting.

·         Institute issues.

b) Union business:

·         Reports from the Executive Committee.

·         Other reports.

·         Any other business.

·         Date of the next meeting.

 

3.7 General rules

i) Every point on the agenda raised for discussion shall have a proposer and a seconder.

ii) Any motion may only be withdrawn with the consent of the meeting.

iii) Discussion outcomes shall require a simple majority to be decided except where otherwise specified in the constitution.

iv) Emergency agenda items may only be discussed if they deal with matters that have arisen since the deadline for submission of agenda items to the meeting, and if a two-thirds majority vote for the discussion of this debate. The agenda item should be submitted in writing to the chair before the start of the meeting.

 

4.0 Finance Regulations

4.1 Bank Accounts

i) There shall be a bank account held in the name of the Union.

There shall be two signatories to the account:

·         The President

·         The Returning Officer

 

4.2 The collection of all money due to the Union shall be the responsibility of the President and should be adequately recorded in Union finance records.

 

4.3 Limits on payments

i) Any expenditure over £100 should be approved by the Executive Committee.

ii) The President shall present a record of transactions once a semester to the Executive Committee.

 

4.4 Contracts

i) No financial agreement (e.g. a leasing contract) may be entered into which involves a financial commitment beyond the term of office of the Executive Committee

ii) All contracts shall have two signatories. Contracts shall normally be signed by the President and the Vice President. Any contracts exceeding a value of £250 shall be signed by either the President or the Vice President and Returning Officer.

iii) No contract or financial agreement should be signed without the approval of the Executive Committee.

 

4.5 Budgets and financial statements

i) Budgets shall be drawn up for all areas of proposed expenditure in September. These areas shall be determined and approved by the Executive Committee.

ii) The President shall provide the Union Parliament and the Governing Board with a financial statement at the end of the academic year.

 

4.6 Loan agreements

i) No loan agreement may be entered by the Union.

 

4.7 Security and Insurance

i) The Union shall be responsible for maintaining proper security at all times for all stock, stores, furniture, equipment, cash etc., under its control.

ii) The President shall inform the Executive Committee in any case where security is thought to be defective or where it is considered that special security arrangements may be needed, and they may bring it to the Head of Estates and Facilities.

 

4.8 Events

i) All events undertaken or provided by the Union must be costed and budgets prepared.

ii) The President, Vice President, and Executive Officer for Activities and Development shall draw up a proposed entertainments budget in September, subject to ratification by the Executive Committee. This shall form the basis of all entertainment expenditure.

iii) Records of all expenditures for events shall be kept. The President shall advise the Executive Committee when the limits laid down in the budget set are likely to be exceeded. The President is responsible, under the direction of the Executive Committee, for ensuring that agreed budgets are not exceeded unless the necessary approval has been given before the proposed expenditure.

 

4.9 Expenses to Union Members

i) Any member of the Executive Committee may receive expenses for costs incurred whilst on Union business.

ii) Expenses must be authorised by the President, who shall not be the person claiming the expense and a signatory to the account.

 

4.10 Donations

i) The Union shall not make donations or affiliations to any organisation outside the aims and objectives of the Union. The Union may allow for its facilities to be used for special events which raise money for a specific charity or cause.

 

5.0 Job Descriptions

 

5.1 The President

Who shall be a member of the Executive Committee and Union Parliament shall:

i) Be the prime representative of the Union and seek to involve as many students in the Union as possible

ii) To be a member of the following committees and report back to the Executive Committee on matters discussed where relevant:

·         Academic Board

·         Admissions and Widening Participation Committee

·         All Staff Meeting

·         Courtauld Association Committee

·         Governing Board

·         Exhibition Committee

·         Student Staff Forum

·         Teaching and Learning Committee

·         Audit and Risk Committee

·         Scholarships and Bursary Committee

·         Joint Honours Committee

·         any other relevant bodies established by the Institute.

iii) Attend any relevant training/briefing days for Union officers.

iv) Arrange training for the Executive Committee following their elections.

v) Convene an Executive Committee meeting every week and a Union Parliament meeting at least twice a semester.

vi) Ensure the interests of the students are well represented in the Executive Committee and across the Institute.

vii) Chair and participate fully in Executive Committee meetings.

viii) Chair and participate fully in the Union Parliament and ensure that the decisions made are implemented.

ix) Compile a report on their activities for consideration at the Union Parliament.

x) Ensure that all officers of the Union compile a written report for each meeting of the Union Parliament and for wider circulation.

xi) Ensure that a report is presented to the Union Parliament on the activities of the Union over the previous year. After approval, this should be submitted to the Governing Board and be made available to all students via the Students’ Union SharePoint page.

xii) Be responsible for publicising all Executive Committee and Union Parliament meetings, receiving debates and changes for discussion, and circulating agendas and minutes to members of the meeting.

xiii) Be the delegate to the NUS annual conference and report back to the Union Parliament.

xiv) Be a cheque signatory to the Union bank account.

xv) Ensure that Union finances are managed effectively and efficiently.

xvi) Be responsible for ensuring that the Union draws up and approves an annual budget.

xvii) Ensure that all financial transactions are legitimate, and that the necessary paperwork and receipts are kept for all transactions.

xviii) Be responsible for the gathering of information on discounts and promotions and promoting these to students.

xix) Be the prime representative of the Union to liaise with the Institute over any matters affecting students.

xx) When necessary, meet with Institute management to ensure the quality of services provided by the Institute to students.

