THE
LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS’ ATHLETIC UNION
CONSTITUTION
REVISION DATE: OCTOBER 2016
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Contents
1. NAME AND IDENTITY ............................................................................................................................ 4 2. AIMS & OBJECTIVES .............................................................................................................................. 4 3. MEMBERSHIP ........................................................................................................................................ 4 4. FUCTION ................................................................................................................................................ 4 5. CONSTITUTION...................................................................................................................................... 4 6. OFFICERS ............................................................................................................................................... 5 7. ELECTION OF OFFICERS ......................................................................................................................... 5 8. DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS ...................................................................................................................... 7 a) Athletic Union President ................................................................................................................... 7 b) Athletic Union Intern ........................................................................................................................ 7 c) Athletic Union Secretary ................................................................................................................... 7 d) Club Development Officer ................................................................................................................ 8 e) Events Officer .................................................................................................................................... 8 f) Finance Officer .................................................................................................................................. 8 g) Media & Communications Officer .................................................................................................... 8 h) Spectatorship Officer ........................................................................................................................ 9 i) 9. Welfare Officer ................................................................................................................................. 9 ATHLETIC UNION EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ........................................................................................... 9 10. ATHLETIC UNION EXECUTIVE SUB‐COMMITTEES ............................................................................... 10 a) Club Development Sub‐Committee ................................................................................................ 10 b) Events Sub‐Committee ................................................................................................................... 10 c) Finance Sub‐Committee ................................................................................................................. 10 d) Media & Communications Sub‐Committee .................................................................................... 11 e) Spectatorship Sub‐Committee ........................................................................................................ 11 11. ATHLETIC UNION FINANCE ................................................................................................................. 11 12. GENERAL MEETINGS ........................................................................................................................... 12 13. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING .............................................................................................................. 13 14. CLUBS .................................................................................................................................................. 13 i. Chair ................................................................................................................................................ 13 Page 2 of 21
ii. Treasurer ......................................................................................................................................... 14 iii. Secretary ......................................................................................................................................... 14 Page 3 of 21
1. NAME AND IDENTITY
The name of the Union shall be "LOUGHBOROUGH STUDENTS' ATHLETIC UNION" (hereinafter
referred to as "Athletic Union"). The Athletic Union should be constituted in accordance with
paragraph 15 of the Loughborough Students' Union Constitution and shall have
responsibility for the Athletic Union activities of the members of the Union.
2.
AIMS & OBJECTIVES
The aims and objectives of the Athletic Union shall be the provision and support for Athletic
Union clubs for competitive sport for the membership, to support the membership structure
and provide advocacy for these clubs.
3. MEMBERSHIP
a) Membership of the Athletic Union and of its affiliated clubs shall be open to all members of
the Union as defined in the Loughborough Students' Union Constitution.
b) Only student members shall be eligible to vote in meetings of the Athletic Union and its
affiliated clubs. Club committee positions can only be held by students, although associate
members may hold honorary positions in an advisory capacity only.
c) All members are entitled to the use of the athletic grounds and changing rooms, subject to
the approval of the University’s Sports Development Centre and the Loughborough College
Sports Centre.
4. FUCTION
The function of the Athletic Union shall be:
a) To provide a professional framework and resources for club structures to run competitive
sporting activities.
b) To represent the interests and be the voice of its members in all sporting matters.
c) To provide a recognised means of communication with other bodies on matters concerned
with competitive sporting activities (i.e. Sport England and National Governing Bodies, British
Universities and Colleges Sports Association, FISU, local county associations).
d) To co-ordinate the use of sporting facilities in conjunction with the University’s Sports
Development Centre and the Loughborough College Sports Centre.
e) To ensure all clubs take part in competitive sport at the appropriate level, providing lifelong
experiences through sport.
5. CONSTITUTION
a) A copy should be available online on the Athletic Union’s webpage.
b) The Constitution must be approved by Union Affairs Committee and may only be altered
or amended according to the procedure laid down in the Schedules.
