HUU Referendum Rules & Regulations Section 1. Guiding Principles. The rules and regulations for the HUU referendum are designed as guidance on how to get involved. We have developed these rules with the ambitions that: • Participating in the referendum should be open to all students on an equal basis; • Information for voters should be full, transparent, and accurate; and • Campaigning should not cause nuisance to voters or to members of the University or local community.
Section 2. General Information. 2.1 Question. The question for the referendum shall be as follows: Should HUU lobby the University of Hull to abolish Faculty Hubs and restore Departmental Offices or not?
HUU should lobby the University of Hull to abolish Faculty Hubs and restore Departmental Offices
HUU should not lobby the University of Hull to abolish Faculty Hubs and restore Departmental Offices
Spoilt Ballot
2.2 Election of campaign spokespeople. A spokesperson for each campaign team will be elected at the AGM on Thursday 26th April 6pm in Meeting Room 3, Student Central. Proxy-nominations are allowed and must be submitted to the Returning Officer Team by Thursday 26th April, 3pm. The length of nomination speeches should not exceed two minutes. 2.3 Debate. An open debate will be held on Tuesday 15th May, 6pm in Asylum. Each campaign team may invite an external speaker to the debate. The event will only be open to registered students at the University of Hull.
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Section 3. Voting. 3.1. Voting method. Voting shall be conducted online. Each student shall have one vote. The vote shall be calculated by a simple majority vote of all voting members. 3.2 Quorum. In line with HUU’s Memorandum & Articles of the Association this referendum must reach a quoracy level of 5% of FTE members, therefore the quoracy level in this referendum shall be 732 votes. 3.2 Timing. Voting opens at 9am on Wednesday 16th May 2018. Voting closes at 5pm, Thursday 17th May 2018. 3.3 Process. No one may interfere in anyway with the voting process of another student. 3.4 Results. Results will published on the HUU website.
Section 4. Campaigning. 4.1 Definition. Any student may campaign as long as they are a registered student at the University of Hull and a full member of Hull University Union. Campaigning is understood as any activity or action that is used to promote either side of the referendum. 4.2 Positive Campaigning. Campaigning is limited to positive use only. Campaign team members may question and criticise the other side’s policies but must not refer to individuals running the campaign. Campaigning must be undertaken in a responsible and respectful manner. 4.3 Timing. Campaign teams may start to campaign once the notice calling for the referendum has been released. 4.4 Liability. Campaign spokespeople are liable for their campaign and publicity. Campaign teams must not bring Hull University Union or the University of Hull into disrepute. 4.5 HUU premises. No Sabbatical offices may be used for the storage, assembly or display of publicity material. 4.7 Campaign Teams:
Anyone distributing publicity or campaign material, or actively encouraging other students to vote in a specific way, will be classed as a campaign team member. The campaign spokesperson is responsible for the conduct of their campaign team. The campaign spokesperson is responsible for briefing their campaign team on the rules. Campaign team members must be full members of HUU.
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Campaigning online is subject to the same rules as any other campaigning activity. No campaign team may use any society, departmental, or any other mailing list to harvest email addresses, phone numbers, or any other data for campaign purposes. If something unacceptable is posted online by a campaign team member or anyone associated with the campaign it must be removed within 1 hour.
4.11 Location. Campaigning is permitted across campus, but is not allowed in any designated study areas. Campaign teams must seek permission from the relevant authority to put up campaign material in advance. 4.12 Neutrality. All HUU employees (excluding Student Officers) must remain neutral throughout the elections period whilst performing their duties.
Section 5. Publicity. 5.1 Definition. Any material that is used to promote either campaign is understood as publicity. 5.2 Display. Campaign publicity can be displayed on any public noticeboard across campus. No student is to interfere with any campaign publicity without the campaign team’s approval. 5.3 Removal of publicity. All publicity must be taken down by Thursday 17th May 2018, 7pm. Campaign teams will be charged for any costs incurred. 5.4 Budget. All purchases related to publicity material need to be recorded and counted towards each campaign team’s budget. Each campaign team may spend up to £200. 5.5 Reimbursement. Campaign teams will be reimbursed their full budget of £200. A claim form with all accompanying receipts must be submitted to the Returning Officer team before 12 noon on Thursday 17th May 2018. 5.6 Content. No publicity shall contain any reference to an individual. No publicity shall contain any offensive or threatening language or content. The Returning Officer team reserves the right to remove any offensive publicity. Each printed poster and flyer must contain the date of the voting period (16-17 May 2018). 5.7 Unfair advantage prohibited. Any campaign material provided to campaign teams by third parties must be accounted for in the budget. Material provided for free will be budgeted for at a standard rate at the discretion of the Returning Officer Team but not reimbursed. 5.8 Illegal activity. Campaign teams must, under no circumstances, illegally ‘fly-poster’. Hull University Union accepts no responsibility for the distribution of publicity.
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5.9 Edible Goods. All costs of production and/or purchase of any edible goods (e.g. cakes or sweets) must be deducted from the campaign team’s budget. No campaign team is permitted to give out free or discounted alcohol as a way of promoting their campaign.
Section 6. Welfare. 6.1 Zero tolerance policy. HUU has a zero tolerance policy regarding bullying, harassment or threatening behaviour. 6.2 Disciplinary action. If anyone is found to be bullying, harassing or threatening another student, they may be referred to the Union for further disciplinary action.
Section 7. Complaints and Appeals. 7.1 Rule compliance. By participating in campaign activity, campaign team members agree to comply with the Elections Rules. 7.2 Submission. Complaints must be submitted in written form to the Returning Officer team by emailing
[email protected]. 7.3 Timing. Complaints ought to be made within 24 hours of the incident and supported by evidence. 7.4 Discretion. The Returning Officer team has complete discretion over any actions they wish to take. 7.5 Appeal. The decisions of Assistant Returning Officers can be appealed to the Returning Officer in writing. The decision of the Returning Officer is final.
Returning Officer Team 20 April 2018
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