xxi) Liaise with the Institute on fees and funding.

xxii) Have responsibility for representing students in disciplinary or academic appeals cases, and nominating the Vice President in the President’s absence.

xxiii) Meet with the Returning Officer and ensure that elections happen in accordance with the Union constitution; notify Union Parliament of the resignation of any Union Officer and ensure the Union Parliament decides appropriate action.

xxiv) Maintain all legal documentation relating to the Union, including the constitution, instruments and articles of government, the Code of Conduct and all legal advice.

xxv) Ensure relevant information is circulated to students concerning Union events and activities via the Weekly Newsletter, SharePoint page, Student Union website, social media and noticeboards.

xxvi) Organise and promote entertainment and other social activities to reflect all sections of the student body.

xxvii) Facilitate and encourage the development of a regular Institute publication and encourage student involvement, in accordance with clause 2.7 (The Courtauldian) contained within Schedule 2.0 (Clubs and Societies).

xxviii) Provide consistent and confidential advice to students helping with their concerns, aspirations, and problems in relation to Welfare, Academic issues, and all other aspects of student life.

xxix) Carry out all duties and responsibilities as laid down by the Executive Committee in a professional manner and with due regard to the Institute’s promotion of the principles of equal opportunities.

xxx) To undertake other duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post.

xxxi)  Act reasonably and prudently in all matters, and in the best interests of the Union.

 

5.2 The Vice President

Who shall be a member of the Executive Committee and Union Parliament, shall:

i) Be a representative of the student body within the Students’ Union, the Institute, and the wider community.

ii) Be a member of the Executive Committee and attend weekly meetings with both the President and the Executive Committee.

iii) Present regular reports to the Executive Committee on the activities of the Executive Officers.

iv) Be a member of the Union Parliament and present a semesterly report on their activities.

v) To be a member of the following committees and report back to the Executive Committee on matters discussed where relevant:

Student Staff Forum
any other relevant bodies established by the Institute relevant to your Executive position.
vi) Upon the request of the President, attend any meetings or boards in place of the President and report back to the President and Executive Committee on matters discussed where relevant.

vii) Meet as regularly as required with the President and assist with matters of Union development.

viii) Work with the President to draft and compile reports such as but not limited to:

·         the Union’s annual budget and accounts

·         the Union’s annual report

·         Papers given to the Governing Board or other relevant committees.

ix) Deputise for the President upon their request.

x) Receive complaints directed at the President and assist the complainant through the complaints procedure.

xi) Attend any relevant training/briefing days for Union officers.

xii) Arrange meetings of working groups where necessary to focus on issues specific to the students of the year group to which the Vice President is a member.

xiii) Work closely with the Programme of Study Representatives of the undergraduates or postgraduates and the Community Officers to ensure all views are being adequately represented in the Executive Committee.

xiv) Carry out other duties as laid down by the Executive Committee and Union Parliament.

xv) Act reasonably and prudently in all matters, and in the best interests of the Union.

xvi) Be the prime representative, under the President of the Union, to liaise with the Institute over any matters affecting students.

xvii) With the President, oversee the management of all Union finances and ensure the proper presentation of Union finances, in conjunction with the Executive Committee at Union Parliament.

xviii) Carry out all duties and responsibilities as laid down by the Executive Committee and Union Parliament in a professional manner and with due regard to the Institute’s promotion of the principles of equal opportunities.

xix) To undertake other duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post.

xx) To undertake other duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post deputised by the President.

 

5.3 The Executive Officer for Activities and Development

Who shall be a member of the Executive Committee and Union Parliament, shall:

i) Be a representative of the student body within the Students’ Union, the Institute and the wider community.

ii) Be a member of the Executive Committee and attend regular meetings.

iii) Present regular reports to the Executive Committee on their activities.

iv) Be a member of the Union Parliament and present a semesterly report on their activities.

v) To be a member of the following committees and report back to the Executive Committee on matters discussed where relevant:

·         Student Staff Forum

·         any other relevant bodies established by the college.

vi) Attend any relevant training/briefing days for Union officers.

vii) Arrange meetings of working groups where necessary to focus on issues with activities and student development.

viii) With the President, arrange a freshers’ fair at the beginning of the academic year.

ix) Ensure all clubs and societies are adhering to the Code of Conduct of the Union, Appendix 3.0 (Students’ Union Code of Conduct) and the regulations for clubs and societies set out in Section 2.0 (Clubs and Societies) of this constitution.

x) Communicate regularly with club and society heads to ensure their activities are being publicised to all members of the Union.

xi) Communicate regularly with Programme of Study Representatives and Community Officers to ensure a variety of entertainment and other social activities accommodating all sections of the student body is being developed.

xii) Give help and guidance to club and society heads in coming up with event programmes.

xiii) In conjunction with the President, give help and guidance to club and society heads with budget and finance issues.

xiv) With the President, ensure all clubs and societies manage their finances and report back to the Executive Committee every semester.

xv) Ensure that all Union resources are fairly allocated to all clubs and societies.

xvi) Consult with students at the beginning of the year and design an entertainment programme, in conjunction with the Executive Committee, for the whole of the year on the basis of information received.

xvii) Liaise with the following departments or any other department offering extracurricular events and opportunities for students and help promote their activities:

·         Alumni association

·         Careers

·         Public Programmes

·         The Research Forum

xviii) Carry out all duties and responsibilities as laid down by the Executive Committee and Union Parliament in a professional manner and with due regard to the Institute’s promotion of the principles of equal opportunities.

xix) To undertake other duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post.

xx) Act reasonably and prudently in all matters and in the best interests of the Union.

