► 'The Need for Change'

Motion to First Council

ULU Governance (paving motion) ‘The Need for Change’

 

This Union Notes

1.              The motion approving a ‘review of governance and decision making’ passed by this council on 13^th October 2003

2.              The Governance Review of ULU’s current governance structures begun by external consultant John Windle in 2003.

3.              The presentation of John Windle’s findings at the governance review launch seminar held on September 15^th 2004 at Portcullis House, Westminster.

4.              That the review of the governance of the University of London Union has drawn attention from organisations all over the world.

5.              The preliminary conclusions drawn from the initial governance review launch and the feedback gained at the launch event from Students’ Union officers based all over London and beyond.

6.              That any review of governance must take into account the commitment to the transformation project of ULU passed by this council on October 13^th 2003 and the adoption of policy on becoming the ‘University of London Student Centre’.

7.              That transformation represents a fundamental change and strategic realignment as well as reorganisation of ULU and is a direct response to changes in the environment that we operate within.

8.          The guiding principles and ideas which initially formed the transformation process which are namely:

i.                That ULU is fundamentally not a ‘Students’ Union’ in the orthodox UK sense of the term.

ii.               That the organisation must be more open to the wider world outside the HE sector.

iii.             That our approach should be based on partnerships with outside bodies. E.g. College unions, Colleges etc.

iv.              That the organisation has multiple legitimate stakeholders who deserve a say in what we do.

v.               An aspiration to becoming a world-class, innovative organisation of our type.

 

9.          The implications of governance on not just what ULU is today but also what it is destined to become under the transformation project.

10.      That external stakeholders play an increasing role in the mission of ULU to become a beacon for London, nationally and for the world in student representation, service provision, quality and range of service and student development generally.

11.       The importance of accountability both to our members and as an organisation of charitable status more generally to the wider public and the responsibility on trustees’ shoulders to ensure that public money is spent appropriately and in accordance with the findings of Lord Nolan’s 1998 report and the resulting legislation on charitable status and ‘standards in public life’.

12.      That ULU has never attracted a ‘representative’ number of UL students voting in elections - not only do these figures fall below national averages but fail to meet any statistical significance and that this situation is unlikely to change.

 

 This Union Believes

1.              That above all ULU must remain true to its core principles as a student-led, student-directed organisation operating for the benefit of all London students.

2.              That the long-term future of ULU is at stake.

3.              Our governance structures should reflect and enable the implementation of the transformation vision.

4.              That a new system and structure of governance must be implemented to ensure credible, long-term and forward-thinking strategy can be effectively implemented by the organisation to the benefit of all London students.

5.              That to provide effective service for students of the future, change is inevitable, this organisation cannot afford to remain the same.

6.              That the current governance is detrimental to the aims of ‘this Union notes 9’.

7.              That the culture of council does little or nothing for the true representation of students within the University of London colleges.

8.              That increased benchmarking against, and regular audit by external bodies can only enhance and refine the provision and service that this organisation provides.

 

This Union Resolves

1.              To undertake a process of debating future governance models of the entire organisation which is ULU.

2.              To implement new structures as appropriate and where practical within the near future.

3.              That the structures should be at least theoretically and legally (constitutionally) in place by the time of election for the new sabbatical team 2005-2006.

4.              To adopt the following timetable:

i.     Autumn 2004: Formulation of a chosen model from governance seminar

ii.     December Council: Council to debate a definitive model/motion proposing actual changes to governance.

iii.     Spring 2005: Implementation of new structures  (at least theoretically and constitutionally) in time for the Academic year 2005-6.

iv.         Academic Year 2005-06: New structures in place.

 

5.         To continue to be in consultation with the Government, namely the office of                                                                      Higher Education and the Secretary of State for Education and others about the reform proposals and implications with the Education Act 1994.

6.         To seek the approval of proposed changes from UL council and Senate.

 

Proposed by:                Matt Cooke, ULU President

Seconded by:                Rob Park, ULU V-P [Finance, Services & Operations]; Jo Fried, ULU V-P [Welfare & Student Affairs]; Jim Eynon, ULU V-P [Sports & Societies]; Alexi Duggins London Student Editor and the ULU Executive Committee