As Chair of Roehampton Students' Union's Board of Trustees, I want to use this blog to explain why I'm asking you to vote yes in our upcoming advisory referendum on the proposed new Articles of Association.

Our current Articles have served us well since 2018, but the Union has grown and evolved overtime. Therefore, it has become necessary that our governing document is reviewed and updated to keep pace. Good governance isn't something that happens in the background; it is the foundation that allows everything else the Union does to work properly. When the rules that underpin how we operate are clear, well-structured, and legally sound, we are better placed to represent you, support you, and advocate for your interests.

So, why change now? Quite simply, our current Articles contain a level of procedural detail that belongs elsewhere. Rules around elections, referendums, and the day-to-day running of our democracy are currently written into our constitutional document. This means that updating them, even in minor ways, requires a lengthy process involving the University and a special resolution of members. That creates unnecessary friction at a time when students' unions need to be responsive and adaptable.

The proposed new Articles address this by moving operational detail into the Bye-Laws, a separate set of documents that can be reviewed and updated far more efficiently. The constitutional fundamentals stay protected; the day-to-day processes get the flexibility they need.

This is why, alongside the Articles, we are also undertaking a full review and update of our Bye-Laws. This work is progressing simultaneously, and the updated Bye-Laws will be brought to Presidents' Committee, our Students’ Union Council, in May for consideration, before receiving final approval from the Board of Trustees at their June meeting. We are committed to being open and transparent as this work develops, and we will proactively share updates as both the Articles and Bye-Laws progress towards adoption. These two pieces of work belong together, and we want students to be able to see the full picture as it takes shape.

The proposed changes also modernise our governance in ways that matter. The Board's composition has been clarified, with up to four Sabbatical Officers (whenever we elect up to four during elections), up to four Student Trustees, and four Lay Trustees, a structure that balances student leadership with the breadth of experience needed to run a responsible charity. Conflict of interest rules have been strengthened in line with Charity Commission guidance, and the language throughout has been updated to reflect current charity and company law. These aren't ordinary changes, they reduce the risk of the Union inadvertently falling short of its legal obligations, and they give Trustees a clearer understanding of their roles and responsibilities.

Crucially, none of this diminishes student power but instead it strengthens it. Student Voice is formally recognised in the new Articles as the mechanism through which members shape policy, elect officers, and hold the Union to account. By building a more legally robust and flexible framework around that democratic core, we are protecting it for the long term.

I want to be transparent: this referendum is advisory. The final decision will be taken at a General Meeting later in this academic year, after further consultation with the University and our legal advisors. But your vote matters. It will be reported directly to that meeting and will carry real weight in the discussion. The Board wants to know that students support this direction of travel before we take the final steps.

I and my fellow Trustees have scrutinised these proposals carefully. We believe they are the right changes at the right time and I encourage you to read the supporting materials on the referendum page, ask questions, and vote yes when the ballot opens during Student Leadership Elections.

Thanks,
Joshua Kayode, Chair of the Board of Trustees