 

5.4 The Executive Officer for Education

Who shall be a member of the Executive Committee and Union Parliament, shall:

i) Be a representative of the student body within the Students’ Union, the Institute and the wider community.

ii) Be a member of the Executive Committee and attend regular meetings.

iii) Present regular reports to the Executive Committee on their activities.

iv) Be a member of the Union Parliament and present a semesterly report on their activities.

v) To be a member of the following committees and report back to the Executive Committee on matters discussed where relevant:

·         Teaching and Learning Committee

·         Student-Staff Forum

·         any other relevant bodies established by the Institute

vi) Meet as regularly as required with the President and assist with matters of Union development.

vii) Attend any relevant training/briefing days for Union officers.

viii) Arrange meetings of working groups, where necessary to focus on academic issues.

ix) Maintain contact with Programme of Study Representatives and Community Officers over the year and represent their views and concerns to the Institute through the Academic Board and other appropriate forums.

x) Work with Programme of Study Representatives to ensure full participation in programme reviews.

xi) Maintain contact with the following and any other academic service providers within the Institute and ensure their service provisions are maintained:

·         Academic Skills Services

·         Royal Literary Fund Fellows

·         Library Services

·         Dean of Education

xii) In conjunction with the President, be responsible for dealing with students’ concerns, aspirations and problems in relation to their academic programmes of study.

xiii) Carry out all duties and responsibilities as laid down by the Executive Committee and Union Parliament in a professional manner and with due regard to the Institute’s promotion of the principles of equal opportunities.

xiv) To undertake other duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post.

xv) Act reasonably and prudently in all matters, and in the best interests of the Union.

 

 

5.5 The Executive Officer for Student Environment

Who shall be a member of the Executive Committee and Union Parliament shall:

i) Be a representative of the student body within the Students’ Union, the Institute and the wider community.

ii) Be a member of the Executive Committee and attend regular meetings.

iii) Present regular reports to the Executive Committee on their activities.

iv) Be a member of the Union Parliament and present a semesterly report on their activities.

v) To be a member of the following committees and report back to the Executive Committee on matters discussed where relevant:

·         Student-Staff Forum

·         any other relevant bodies established by the Institute

vi) Meet as regularly as required with the President and assist with matters of Union development.

vii) Attend any relevant training/briefing days for Union officers.

viii) Arrange meetings of working groups where necessary to focus on issues with student facilities and environment.

ix) Ensure that student spaces are in an acceptable condition.

x) Ensure that adequate recycling and waste facilities are provided on-site.

xi) Be responsible for ensuring the Institute is improving its environmental status.

xii) In conjunction with the President, present student concerns relating to facilities on site to appropriate members of staff.

xiii) Maintain contact with the following and any estates and facilities providers within the Institute and ensure their service provisions are maintained:

·         Head of Estates and Facilities

·         Facilities, Operations, and Projects Lead

·         Courtauld Sustainability Committee

xiv) Campaign in conjunction with the Executive Committee for improvements to be made to student facilities.

xv) Be responsible, in conjunction with the President, for liaising with the Institute on environmental and ethical matters.

xvi) Campaign and raise awareness of any environmental and ethical issues within the Institute as agreed by the Executive Committee and be proactive in efforts to raise awareness of environmental and ethical issues within the student body.

xvii) Establish and maintain contact with other groups and organisations that work on environmental and ethical issues and distribute up-to-date and relevant information and guidance to members of the Union.

xviii) Help maintain Union noticeboards.

xix) Help ensure that Union activities and elections are publicised on-site.

xx) Carry out all duties and responsibilities as laid down by the Executive Committee and Union Parliament in a professional manner and with due regard to the Institute’s promotion of the principles of equal opportunities.

xxi) To undertake other duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post.

xxii) Act reasonably and prudently in all matters, and in the best interests of the Union.

 

5.6 The Executive Officer for Welfare

Who shall be a member of the Executive Committee and Union Parliament, shall:

i) Be a representative of the student body within the Students’ Union, the Institute and the wider community.

ii) Be a member of the Executive Committee and attend regular meetings.

iii) Present regular reports to the Executive Committee on their activities.

iv) Be a member of the Union Parliament and present a semesterly report on their activities.

v) To be a member of the following committees and report back to the Executive Committee on matters discussed where relevant:

·         Student Staff Forum

·         any other relevant bodies established by the Institute

vi) Maintain contact with the following and any welfare providers within the Institute and ensure their service provisions are maintained:

·         Head of Wellbeing

·         Head of Personal Tutors

vii) Meet as regularly as required with the President and assist with matters of the Union’s development.

viii) Attend any relevant training/briefing days for Union officers.

ix) Arrange meetings of working groups to focus on welfare issues with groups of students from minority or liberation backgrounds.

x) In conjunction with the President and the Executive Officer for Education, meet with the Institute for the purposes of monitoring and reviewing of the Code of Student Conduct, The Courtauld Institute of Art Code of Student Misconduct, complaints, and disciplinary procedures.

xi) Establish, and maintain, contact with and provide information from groups and organisations which work on welfare issues; maintain and order stocks of information as required.

xii) Maintain contact with an enquiry service, and advertise its availability.

xiii) Advice, but not counsel, students who have welfare problems, respecting confidentiality at all times.

