Rules for Referenda

What are the rules for the Referenda in the Bye-Laws?

19. A Referendum may be called on any issue by:

19.1 a resolution of the Trustees;

19.2 a majority vote of the Executive Committee;

or 19.3 a Secure Petition signed by at least 200 Members.

20. Subject to Clause 14.2, a resolution may only be passed by Referendum if at least 200 Members cast a vote in the Referendum and a simple majority of the votes cast are in favour of the resolution.

21. Referenda shall be conducted in accordance with this Constitution and the Bye-Laws. 22. Subject to Clause 60, the Members may set Policy by Referenda. Policy set by Referenda may overturn Policy set either by the Members in general meeting or by the Student Executive.

For a full list of our constitution, bye-laws and more information on KUSU Governance, go to:http://www.kusu.co.uk/your-kusu

Who will be in charge of the rules?

This referendum is being Deputy Returned by KUSU staff member Natalie Forrester. She will be in charge of complaints, rules and procedures throughout the duration of the referendum. In addition, Alison Chapel, Director of NUS Charitable services, will act as the Returning Officer for the referendum.

The Returning Officer will be supported by a Deputy Returning Officer who will oversee day to day referendum activity and the “Referendum Group” will help investigates any complaints or other issues as required by the Returning Officer. The Returning Officer will have the final ruling on all issues related to the referendums.

The “Referendum Group” will include a member of the University Student Services management team, the Returning Officer (Alison Chapel) and a member of the KUSU Senior Management Team.

Candidate BehaviourBehaviour of candidates will be managed via both “referendum rules” and “standing rules” for the referendum (Union bye-laws, University regulations and the law). As a rule of thumb – if any behaviour would be unacceptable the rest of the time, it is unacceptable as part of the referendums.

Referendum rulesExpenditure

Expenditure must not exceed £150 for the campaign for either side of the campaign team and this money will be reimbursed to students from KUSU

Both parties must be allowed a fair and equal opportunity to promote their side of the referendum

All printed publicity must be approved in advance by the Deputy Returning Officer Publicity and all forms of campaigning (including all social media) must not be used in a way

that a reasonable person would see as a breach of University bullying and harassment or other existing rules. A breach will result in investigation and possible sanctions up to and including disqualification as well as any additional sanctions applied by the University.

Standing rules Any behaviour linked to the referendum which breaches any of the Union’s byelaws, the law

and University regulations (for example, but not limited to: equal opportunities, bullying and harassment, data regulations etc) will be referred to the Returning Officer for possible sanctions up to and including disqualification.

The Returning Officer will rule on breaches referendum regulations and refer breaches of Union, University regulations and the law to appropriate persons for investigation.

In the latter case any referendum results will be delayed until the University have investigated the complaint and ruled on the future eligibility of the candidate

Complaints, Sanctions and Appeals All complaints must be made in writing in the first instance to the Deputy Returning Officer

who will then decide the appropriate way of dealing with the complaint Vexatious complaints will be dealt with as a breach of referendum rules Sanctions in the case of an upheld complaint may be applied up to and including

disqualification. Appeals against the decisions of the Returning Officer and “Referendum Group” can be

made via the Office of the Dean of Students