Top Tips
- Try to make some contacts among the Sabbatical Officers;
- Don’t be afraid to propose motions of support for your campaigns - they can get you publicity, resources and support.
Sometimes it’s just a case of asking the right person, whilst other times you’ll need to go through the formal channels of your Union. So how do you do it?
1. Find someone supportive on your SU Exec.
If your SU has an Environment, Ethical and/or Campaigns Officer, they should be on your side (if they aren’t, stand for the position yourself next year; if there isn’t one, lobby for a post to be created). Approach them and ask them what they think the Union will do to support your campaign. If you have friends on the Executive Committee (of elected sabbatical/student officers) you could also ask them.
2. Ask the President for support.
If it’s an endorsement or active support for your campaign that you want, sooner or later you’ll need the SU President on board. If you’ve found someone supportive on the Exec, get them to approach the President first. Otherwise, just go for it - remember, their job is to represent you, whatever their personal views.
3. Pass a motion.
If your Sabbaticals aren’t being very helpful, you can “mandate” them to help you, through an SU motion. Often you’ll need to do this anyway, if you want them formally to represent the Union, or if you want to set or change Union policy.
How to pass a motion
Different Unions work in slightly different ways, but there is usually a permanent representative Union Council and/or a Union General Meeting (UGM), where Union policy is set. Find out details from your SU, there are usually four stages to go through:
a) Get the motion onto the UGM/Union Council agenda.
Find out when the next UGM/Union Council is and the deadline for getting a motion on to the meeting agenda. When you submit the motion you’ll usually need the names of two people, one to propose and one to second the motion. These people will need to be prepared to speak on the motion at the UGM/Union Council.
b) Write the motion.
Sabbaticals may help you with this. Motions are usually structured in three
“This Union notes”: The facts that underpin the
“This Union believes”: The principles that mean the Union should act on them.
“This union resolves”: What you want the Union to do.
See the model Students’ Union motion page.
c) Attend the UGM/Union Council
- Get as many supporters as you can along to the meeting: publicise it, and maybe hold an event like a debate beforehand to get people interested. Hand out leaflets to people as they go into the meeting so they know what the campaign is about.
- Be prepared to answer questions during the debate. The discussion will probably take the form of someone proposing the motion (speaking in favour), then a balanced debate of alternating discussions in favour and against.
- The motion can be amended, so if there is one sticking point you can delete it or vote on it separately and keep the rest (of course this means it ends up watered down, or occasionally improved!).
d) After the UGM/Union Council
Meet up with the Sabbatical officers to work out how they’re going to follow through on what was voted on.