xiv) When necessary, refer students to the Institute counsellors or other relevant organisations.

xv) Campaign on, and raise awareness of, welfare issues as agreed by the Executive Committee e.g. debt, safe sex, drug/alcohol abuse, etc.; distribute general welfare information.

xvi) Meet with the student support services section and, when necessary, Institute management to ensure the quality of services provided by the Institute to students and bring failings in this provision to the attention of the Union and the Institute.

xvii) Consult with Student and Academic Services regularly to find out what problems students are having in the Institute and take account of these when campaign planning.

xviii) In conjunction with the President, be responsible for dealing with students’ concerns, aspirations and problems in relation to their welfare issues.

xix) Carry out all duties and responsibilities as laid down by the Executive Committee and Union Parliament in a professional manner and with due regard to the Institute’s promotion of the principles of equal opportunities.

xx) To undertake other duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post.

xxi) Act reasonably and prudently in all matters, and in the best interests of the Union.

 

5.7 The Executive Officer for Widening Participation

Who shall be a member of the Executive Committee and Union Parliament, shall:

i) Be a representative of the student body within the Students’ Union, the Institute and the wider community.

ii) Be a member of the Executive Committee and attend regular meetings.

iii) Present regular reports to the Executive Committee on their activities.

iv) Be a member of the Union Parliament and present a semesterly report on their activities.

v) To be a member of the following committees and report back to the Executive Committee on matters discussed where relevant:

·         Admissions and Widening Participation Committee

·         Student Staff Forum

·         any other relevant bodies established by the Institute

vi) Maintain contact with the following and any roles directly related to widening participation within the Institute and ensure their service provisions are maintained:

·         Admissions and Widening Participation Faculty Lead

·         Dean of Education

·         Learning and Outreach team

vii) Meet as regularly as required with the President and assist with matters of the Union’s development.

viii) Attend any relevant training/briefing days for Union officers.

ix) Arrange meetings of working groups to focus on widening participation issues with groups of students from minority or liberation backgrounds.

x) In conjunction with the President, liaise with the Institute over the criteria and distribution of the access and hardship funds, bursaries and other financial aids.

xi) In conjunction with the President meet with the Institute for the purposes of monitoring and reviewing the Equal Opportunities policy, Access and Participation plan, and Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Antiracism statement.

xii) Establish, and maintain, contact with and provide information from groups and organisations which work on widening participation issues; maintain and order stocks of information as required.

xiii) Promote the positive involvement of all students in all areas of the Union’s activities with a special focus on the inclusion of minority and liberation groups.

xiv) Campaign on, and raise awareness of, widening participation issues as agreed by the Executive Committee.

xv) Meet with the members of staff at the Institute concerned with widening participation and, when necessary, Institute management to ensure the widening participation goals, policies, and objectives are being met by the Institute bringing failings in these provisions to the attention of the Union and the Institute.

xvi) Consult with Student and Academic Services regularly to find out what problems widening participation students are having in the Institute and take account of these when campaign planning.

xvii) In conjunction with the President, be responsible for dealing with students’ concerns and problems in relation to their widening participation issues.

xviii) Carry out all duties and responsibilities as laid down by the Executive Committee and Union Parliament in a professional manner and with due regard to the Institute’s promotion of the principles of equal opportunities.

xix) To undertake other duties and responsibilities appropriate to the post.

xx) Act reasonably and prudently in all matters, and in the best interests of the Union.

 

5.8 Programme of Study Representatives

Who shall be members of the Union Parliament shall:

i) Be a representative and advocate of the student body within the Students’ Union, the Institute and the wider community.

ii) Be a member of the Union Parliament, attend regular meetings and present relevant reports.

iii) To be a member of the following committees and report back to the Union Parliament on matters discussed where relevant:

·         Relevant Programme Boards

·         Student Staff Forum

·         Teaching and Learning Committee (Teaching PhD representative only)

·         any other relevant bodies established by the Institute

iv) In conjunction with the President arrange for additional student representatives to attend relevant bodies established by the Institute as required.

v) Meet regularly with the President to update on activities and issues between meetings of the Union Parliament.

vi) Maintain regular contact with members from the particular programme of study, through working groups, and ensure their views are brought to the Union Parliament.

vii) Have access to the email addresses for the programme of study being represented.

viii) Carry out other duties as laid down by the Executive Committee and the Union Parliament.

ix) Attend any relevant training/briefing days for student representatives.

x) Act reasonably and prudently in all matters, and in the best interests of the Union.

 

5.9 Community Officers

Who shall be members of the Union Parliament shall:

i) Be a representative and advocate of the student body within the Students’ Union, the Institute and the wider community.

ii) Be a member of the Union Parliament, attend regular meetings and present relevant reports.

iii) To be a member of the following committees and report back to the Union Parliament on matters discussed where relevant:

·         Student Staff Forum

·         any other relevant bodies established by the Institute

iv) In conjunction with the President arrange for additional student representatives to attend relevant bodies established by the Institute as required.

v) Meet regularly with the President to update on activities and issues between meetings of the Union Parliament.

vi) Work in conjunction with the relevant Executive Officer (e.g. Executive Officer for Widening Participation to work with LGBTQIA+ Student Officer, BAME Student Officer, Disabled Student Officer, and International Student Officer) roles to advocate for and campaign for their relevant student group.

vii) Work in conjunction with relevant staff and faculty members to advocate for and campaign for their relevant student group, to ensure relevant goals, policies and objectives are being met by the Institute, and bring their failings in these provisions to the attention of the Union parliament and Institute (e.g. Disabled Students Officer to work with the Head of Estates and Facilities to ensure the Institute buildings are accessible).

viii) Maintain regular contact with members of the group of students through working groups, and ensure their views are brought to the Union Parliament.

ix) Carry out other duties as laid down by the Executive Committee and the Union Parliament.

x) Attend any relevant training/briefing days for student officers.

xi) Act reasonably and prudently in all matters, and in the best interests of the Union.