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6. OFFICERS
The Officers of the Athletic Union shall be as follows:
a) Sport Executive Officer (hereinafter referred to as “the AU President” throughout this
constitution)
b) Athletic Union Intern (hereinafter referred to as "the AU Intern").
c) Athletic Union Secretary (hereinafter referred to as "the Secretary").
d) Club Development Officer
e) Events Officer
f)
Finance Officer
g) Media and Communications Officer
h) Spectatorship Officer
i)
Welfare Officer
7. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
a) The election of the Sport Executive Officer shall be in conjunction with the Loughborough
Students' Union Elections and as laid down in the Loughborough Students' Union
Constitution. Upon commencement of their year in office the Sport Executive Officer will
take on the role of President of the Athletic Union.
b) The election of Secretary, Club Development Officer, Events Officer, Finance Officer, Media
& Communications Officer, Spectatorship Officer and Welfare Officer shall take place at a
GM in the spring or summer term and shall hold office for the following academic year,
commencing at the end of the current Academic year.
c) The positions of Athletic Union Executive will be filled in constitutional order.
i.
Each candidate will require a proposer and seconder who is a member of the
Athletic Union, excluding members currently holding a position on Athletic Union
Executive.
ii.
Each candidate will then be given 2 minutes to present their manifesto before
facing 2 questions from the outgoing position holder.
iii.
Candidates will then take questions from the floor, questions must be open to all
candidates.
iv.
Voting via secret ballot.
d) The AU Intern position will be filled in the summer term by a process of;
i.
Written application
ii.
5-minute presentation at the Annual General Meeting followed by questions from
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the floor. Questions must be open to all candidates.
iii.
A vote will be taken following presentations via secret online ballot using a signal
transferable vote. If on the occasion of an online ballot being unavailable, a paper
ballot will take place.
 The result will be reviewed by a nominated member of Elections Subcommittee, who will inform the Athletic Union President of the successful
candidates being taken forward to interview and the order in which the
candidates were selected.
 The full result of the vote will only be made available to the interview panel
following completion of the interview process.
iv.
Following the Annual General Meeting an interview process will take place.

If 3 or less candidates stand for election at the AGM, all candidates will
progress to the interview stage.

If the number of candidates standing exceeds 3 the vote taken at AGM will
determine the top 3 candidates to be taken through to the Interview stage.
The interview panel of five will consist of:





Athletic Union President
Athletic Union President Elect
Athletic Union Intern
A representative of Loughborough Students’ Executive
A non-voting representative of SDC
If any one of the Athletic Union staff members above are unavailable, their positon on
the panel will be filled by a member of the Loughborough Students’ Union Executive.
The vote cast at the AGM will be strongly considered in the decision making process of the
interview panel. If a split decision is awarded by the 4 voting members, the candidate with
the highest vote count from the AGM will be offered the position.
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8. DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS
a) Athletic Union President
The Athletic Union President shall:
i.
Be responsible for the strategic plan of the Athletic Union.
ii.
Be an ex-officio member of all committees and sub-committees of the Athletic
Union and shall chair all such meetings, He/she shall preserve order and decorum
and shall rule on all points of order. He/she shall have a casting vote. His/her
rulings on points of order may be challenged by the meeting.
iii.
Be responsible for representing the interests of the Athletic Union to the Students'
Union Executive Committee.
iv.
In conjunction with the Athletic Union Finance and Finance and Commercial
Services Executive Officer, present the budget to the Loughborough Students'
Finance Committee.
v.
Be required to report to Union Affairs Committee and Union General Meetings and
be accountable to such meetings.
vi.
Be the official liaison contact between LSU Athletic Union and the Loughborough
University’s Sports Development Centre and Loughborough College Sports.
b) Athletic Union Intern
The AU Intern shall:
i.
Oversee the day to day running of the Athletic Union.
ii.
Support and develop Athletic Union Clubs, their Committees and the AU Executive
Sub-Committees.
iii.
