The RGU:Union Annual General Meeting takes place on Thursday 19th March in the Riverside East Ampitheatre @ 4.30pm.
All matriculated students of RGU are voting members and are welcome! Come along and run your students’ union.
Motions can now be submitted for the AGM until 2pm on Friday 13th March @ 2pm. Check out all the details below for submitting a motion.
What is the AGM?
The Annual General Meeting (AGM for short) is a big meeting of students normally held once a year where the elected students’ union officers (Presidents and VPs) can update the students on its successes, priorities and activities. Students also get to ask questions and approve the unions financial information.
It is also the place where students have their say on the policies of the students’ union.
What do we do at an AGM?
The AGM gives students the power to run their students’ union. As well as an update to the members of what the union is doing, the AGM exists to allow students to submit motions to the Union. Motions, if voted and approved by the students, shape the policies of the Students’ Union.
Am I a voting member?
Every matriculated student at RGU is automatically an ordinary member of RGU:Union, unless you have contacted us to tell us you don’t want to be, and every ordinary member has the right to vote.
Motions Guidance
What is a motion?
A motion is a line of text submitted by you to shape the policies of RGU:Union.
Motions are there to make a difference for students. It normally mandates the union to either do something, lobby something or support something. E.g. lobby for improved catering facilities at university, for the students’ union to support a global environmental campaign or to become a living wage employer.
As long as it affects students, and we can do something about it, it can be proposed.
How do I submit a motion?
A motion is submitted with name of two people – someone to put it forward, and someone to back them up (the seconder). The motion should not exceed 1,000 words and should be submitted to agm@rguunion.co.uk with your name, student number and course.
These will be published a week before the AGM, and students will have the opportunity to suggest changes to your motion prior to the event.
How do I write a motion?
You should submit the motion with a title, and the details should be under three headings:
AGM believes, AGM further believes and AGM resolves
Motion title: Sometimes motion titles include puns or catchphrases, but more often than not they are simply a factual description of the topic of the motion.
e.g. ‘Take action on rent.’
AGM believes: What is the background?
e.g. – ‘The average rent price in Aberdeen is over £1,000 and well above the Scottish average.’ and ‘Rent in the North East is rising faster than anywhere else in Scotland.’
AGM further believes: What beliefs motivate the actions you propose?
e.g. – ‘RGU:Union should be taking action on rent to ensure that students’ are able to find safe, fair and affordable accommodation.’
AGM resolves: What should RGU:Union do?
e.g. ‘RGU:Union should affiliate to the ‘Living Rent Campaign’ to campaign for rent controls in Scotland’ and ‘The RGU:Union executive should be mandated to work with the third sector to represent student tenants.’
What happens once my motion has been accepted?
The student body will consider your motion at the AGM and you will have the opportunity to stand up for two minutes to tell students why they should support your motion. Your backer may also get the opportunity to do the same.
If any student has submitted amendments (changes) to your motion, these will be considered.
Students will have the opportunity to then argue against the motion and there may be a short debate.
After enough voices have been heard, the proposer may use the opportunity to sum up the motion and it is then voted on by the students present. If passed, the motion is endorsed by the AGM and becomes RGU:Union policy.
Deadline for motions
All motions must be submitted to agm@rguunion.co.uk with you and your backers name and course by 2pm on Friday 13th March 2015.
Please do not hesitate to contact prescd@rguunion.co.uk if you want any further guidance, more information on motions or AGM.
Further info
AGM Workshop: There will be an AGM workshop on Tuesday 17th March in room N241, at the back atrium of the Riverside East. This will be a brief optional session that runs through the procedures of the AGM. These events can sometimes seem complex to first-time students, so this explains the whole process! The session will include sample motion debates for any students who may want an experience of proposing and arguing on behalf of motions.
Further info on the AGM, including the full agenda will be released shortly.