Campaign Constitution

International Students’ Campaign

An OUSU Equal Opportunities Campaign

Constitution

Contents

A. Aim
B. Membership
C. Open Meetings
D. Executive
E. Elections
F. Motions and Campaigns
G. Miscellaneous

A.  Aim

A.1.  The principle aim of the International Students’ Campaign will be to represent and act in the interests of international students at the University of Oxford.

B.  Membership

B.1.  Eligibility for Membership

a. Members of the International Students’ Campaign must be members of Oxford University Student Union. Members do not have to be international students, but must have an interest in issues affecting international students.
b. A person may request to become a member of the Campaign at any time. Requests should be submitted to the Membership Secretary.
c. The VP Graduates and the Part-Time International Students Officer shall automatically be members.

B.2.  Rights of Membership

Members shall be allowed to vote in elections; participate in the making and execution of Campaign policy at open meetings; and run for Executive positions. Each member has one vote in open meetings and in elections for the Executive.

B.3.  Withdrawal of Membership

Members may withdraw from membership of the Campaign and from the mailing list at any time. Requests for withdrawal of membership must be submitted to the Membership Secretary.

B.4.  Revoking or Denial of Membership

The Executive may, by means of a unanimous vote, deny or revoke the membership of any member if they have good reason to believe that the person would be, or is, detrimental to the Campaign’s aims. Any person thus denied membership shall have the right to appeal against the decision to OUSU. This appeal must be made in the first instance by contacting the VP Graduates, who shall then initiate an investigation by the OUSU Executive.

C.  Open Meetings

C.1.  At least two open meetings shall be held per full term. These shall be called by the Chair(s) and publicized by the Membership Secretary at least one week in advance. All Executive Officers have an obligation to attend open meetings, unless their absence is wholly unavoidable, in which case they should send their apologies to the Chair(s).

C.2.  All motions must be received by the Chair(s) at least three days before an open meeting to be included on the agenda. The Chair(s) shall circulate the agenda to all members at least two days before an open meeting.

C.3. The Chair(s) shall preside over open meetings. In the absence of the Chair(s) the Membership Secretary shall take over the presiding role. If the Chair(s) and the Membership Secretary are both absent, the Treasurer shall chair the meeting. The general order of open meetings shall be as follows: ratification of previous minutes, reports, questions to the Executive, elections, motions, discussion of campaigns, any other business.

C.4.  Each member has one vote in open meetings. Voting is by simple majority, unless specified otherwise in the Constitution.

D.  Executive

D.1.  The Permanent Executive of the Campaign shall consist of the following officers: Chair or Co-Chairs, Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Social Secretary, Welfare Officer, Campaigns Officer and Publicity Officer. In addition, the Permanent Executive may elect Temporary Executive Officers, when appropriate to fulfill the aims of the Campaign.

D.2.  Qualifying for Executive Membership

Executive Officers shall be members of the International Students’ Campaign and shall be elected.

D.3.  Term of Office

The term of office of any member of the Permanent Executive shall be at most three terms, and of any member of the Temporary Executive one term. Any member may stand for the same position more than once.

D.4.  General Duties of all Executive Officers

a. All Executive Officers have an obligation to attend open meetings and executive meetings, unless their absence is wholly unavoidable, in which case they should send their apologies to the Chair(s).

b. All Executive Officers shall produce a short, written term report and submit it to the Membership Secretary by the end of 8th week each term.

c. All Executive Officers shall produce a full, written handover report at the end of their term of office.

d. All Executive Officers are volunteers and cannot be paid for their work for the International Students’ Campaign. They may, however, be recompensed for all expenses incurred through fulfilling their responsibilities, on production of receipts to the Treasurer. Expenses should be checked with the Treasurer beforehand.

e. The Executive shall jointly organize speakers, discussion meetings and other social and welfare events in the interest of international students.

D.5.  Specific Duties of Permanent Executive Officers
 
The following is a non-exhaustive list of the duties and responsibilities of the Permanent Executive.
   
a.  Chair or Co-Chairs
i. To call elections, and chair executive meetings and open meetings,
ii. To be responsible for the upholding of the Constitution,
iii. To be responsible for the general coordination of all Campaign activities,
iv. To attend OUSU Council meetings as the voting representative of the Campaign,
v. To work closely with the Campaigns Officer on taking motions to OUSU Council, when appropriate,
vi. To meet with the VP Graduates at least twice each term,
vii. To represent the Campaign within and outside the University of Oxford.

b. Treasurer
i. To keep the Campaign accounts,
ii. To report the status of accounts to the Executive at executive meetings,
iii. To implement a protocol for financial issues,
iv. To produce an account of all expenditure and activities and to bid for funds for the next academic year to the VP Finance by Friday, 5th week of Trinity term,
v. To authorize the expenditure of Executive Officers, which shall not exceed 10% of the Campaign’s yearly budget. Larger sums must be first approved, by a unanimous vote, of the Executive.
vi. To organize the fundraising activities of the Campaign, if necessary with the help of a Fundraising Committee organized and chaired by the Treasurer.

c. Membership Secretary
i. To maintain the membership list,
ii. To minute all meetings and circulate copies of the minutes to members,
iii. To publicize meetings and elections at least one week in advance,
iv. To compile a term report from Executive reports and submit it to the VP Graduates by end of 10th week each term,

d. Social Secretary
i. To organize social events, if necessary with the help of an Events Committee organized and chaired by the Social Secretary,
ii. To liaise with Common Rooms and national interest societies for joint events.