Enhance the operational practices of the AU and its Clubs.
iv.
Act as a first point of call for AU Club issues and concerns, and oversee the AU Exec
Club buddy programme.
c) Athletic Union Secretary
The Secretary shall:
i.
Keep proper minutes of all Athletic Union General Meetings and Athletic Union
Executive Meetings and ensure that all such minutes are laid before the Union
Council and made public.
ii.
Provide guidance on the Athletic Union constitution and ensure its policies are
followed, and offer support to AU Club’s on constitutional policy and good
governance.
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iii.
Be responsible for the Athletic Union Executive and Club Committee general
elections and make sure all rules are adhered to.
iv.
Support other members of the Athletic Union Executive, Club Support Officer and
Athletic Union President on ad hoc tasks.
d) Club Development Officer
i.
Work with the Student Performance Support Officer and CVA to ensure a
comprehensive training package is available and delivered to clubs and committees.
ii.
Be the designated link between the Athletic Union & CVA to quality assure the
standards of coaches, officials and volunteers within the AU and develop future
practices to enhance these areas.
iii.
Manage the Club Development Sub-Committee to complete their duties set out in
section 10
e) Events Officer
i.
Act as the primary point of contact for all Athletic Union events with students, AU
staff and the SDC.
iv.
Manage the Athletic Union Events Sub-Committee to complete their duties set out
in section 10
f)
Finance Officer
i.
Responsible for ensuring clubs are supported with forming and following budgets.
ii.
Work with other AU Exec members to ensure their projects are completed on
budget.
iii.
Ensure students thoughts on finance are represented during AU Executive meetings
and offer informed guidance on Athletic Union decision making from a financial
perspective.
v.
Manage the Athletic Union Finance Sub Committee to complete their duties set out
in section 10
g) Media & Communications Officer
i.
Act as the primary contact with the Media Centre (LSU) on coverage of
Loughborough Students’ Sport and the Sports Development Centre’s Marketing
team to ensure good coverage of the Athletic Union.
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ii.
Liaise with the Union’s marketing team and University stakeholders to ensure
Athletic Union content is visible in publicly accessible areas and communicated
around the Union and, where possible, the University.
vi.
Manage the Media & Communications sub-committee to complete their duties set
out in section 10
h) Spectatorship Officer
i.
Assist with the running of large scale AU events, e.g. Durham D-Day.
ii.
Serve as the primary contact with the SDC and other partners on event
opportunities.
vii.
Manage the Spectatorship Sub-Committee to complete their duties set out in
section 10
i)
Welfare Officer
i.
Head up and supply regular information to Welfare Officers in clubs.
ii.
Help to deliver training and support packages for club Welfare Officers to ensure
they are knowledgeable and confident in their roles.
iii.
Lead on Athletic Union Campaigns, including Play with Pride, and support relevant
campaigns run by LSU Welfare or the SDC where appropriate, eg. Lboro Girls Can.
iv.
Ensure clubs are taking full consideration for the health and wellbeing of club
members.
v.
Act as the first point of contact for anyone who has a concern they feel needs
raising with the Athletic Union.
vi.
Help to ensure communication of the Athletic Union offer is delivered to minority
and under-represented groups including, but not limited to, College and
postgraduate students.
9. ATHLETIC UNION EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
a) Members
i.
Athletic Union President
ii.
Athletic Union Secretary
iii.
Club Development Officer
iv.
Events Officer
v.
Finance Officer
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vi.
Media Officer
vii.
Spectatorship Officer
viii.
Welfare Officer
b) The quorum shall be five members of the Committee.
c) The Committee shall be the co-ordinating body of and shall be responsible for the
administration of all the affairs of the Athletic Union, in accordance with the objects of the
Athletic Union, within the outline of this Constitution.
d) Meetings of the Executive Committee shall take place when deemed necessary by the
Athletic Union President or at the request of a member of the Committee or at the
instruction of a General Meeting.
e) The Executive Committee may co-opt more members, in an advisory capacity, for more
specific organisational tasks.