 

Section 3: THE APPENDICES

 

1.0  Opting Out

1.1 Every student shall be able to relinquish their right of membership in the Union.

1.2 A student who opts out of the Union shall not be able to participate in the democratic and decision-making function of the Union. This includes not being able to stand for any officer or representative position, including club and society committee members, as contained in the Union constitution.

1.3 A student who opts out of the Union shall continue to have the right to attend Union-run events and participate in the activities of clubs and societies.

1.4 A student wishing to opt out must indicate this within six weeks of the start of their programme of study in writing to the President.

1.5 A student who has opted out who wishes to become a member of the Union shall notify the President in writing. If the application falls within twenty college days of nominations opening for a Union election, the student will not be eligible to take up the full privileges of membership until the nomination period has closed.

 

2.0 Disciplinary Procedure

2.1 Clubs, societies and members of the Union shall be expected to abide by this constitution and its schedules at all times.

2.2 The Union’s disciplinary policy has authority over any premises managed by the Union, any Union activities, including the activities of any Union club or society, or any misconduct which takes place outside Union premises but is connected with the Union and is likely to affect the reputation of the Union.

2.3 If a student or club or society is deemed to have breached the rules of the Union their conduct shall be examined by a panel of three Executive Committee members known as the disciplinary committee.

2.4 The disciplinary committee shall be convened within seven Institute days of the alleged offence occurring. The student shall be given written notification of the time, date and place of the hearing, together with written notification of the alleged breach, at least three days before the hearing.

2.5 In cases involving the misuse of Union facilities or resources or behaviour likely to cause potential danger or offence to students, staff or other persons, the student or club or society may be suspended from the use of particular Union facilities or resources until the disciplinary committee has reached a decision.

2.6 No person shall sit on the Union disciplinary or appeals committees if they are a witness, potential witness, the complainant, run or assist in the running of the student or club or society being charged.

2.7 The person bringing the charge or their representative shall call witnesses to give evidence as appropriate. They shall ask questions of the witnesses. The student or their representative may also ask questions of the witnesses.

2.8 The student or their representative may call their own witnesses to give evidence and present any relevant documents to the panel. They may ask questions of the witnesses. The person bringing the charge or their representative may also ask questions of the witnesses.

2.9 The committee may ask questions of any witnesses, the person bringing the charge or their representative, the student or club or society or their representative.

2.10 The disciplinary committee shall then deliberate on the matter and decide on the appropriate action to be taken. The committee shall base its decision on the evidence presented and examined in the presence of the person bringing the charge and the student, club or society being charged. Evidence of any earlier misconduct shall not be presented until after the decision has been reached on the facts of the case but then may be admitted and considered in deciding on any punishment. The ultimate sanction shall be the suspension of Union membership for a period of time.

2.11 The Union disciplinary committee may refer any matter to The Courtauld Institute of Art Code of Student Misconduct.

2.12 The disciplinary committee must inform the person of their right of appeal and that any appeal should be made in writing to the chair of the Union Parliament within five Institute days.

2.13 If the student is unhappy they may appeal to an appeals committee made up of three students appointed by the Union Parliament. The student shall be notified in writing at least five Institute days in advance of the meeting.

2.14 The appeals committee shall hear the reason for the appeal and the rationale behind the original decision. They shall also hear any new evidence that has emerged since the disciplinary meeting. The matter shall be put to the vote and the decision shall be final.

2.15 The hearing shall normally take place in private. However, the subjects of any charge may request that the hearing be held in public. A record shall be kept for use in any appeal. The decision of the disciplinary or appeals committee will be posted on a Union notice board if requested by the subject of any charge.

2.16 The Executive Committee officers may be removed from office by:

i) A two-thirds majority vote at a quorate meeting of the Union Parliament.

ii) A referendum of the members of the Union.

iii) A breach of the Institute’s disciplinary regulations on the grounds of gross misconduct resulting in exclusion from the Institute.

2.17 Programme of Study Representatives can be removed from office by:

i) A two-thirds majority vote at a quorate meeting of the Union Parliament.

ii) A breach of the Institute’s disciplinary regulations on the grounds of gross misconduct resulting in exclusion from the Institute.

2.18 Community Officers can be removed from office by:

i) A two-thirds majority vote at a quorate meeting of the Union Parliament.

ii) A breach of the Institute’s disciplinary regulations on the grounds of gross misconduct resulting in exclusion from the Institute.

2.19 The regulations for a ballot to remove a member of the Executive from office shall be determined by the Returning Officer, within the limits of this constitution.

2.20 Any member of the Union Parliament or any other committee who has been absent from at least three successive ordinary meetings, without submitting apologies to the chair of the meeting, shall automatically be deemed to no longer hold office.

2.21 Any resignation must be in writing to the chair of the Union Parliament. Resignations shall take effect immediately, and be reported to the Union Parliament.

