University of Sussex Students' Union
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The University of Sussex Students' Union aims to make the lives of its members better by providing opportunities such as sports clubs and societies, advice and support services on issues such as housing and coursework and student-friendly shops and bars on campus.

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► Members' Meetings

What is a Members' Meeting?

People voting at the AGM

A Members' Meeting (formerly known as a General Meeting) is a meeting to which all Students' Union members are invited.  Just about every Sussex or BSMS student is a Member of the Students' Union.

Even if you don't get involved with the Union much at other times of the year, a Members' Meeting is your opportunity to step up, have your say, and help direct the future of your Union. This meeting gives students a chance to hold the Union's Full-time Officers and Council to account, by hearing their reports and asking questions. There may also be debates on suggestions submitted by students should be acted on by the Union.

Members can hold their elected officers to account

At each meeting, officers will update students on the most important things they have been involved with on behalf of Sussex students.  You can ask questions and challenge their reports at this meeting.

Members can discuss & vote on ideas submitted by students

Decisions can be made which require the Union to act, which in the past has meant the banning of Coca-Cola and keeping Wednesday afternoons free for sport.

Any student can submit an idea via our online form. We'll help you structure your suggestion and suggest whether it should be discussed at a full-scale Members. meeting, or more quickly and easily dealt with by officers or a union committee. 

You can call a Members' Meeting

If you have a really important issue that you want students to vote on, you can collect 150 students to sign a petition calling for a Members' Meeting or Referendum so that all students can vote.  But do remember, the vote at a Meeting is not binding unless 450 students attend, so often, the online form is simpler to use to get your proposal discussed.

January 2012: 'Students Decide' Members' Meeting

This meeting took place on 19th January under the banner 'Students Decide'.  The agenda combined presentation of accounts and officer reports with a number of students proposals.  However, as attendance was lower than anticipated, the proposals were not discussed but deferred to a further meeting in February.  Find out more about the January and February 2012 Members' meetings.

November 2011: Extraordinary Members' Meeting

This meeting was called to discuss was called by a petition of students. It was attended by around 250 students and voted to support the November 30th strike, to support Zenon Mitchell Kotsakis, the recently imprisoned Sussex student, and to condemn the New College of the Humanities. Find out more about the November 2011 Members' meeting.

March 2010: Students' Union Extraordinary General Meeting

This meeting was called to debate the cuts and redundancies proposed by University management.  It passed a "Motion of No Confidence in the Vice Chancellor’s Executive Group (VCEG)" which made the decisions; and condemned the University's actions in suspending six students involved in the protests and the use of police on campus.  You can view the minutes of the meeting here.