Elections

Elections for student and staff positions on the Board are conducted annually by the University, usually in September, for two-year terms commencing on 7 October. All enrolled students and University staff are eligible to stand for election to the Board.

The procedures and rules governing the election of students and staff directors to the Union Board are set out in Clause 21 of the Constitution as follows:

21.  ANNUAL ELECTIONS

21.1  One Staff Director each year

The Returning Officer must, in the third quarter of each calendar year, conduct an election in which Staff are invited to vote for one or more candidates (each of whom must be a member of Staff) who seek to be appointed to the one position to be filled of a Staff Director of the Union.

21.2  Three Student Directors in odd-numbered years

The Returning Officer must, in the third quarter of each odd-numbered calendar year, conduct an election in which Students are invited to vote for one or more candidates (each of whom must be a Student) who seek to be appointed to the 3 positions to be filled of Student Director of the Union.

21.3  Four Student Directors in even-numbered years

The Returning Officer must, in the third quarter of each even-numbered calendar year, conduct an election in which Students are invited to vote for one or more candidates (each of whom must be a Student) who seek to be appointed to the 4 positions to be filled of Student Director of the Union.

21.4  Election results to be reported by 30 September each year

The Returning Officer must, in conducting each such election, ensure that the results are reported by him or her to the Vice-Chancellor by no later than 30 September in each year. This is to enable the University to make appointments of a Staff Director and Student Directors, with effect from the start of 7 October in that year, under Clauses 22.5, 22.6, 22.7 and 22.12(a).

21.5 Rules for conduct of elections

The Returning Officer must, in conducting each election under this Section, comply with the rules for conduct of such elections as may at any time be made and given by the Returning Officer to the Company Secretary. Such rules must provide for:

a. optional preferential voting in the case of an election where there is one position to be filled of a Staff Director of the Union;

b. quota-preferential method of proportional representation in the case of an election where there is more than one position to be filled of a Student Director of the Union.

Until the Returning Officer makes and gives such rules, the rules for conduct of such elections shall be the Rules for Conduct of Elections (as amended May 1997) which applied as at 1 July 2003 to the unincorporated association known as the UTS Union, except that:

i. where such rules are in conflict with a provision of this Constitution, this Constitution prevails, and such rules are treated as modified to meet such requirements; and

ii. where such rules require the Returning Officer to declare a candidate or candidates elected the Returning Officer must, instead, declare the candidate or candidates in question eligible to be appointed; and

iii. accordingly, references in such rules to an elected candidate must be taken as references to a candidate eligible to be appointed.

For further information on Union elections please contact the Elections Office, Governance Support Unit, 9514 1226, email: elections@uts.edu.au.