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Student Council

Student Council is the main representative forum of the Union.

It's made up of the Full-Time Student Officers, School Reps and other elected students from across the University.

These Councillors:

  • represent you and your views
  • decide what the Union should be working on
  • decide what position we take on local and global issues
  • hold the Student Officers to account

Any Queen's student can:

  • submit a motion or issue for discussion
  • submit a question for a Student Officer
  • attend meetings and speak during debates

Just note that only Councillors can vote on motions and submit and vote on amendments to the Students' Union's Constitution.

  • HOW COUNCIL WORKS

    We hold around 6 Student Council meetings every academic year.

    These meetings are open to all Queen's students, who can:

    • submit motions/issues in advance for discussion at the meeting
    • submit questions to the Student Officers
    • attend and speak during the debates at the meetings

    Only Councillors can vote on motions; and submit and vote on amendments to the Students' Union's Constitution.

    What's decided at Council meetings fall into two areas:

    1. Students' Union Policy
      When a motion passes at a Council Meeting, it becomes Students' Union Policy. This is what Council has agreed your Union should do for you, such as campaigning to change something on your course, campus, Union, in the University or the wider community. This could be like working with Queen's to increase library opening hours or lobbying politicians not to increase tuition fees.
    2. Students' Union Rules and Procedures
      When a constitutional amendment carries at a Council Meeting, it alters the Students' Union's Constitution, and in turn changes the way your Union works. This could be like how Clubs & Societies are run, how decisions are made and how you choose your Representatives.

    Once policy and constitutional amendments are agreed at these meetings, Council will assign them to a Student Officer or a Committee.

    It’s then up to Council to hold the Student Officers or Committees to account, to make sure they are working hard to achieve change.

  • COUNCIL MEETING DATES

    Council Dates for 24/25:

    • Tue 22 Oct 24 
    • Mon 11 Nov 24
    • Tue 03 Dec 24
    • Wed 22 Jan 24 
    • Thu 13 Feb 25 
    • Mon 24 Mar 25

    Any student can submit a motion or issue for discussion, or a question for one of the Student Officers in advance of the meeting.

    Plus, any student can attend a meeting and take part in the debates (just note that only Councillors can vote).

     

  • SUBMIT A MOTION OR ISSUE

    Email su.voice@qub.ac.uk at least five working days before the next Council meeting with the following information:

    • The title of your motion or issue
    • Detail of your motion or issue
    • Your name and student number
    • The name and student number of another Queen’s student who supports your motion
  • SUBMIT A QUESTION FOR A STUDENT OFFICER

    Email su.voice@qub.ac.uk at least five working days before the next Council meeting, with:

    • Which of the Student Officers your question is directed to
    • Your question
    • Your name and student number
    • The name and student number of another Queen’s student who supports your question
    • Whether or not you wish to remain anonymous

    The Student Officer must answer your question. If they aren't able to attend the Council Meeting, or are unable to reply, they must provide a written response within five working days following the meeting.

    Anyone who submits a question may also ask another question directly after their initial question is answered at a Council Meeting. This is known as a ‘supplementary question’ and doesn’t need to be submitted beforehand. This question can be used to make sure you clarify the answer to the first question or it can be used to ask a question on a completely different topic.

    If you don’t want to be identified you can ask an anonymous question. If Council deems an anonymous question to be inappropriate though it can excuse a Student Officer from answering the question. This stops the anonymous question process from being abused.

  • COUNCIL AGENDA
  • COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES

    Here are the minutes from the Council meetings which have taken place this academic year:

     

  • POLICIES

    Your Students’ Union’s policies are what you have agreed that your Union should do for you such as committing to doing things in a certain way or setting off on a mission to change stuff - either on your course, on your campus, in your Students’ Union, in the University, in your community, or in the world!

    Queen’s Students’ Union is run by you, for you. You are the boss - you decide what we do, when we do it, and where. Your Union is here to make the changes to the stuff that matters to you… so, before a Policy is decided we do lots of research and spend a lot of time talking to you to find out what you really, really want.

    Tick Tock - Policies Expire!

    Any policy that has lived for a year or more expires after the next Annual Business Meeting of Student Council. Student Council can prevent a policy from expiring by voting to keep the policy at the Annual Business Meeting.

    This auto-expiry system ensures that there is a list of active positions on issues and the work that we do remains fresh and relevant to you!

  • THE RULES

    The rules and structures of your Students’ Union are officially called the “The Constitution”.  Simply, the rules give us guidance as to:

    • What your Union stands for
    • What powers your Union has
    • How decisions are made in your Union and who makes them
    • Student Officer positions and their role
    • How Elections are run
    • How Clubs & Societies are run

    In everything we do, we do our best to ensure that the Rules of The Constitution are followed and that the spirit of The Constitution is upheld at all times.

    The current Students’ Union Constitution was agreed by Students’ Union Council and by you via an All-Student Vote. 

    If you have any questions, get in touch today… we’re happy to help!  

    The Rules

  • STUDENT OFFICER REPORTS

    The Full-Time Student Officers write reports every month, to update you on what they have been doing and how they have been working hard to represent you and your interests.

    You can view their reports here

  • ADDITIONAL INFO

    For further information on getting involved in Student Council or to learn more about how it all works, visit our Student Council Intranet Site.

SU Voice
SU Voice