2.22 In the case of any vacancy arising a by-election shall be held in accordance with Schedule 1.0 (Election Regulations) of this constitution.

 

3.0 Students’ Union Code of Conduct

i) This Code of Conduct is approved by the Governing Board in accordance with the requirements of clause 22(3) of the Education Act 1994 which requires that the Governing Board shall take such steps as are reasonably practicable to secure that the Union operates in a fair and democratic manner and is accountable for its finances. The Code of Conduct should be read in conjunction with the constitution, schedules and appendices.

 

3.1 Constitution

i)  The Union shall have a written constitution, approved by the Governing Board and reviewed by the Governing Board at intervals of not more than five years. Any amendments to the constitution shall be approved by the Governing Board.

 

3.2 Elections

i) Appointment to major Union offices shall be by election in a vote in which all members of the Union are entitled to vote, in accordance with 1.6 (Voting Procedures) in Schedule 1.0 (Election Regulations) of the constitution.

ii) The Governing Board shall agree on the appointment of an independent Returning Officer to conduct the elections and shall satisfy itself that the elections to major Union offices are fairly and properly conducted.

 

3.3 Sabbatical Officers

i)  No person shall hold a sabbatical position in the Union office, or paid elected Union office, for more than two years in total.

 

3.4 Membership

i) All registered students of the Institute shall be members of the Union unless they choose to relinquish their rights of membership in accordance with the opt-out regulations contained in Appendix 1.0 of this constitution. Students shall be informed annually by the Union of the opting-out procedure and of the consequences of so doing. A student opting out of the Union shall not be unfairly disadvantaged with regard to the provision of services or otherwise, by reason of their having done so.

ii)  The consequences of opting out of membership shall be:

·         A student may not participate in any of the democratic processes of the Union.

·         A student shall not hold office in any club and society of the Union.

·         A student will not be represented by the Union.

 

3.5 Finances

i) The financial affairs of the Union shall be properly conducted in accordance with Schedule 4.0 (Financial Regulations) of the constitution and include appropriate arrangements for the approval of the Union’s budget and the monitoring of expenditure by the Governing Board.

ii) The annual accounts of the Union shall be made available to the Governing Board and to all students.

 

3.6 Allocation of resources to clubs, societies and groups

i) The procedure for allocating resources to clubs, societies and groups shall be fair in accordance with 2.1(Money for Clubs and Societies) in Schedule 2.0 (Clubs and Societies) of the constitution and shall be made available in writing to all students.

 

3.7 Affiliation to external organisations

i) Any decision to affiliate with an external organisation, such as the National Union of Students, shall be published, stating the name of the organisation and details of any subscription or similar fee paid or proposed to be paid, and of any donation made or proposed to be made to the organisation and any such notice shall be made available to all students, in accordance with Article 7.0 (Affiliations to External Organisations) and 4.11(Donations) in Schedule 4.0 (Financial Regulations) of this constitution.

ii) The Union shall, on an annual basis, publish a list of the external organisations to which the Union is currently affiliated and details of subscriptions or similar fees paid or donations made to such organisations in the past year, which shall be made available to the Governing Board and all students.

iii) The Union Parliament shall approve annually the list of affiliations. At least 30 members of the Union may, at intervals of not less than one year, by a signed requisition delivered to the President, call for a secret ballot of all members on the continuation of affiliation to a particular organisation in accordance with Article 7.0 (Affiliations to External Organisations).

 

3.8 Freedom of speech

i) The Union and its members are bound to observe the Institute’s code of practice in relation to freedom of speech as required by section 43 of the Education (No. 2) Act of 1986.

 

3.9 Complaints

i) The following complaints procedure shall be made available to all students or groups of students who are dissatisfied in their dealings with the Union or claim to be unfairly disadvantaged by reason of their having exercised their right to opt out of membership of the Union.

ii) Any complaint about the Union shall be addressed to the President. In any circumstances where the complaint relates to the President, it shall be addressed to the Vice President.

iii) The President shall make a written reply within ten Institute days.

iv) If the complainant is not satisfied with the response they may appeal to the Secretary of the Governing Body. The Secretary shall respond to the complainant within ten Institute days.

v) If the complainant remains unsatisfied with the response provided by the Secretary of the Governing Body, the Institute shall appoint an independent person to consider and resolve the complaint.

vi) Members who complain will also be referred to the mechanisms in this constitution to remove officers and change the policy of the Union.

 

4.0 The Courtauldian constitution

4.1 The Courtauldian

i) The Courtauldian is the property of The Courtauld Students Union (the Union).

ii) All editorial decisions rest with the Editor, ordinarily undertaken in consultation with the Editorial Committee (1.7).

iii) The Courtauldian will follow the Independent Press Standards Organization’s Editors’ Code of Practice (Appendix II).

iv) No current student of The Courtauld Institute of Art (the Institute) may be publicly identified by The Courtauldian, except by permission.

v) Staff of the Institute may be discussed freely, except where prevented by (1.0 iii).

vi) The Union and its incumbents may be discussed freely, except where prevented by (1.0 iii).

 

4.2  Appointment of Editorial Team

 

4.21 Appointment of Editor

i) The Editor is appointed by their predecessor and serves throughout one academic year.

ii) The Editor must be a current undergraduate enrolled at the Institute.

iii) The Editor may only be reappointed for a second year with the approval of the majority of the Editorial Committee (1.7).

 

4.22 Removal of the Editor

i) The Editor may resign with immediate effect.

ii) Should the Editor cease to be a student of the Institute, they will lose their post with immediate effect.

