Democratic procedures at the University of Lincoln’s Students’ Union are to be changed, after bye-law amendments were voted through at a student meeting last night.
The new bye-laws, which dictate how the union operates, include clarifications on terminology, as well as changes to SUggestions and petitions.
It also sees the number of students required to vote on motions at an All Student Members meeting (ASM) increased from 50 to 150.
If only 50 members are in attendance, then attendees can call for a motion to be taken to a referendum.
In a series of tweets on Twitter last night, SU President Kudzai Muzangaza said: “It’s important to make sure that the entire student body is aware and engaged in their Students’ Union. The new bye-laws will allow that.
“We’ve made it easier for students to improve their university and academic experience whilst also making sure big decision are open to all,” he said.
However, the motion was met with some criticism from members. Postgraduate student Bradley Allsop spoke against the proposal at the ASM last night, saying the motion passing ‘would destroy democracy at the university’.
He also said that the increase in quoracy from 50 to 150 would mean that ‘we will not get any policy passed ever again’.
Meanwhile one student, James, called for members to abstain from voting and said he was ‘somewhere in between [both] arguments’.
“This [the All Student Members meeting] was advertised well,” he said. “Where are the 150 people?”
James went on to add that he was ‘concerned that we would not get 150 people here every time’ and said the increase – which would represent just 1% of students – ‘isn’t a massive amount’.
Despite the opposition, the motion passed with 57 votes last night, in what SU staff said was the first quorate meeting in ‘ages’.
The last time students were able to vote on policies at an ASM was in March, when an emergency meeting was called in response to the SU’s decision against the Conservative Society.
The new bye-law amendments are available to view on the SU website.