Standing Orders

24 – 26 April 2009
Nottingham Britannia
Hotel, Nottingham

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 NUS LGBT CAMPAIGN CONFERENCE
STANDING ORDERS

1. Jargon Guide

LGBT Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans

NUS The National Union of Students (UK)
The Campaign The NUS LGBT Campaign
The Committee The NUS LGBT Committee
Steering Committee The Steering Committee of the Conference
Conference A meeting of the Conference of the Campaign
Caucus A meeting of the Conference for a specified
section of members
CM A Constituent Member (affiliated Union) of NUS
(UK)
Two-thirds majority Twice as many votes in favour as against, ignoring
abstentions.

2. The name of the Campaign shall be the NUS LGBT Campaign

2.1 Equality of Opportunity

The aims of the NUS LGBT campaign shall be pursued without regard to
race, sex, sexual orientation, sexual identity, disability, ethnic origin,
religion, age or creed, independent of any party political organisation or
religious body; but positive discrimination in favour of any disadvantaged
section of society shall be permissible.
Standing Orders
2.2 No Platform Policy

In pursuance of the aims of the campaign, any individuals or members of

organisation or groups known to hold racist or fascist views will not be
allowed to stand for election to any NUS LGBT campaign position, or
attend, speak or otherwise participate in NUS LGBT conferences, meetings
or any other NUS LGBT events, and LGBT committee members will not
share a public platform with an individual or member of a organisation or
group known to hold racist or fascist views.

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From time to time by ordinary resolution of conference policy a person or
organisation or group can be subject to the "No Platform" policy of NUS .
In this context no individual or member of any organisation or group
identified by the steering committee as being subject to "No Platform"
shall be able to stand for election to any NUS office, or attend, speak at or
otherwise participate in the Conference. A list of the individuals and
organisations or groups subject to "No Platform" shall be kept on record
by the National Secretary.

2.2 (a) Any Constituent Member or member of the Conference may

complain to the Steering Committee about the entitlement of a person to
be present at the Conference on the basis that they are currently subject
to "No Platform". Such a complaint may be made at any time before or
during the Conference. In this event the Steering Committee shall be
empowered at its absolute discretion to investigate the complaint and
then withhold or withdraw credentials to attend the Conference from any
person who, in its view, is currently subject to "No Platform"

2.2 (b) The Steering committee shall develop regulations for the
operation of these procedures to be approved as part of its report to
Conference

2.2 (c) Any student identified in this section as not being eligible to stand
for election at the conference shall be removed from the relevant and any
subsequent stages of the election process by the elections committee.

3. Conference Arrangements

3.1 Timing

3.1 (a) There shall be at least one Conference in each academic year. Not
more than fourteen (14) months shall lapse between Annual Conference
meetings.

3.1 (b) LGBT Conference shall be organised on dates recommended by

the LGBT Committee, who shall propose three (3) sets of dates in order of
preference.

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3.2 Notice

Notice shall be sent out to all Constituent Members at least three months
in advance of the Conference including motions and amendments
deadlines.

3.3 Members of the Conference

3.3 (a) Members of the Conference must be Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans
on a self-determining basis.

3.3 (b) Members with full voting and speaking rights:

(i) Members of the LGBT Committee

(ii) Delegates appointed by Constituent Members. Constituent
Member may appoint a maximum of two open place (2)
delegates and two women’s place (2) delegates.

3.3 (c) Members with speaking rights (who shall self-define as LGBT):

(i) Members of the NUS National Executive Committee

(ii) Women’s Committee members
(iii) Black Students’ Committee members
(iv) Anti-Racism Committee members
(v) Disabled Students’ Committee members
(vi) Members of the Steering Committee

3.3 (d) Members with limited speaking rights:

(i) Members of Elections Committee or their appointed agents

(ii) Members of Finance or Rules Revisions Committee, who
may speak on matters relating to the Committee of which
they are a member
(iii) Candidates for election to the posts of LGBT Officer,
Committee members or Steering Committee member.

3.4 Registration Fees

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The registration fee shall be set so that it is at a lower level for delegates
from Constituent Members in the Further Education Sector than for
delegates from Constituent Members in the Higher Education Sector. In
exceptional circumstances, the Steering Committee may waive the
registration fee.

3.5 The Agenda

3.5 (a) The LGBT Committee shall propose an agenda for the Conference
and the Steering Committee shall propose an order paper.

