SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
Introduction
Committee Structure
Student Engagements
Proposed Constitution - Draft
Current Constitution
Constitution Cheat Sheet
SGM FAQ
WHAT IS AN SGM?
There are three types of general meetings in any charitable organisation. An IGM (Inaugural), where you set things up, an AGM (Annual), which is the one we have every year to do the business of the organisation and an SGM (Special), when you want to change the rules.
WHY ARE WE HAVING ONE?
The short answer is the legislation changed, so we had to have one anyway to change some language in our Constitution (governing document), but as Temepara said, these other changes are ones we worked on a little over the last few years and a LOT last year with surveys, articles and meetings. So, we thought, why not do both?
HOW MANY PEOPLE DO WE NEED IN THE ROOM?
For this, 250! But one of the changes we want to make is to change the quorum needed for these meetings to something more regularly achievable.
DID SOMEONE SAY SOMETHING ABOUT PRIZES?
Yes. For both the survey and the meeting itself, we will be giving away spot prizes for participation, such as Don Vouchers, Fuel Vouchers, and Pak’n’Save Vouchers, all for individuals, as well as some large prizes like a Nintendo Switch 2, a TV, a Party Speaker, and a PS5.
We will also be giving away prizes for the Hall of Residence that has the most participants in both, AND for a Club or Rōpū Māori with the most attendees. We are also creating a specific challenge for Selwyn Street.
WHY DID WE NEED TO CHANGE?
There is the legal answer, which is compliance, but then there is the moral one. The model we are using was starting to show its age. And while we ended up with good people on the board, there were clear and obvious gaps that we wanted to address to make the WSU truly representative. Last year, especially, some directors campaigned for change because they weren’t reaching specific voices like the ethnic, rainbow, international, and accessibility communities as effectively as we should, which led to a lot of discussion and a survey. With the groundwork done, we still took another 6-7 months to get it to a space where we think it will meet all our needs.
WHAT IS THE NEW MODEL?
- Effectively, we are moving from the old President, Vice-President, Vice-President Māori, and nine directors (seven General, one Tauranga, one Pacific) to a model that is a President, a Vice-President Māori and four Executive Directors (Executive Director Academic Success, Executive Director Student Experience, Executive Director Pacific Students, Executive Director Tauranga Campus).
- The Executive Directors are each responsible for one of the five committees: The Student Academic Council, The Student Experience Council, The Pacific Students Forum, and the Tauranga Students Forum, while the Vice-President Māori continues in their role with Te Kahuinga Tumuaki.
- These committees will each be given a budget for meetings and projects, and have their representatives and deputies that are guided by and can be changed in simple terms of reference to ensure that we have adequately catered for as broad a group as possible.
SO, YOU GUYS HAVE GOT IT RIGHT?
Probably not. But that’s because there is no right or wrong here. What we are doing is creating a model that is more agile, adaptive and can change as the campus body changes.
HOW DO PEOPLE GET ELECTED?
In the beginning, it will just be a standard election. The term will change, so it will effectively run from September / October. For the first one, we see mostly general elections except in Tauranga where we can probably run the election just for the Tauranga campus.
As for how representatives and delegates get appointed, this will likely evolve over time. For the Divisional Representatives on the Student Academic Council, this will likely be Division-wide elections. For a Rainbow rep, we may start with UniQ.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FORUM AND A COUNCIL?
Simply put, a council is one where all the members are predetermined. The Student Academic Council would have Divisional reps and a PGSA rep. They would have a workload, including regularly meeting with Class reps from their division and reporting back.
In the case of the Tauranga and Pacific Students forums, they may have a forum or five set representatives, but any student should be able to attend those meetings and raise their concerns or express their ideas.
WHAT IS THE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL?
All of these committees not only give feedback and promote ideas through to the executive board, but also choose five or six delegates to represent their views on the Student Representative Council. So, for instance, the Student Experience Council might have 25 Student Representatives but may decide to send the Migrant Affairs Representative, the Rainbow representative, A Halls Representative, a Sports Representative and an Accessibility Representative to the Student Representative Council as delegates.
And the Representative Council keeps the Executive Board in line, providing checks and balances.
WHAT OTHER CHANGES ARE BEING MADE?
A lot of the changes are in service of the structural changes. Still, there are incidental changes like creating a more structured Advisory Group or firming up Student Engagements, groups, and structures that support the operation of the WSU Board.
WHY DOES THE VP MĀORI POSITION STAY WHEN EVERYTHING ELSE CHANGES?
In the words of our Becky G. Video, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The WSU is proud of the mana and heritage of the Vice-President Māori and doesn’t want to change a model that works.
WHAT IS A PRESIDENT EMERITUS?
Because (at the time of writing at least) the WSU President serves as the elected Member of Council for the entire student body, and the changes we make would change the election cycle, our interim solution is that the soon-to-be former President stays on till December 31st as President Emeritus, where they can help with the changeover. Lame geeky fact, the term emeritus is literally from the Latin meaning to serve out one’s term. So never let it be said nerds don’t run the WSU.
SO DOES THE STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL REPLACE STUDENTS?
No, but it does kinda tag in for them. So the AGM (toward the end of A Trimester in future) will be the one where all students can have their say as they vote on the important stuff. The other meetings that aren’t firmly in the constitution, where the Executive Board want to prioritise initiatives, create working plans, or even present reports, are all things that could be voted on by the 30ish delegates of the SRC.
WHY IS THERE A SURVEY NOW?
The cynics will say it is a gambling theory. Lots of bright shiny things to make you feel positive toward the WSU in the hopes we can attract a diverse board to fill these new executive roles. But we think you are too bright, pretty, and talented to fall for blatant manipulation. Instead, it is just because we have stuff we want to know that will impact projects we are working on. Nothing makes the case more than saying 88% of those surveyed think you are wrong!
We take this seriously; so rather than surveying every week like some faculty, we want to do this right, do it once, and make it way too long. 82 Questions, that is worth the chance to win a PS5 right?
ARE YOU ALLOWED TO ADVERTISE BEER?
Absolutely not! In fact, it would be wrong of us to say that we will have a selection of pizza (including vegan, vegetarian and a couple of gluten-free), soft drinks and a variety of cans or bottles of beer. So, we certainly won’t say that.
WSU Annual Survey
Click Here to fill out our survey and have the chance to win a prize.
SGM 2025
Offical Notice
By resolution of the Board of Directors pursuant to rule 10.1 of the WSU Constitution, a Special General Meeting (SGM) of the members of the Waikato Students’ Union Inc has been called in order to repeal, alter, add to or amend the rules of the Association. The meeting will be held on Wednesday 13th August 2025, at 1pm. Venue to be advised.
The business of the meeting will be to approve re-registration under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022, and to consider changes to the constitution to ensure we are compliant with that legislation. The effect of the changes we wish to make are as follows:
1. Clarify consent to membership,
2. Maintain an up-to-date list of members,
3. The AGM must be held within 6 months of the end of the financial year,
4. Dispute resolution processes clarified,
5. Nominating a contact person.
We also wish to make further changes to the constitution to make it more fit for purpose in the modern student environment. These changes would take into account developments in technology, student lifestyles, and the funding partnership with the University. The effect of the changes we wish to make are as follows:
- Changes to the makeup of the Executive Board,
- Reviewing the Student Advisory Council,
- Longer term strategic planning,
- More formal connections to our support people and our key stakeholders (the University and the WSU Trust).
In accordance with rule 10.5 of the WSU Constitution, this will be the only business to be transacted at this meeting.