A referendum of all the members of the Union shall be the supreme authority on all matters relating to the government and policy of the Union.
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A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate (student body ) is invited to vote on a particular proposal.
A referendum of all the members of the Union shall be the supreme authority on all matters relating to the government and policy of the Union.
Categories of Referendums
The MSU Constitution provides for three categories of referendum:
- Constitutional Referendum
- Policy Referendum
- Impeachment Referendum
Called by petition or by direction
All referendums are called by the Returning Officers on the written petition of the ordinary membership of the Union (“by petition”) or on the direction of the Executive or the Student Senate (“by direction”).
In the case of a referendum by petition:
- Each petitioner must sign the referendum petition underneath, at the end of, or on a sheet attached to an exact copy of the wording of the proposed referendum and provide their name and student number. The Returning Officers shall make available a template or templates for the calling of a referendum by petition which may be used for that purpose.
In the case of a referendum to be called by direction:
- The direction shall be made by means of a motion passed at a quorate meeting of the Student Senate. The motion must include the exact wording of the proposed referendum.
- Notice of a referendum motion must be given to the members of the Student Senate at least one week in advance of the relevant Student Senate meeting. Such notice shall be given in a manner consistent with the Standing Orders of the Student Senate.
Quorum
For the purposes of quorum, the Returning Officers calculate membership based on the student numbers published by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for the previous academic year.
Implementation
The President is responsible for ensuring the implementation of any decision made by referendum.
All referendums are governed by Article 7 and Schedule 24 of the MSU Constitution.
Fun Fact:
Each time a Referendum is put in place, a number of people complain about its use of the word ‘referendums’ as the plural for referendum. They usually make the point that the plural of referendum is ‘referenda’. Either form of the plural is acceptable.
MSU prefers to use ‘referendums’ as per the Oxford English Dictionary entry, reproduced here:
- referendum . Pl. referendums, -enda. [L., gerund or neut. gerundive of referre to refer.] The practice or principle (in early use chiefly associated with the Swiss constitution) of submitting a question at issue to the whole body of voters. In terms of its Latin origin, referendums is logically preferable as a modern plural form meaning ballots on one issue (as a Latin gerund referendum has no plural); the Latin plural gerundive referenda, meaning 'things to be referred', necessarily connotes a plurality of issues. Those who prefer the form referenda are presumably using words like agenda and memoranda as models. Usage varies at the present time (1981), but The Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors (1981) recommends referendums, and this form seems likely to prevail.
A Constitutional Referendum shall be the only means by which the articles of this Constitution may be amended.
A Constitutional Referendum shall be called by the Returning Officers on the written petition of not less than 10% of the ordinary membership of the Union (“by petition”) or on the direction of the Executive or the Student Senate (“by direction”).
A Constitutional Referendum shall be held to have been approved by the membership of the Union if a majority of the votes cast at such referendum shall have been cast in favour of the proposal and not less than 15% of the membership of the Union shall have voted in such referendum.
A constitutional amendment or new constitution approved in a Constitutional Referendum shall remain in effect until set aside/amended by a further Constitutional Referendum or as outlined in the original referendum.
A Constitutional Referendum shall be held to have been approved by the membership of the Union if a majority of the votes cast at such referendum shall have been cast in favour of the proposal and not less than 15% of the membership of the Union shall have voted in such referendum.
A constitutional amendment or new constitution approved in a Constitutional Referendum shall remain in effect until set aside/amended by a further Constitutional Referendum or as outlined in the original referendum.
A Policy Referendum sets or amends the policy of the Union in relation to a particular issue or a related set of issues, or to set aside a policy set in a previous Policy Referendum.
A Policy Referendum shall be called by the Returning Officers on the written petition of not less than 10% of the ordinary membership of the Union (“by petition”) or on the direction of the Executive, or the Student Senate (“by direction”).
A Policy Referendum shall be held to have been approved by the membership of the Union if a majority of the votes cast at such referendum shall have been cast in favour of the proposal and not less than 10% of the membership of the Union
shall have voted in such referendum.
A policy approved in a Policy Referendum shall remain in effect until set aside/ amended by a further Policy Referendum or as outlined in the original referendum.
While in effect, a policy set in a Policy Referendum shall be binding on all officers and organs of the Union, subject to the provisions of this Constitution and the law.
A Policy Referendum, and only a Policy Referendum, may take the form of a preferendum, where the members of the Union are presented with a number of options between which they can indicate their preferences in order by means of a single transferable vote.
An Impeachment Referendum is the only means for the vacation of the office of any member of the Executive, other than death, resignation, or permanent incapacity.
The written petition of not less than 15% of the ordinary membership of the Union (“by petition”) or on the direction of the Student Senate (“by direction”).
A proposal by direction against any member of the Executive under this section shall not be entertained unless upon a notice of motion in writing signed by not less than two-thirds of the membership of Student Senate.