3.5 (b) The Agenda for the Annual LGBT Conference must include:

(i) Opening Remarks

(ii) Elections for LGBT Committee, the LGBT Officers and
Steering Committee
(iii) Reports submitted by LGBT Committee and the LGBT
Officers
(iv) Time to discuss motions
(v) Women’s Caucus
(vi) Bisexual Students’ Caucus
(vii) Black Students’ Caucus
(viii) Further Education Caucus
(ix) Disabled Students Caucus
(x) Trans Students’ Caucus

In addition, the Agenda for the Annual LGBT Conference may include:

(xi) Guest speakers

(xii) Workshop discussions
(xiii) Debates
(xiv) Additional caucuses requested by members of Conference
(xv) Training Sessions
(xvi) Any other business that the LGBT Committee may consider
appropriate

3.7 Facilities

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The Officers shall ensure that appropriate facilities shall be made available
at Conference, including the ability to run fringe meetings.

3.8 Disputes

3.8 (a) Grievances should, in the first instance, be brought to the

Steering Committee/nominated person, who will, in the first instance,
seek to determine if the parties can settle the matter informally.

3.8 (b) Issues relating to staff members shall be dealt with through the
Staff Protocol and must be directed to the NEC Officers.

3.8 (c) If the matter cannot be settled between the parties involved
informally, the formal grievance procedure shall be initiated. The person
who made the original complaint shall always have the right to decide
that this procedure should be started.

3.8 (d) The Disputes Team for the formal grievance procedure shall be as
follows:

(i) One (1) Open Place member of Steering Committee

(ii) One (1) Women’s Place member of Steering Committee
(iii) One (1) member of LGBT Committee

In the event of vacancies, whether due to conflict of interest or

absence, reservists shall be drawn from the membership of LGBT
Committee. The order in which they are to be drawn shall be
determined by lot prior to the start of Conference.

3.8 (e) If the formal grievance procedure is invoked, the Disputes Team
shall formally arbitrate the dispute by liaising with both the complainant
and the subject of the complaint, to ascertain the nature of the complaint
and any defence given by the person concerned. Both parties may
nominate someone to speak on their behalf if they wish. The Disputes
Team may call witnesses as necessary.

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3.8 (f) NUS Guidelines on the conduct of formal grievance cases shall be
followed.

3.8 (g) The Disputes Team must decide whether the Dispute is one that
requires confidential resolution. If all parties to the Dispute are in accord,
then confidentiality may be waived.

3.8 (h) In the case of matters not requiring confidentiality, the Disputes
Team shall report the outcome to the Conference, stating the case of all
parties and any action taken. No member of the Disputes Team may cast
a vote in any decision placed before Conference related to the matter.

3.8 (i) In the case of matters requiring confidentiality, the Disputes Team
shall make recommendations and take appropriate action in line with NUS
procedures.

3.8 (j) Should any party to the Dispute feel that the process has not
been properly followed, they may appeal to the Appeals Panel.

3.8 (k) The Appeals Panel shall be as follows:

(i) One (1) Open Place member of Steering Committee

(ii) One (1) Women’s Place member of Steering Committee
(iii) One (1) member of LGBT Committee

In the event of vacancies, whether due to conflict of interest or absence,

reservists shall be drawn from the membership of LGBT Committee. The
order in which they are to be drawn shall be determined by lot prior to the
start of Conference.

No person shall serve on both the Disputes Team and Appeals Panel.

3.8 (l)The Appeals Panel shall determine whether the correct procedure
was followed and if the Dispute was heard fairly. It shall have the power
to uphold the outcome, strike the outcome or demand a rehearing.

3.9 Ordinary Motions

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A guide to the motions process shall be produced and maintained by the
Steering Committee to enable easy understanding of the following.

Motions and amendments may be submitted in paper form or via email.

They should include the student numbers of the individuals submitting,
but these shall not be circulated.

3.9 (a) Submission of motions

The deadline for the submission of motions shall be no less than six (6)
weeks before the Conference, with the deadline falling on the nearest
Friday at 1 p.m. A Constituent Member or individual may submit no more
than one (1) motion per zone. The zones are;

• Education
• Society & Citizenship
• Strong and Active Unions
• Welfare & Student Rights

Ordinary motions containing more than five hundred (500) words shall be
ruled out of order by the Steering Committee, unless the motion is an
amendment to these Standing Orders.

At least four (4) weeks in advance of the Conference, the Steering

Committee shall send to all registered delegates a motions document that
shall include all motions not ruled out of order and with original headings,
allowing members of the Campaign to amend each motion if they choose.

