How To Run A GM / AGM

Clause 4 and Clause 5 of the Constitution sets out how to call meetings. Some of the information in this document is group specific so you will need to check your own group’s document. If you do not have a copy of your group’s constitution, you can request one from the SU.

GENERAL MEETINGS

A General Meeting may be held at any time during the University's term time. A General Meeting may be called by the Committee or the percentage of members of the Student Group as stated in your constitution, and can take place hybrid, online or in person.

All members who have paid memberships on the SU website are entitled to attend a General Meeting and, if they are Student Members, they shall also be entitled to vote (i.e. alumni or staff are not eligible). Other persons who are not members of the Student Group may also attend the General Meetings but only with the prior consent of the Committee, and they cannot participate in voting.

Notification of all General Meetings needs be circulated to all members of the Student Group, and, where the agenda for the General Meeting includes a matter of significance (i.e. a proposal to amend this Constitution or a proposal to change the rights of the Student Group's members), to members of the Student Groups Committee and the Durham SU Board of Trustees no later than the deadline set out in your constitution. Notices should be given in writing, including by email where members have given their consent. Any motions to be discussed should be presented to the Student Group Secretary not less than the deadline set out in your constitution.

The President, or in their absence, the Vice-President (if any) should chair the General Meeting. In the absence of those positions, the members present at the General Meeting should elect a chairperson from amongst themselves for that meeting. This should, ideally, not be the Student Group Secretary as they need to take the minutes of the General Meetings.

The quorum for General Meetings is set out in your group’s constitution; If the quorum is not met, any resolutions passed/decisions made at the meeting will not be valid, so you will need to reschedule the meeting. All decisions at a General Meeting are made by a show of hands or electronic vote, unless at least a specific number of members as determined in your constitution demand a secret ballot. In the case of electronic vote, that vote must be received at the email address set out in the notice of the General Meeting at least 48 hours before that meeting. Motions carried by the necessary majority (i.e. more than 50% vote in favour of the motion) at quorate General Meetings are binding on the Student Group.

If there is a motion of no confidence, then you should follow the guidance in the article ‘How to Manage Exec Member Performance Issues (All About Motions of No Confidence).’

If your group is planning to hold an election as part of your meeting, you will also need to follow the guidance in the article 'How To Carry Out An Election'.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS

AGMs are held annually prior to the deadline for the Student Group to submit its application for re-registration.

The set-up and regulations run in much the same way as a General Meetings (see above), but you will need to check your deadlines and quorum for AGMs specifically. You can find these in the copy of your group’s constitution, Clause 5.

An AGM does, however, need to include some specific business:

Chair's report.
Report by other Officers (where applicable).
The Secretary shall report on the administrative affairs of the Student Group.
Approval of the minutes of the last General Meeting.
Approval of the Student Group’s accounts for the preceding year. (Treasurer's Report)
Approval of the Student Group's plan and budget for the forthcoming year.
Constitutional amendments (if any).
Such other business as is considered necessary.

You can find out more about what to include in each of the reports in the follow articles:

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