LUSU have today released a statement relating to the failure to reach quorum at last night’s Annual General Meeting:
“Radical changes to repair the ‘outdated and out of touch’ structure of Lancaster University Students’ Union couldn’t be approved due to low attendance at our Annual General Meeting – meaning an all-student vote will now be held.
Union officers had hoped to gain approval for a new constitution that will make sweeping changes, giving individual members more power than ever to make decisions.
Plans include scrapping Union Council and introducing a new Student Jury system to return decision-making to grassroots level.
However, attendance at the meeting was below the minimum required to pass policy. Students unable to attend were able to submit online proxy votes ahead of the AGM. Among the 400 who voted, there was overwhelming support for the new system.
Union President Will Hedley said: “Our union’s current structures are outdated and out of touch and we’re disappointed that we weren’t able to pass the new constitution at the meeting.
“It was clear from the votes we received and the discussion in the meeting that there’s clear support for our new system, but unfortunately attendance numbers weren’t on our side.
“We still believe that this is the right thing for students. The fact that we weren’t able to pass this, despite significant student support, shows how disconnected our current systems and structures are from our members.
“We’d like the thank everyone who took the time to vote or to attend the meeting. We’re sorry that something that has clear support has been prevented by a technicality of our current system , but we’re determined get this through for the sake of our members and the future success of the union. We now plan to take this to an all-student referendum.”
Further information on the date of the referendum will be published in the coming days.”