In order to protect the identity of proposers of motions (and

amendments), the Steering Committee shall compile two identical
documents, one for publication to the membership with the proposers
kept anonymous, the other for circulation internally at Committee
meetings, the Conference and drafting commission meetings

3.9 (b) Amendments

Any Constituent Member or individual may submit no more than four (4)
amendments, with not more than one (1) amendment per Zone.

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Amendments may also be submitted to any other motions circulated,
including Steering Committee motions. The deadline for the submission of
amendments shall be at least three (3) weeks before Conference, with the
deadline falling at 1 p.m. on the closest Friday.

The rules for the submission of amendments shall be the same as those
for motions, except that amendments of more than three hundred (300)
words shall be ruled out of order unless they are amendments to the
Standing Orders.

3.9 (c) Compositing / Drafting Commissions

At the amendments deadline, compositing of motions and amendments

will take place. All those who have submitted motions or amendments
may attend or proxy their vote to another member of the LGBT
Campaign, otherwise their motions shall be deemed to be deleted. The
Chair shall be a member of Steering Committee. The composited motions
document shall be sent to all Constituent Members in advance of the
Conference.

Responsibility for deciding any matter not agreed by those attending the
composite shall rest with the Steering Committee, after an opportunity for
the members of the composite to give their opinions. Steering
Committee’s decision shall be final in all matters concerning the
composite.

3.9 (d) Order and inter-relationship of motions and amendments

The Steering Committee shall determine the order and inter-relationships

of motions and amendments. Before the start of debate on a motion, the
Steering Committee shall propose to the Conference the adoption of the
order and inter-relationships that it recommends. There shall be an
opportunity for a speech against. A simple majority of Conference shall be
required to approve the order and inter-relationships.

3.9 (e) Priority Ballot

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At Conference, the Steering Committee shall circulate a form on which
voting members of Conference may indicate the order in which they wish
the Zones and/or motions to be taken for discussion. The Steering
Committee shall count all the forms returned to it five hours prior to the
first motions session of Conference using the single transferable vote
system for a single-member seat. The motion ‘elected’ shall be the first
motion to be discussed. The next motion to be discussed shall be
determined by another single-member seat by single transferable vote
with first preference cast for the already elected motion being transferred
on the first stage to the next available preference. Successive single-
member seats shall determine the order of the priority of the remaining
motions.

3.10 Emergency Motions

Emergency motions, of not more than five hundred (500) words may be
submitted by any member of Conference or Constituent Member in writing
to the Steering Committee no later than 10 a.m. on the second day of
Conference.

An emergency motion is one whose substance concerns events occurring

after the latest date for the submission of ordinary motions for discussion
by the forthcoming meeting of Conference and for which it is essential to
pass if the Campaign is to function smoothly.

The Steering Committee shall rule in the first instance on whether any
proposed emergency motion meets the criteria for an emergency motion.
Such rulings shall be subject to challenge by a two-thirds majority of
Conference.

3.11 The Chair

The Chair of all meetings of the Conference shall be taken by an LGBT

Officer, a member of the LGBT Committee, or another person appointed
by her or him. A member of the Steering Committee shall take the Chair
during the consideration of reports. The Chair shall not exercise their vote
except in the instance of a casting vote.

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The Chair shall ensure that the meeting is in order, that remarks are
relevant to the question under debate, that speakers are not intimidated
by members of the Conference and that no defamatory remarks are made
by one member of Conference concerning another.

3.12 Procedure

3.12 (a) Points of order may be raised to ask for a Chair’s ruling or
interpretation or to address any other question relating to the procedure
of the meeting, to the Chair. Points of order have precedence over all
other business, but they may not be raised during a speech or a vote,
unless relating to the conduct of that vote.

Points of order shall have priority in the following order:

(i) a request for a ruling or interpretation

(ii) a request for a re-vote
(iii) any other point of order

3.12 (b) Procedural Motions

Procedural motions have precedence over all other business except point
of order and may not be raised during a speech or the course of a vote,
unless relating to the conduct of that vote. There shall be the following
procedural motions, which are listed in order of priority:

(i) That the meeting has no confidence in the Chair

(ii) That the Chair’s ruling be overturned
(iii) That a specified Standing Order be suspended for a
specified reason for a specified length of time.
(iv) That a vote be by secret ballot
(v) That a meeting be adjourned or closed
(vi) That a specified category of person be excluded from
Conference
(vii) That the question, as specified, be now put
(viii) That the question, as specified, be not put
(ix) To challenge the guillotine
(x) To challenge the order paper

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 (xi) That the question, as specified, be adjourned to later in the
same meeting or to a later meeting
(xii) That the question, as specified, be remitted to another
body or person
(xiii) That the question, as specified, be taken in parts

All procedural motions shall require the support of twenty-five (25)

delegates before being discussed. All procedural motions shall be voted on
after at least one speech in favour and one against, with the exception of
procedural motion (m).