10. ATHLETIC UNION EXECUTIVE SUB-COMMITTEES
The duties of the Sub-Committees will be as follows:
a) Club Development Sub-Committee
i.
Oversee club appraisals for the monitoring and evaluation of club performance.
ii.
Assist clubs with the formation and delivery of club development plans.
b) Events Sub-Committee
i.
Plan, promote and execute (in conjunction with the Sports Executive Officer) all AU
events including Annual AU Ball, AU Colours presentation evening and more.
ii.
Seek out new events or initiatives that would benefit the experience of Athletic
Union members.
iii.
Coordinate volunteers to help out at such events.
iv.
Support clubs where required on the running of their events.
c) Finance Sub-Committee
i.
Create, advise and support sponsorship and fundraising opportunities for both the
Athletic Union and its clubs.
ii.
Assist the Finance Administrator and Athletic Union President in ensuring clubs are
reaching budgeted memberships.
iii.
Drive Alumni fundraising efforts, predominantly in the form of the Alumni and
Supporters Clubs Funds.
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d) Media & Communications Sub-Committee
i.
Be responsible for the communication and social media channels of the Athletic
Union and promote awareness of AU and Club activities.
ii.
Support other sections of the AU Executive with media coverage and graphic design
content.
iii.
Oversee the publication of WoW and AU Newsletters.
iv.
Collate and edit match reports and other content for online use.
v.
Help AU Clubs with the use of social media marketing and communication.
e) Spectatorship Sub-Committee
i.
Increase spectatorship at Athletic Union fixtures and support for AU Clubs.
ii.
Promote and update the AU Supporters Club page to inform students of weekly
fixtures.
iii.
Take ownership of the Big Match and weekly showcase fixtures.
iv.
Offer guidance and assistance to clubs regarding the promotion of club events.
The AU Executive Sub-Committee positions will be filled in the summer term by a process of
written application, followed by a verbal interview conducted by relevant Officers of the Athletic
Union. 11. ATHLETIC UNION FINANCE
Monthly, minuted meetings shall be held between the:




Athletic Union President
Athletic Union Finance Administrator
Athletic Union Finance Officer
Loughborough Students’ Union Head of Finance
a) It shall discuss and make recommendations to the Athletic Union Executive Committee on
any matter concerning the finances of the Athletic Union.
b) It shall discuss the general financial policy of the Athletic Union and shall make
recommendations to the Athletic Union Executive Committee accordingly.
c) It shall be responsible for the approval of club budgets among the member clubs.
At this meeting, the Athletic Union President Elect shall be considered an additional
member to those above.
d) it shall also make recommendations for the allocation of additional funds where
deemed necessary or appropriate.
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The minuted recommendations shall be an agenda item of the next meeting of the Athletic
Union Executive Committee, where decisions shall be made and minuted. These minutes
shall be published online for members to see.
The same minutes shall also be summarised by the Athletic Union President at Athletic
Union General Meetings.
Termly meetings shall take place between the Athletic Union President, Athletic Union
Finance Officer, Loughborough Students’ Union Head of Finance, the Athletic Union
Finance Administrator and a Senior Manager of Loughborough Students’ Union, to ensure
accuracy and validity of the Athletic Union budget.
12. GENERAL MEETINGS
a) A General Meeting of the Athletic Union shall be held at least once per term. Any member of
the Athletic Union may attend such a meeting but only student members shall be eligible to
vote.
b) A General Meeting of the Athletic Union may be called as follows:
i.
By the Athletic Union President
ii.
By the Executive of Finance Committee of the Athletic Union
iii.
