Tuesday 22-09-2020 - 16:02

Article edit (05/10/20): following feedback at the first meeting, we wanted to go further and give students another opportunity to provide us with their thoughts. You can attend a second meeting on 12 October at 13:00 via this Zoom link: https://durhamuniversity.zoom.us/j/95882343189?pwd=QVhuZTdQTDVjVWYvVWMyWUFrSkZjZz09 and you can also continue to provide feedback via email to gareth.j.hughes@durham.ac.uk.

 

Background to this document

Durham SU has committed to meeting the ambitious challenge set by student leaders this year, to reflect on and reform the way in which students own their union. This will include deep and wide-ranging research undertaken by an independent partner, to ensure that the broadest range of student interests are reflected in our future. We also need to make sure that the governance of this process, in year, is overseen by student leaders in lieu of the student trustees who have not taken up their posts.

 

We start 2020/2021 with four positions on the Durham SU Board of Trustees not taken up by the students elected in February 2020. Although properly elected, these students did not feel able to take up their positions following a delegitimisation campaign. We understand that this will have been a very difficult decision and support their choice.

 

The trustees currently in post want to ensure diversity of experience in their meetings and has considered what alternatives may exist to having these positions held vacant. It will be very difficult to hold another election in autumn 2020/2021 to fill these vacancies and we want to respond to the call from students to review the election process, including providing better information on the election process and role of a trustee. We will be working hard this term to get the election process right this year, and make sure that students have the best representation possible on the Durham SU Board.

 

Durham SU’s proposal is to invite certain student leaders to be Board members, and serve as voting members on Board Committees, in lieu of student trustees. The Board has taken legal advice on the vacancies. The trustees believe that this proposal is in the best interests of Durham SU while discussions about the best way to proceed continue, and development processes are worked through by trustees and staff, in consultation with students.

 

There is precedent for this proposal; the Chair of DUCK was invited to serve on the Board’s Fundraising Committee in the previous year, to ensure that decisions made about student raise and give charitable fundraising was informed by the experience of someone with considerable experience. The trustees think this model will work well in the year ahead.

 

The trustees are conscious that they must consult students more widely before resolving to move forward with this proposal and have asked for a consultation process to start in September 2020. This is to ensure these student representatives can begin taking part in Board work as soon as possible.

 

Purpose of this document

Durham SU proposes to invite four student leaders to join meetings of the Board, and to join Committees as full voting members. This is the extent of the powers that the governing documents of the students’ union permit the current trustees, as we can’t expand the total number of full members of the Board or appoint full members in any other way than an election.

 

This is a consultation on that proposal. This is considered a ‘minor consultation’ within the Durham SU Student Consultation Framework, because even though the Board is important to the way in which Durham SU does its work, the impact on the lives of students won’t be significant. As such, the parameters for consultation are:

• This proposal will be shared with ‘Tier 1’ student leaders who may be directly involved in the proposal – that is to say, Association Chairs, Durham SU Committee Chairs in post at this time (such as the Chair of DUCK), Faculty Reps, the Presidents of JCR/MCRs across Durham University’s Colleges.

• The document will be shared on the Durham SU website and social media channels, for broader comment from interested students. This will allow any members of Assembly or particularly interested students, such as former student trustees to comment.

• The President and the Chief Executive will host a consultation meeting with any students who wish to respond to this consultation, and an invitation will follow to all student leaders.

• The University Secretary’s Office will also be contacted for comment.

 

What is the role of a student trustee?

Student leaders would most likely wish to know more about the usual role of a student trustee, as any person invited to take up a position would be expected to act within the role description; the expectations of commitment and behaviour are the same as the current trustees. A good foundation document is Charity Commission Guidance CC3 ‘The Essential Trustee’. The Durham SU Articles of Association are also a useful source of information, and you can find information specific to Durham SU’s trustee board here.

 

A student trustee, just like all other trustees, is responsible for the good governance of the organisation they lead. ‘The Essential Trustee’ is clear that a trustee must ensure that:

• Durham SU’s activities are clearly for the benefit of Durham students.

• Durham SU complies with its governing documents and the law.

• They act in the best interests of Durham SU.

• Durham SU’s resources are managed responsibly.

• They act with reasonable care and skill.

• Durham SU is accountable.

 

Rights and responsibilities

A student trustee ensures that Durham SU is well governed. This is a distinct, special role, which is different to a student representative, or a student activist, or a member of Durham SU staff. A trustee role is not a representative role; a trustee deliberates and decides with the rest of the Board about the best way to deliver Durham SU’s purpose. Student trustees aren’t individually accountable to any constituency; the Board is collectively accountable to the students’ union’s regulators – Durham University and the Charity Commission – for making sure that the students’ union does its best to serve Durham students. They have the same rights as every other Durham SU member, but have extra responsibilities.

 

A full training, induction and support programme is provided.

 

Eligibility

Any member of Durham SU is eligible for appointment, which includes sabbatical Officers of Common Rooms.

 

Appointment process

A panel of the Board, likely to be the Chair, Vice-Chair and one other trustee, will meet to discuss the role in detail with any on the invited students who may wish to take up the offer. They will make a recommendation to the October meeting of the Board of Trustees.

Timeline

22 September: consultation opens.

29 September: open meeting for any students who wish to respond to this consultation with the Durham SU President (who is also Vice-Chair of the Board), another trustee and the Durham SU Chief Executive.

The meeting will take place at 11:00, using the link here: https://durhamuniversity.zoom.us/j/99350610646?pwd=TzJhRUFkTWI4Z1RNY2d1Wmx5U3dkUT09

12 October (additional date added): following feedback at the first meeting, we wanted to go further and give students another opportunity to provide us with their thoughts. You can attend a second meeting on 12 October at 13:00 via this Zoom link: https://durhamuniversity.zoom.us/j/95882343189?pwd=QVhuZTdQTDVjVWYvVWMyWUFrSkZjZz09  and you can also continue to provide feedback via email to gareth.j.hughes@durham.ac.uk.

14 October: recommendation to the Durham SU trustee on outcome of consultation.

 

Consultation questions

1. Should the Durham SU trustees invite four student leaders to observe their meetings in 2020/2021, and fully join Committees of the Board?

2. Which student leaders should be considered?

 

How to feedback

Feedback on the proposal should be sent to the Durham SU Chief Executive on gareth.j.hughes@durham.ac.uk.