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Societies' Council and its Executive Committee

Soc Exec
Soc Centre

We have doubled the amount of Societies’ Council meetings, which will now meet twice each semester. Come along, this is the chance to make your voice heard, bring a motion and to feed into the decision making sytem. The day to day support for societies is catered for by the Societies’ Executive Committee, which meets once a fortnight (even weeks, starting from Week 2) on Wednesday at 5pm in the in Pleasance. Societies are welcome to attend but please do contact the Societies’ Secretary first.

So what sort of things does the Societies’ Executive do?

  • Begin the process of recognising new societies
  • Debate and set policy on society issues
  • Acts as a first port of call for society support on issues such as facilities, complaints and development proposals
  • Represent society interests to the Students’ Association, the University and the world at large
  • Assist the VPSA and VPS in their co-ordination of the Student Festival
  • Organisation of other society events including the Societies’ Oscars during the Student Festival and the Societies’ Fair in Freshers’ Week.

Societies' structure within the Students' Association

SRC

  • The SRC ratifies the Societies Council Executive's decisions on new societies for recognition or those that should be declared defunct

EUSA GM

  • The General Meeting can impose policy on the Societies' Council

Finance Committee

  • Finance Committee sets the policy for Disbursement Committee to follow.

Disbursement

  • Disbursement Committee decides the award from grant applications submitted by societies.

Societies' Council

  • The full Societies' Council is made up from representatives from each recognised society plus the Societies' Executive. Societies Council decide the Bye-Laws that govern the Societies' Executive

Societies' Exec

  • Societies Council Executive is drawn from society members and decide how the Pleasance Societies' Centre is run best for societies.
  • Societies' Council Executive decide all applications for recognising new societies and pass them to the Students' Representative Council for approval.

Societies' Admin

  • Societies' Admin staff support the activities of the Societies' Council Executive.
  • The business of the Disbursement Committee is supported by the Societies' Admin staff.
  • Societies' Admin staff can be the first point of contact for any issues societies have.
  • Societies' Admin staff also support the full Societies' Council.

>200 societies

  • Societies apply through the Societies' Executive for recognition, permanent rooms at the Pleasance, etc.

Who sits on the committee?

The Societies’ Executive is made up of 5 office bearers and 10 Ordinary Members.

Societies’ Convener
The Convener chairs the Societies’ Executive committee and overseas societies contact with the Students' Association. If would like to raise any issues for the Societies’ Council, contact the Societies Convener.
Societies’ Treasurer
The Societies’ Treasurer is there to help all societies with any form of financial queries, from learning about the double entry system to filling out a successful grant application form.
Societies’ Secretary
This position exists to aid the communication between societies, the Societies’ Council and the Societies’ Council Executive. The Societies’ Secretary also helps to guide prospective societies though the process of application.
10 Ordinary Members
To ensure that the Executive speaks for a wide range of societies, 10 Ordinary Member position are also available. These posts are elected from those attending the Societies’ Council, so they are all society members. The Ordinary Members are expected to communicate regularly with societies to point them in the right direction if any problems arise and ensure that they’re aware of the Students’ Association resources available to them.
Vice President Societies and Activities (VPSA)
As the sabbatical with responsibility for societies the VPSA sits on the Executive. She also chairs Societies’ Council meetings.
Vice President Services (VPS)
Societies are regular and valued customers of the unions, so the VPS attends the Executive to provide a commercial slant on discussions.

Staff support

Anne Elder, the Societies’ Administrator, provides support at the Executive’s meetings and adds a wealth of experience to the debate.

How can I join the Societies’ Executive?

The 10 ordinary members are elected during the second Societies’ Council of the academic year, in March. The Societies’ Convener, Secretary and Treasurer and the VPSA and VPS are all elected during the main elections in March; for further details click here Want to find out more? The committee’s minutes can be read online here, which will give you an idea of what kind of things are discussed at the meetings. Alternatively you can get in touch with the Societies’ Convener or the Societies’ Secretary.