By thirty members handing in a signed letter to the Athletic Union President stating
the nature of the business to be discussed.
c) At least one week's notice, in writing, to the clubs shall be given before the proposed date
of the meeting.
d) An agenda shall be available from the Athletic Union two clear days before the meeting
takes place.
e) Any motion for discussion shall be presented, in writing, to the Athletic Union President
three clear days before the meeting takes place. Any such motion shall have a proposer and
seconder who are Loughborough Students' Union members.
f)
All decisions taken by the Athletic Union General Meetings shall be binding on the
Committees of the Athletic Union save that they conflict with decisions of Union Affairs
Committee or Union General Meetings. Should any conflict arise, however, Loughborough
Students' Union Procedures Committee shall act in an arbitrary capacity.
g) The quorum for a General Meetings and the Annual General Meeting shall be 51% of voting
members (1 per Athletic Union Club).
h) Each affiliated club shall be required to send two members to a General Meeting, but only
one member per club shall be permitted to vote. Members will be entitled to represent one
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club only at any meeting.
i)
If fifteen minutes after the said time of the start of the meeting the quorum has not been
achieved, the meeting shall be deemed inquorate and no business shall take place. Instead,
a re-convened meeting a week after the first should have taken place. The re-convened
meeting shall be automatically quorate, except for amendments to the Constitution, which
require a quorum of 51% of voting members.
13. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
a) A General Meeting during the summer term shall be called the Annual General Meeting of
the Athletic Union. b) During this meeting, the Athletic Union Intern candidates will present their manifestoes. c) Reports at this meeting shall be received as follows: i.
Athletic Union President Annual Report ii.
End of Year Financial Report 14. CLUBS
a) All member clubs of the Athletic Union shall have their own club constitution which shall be
approved by the Executive of the Athletic Union and a copy held by the Athletic Union
Office. b) Each club shall elect officers according to their constitution. Each Club must have a
Chairperson and a minimum of two other officers. It is also required that officers fulfill the
roles of Treasurer and Secretary. It is preferable for these to be two individual committee
positions. Key duties of these roles are:
i.
Chair
(a) Responsible for the day to day running of the Club and the Club
Committee in accordance with the Club’s Constitution.
(b) Chairing Club General Meetings and Club Committee meetings.
(c) Representing the Club at AU General Meetings.
(d) Driving Club Development through effective use of Club Development
Plans.
(e) Act as the AU’s main point of contact for their Club and filter information to
other club and committee members.
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ii.
Treasurer
(a) Ensure the club operates within budget.
(b) Approve Claims from Club members.
(c) Ensure the Club Budget Form is submitted by the deadline and has been
approved by the appropriate people.
(d) Ensure all club members have paid their membership fees.
(e) Responsible for the ordering of new club equipment.
iii.
Secretary
(a) Take minutes in Club General Meetings and Club Committee meetings and
distribute them accordingly.
(b) Join the Club Chair at AU GENERAL MEETINGs and feedback relevant
information to the Club and committee.
(c) Ensure all club documentation including risk assessments are up to date and
visible to club members.
(d) Prepare the Club’s ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING and elections. Elected officers must also be responsible for the maintenance of the Club’s website
and social media pages and the ordering of the Club’s playing kit. These
responsibilities should be allocated to officers in each Club’s Constitution. The names
and positions of all elected officers shall be presented, in writing, to the Athletic
Union Office.
c) Any club committee officer can be removed in accordance with Paragraph 17 of the
Loughborough Student’s Union Constitution.
d) The club committee shall be responsible to the Athletic Union Executive and Finance
Committee for the conduct and finance of the club.
e) The club shall submit to the Athletic Union Office, when requested, a club budget for the
following year. Clubs failing to do so may, at the discretion of the Finance Committee, be
made no grant award for the following year
f)
All club grants are provisional on their abiding by any recommendations of the Finance
and/or Executive Committee of the Athletic Union.
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g) As of the year 2012/13, all clubs will comply with the agreed single kit supplier for
Loughborough Sport and comply with the associated brand guidelines. Failure to do so
shall result in sanctions at the discretion of the Athletic Union President at the time - any
exceptions will be added in appendices on a case by case basis.
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