Referendum FAQs

The Articles of Association are the Union's governing document. They set out how the Students' Union is structured, how decisions are made, and how students are represented. Think of them as the Union's rulebook – they define things like who can be a Trustee, how elections work, and what the Union exists to do.

The current Articles were adopted in 2018. The proposed 2026 Articles represent a modernisation of the Union's governance, updating the document to reflect current charity law, Charity Commission guidance, and the Education Act 1994. The review also aims to create a cleaner separation between the Articles (which set out the Union's constitutional foundations) and the Bye-Laws (which cover operational and day-to-day rules), making the whole framework easier to update and maintain over time.

Members will be asked: "Should the Students' Union adopt the proposed Articles of Association?"

No. This is an advisory referendum. The result will not automatically change the Articles, but it will inform the Union's decision-making process. The outcome will be reported to the General Meeting (we’re finalising the date of this but it will likely be held in May 2026) where a final vote will take place on a Special Resolution to adopt the proposed Articles.

Your vote matters because it signals the views of the student membership to the Board of Trustees and to the General Meeting where the final decision is made. The referendum result will be shared with that meeting and will carry real weight in the discussion. Student voice is central to how this Union makes decisions, and participation in this referendum is an important part of that process.

The referendum will take place during the Union's annual Student Leadership Elections. Details of how to vote will be shared as part of the elections process.

Following the referendum, the proposed Articles will continue to be refined through consultation with the University and the Union's legal advisors. The final wording will be put to the Board of Trustees for approval on 31 March 2026, before being brought to a General Meeting of the Union in Term 3. At that meeting, members will be asked to pass a special resolution to formally adopt the new Articles.

Yes. The draft shared during this consultation may be refined following feedback, discussions with the University, and further legal review. The version presented to the Board of Trustees and subsequently to the General Meeting may differ from the current draft.

• The structure is reorganised into four clear parts: Charitable Status and Capacity, Membership and Democracy, Trustees and Sabbatical Officers, and Administrative Arrangements.
• Much of the operational detail (such as election mechanics, referenda procedures, and Council structure) has been moved out of the Articles and into Bye-Laws, making those processes easier to update without needing to amend the Articles themselves.
• The Board of Trustees has been updated to include up to 4 Sabbatical Officers, up to 4 Student Trustees, and 4 Lay (External) Trustees, with a maximum board size of 12.
• Student Voice is introduced as a high-level concept covering policy-making, elections, and democratic procedures.
• Conflicts of interest rules have been strengthened and clarified in line with Charity Commission guidance.
• The summary document available on the referendum page provides a full clause-by-clause breakdown of what has changed and why.

Student Voice is the term used in the draft Articles to describe the ways in which student members express democratic views – including voting on policy, taking part in elections, and participating in referendums and other democratic events. The new Articles establish Student Voice as a high-level constitutional concept, with the detailed procedures set out in the Bye-Laws.

The Articles are the Union's constitutional document – they set out the fundamental legal and governance framework. The Bye-Laws are a separate, lower-level document that sets out the operational and procedural rules. Under the new Articles, the Bye-Laws can be updated by the Board of Trustees (in consultation with Student Voice) without needing University approval or a special resolution of members, giving the Union much greater flexibility to adapt its processes over time.

Sabbatical Officers are elected student representatives who are also employed by the Union on a full-time basis, typically for one academic year. Student Trustees are student members appointed to the Board through a Student Voice process, serving longer terms (typically around two years). Both sit on the Board of Trustees, but Sabbatical Officers are also considered Major Union Office Holders under the Education Act 1994.

Under the current and proposed Articles, the University is required to review the Articles at least every five years, and its approval is required for any amendments. The proposed Articles will be discussed with the University as part of the consultation process before the final version is put to the Board of Trustees.2

The following documents are available below to help you review the proposed changes:

Proposed Articles

Current Articles

Proposed Changes

If you would like a quick overview of the proposals, we recommend starting with the summary document, which will bring the key changes together in an easy-to-understand format.