Where procedural motion (m) gains the support of twenty-five (25)

delegates, there shall be a speech against the parts and a speech in
favour of the parts. The vote will decide whether these parts are passed.
If the parts that are passed are part of an amendment, they shall become
part of the substantive motion. If the parts that are passed are part of the
substantive motion on the final vote, they shall pass into policy. After
consideration of all such sets of parts, the remaining text of the
amendment or motion shall be voted upon.

The Chair shall be entitled to make the final speech in any motion of no
confidence in the Chair or any challenge to the Chair’s ruling.
A procedural motion to suspend a Standing Order shall require a two-
thirds majority. All other procedural motions shall require a simple
majority. Only one ordinary motion or amendment to it, or report motion,
may be debated at any one time.

3.13 Policy Lapse

At the beginning of each meeting of the Annual LGBT Conference the

LGBT Committee shall table those policies that have been in existence for
five (5) years and were last ratified under the standing orders five years
earlier. These shall be notified in advance and shall be prominently
displayed within the meeting room.

Unless an objection is raised these policies shall lapse at the end of the
last session of the Annual LGBT Conference. Objections to the lapse of

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any such policy shall be delivered to the NUS LGBT Steering Committee
by the start of the penultimate session of the morning.

During the last session of the Annual LGBT Conference, the Chair shall
invite a speech moving each objection and a speech against. The debate
shall be confined to whether or not the policy should lapse. The Chair
shall then move to a vote where a simple majority shall retain the policy.

4. The LGBT Committee

4.1 (a) Membership

The Committee shall be elected at the Annual LGBT Conference and shall
consist of the following voting members:

(i) Three (3) Open Place Representatives, elected by and from

the full Conference
(ii) Three (3) Women’s Place Representatives, elected by and
from the Women’s Caucus
(iii) One (1) Bisexual Representative, elected by and from the
Bisexual Students’ Caucus
(iv) One (1) Black Students Representative, elected by and
from the Black Students’ Caucus
(v) One (1) Further Education Representative, elected by and
from the Further Education Students’ Caucus
(vi) One (1) Disabled Students Representative, elected by and
from the Disabled Students’ Caucus
(vii) One (1) Trans Representative, elected by and from the
Trans Students’ Caucus

Elections of Committee posts which have more than 1 vacancy shall be

elected by the Single Transferable Vote System (STV)

All other elections shall be conducted via the Alternative Vote System
(AV).

4.1 (b) Job-shares

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Positions on the LGBT Committee shall not be open to a job-share unless
there are exceptional circumstances. In the case of exceptional
circumstances:

(i) LGBT steering has the authority to decide whether a

request for a job share has genuine reasons behind it.
(ii) All such decisions are to be made on an individual basis
taking into account guidelines that are to be reviewed
annually by the LGBT Committee. Note, the guidelines are
to be used for guidance only and are not prescriptive.

4.2 National Council Representative

The National Councilors for the Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Trans (LGBT)
Campaign shall be elected by and from the LGBT Committee by the
Alternative Vote System, and shall be a job-share, one of whom shall be a
woman, and that they shall have a report section at LGBT Conference for
reporting back on issues pertaining to National Council.

4.3 LGBT Committee Ex-Officio Members

The following shall be Ex-Officio members of the NUS UK LGBT

Committee, and have full voting and speaking rights:

(i) NUS LGBT Officer (Open Place)

(ii) NUS LGBT Officer (Women’s Place)
(iii) NUS-USI LGBT Officer
(iv) UCM Cymru LDHT Swyddog/ NUS Wales LGBT Officer
(v) NUS Scotland LGBT Officer

4.3 The LGBT Officers

(i) The Annual LGBT Conference shall elect a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual
and Trans student to the NUS National Executive Committee to
convene the Campaign.
(ii) The Women’s Caucus of the Annual LGBT Conference shall elect
a Lesbian or Bisexual Woman student to the National Executive
Committee to convene the Campaign.

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The LGBT Officers shall be elected by the alternate vote system.

4.4 Term of office

No individual shall serve more than two (2) terms of office as a member
of the Committee (in the same post) or as a Convenor.

