EUSA: governance, democracy & representation

1. EUSA: governance, democracy & representation Sarah Purves; Acting Director (Representation, Student Support and Activities) Alex Munyard; Vice-President Academic Affairs Edinburgh University Students’ Association

2. Overview • Organisational governance • Student democracy framework • Student Representation • Elections • Referenda: membership decision-making • Relationship with national representation frameworks • Impact of representation and engagement • Challenges

3. History • The 1889 Universities (Scotland) Act made provision for universities to establish structures for student representation. • The University Court (Edinburgh University governing body) recognises EUSA as the official body that represents Edinburgh University Students. (through formal regulations made in 1895) • The UK Education Act (1994) sets out very clear responsibilities for Universities and makes provision for Student Union recognition.

4. EUSA’s Organisational governance 1. Constitution: ‘Articles and memorandum of Association’ Sets out the legal framework for EUSA: it’s purpose and scope it’s membership what it can and can’t do what the governing body is and how it should operate: Trustee Board 2. ‘Regulations’: set out detail of particular aspects of our operation, and can be changed more easily to reflect changes within or outside the organisation 3. Delegation of Authority: sets out the responsibilities the Board delegates to it’s subcommittees, and to the Association’s staff.

5. Organisational governance EUSA’s Trustee Board Responsible for: • legal and financial health of the organisation. • That good governance processes exist and that good processes and structures are in place for the day to day running of the organisation • Strategic direction of the organisation • Carrying out legal duties under Scottish charity legislation: including submitting accounts. • 4 sabbatical officers, 5 other elected students, 3 appointed External Trustees (appointed for skills and experience)

6. Organisational Governance • The Board has established subcommittees to process business efficiently • Our ‘Delegation of Authority’ document makes responsibilities clear.

7. Student Democracy: Elected sabbatical officers • Current students • Take a year out of their studies to work at EUSA and lead the organisation • Supported by professional staff for continuity and expertise in day to day running of the organisation. • Paid – the University funds these roles • Training and support – they build up experience and knowledge and these positions are well-respected within the institution • Some universities have part-time sabbatical posts – who participate in the union and study at the same time.

8. Student Democracy at EUSA Student Council To debate and set policy To agree how the budget should be spent Represent groups with specific needs Plan campaigns and carry them out Where students discuss school-related issues & influence local activity: mainly but not exclusively academic in focus. Student Section Groups Liberation Groups Welfare Committee External Committee Class Reps Academic Committee Schools Councils

9. Student representatives – what our student council looks like.

10. Representation to the University Centrally: • Students are well represented and their input is valued and respected on university level committees • This has taken time to establish and was more challenging in the corporate/behind the scenes areas (e.g estates management etc) • EUSA has worked with the university to increase the number of places where the student voice is included • EUSA provides briefing and training, and we help our reps develop positive working relationships with key university academic, management and administrative staff. • New initiatives and project groups always include students

11. Representation in a devolved institution • Formal Committee structures at School and College level include spaces for student representatives. • At course level - class reps represent the views of students to their teachers and course management team • Formal recognition and acceptance of this system by University Senate was key. • EUSA provides training and support for these reps – working in partnership with SPARQS. • New for 2013-14! School councils project: EUSA provides dedicated staff support for students to shape local mechanisms to shape policy and practice at School level

12. Elections • General election: in March • By-election: in October – to enable new 1st years to participate, and to fill any seats not filled in March • Students must collect signatures of students backing them before they can submit their nomination. • Need clear and simple rules

13. Elections • Online voting – verified using student membership data from the university. • Single transferable vote system. • Any student can vote – except for School positions where you must be in that school. • We provide a budget for candidates so they can publicise their campaign. • We have an Assistant Returning Officer who works for EUSA to run the election, and NUS provide a Returning Officer to verify the process

14. Referenda • Direct democratic engagement with our members • Our mechanism for ANY students/members to submit policy, and ALL students can vote. • Students must collect 500 signatures supporting their motion, and then we will hold a referendum. • Replaced ‘General Meeting’ as the ultimate decision-making body, as it got harder to get enough students to attend in person. • Policy is binding on EUSA unless it is ruled by the Trustee Board to be not in the best interests of the organisation’s financial/legal stability. • We now run this using the same system as our elections. • Referenda is also the only way in which we can change our Constitution.

15. National representation • We elect students in cross-campus elections to represent the Edinburgh voice within NUS Scotland and NUS UK • NUS provides training and support for student reps, and opportunities for reps to run for national positions • We participate in the formation of national policy, and come together with students from all over the UK to campaign on issues • Higher Education funding • International students and immigration • Sexism on campus • Better mental health provision

16. Impact of student representation and engagement by EUSA • Longer library opening hours • Preventing £3000 fee rises for students studying abroad • Getting our university to change it’s system of academic support for students • Investment in student union buildings and facilities • Getting our university to change it’s investment policy, and withdraw investment from particular companies • Free drinking water on campus • Anonymous marking

17. Challenges: thinking about new structures • Find out how students want to engage • On what sorts of issues? • When do they want to engage? • What sort of student union do your students want? What should it’s scope be? • Support your students in developing the structures: who will champion this work at different levels within the institution? • We have struggled to engage Postgraduate students, and participation in structured meetings has declined as student finances/student life has changed. • For us, we’ve discovered that a lot of students care about what’s going on on their course or in their school – so our School Councils get great attendance whilst Student Council can be variable.