e. Welfare Officer
i. To organize events pertaining to welfare issues for members, if necessary with the help of a Welfare Committee organized and chaired by the Welfare Officer,
ii. To offer members information and advice relating to welfare and to ensure members are aware of resources and opportunities for them within and outside the University of Oxford,
iii. To work closely with the Campaigns Officer to raise awareness of welfare issues for international students,
iv. To liaise with other OUSU equal opportunities campaigns.

f. Campaigns Officer
i. To work closely with the Welfare Officer, and to liaise with other OUSU equal opportunities campaigns,
ii. To liaise with the Chair(s) on taking motions to Council, when appropriate,
iii. To draft motions and policy statements for the Campaign,
iv. To organize the activities for campaigns, proposed and carried in open meetings, by members,
v. To attend OUSU Council meetings with the Chair(s).

g. Publicity Officer
i. To work closely with the Social Secretary, Welfare Officer and Campaigns Officer on raising awareness of events organized by the Campaign,
ii. To design and distribute publicity materials for Campaign events,
iii. To maintain the Campaign website,
iv. To moderate the Campaign’s groups on social networking sites such as Facebook, among others.

D.6.  Executive Meetings

a. The Chair must call at least four executive meetings per full term. All Executive Officers have an obligation to attend executive meetings, unless their absence is wholly unavoidable, in which case they should send their apologies to the Chair(s).

b. The Chair(s) shall preside over executive meetings. In the absence of the Chair(s) the Membership Secretary shall chair executive meetings. If the Chair(s) and the Membership Secretary are both absent, the Treasurer shall take the presiding role.

c. Any member of the Executive can place an item on the agenda by emailing the Chair in advance. The Chair shall circulate the agenda to all Executive Officers at least one day before an executive meeting.

d. Each Executive Officer has one vote in executive meetings. The quorum for voting at an executive meeting is five Executive Officers. Voting is by simple majority, unless specified otherwise in the Constitution. If the vote is tied, where a motion or agenda item enjoys the support of the Chair(s), it shall be carried.

e. The Membership Secretary shall take minutes of executive meetings and circulate them to all Executive Officers, no later than five days after a meeting.

E.  Elections

E.1.  All Permanent Executive Officers shall be elected.

E.2.  Timing of Elections

Annual elections for all Executive positions shall take place in Hilary term. If an Executive Officer resigns before the end of the term to which he/she was elected, a by-election must be held to elect a replacement. A by-election may be held any time during full term.

E.3.  Returning Officers

There shall be two Returning Officers responsible for the conduct of elections. A candidate in an election cannot act as a Returning Officer for that election. Returning Officers must be members of the Campaign. The Returning Officers shall be the first two individuals on the following list, who are eligible and able to act as Returning Officers: the Chair(s), the Membership Secretary, the Treasurer, the Social Secretary, the Welfare Officer, the Campaigns Officer, the Publicity Officer, any member of the Campaign elected for this purpose by the Executive.

E.4.  Notice of Elections

The Membership Secretary shall publicize elections at least one week in advance of the opening of nominations on Friday, 4th week of Trinity term.

E.5.  Procedure for Elections of the Permanent Executive

a. The process for elections shall begin with the opening of nominations on Friday, 4th week of Hilary term. Nominations should include the name of the candidate, the position for which he/she wishes to stand, the name of another member who seconds the candidate’s nomination and the date of the nomination. Nominations must be received by one or both Returning Officers no later than Friday, 5th week of Hilary term.
i. Candidates may nominate themselves.
ii. No candidate may stand for election to more than one position in an election.

b. The Returning Officers shall notify members of the list of candidates and the date for hustings, no later than the Sunday following the deadline for nominations. Hustings shall be chaired by the Returning Officers and held in 6th week of Hilary term in an open meeting of the Campaign.

c. Balloting shall open on Monday, 7th week of Hilary term and close on the following Friday.

d. After balloting closes, the Returning Officers must count the votes in the presence of the VP Graduates, the Part-Time International Students Officer or any other member of the OUSU Executive. The candidate winning a majority of votes is elected. Members must be notified of the result within 24 hours of the close of balloting.

e. If no candidates are nominated for a position, by-elections must be held no later than 2nd week of the following Trinity term.

E.6.  Handover

New Executive Officers shall start their terms in July. Each Executive Officer shall receive a full handover report from their predecessor, no later than one week after the start of their term.

F.  Motions and Campaigns

F.1.   Motions must be submitted in writing to the Chair(s) at least three days in advance of an open meeting to be included on the agenda. Any member may submit a motion. Each motion must bear the names and signatures of two members (as proposer and seconder, respectively, of the motion). Motions shall be included in the agenda, which the Chair(s) shall circulate at least two days in advance of an open meeting.

F.2.  Campaigns may be proposed in a motion.

F.3.   Amendments may be proposed to a motion, amended motion or proposed amendment.

F.4.  Voting on motions, except on special motions, is by simple majority.

F.5.  Special motions must be carried by a two-thirds majority. The following motions must be submitted as special motions: a motion to amend the Constitution, a motion of no confidence in any Executive Officer.

G.  Miscellaneous

G.1.   If there are any disputes or complaints, an appeal must be made in the first instance by contacting the VP Graduates, who shall then initiate an investigation by the OUSU Executive.