Student Ideas

1. You submit an idea on our website.
2. The SU Voice team will contact you about your idea and help you shape the idea.
3. Your idea will be considered by an elected student committee (called the Proposal Support Committee), after which your idea will follow one of three routes:
   • Your idea is put into action: Your idea is simple and easy to implement without much consideration or further discussion.
   • Your idea is put to an all-student vote: Your idea is a bit more detailed; therefore the student body should have the opportunity to vote to determine whether they agree it should be implemented.
   • Your idea is passed on to our Student Assembly: If your idea impacts particular groups within the student body or is complex, it will be discussed at a Student Assembly of students who are representative of the student population. They will help shape your idea before it goes to an all-student vote.

• Voting happens at fixed times during the year.
• When your idea is voted on by your fellow students:
  • Your idea needs over 70 students to vote on an idea (either for or against) and needs 75% of them to support the idea.
  • Students can comment and make suggestions for each idea. These comments are monitored, not anonymous and are expected to adhere to the QSU Social Media Policy and QUB Social Media Policy for students.
• If your idea reaches the required quota, it becomes an idea that the Students' Union will work on.

• Voting is open to all full Student Members of the Students’ Union.
• Each Student Member may have one vote for each submitted idea. They may amend, or rescind, their vote on the online voting platform during the voting period.
• The voting system shall keep a record of the voting preference of each voter to facilitate the amendment of votes by voters.
• Voters may cast a vote in support of, or in opposition to, each proposal.
• Votes and quotas shall be tabulated in accordance with the General Rules below.
• As the sole arbitrator in all matters relating to the election, the Returning Officer may issue regulations and rulings concerning polling areas, areas of valid campaigning, guidance for voters, the validity of votes, the process for the counting of votes and other operational matters for all elections conducted using manual or electronic voting.
• Otherwise, online votes shall be conducted in a free and fair manner, consistent with the Students’ Union Referendum Rules, save that the Union will not recognise any particular campaign teams, and will not provide printed publicity materials. Students will not have an option to record a formal abstension vote.

General Rules

• Proposals referred to an Online Vote shall be published on the Students’ Union website and Students’ Union’s online voting platform.
• The schedule for the online voting period, the details of the voting process, and the matters for consideration shall be published on the Students’ Union website.
• Online voting shall be conducted over a period of at least five working days.
• Student members may submit feedback on proposals and vote on proposals, subject to the Rules.
• The Proposal Support Committee shall approve procedures for the conduct of the online vote, subject to the Rules.
• The Students’ Union shall host an in-person and online discussion event during each period of online voting, for members to discuss matters under consideration.
• An online vote:
  • With fewer than seventy votes case shall be deemed to be inquorate.
  • Shall require the vote of 75% of those voting to be deemed carried and considered to be policy.
  • Receiving the vote of 25%, or less, of those voting shall not be considered again within 12 months from the date of passing such as decision.
  • Receiving greater than 25%, but less than 75%, of the vote, shall be referred to the Proposal Support Committee for review and further consideration.
• There shall not be more than two online voting periods in each semester.
• An online vote may not consider amendments to the Constitution and associated Rules.
• All policy deemed to be carried shall be published on the Students’ Union website and reported to the Council

Once an idea is approved, the Students’ Union (SU) begins working on it. Progress updates are published on our website throughout the year. The elected Student Officers and SU Council decide which ideas to prioritise, but we aim to make progress on all approved ideas. Each idea is categorised as follows:

• Action Underway: The idea has been approved by students and the SU is actively working on it.
• Completed: The idea has been approved and the SU has achieved the desired outcome, or delivered it as far as possible.
• For the Future: The idea has been approved, but the SU has determined that progress is not currently feasible. It will be revisited if an opportunity arises.
• Not Progressed: The idea has been approved but cannot be taken forward, usually due to financial costs, legal or reputational concerns, or because it falls outside the scope of the SU.
• Retired: Ideas that have been approved and worked on for more than three years, and are no longer being actively pursued by the SU.
• Rejected: Ideas that did not receive sufficient student support and will not be progressed by the SU.