Constitution referendum passed - by just 249 students

The Students’ Guild has a new constitution after it was passed by a controversial referendum.

The constitution was passed with approximately 83.28% of the vote.

However, only 299 votes were cast, which is about 2.1% of the student population. Guild Council then met at an Emergency Guild Council and ratified the decision on Tuesday 6 May. However, there were complaints that the referendum was unfair, as all the Sabbatical Officers were working for the “Vote Yes” campaign. Some students felt that they had too much influence, and there were allegations that they spoke at GSA Council without inviting the “Vote No” campaign.

In addition, the referendum was ratified at Guild Council before the three days in which the “Vote No” campaign could have requested a tribunal had passed.

However, Jess Dow, the President of the Students’ Guild, felt that the referendum process had been fair.

She said, “I think that the yes and no campaigns were run fairly. When the NUS completed a governance review they did not budget any money for a no campaign at all. In fact, Exeter Students’ Guild is one of the only student unions in the country that has actively encouraged and given money to a ‘no’ campaign.”

She also argued that the Guild had done everything they could to get students to vote. She said, “I think we pushed the referendum as much as possible to the student community. I realise that the subject of governance does not necessarily appeal to every single member of the student community, which is why we used bright colours to try and draw in the crowds.”

There was also controversy over the fact that the referendum was ratified when so few students voted.

However, Dow said, “The way I see it, Exeter Students’ Guild needs change, it needs to move on and catch up with other Student Unions in the country.

“We tried everything to encourage people to vote and with an 83% majority of votes Guild Council were really left with no alternative but to ratify.

“Guild Council’s remit is not to discuss the subject of the referendum, it is whether the referendum was conducted in a fair manner.”

She added, “I am very pleased that the referendum has been passed and that a new constitution is in place. Over the next year we will see massive changes at the Students’ Guild and I am confident that these changes will make the Students’
Guild truly fit for purpose.”