We're Having an EGM

Yes! All of our roles are open for almost anyone to apply for. The only condition is that you must either be a current student (at any Manchester University) or have special permission from the Student Union if not.

If you wish to apply for a role whilst not being a current student, it may be best to request special permission from the Student Union; we'd advise doing so ahead of time to prevent any issues. They'll ask you a few questions to grant you an exception to the SU rules, one of which may be whether the role you wish to run for is uncontested, and you may also be required to prove you have permission from the UMHC committee to be a part of it. At the end of the day, whether you can run for a role whilst not being a current student is at the discretion of the Student Union.

We greatly encourage anyone to put their hat in the ring to run for an open role on the committee; if you wish to do so, please fill in this form no later than 24 hours before the EGM.

For many of you, the EGM or AGM might be completely new, so it's understandable if you're not quite sure how everything works. Whilst some societies just take applications via a form, post it on their social media, and then leave it for their members to vote, we run our application process slightly differently.

Like other societies, we require all applicants to fill in an online form; this allows us to prepare ballots and other resources ahead of the EGM to ensure the event runs smoothly. This form will ask what role you wish to apply for, as well as the name of the person you wish to have nominate you (we'll explain this in a second). The application form is also shared with the proxy vote form; a proxy vote simply provides the ability for a member to nominate someone ahead of time to vote for them if they can't make it to the EGM. You don't need to fill in the proxy vote section if you're running for a role.

Once you've filled in the form and the big day has arrived, the EGM will work as follows. The Chair will make an introductory speech to welcome everyone and commence the EGM. Once complete, any amendments to the constitution will be put forward along with an explanation of why they should be made; after the proposer has pitched their amendment, anyone in the room may ask them questions about it, closely followed by a vote on the amendment. Finally, once all constitutional amendments have been voted upon, we'll move on to the roles. We'll work through the available roles with each applicant's nominee introducing them with a short speech; once the nominee has finished, it'll be the applicant's turn to make a speech about why they believe they're a good fit for the role and why you should vote for them. Once all applicants for a role have had their turn, voting for the role will open; after that's completed, we'll move on to the next available role until all roles have been voted upon. Finally, we'll announce and appoint our new committee members, and head off to celebrate!

All in all, it can be a lengthy process; however, an EGM is much shorter and quicker than an AGM, which will occur in March.

Our constitution defines the rules and structure of our club. Any member can propose an amendment, which must be seconded by another member. Both members will be required to present their amendment at the EGM before voting begins.

Submit your amendment proposals using this form. The deadline is 7:00 PM on 27th January to give the committee time to prepare.

Voting is open to all members of the club, whether you have a student membership, an associate membership, or a lifetime membership. You can even purchase a membership right up until just minutes before voting begins! We strongly encourage all of you to vote at the EGM, as it ensures that the club stays focussed on our members and not the interests of just a few people. If you're entitled to vote but can't make it to the EGM, you have the right to a proxy vote, which allows you to appoint another member to vote on your behalf. To do this, please fill in this form no later than 24 hours before the EGM. (Please note: this is a shared form for role applicants as well; you don't need to fill in the role application sections if you're just applying for a proxy vote.)

Finally, if this is your first EGM or AGM, it's crucial to know that on all voting slips, you'll be provided with an option called 'RON' (Re-Open Nominations). This option is available if you don't wish any of the current applicants to be awarded the role. If this option wins the election, nominations for the role will be reopened for fresh applications and voted on either again on the spot or at a later EGM, depending on the circumstances.