 

4.3 Votes of No Confidence

i) A Vote of No Confidence in the Editor may be passed by a simple majority of the Editorial Committee.

ii) A successful Vote of No Confidence must be approved by the Union President.

iii) If the Editor be removed by any means, the post is to be filled by the Deputy Editor (1.6) for the remainder of the academic year.

 

4.4 All other Editorial Team positions are to be filled by the incoming Editor.

 

4.5 The Deputy Editor

i) The role of Deputy Editor must be filled at all times.

ii) The Deputy Editor must be a current student enrolled at the Courtauld Institute of Art.

iii) The Editor may only remove the Deputy Editor with the approval of the Union President.

 

4.6 The Deputy Editor and Section Editors together constitute an Editorial Committee.

4.7 All other positions on the Editorial Team may be created and dissolved by the Editor as necessary.

4.8 All members of the Editorial Team may be appointed or dismissed by the Editor at any time.

 

5.0  Finances

 

5.1 The Courtauldian relies on the CSU for financial support.

5.2 The Union is bound by its own constitution to provide for The Courtauldian (2.7 (ii) Appendix I).

5.3 All expenses are to be claimed from the Union.

5.4 No member of the Editorial Team may receive remuneration from The Courtauldian, except reasonable expenses incurred when working for The Courtauldian with the prior agreement of the Editor.

5.5 The Courtauldian may not offer remuneration to any current member of the Institute (whether staff or student) for content.

5.6 Members of the Institute (whether staff or student) may only receive remuneration for professional services which would otherwise be outsourced.

5.7 This constitution may only be altered with the approval of the Union President, the Editor, and a majority of the Editorial Committee.

 

Appendix I – Courtauld Students Union Constitution, Section 2.7

 

2.7 ‘The Courtauldian’

i) There shall be an official Students’ Union publication published at the Courtauld, known here as The Courtauldian.

ii) The Courtauldian shall be funded by the Union, funding for which will be allocated at the beginning of the semester as outlined in this Schedule (Clubs and Societies).

iii) The content of The Courtauldian will be determined by the editor, who shall be elected in accordance with The Courtauldian’s constitution (Section 3, Appendix 4.0), and articles published in print or on its website may not necessarily reflect the views held by the Union.

iv) The Courtauldian will adhere to all society and club responsibilities outlined in this Schedule (Clubs and Societies).

 

Appendix II – Independent Press Standards Organization’s Editors’ Code of Practice

 

The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), as the regulator, is charged with enforcing the following Code of Practice, which was framed by the Editors’ Code of Practice Committee and is enshrined in the contractual agreement between IPSO and newspaper, magazine and electronic news publishers.

Preamble

The Code – including this preamble and the public interest exceptions below – sets the framework for the highest professional standards that members of the press subscribing to the Independent Press Standards Organisation have undertaken to maintain. It is the cornerstone of the system of voluntary self-regulation to which they have made a binding contractual commitment. It balances both the rights of the individual and the public’s right to know. To achieve that balance, it is essential that an agreed Code be honoured not only to the letter, but in the full spirit. It should be interpreted neither so narrowly as to compromise its commitment to respect the rights of the individual, nor so broadly that it infringes the fundamental right to freedom of expression – such as to inform, to be partisan, to challenge, shock, be satirical and to entertain – or prevents publication in the public interest. It is the responsibility of editors and publishers to apply the Code to editorial material in both printed and online versions of their publications. They should take care to ensure it is observed rigorously by all editorial staff and external contributors, including non-journalists. Editors must maintain in-house procedures to resolve complaints swiftly and, where required to do so, cooperate with IPSO. A publication subject to an adverse adjudication must publish it in full and with due prominence, as required by IPSO.

1. Accuracy

i) The Press must take care not to publish inaccurate, misleading or distorted information or images, including headlines not supported by the text.

ii) A significant inaccuracy, misleading statement or distortion must be corrected, promptly and with due prominence, and – where appropriate – an apology published. In cases involving IPSO, due prominence should be as required by the regulator.

iii) A fair opportunity to reply to significant inaccuracies should be given, when reasonably called for.

iv) The Press, while free to editorialise and campaign, must distinguish clearly between comment, conjecture and fact.

v) A publication must report fairly and accurately the outcome of an action for defamation to which it has been a party, unless an agreed settlement states otherwise, or an agreed statement is published.

 

2. *Privacy

i) Everyone is entitled to respect for his or her private and family life, home, health and correspondence, including digital communications.

ii) Editors will be expected to justify intrusions into any individual’s private life without consent. Account will be taken of the complainant’s own public disclosures of information.

iii) It is unacceptable to photograph individuals, without their consent, in public or private places where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy.

 

3. *Harassment

i) Journalists must not engage in intimidation, harassment or persistent pursuit.

ii) They must not persist in questioning, telephoning, pursuing or photographing individuals once asked to desist; nor remain on property when asked to leave and must not follow them. If requested, they must identify themselves and whom they represent.

iii) Editors must ensure these principles are observed by those working for them and take care not to use non-compliant material from other sources.

 

4. Intrusion into grief or shock

In cases involving personal grief or shock, enquiries and approaches must be made with sympathy and discretion and publication handled sensitively. These provisions should not restrict the right to report legal proceedings.

 

5. *Reporting suicide

When reporting suicide, to prevent simulative acts care should be taken to avoid excessive detail of the method used, while taking into account the media’s right to report legal proceedings.