4.5 (a) Accountability

Members of the Committee, the LGBT Officers and the National Council
Representative shall submit a written Report & Plan to each meeting of
Conference. Reports shall be circulated to all registered delegates with the
motions document. During the discussion of reports, a member of
Steering Committee shall take the Chair.

The deadline for reports shall be the same as for motions. No reports can
be accepted on the floor of Conference unless they have been submitted
in this manner.

Any member of the Conference present may move any of the following
report motions:

(i) A censure of the whole Committee, for a specified reason

(ii) A censure of a specified LGBT Officer, Committee member or
National Council Representative, for a specified reason
(iii) The reference back of a specified section of a specified report

4.5 (b) Motions of No Confidence

Motions of No Confidence in the LGBT Committee or LGBT Officers may be

submitted as ordinary motions or amendments, according to Standing
Order 3.9, except that such motions shall be tabled at the relevant report
session.

Votes of No Confidence in the LGBT Committee or LGBT Officers shall only

be of effect when passed by that body of Conference that elected that
individual.

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4.5 (c) Regional Responsibilities

Members of the Committee, the LGBT Officers or the National Council

Representative shall be accountable to regional meetings of Conference
for the discharging of their regional responsibilities, should they have
them. Delegates at Conference or Constituent Members may submit a
motion to remove the regional responsibilities of a specified member of
the Committee, LGBT Officer or the National Council Representative,
provided that their Constituent Member/Area Organisation falls within the
region for which the specified LGBT Committee member, LGBT Officer or
National Council Representative has responsibility. Such motions may be
submitted to the Steering Committee no later than 10 a.m. on the second
day of Conference. Steering Committee shall inform the relevant member
of the Committee, LGBT Officers or the National Council Representative if
such a motion is submitted. The discussion of such a motion shall take
place at a relevant regional meeting of Conference and will be chaired by
a member of the Steering Committee. Such a motion shall require a
simple majority.

4.6 Vacancies

If any member of the LGBT Committee resigns, or if a motion of No

Confidence is passed in any member of the Committee, then their position
shall be declared vacant. If the vacancy occurs during the Conference,
then it shall be filled at that Conference if possible. If the vacancy occurs
at any other time, it shall be filled at the next Conference. The Committee
may co-opt a person to fill a vacancy until such time as it is filled by
election at a Conference. Any person co-opted in this manner shall not
have a vote on the Committee.

5. The Steering Committee

There shall be a Steering Committee, which shall be responsible for the

smooth running of Conference. The Steering Committee shall draw up an
order paper for Conference, shall ensure that motions and amendments
are submitted according to these Standing Orders and shall authorise the
issuing of delegate credentials.

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The Steering Committee shall consist of five (5) members. Only individual
student members of NUS who self-define as Lesbian, Gay Bisexual or
Trans are eligible to stand for election to the Steering Committee. No
individual shall serve more than two (2) terms of office on the Steering
Committee. Members of the Steering Committee must not hold any other
political position within the Campaign.

Positions on the Steering Committee are open to a job-share of not more

than two (2) persons.

The quorum for Steering Committee shall be half of the voting

membership, rounded up to the nearest integer.

Steering Committee shall submit a joint report to the Annual LGBT

Conference meeting for distribution on the first day of Conference.

The Steering Committee shall be elected at the Annual LGBT Conference.

A term of office shall last for one (1) year.

The Steering Committee shall be elected from the full Conference by

single transferable vote, with the exception of two (2) places, which shall
be elected by the Women’s Caucus.

6. Amendments to these Standing Orders

6.1 These Standing Orders may be amended by a two-thirds majority

vote of the Conference; provided that the basic form of the
amendments was circulated with the Motions Document.

6.2 Emergency Motions may not seek to amend these Standing Orders,
except if submitted by the Steering Committee.

6.3 The Steering Committee shall be empowered to update these

Standing Orders, applying plain English after each meeting of the
Conference, and may make additional changes to ensure
compliance with the NUS Constitution.

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6.4 Amendments approved by the Conference shall not come into effect
until the Close of the Conference meeting at which they were
agreed, unless:

a) the Conference approves a motion proposed by either the

Steering Committee, the Elections Committee or the LGBT
Committee (or LGBT Officers), and

b) that this motion is approved by a two-thirds majority.

c) this enabling motion shall be submitted to the Steering

Committee immediately following the agreement to amend
the Standing Orders.

Amendments made by the Conference in April 2008

Updated by Steering Committee in January 2009

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