The Students’ Union is inviting students to its General Meeting on Friday 26 September at 4.15pm in Mandela Hall.

At the meeting, Sussex students will vote on proposed changes to the Union’s Articles of Association – the document that governs how the Union operates. These changes are designed to make the Union’s rules more flexible, democratic and responsive to the needs of today’s student community.

All registered Sussex students – including those on foundation degrees – are automatically members of the Students’ Union and are welcome to attend and vote. (Students at the International Study Centre are not eligible to vote.) The first 50 students through the door will receive a free drinks voucher for Falmer Bar.

What’s changing and why

The Articles of Association have remained largely unchanged since the 1990s. Following a review in 2023, the Union found that the current structures were overly procedural and inflexible, making it harder for students to shape the Union’s work.

Key proposed changes include:

• Updating quorums for referenda – moving from a fixed number to a percentage of the student body, so votes remain fair as student numbers change.

• Appointing an independent Returning Officer – ensuring elections are run fairly by a suitably qualified external professional.

• Restructuring the Executive – giving part-time elected officers more flexibility to represent marginalised communities and balance other commitments.

These updates are intended to bring the Union’s structures up to date with the size, diversity and needs of the current student body.

How to take part

The legal notice of the meeting – including full details of the proposed changes – is available on the Students’ Union website, alongside a plain-English explainer.

If you have questions about the voting process, email studentvoice@sussexstudent.com.
If you’d like to discuss the proposed changes with the elected officers, email fulltimeofficers@sussexstudent.com.

Students who can’t attend in person can appoint a proxy to vote on their behalf by completing the proxy form on the Students’ Union website and returning it by the deadline on 26 September.