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► Independent Chairs
Independent Chairs
As a democratic membership organisation the values of impartiality and accountability are very important to the Students’ Union, and the Office of Independent Chairs exists to ensure that there are checks and balances within the system. The Independent Chairs sit above and aside from the rest of the elected positions and are responsible for monitoring the correct procedure of meetings and appropriate conduct of the elected members. They provide a route of scrutiny and oversight for ordinary students, and have the authority to make decisions and rulings on items under discussion, and have responsibility for running impartial complaints procedures and overseeing disciplinary matters concerning elected officials if the need arises.
There are three Independent Chair positions, each of which are elected by open ballot from across all campuses and sites and any student who is not already holding an official position within the Students’ Union can stand for them. By official position we mean any other elected Students’ Union role and also being chair of a Student Forum or on the executive of an affiliated activity group, however we also include being a paid member of Union student staff. The reason why the Independent Chairs’ cannot hold any other office is so that as far as possible we can try to ensure that the holders of these positions are neutral and exercise their powers beyond any clear conflict of interest.
The Independent Chairs are important central positions, and between the three post holders they are expected to oversee the running of the ‘highest’ non-Trustee based Union meetings, namely the General Meeting (or Union Council) and the specialist Academic Assembly, Activities Assembly, Inclusion Assembly and Campaigns Assembly. All of these whole-Union meetings will usually be held via Video Conference and specialist training will be provided and the time commitment in preparing and running these meetings is envisaged as being equal with other volunteer part time elected officials.
Independent Chairs who are comfortable with procedures and regulations are much more likely to excel in this role, although being able to interact with and when necessary take charge of large meetings are also key skills. Prior knowledge of the democratic systems of the Union are not required, nor is previous experience of chairing meetings, as specialist training will be given in these areas.
The Office of Independent Chairs (which is purely the collective name for these three positions) will eventually be expected to manage its own affairs and look to elect positions on a rolling basis of overlapping two year terms, but in this first year the roles are being elected for a one year term only and the Office of Independent Chairs will be asked to review this in their first year.
The full role description for the Independent Chair as it is currently defined in the proposed policy documents is as follows:
There shall be 3 Independent Chairs and they shall each:
i) Be a member of the Office of Independent Chairs, exclusive of:
a) any other Students’ Union official position;
b) being chair or executive membership of any affiliated activity group;
c) being a paid member of Union staff;
ii) Through the Office of Independent Chairs be jointly responsible with the other occupiers of the position for the convening, chairing and administration of all global Students’ Union Assemblies including:
a) General Meeting (including Annual General Meeting and Emergency General Meetings);
b) Activities Assembly;
c) Inclusion Assembly;
d) Campaigns Assembly;
e) Academic Assembly;
iii) Ensure that the letter and spirit of the Students’ Union Constitution and Policies are adhered to in all Students' Union meetings;
iv) Assist the Sabbatical Officers and other Students' Union officials in organising and chairing Campus level Groups and meetings;
v) Ensure the views and opinions of the members, as enshrined in the appropriate democratic mechanisms, are carried through the representative hierarchy structures and that the students of all Campuses and Sites have every opportunity to engage in said structures;
vi) Exercise their impartial judgement to ensure that the business directed to and handled by each Assembly or meeting is appropriate to the scope and remit of that meeting;
vii) Through the auspices of the Office of Independent Chairs publicise and when necessary oversee the accountability and scrutiny mechanisms of the Students' Union;
viii) With the other holders of the post be a neutral and unbiased investigator for Students' Union scrutiny and, if necessary disciplinary, procedures within the appropriate policies and principles of fair dealing and natural justice;
ix) In conjunction with the appropriate Sabbatical and Group Chair provide general support to all Union Groups and Teams.
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