 

6. *Children

i) All pupils should be free to complete their time at school without unnecessary intrusion.

ii) They must not be approached or photographed at school without permission of the school authorities.

iii) Children under 16 must not be interviewed or photographed on issues involving their own or another child’s welfare unless a custodial parent or similarly responsible adult consents.

iv) Children under 16 must not be paid for material involving their welfare, nor parents or guardians for material about their children or wards, unless it is clearly in the child’s interest.

v) Editors must not use the fame, notoriety or position of a parent or guardian as sole justification for publishing details of a child’s private life.

 

7. *Children in sex cases

1. The press must not, even if legally free to do so, identify children under 16 who are victims or witnesses in cases involving sex offences.

2. In any press report of a case involving a sexual offence against a child –

i) The child must not be identified.

ii) The adult may be identified.

iii) The word “incest” must not be used where a child victim might be identified.

iv) Care must be taken that nothing in the report implies the relationship between the accused and the child.

 

8. *Hospitals

i) Journalists must identify themselves and obtain permission from a responsible executive before entering non-public areas of hospitals or similar institutions to pursue enquiries.

ii) The restrictions on intruding into privacy are particularly relevant to enquiries about individuals in hospitals or similar institutions.

 

9. *Reporting of Crime

i) Relatives or friends of persons convicted or accused of crime should not generally be identified without their consent, unless they are genuinely relevant to the story.

ii) Particular regard should be paid to the potentially vulnerable position of children who witness, or are victims of, crime. This should not restrict the right to report legal proceedings.

 

10. *Clandestine devices and subterfuge

i) The press must not seek to obtain or publish material acquired by using hidden cameras or clandestine listening devices; or by intercepting private or mobile telephone calls, messages or emails; or by the unauthorised removal of documents or photographs; or by accessing digitally-held information without consent.

ii) Engaging in misrepresentation or subterfuge, including by agents or intermediaries, can generally be justified only in the public interest and then only when the material cannot be obtained by other means.

 

11. Victims of sexual assault

The press must not identify victims of sexual assault or publish material likely to contribute to such identification unless there is adequate justification and they are legally free to do so.

 

12. Discrimination

i) The press must avoid prejudicial or pejorative reference to an individual’s, race, colour, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation or to any physical or mental illness or disability.

ii) Details of an individual’s race, colour, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical or mental illness or disability must be avoided unless genuinely relevant to the story.

 

13. Financial journalism

i) Even where the law does not prohibit it, journalists must not use for their own profit financial information they receive in advance of its general publication, nor should they pass such information to others.

ii) They must not write about shares or securities in whose performance they know that they or their close families have a significant financial interest without disclosing the interest to the editor or financial editor.

iii) They must not buy or sell, either directly or through nominees or agents, shares or securities about which they have written recently or about which they intend to write in the near future.

 

14. Confidential sources

Journalists have a moral obligation to protect confidential sources of information.

 

15. Witness payments in criminal trials

i) No payment or offer of payment to a witness – or any person who may reasonably be expected to be called as a witness – should be made in any case once proceedings are active as defined by the Contempt of Court Act 1981. This prohibition lasts until the suspect has been freed unconditionally by police without charge or bail or the proceedings are otherwise discontinued; or has entered a guilty plea to the court; or, in the event of a not guilty plea, the court has announced its verdict.

*ii) Where proceedings are not yet active but are likely and foreseeable, editors must not make or offer payment to any person who may reasonably be expected to be called as a witness, unless the information concerned ought demonstrably to be published in the public interest and there is an over-riding need to make or promise payment for this to be done; and all reasonable steps have been taken to ensure no financial dealings influence the evidence those witnesses give. In no circumstances should such payment be conditional on the outcome of a trial.

*iii) Any payment or offer of payment made to a person later cited to give evidence in proceedings must be disclosed to the prosecution and defence. The witness must be advised of this requirement.

 

16. *Payment to criminals

i) Payment or offers of payment for stories, pictures or information which seek to exploit a particular crime or to glorify or glamorise crime in general, must not be made directly or via agents to convicted or confessed criminals or to their associates – who may include family, friends and colleagues.

ii) Editors invoking the public interest to justify payment or offers would need to demonstrate that there was good reason to believe the public interest would be served. If, despite payment, no public interest emerged, then the material should not be published.

 

The public interest

There may be exceptions to the clauses marked * where they can be demonstrated to be in the public interest.

 

1. The public interest includes, but is not confined to:

i. Detecting or exposing crime, or the threat of crime, or serious impropriety.

ii. Protecting public health or safety.

iii. Protecting the public from being misled by an action or statement of an individual or organisation.

iv. Disclosing a person or organisation’s failure or likely failure to comply with any obligation to which they are subject.

v. Disclosing a miscarriage of justice.

vi. Raising or contributing to a matter of public debate, including serious cases of impropriety, unethical conduct or incompetence concerning the public.

vii. Disclosing concealment, or likely concealment, of any of the above.

 

2. There is a public interest in freedom of expression itself.

3. The regulator will consider the extent to which material is already in the public domain or will or will become so.

4. Editors invoking the public interest will need to demonstrate that they reasonably believed publication – or journalistic activity taken with a view to publication – would both serve, and be proportionate to, the public interest and explain how they reached that decision at the time.

5. An exceptional public interest would need to be demonstrated to over-ride the normally paramount interests of children under 16.