How To Manage Exec Member Performance Issues (All About Motions of No Confidence)

We first ask that you try to solve the issue informally as this can preserve relationships. Have a meeting with the individual and explain the effects of their role not being fulfilled. Outline the expectations and role responsibilities, find out if any difficulties are stopping them from completing their duties and try to put things in place to mitigate those circumstances. E.g. If they are unresponsive to messages, can you change platforms? Or could you send them a text to notify them when there are updates in the group chat?

If an informal resolution has not worked, you first need to pull together a ‘Motion of No Confidence’ and outline exactly why you are proposing it. Clause 4 of your group’s Constitution (If you do not have a copy of your group’s constitution, you can request one from the SU) talks through how to call and run a GM, and the primary process to follow when including a Motion of No Confidence is as below: 

Pull together a full proposal outlining exactly why you are proposing the motion.

Notify the exec member of your motion and send it to them before you make any of your members aware that the motion has been proposed. When sending them the proposal, give them a reasonable timeframe to respond to let you know if they are going to fight the motion. In some cases, they might decide to just resign rather than fight the proposal.

If they decide to resign: 

You will need to ask the exec member to inform us of their resignation. Following this, you’ll just need to arrange an election to replace their position. This can be done either at a General Meeting or online through our website. You can find out more about how to run elections by viewing our dedicated article: How To Carry Out An Election

If they decide to fight the motion or you receive no response: 

You will need to call a General Meeting (Clause 4 of the constitution sets out how to call a general meeting. Some of the information in this document is group-specific, so you will need to check your own group’s document). When sending the meeting notification to your members, you can include the details of the motion and the reasons why you are calling it if you want to, or you can say that full details will be provided at the meeting. The person with the motion against them must also be invited to the same meeting. 

During the GM, the exec will present the motion and the reasons for putting it forward to the attendees and then give the exec member with the motion against them an equal amount of time to speak and defend themselves. Once both sides have put forward their cases, you will need to allow members to vote (in this case we do recommend a secret ballot rather than hands up). If the motion is passed (assuming the quorum is achieved, and majority vote in favour to pass the motion), the exec member will be removed from their post, and you will need to elect a new exec member. If the motion is not passed, the exec member will return to their post. 

Please make sure to minute the meeting and take notes, especially of the voting. You will need to send us a copy of the minutes after the meeting and let us know if the motion is passed or not by submitting that information here. This is so we can update the exec information accordingly and help set up a new election too if you want to do it online.

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