Oversight and Complaints: 

  1. The Union’s Returning Officer is Jeanette Pegler, the Deputy Returning Officer for Camden Council. They oversee the fair conduct of the referendum, interpret the Bye-Laws and referendum rules to rule on complaints and oversee the count of the referendum.  
  2. Any complaints about the referendum process or the conduct of students must be made no later than 13:00 on Friday 8 May via this webform -https://studentsunionucl.org/forms/nus-referendum-complaint-form. 
  3. Complaints will initially be reviewed by the Representation and Democracy Team. 
  4. The Deputy Returning Officer, Simon To (Director of Policy, Governance and Advocacy), in consultation with the Returning Officer as appropriate, shall make a ruling on the matter within two term days of receipt of the complaint. They may give the individual the right of reply before making a ruling. 
  5. Students must follow all UCL and Union guidelines, procedures and rules. If any identifiable UCL student violates said guidelines, procedures and/or rules; they will face disciplinary action via the Union’s disciplinary process as outlined in the Bye-Laws. 
  6. The Union may take any of the following disciplinary action should a referendum rule be broken, this is including but not limited to: 
    a. Written warning.
    b. Ban on campaigning for a designated length of time, depending on the severity of the infraction. 
    c. Referral to the Union’s disciplinary procedure. 

Campaigning: 

  1. No campaigning can take place before Monday 27 April at 09:00. This includes websites, Instagram profiles, in-person campaigning etc. 
  2. Only UCL students can campaign on campus as part of the referendum. 
  3. Students can express an interest in being part of a campaign team by complete this webform. The deadline to express an interest in being part of a campaign team will close on Monday 13 April at 12:00.
  4. Campaigners will be expected to attend a Campaigner’s Briefing on Wednesday 15 April, where campaigning leads will be appointed.
  5. Campaigning leads will be able to submit their artwork for approval by Friday 17 April at 09:00. They will then be checked for validity and shared with the Union’s official supplier for printing.
  6. Each campaign team will be allocated a budget of £250 and can submit any additional expenses accrued via this webform to be reimbursed following Vote Week.
  7. An open meeting will take place on Wednesday 29 April where the campaign teams will be formally announced to the student body.
  8. Only members of campaign teams can submit expenses claims.
  9. Students must not remove or damage any campaigning materials. 
  10. Students cannot pay other students to campaign or to vote. 
  11. Students must follow the Union’s data protection guidance. As part of this guidance, students must not send unsolicited communication to individual students without their consent. 
  12. Students may criticise the opposing side’s campaigning, including reasons for/against remaining affiliated with NUS. However, this criticism must never be personal. 
  13. Students must not: 
    a. Intimidate any participant in the referendum, whether that be student, staff, member of the public, Union Officer or anyone else.  
    b. Deliberately sabotage any campaign. 
    c. Deface any campaigning materials.  
    d. Make any attempt to influence the impartiality of the Returning Officer or Union staff. 
    e. Permanently damage any Students’ Union or UCL area or property. 
  14. If a candidate or any of their supporters are currently, or have previously been, a Union Officer, volunteer, Union network, club or society committee member or staff member - they must not use any facilities or communication methods that are not available to all candidates for the purpose of campaigning. 
  15. Campaign teams  are responsible for removing their campaigning material after the voting period concludes. 

Voting: 

  1. No member shall have more than one vote.  
  2. Quorum for the referendum to be valid is 5% of the total membership of the Union. 
  3. All voting shall be done by secret ballot and students will have the option to ‘abstain’. 
  4. Students must not make any unsolicited offer to provide a device for a voter to cast a vote on. 
Last updated 1 week ago