Union House Referendum Act

Section One: GENERAL

A. Referenda may be initiated by Student Union Council, by the House Council for a particular residence House or Hall, or by residents of a particular residence House or Hall.

B. A referendum will be centered on one core initiative.

C. The Returning Officers are responsible for ensuring that the initiative either proposes amendment(s) to a current Policy ,(of either the Students’ Union or the House or Hall for which the referendum is to be held,) or aims to create a new policy without violating the current Students’ Union Bylaws, or House Constitution.

D. Student Union Council, or the House Council may define referendum periods by a two thirds (2/3) majority vote.

E. Policies adopted by referenda shall be inscribed in the Union’s Policy Manual and shall not be amended by motion of Students’ Union Council or House Council until the defined referendum period of the academic year following the one in which the referendum was passed.

F. Quorum for all house or hall referenda shall be fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the number of residents in a particular house or hall, or seventy-five (75) residents; whichever is fewer.

Section Two: HOUSE COUNCIL-INITIATED REFERENDA

A. Any motion to place a question before the House through a referendum must be presented as a written motion and signed by at least four (4) members of the House Council and distributed to all House Council members at a meeting of House Council. If passed, the question will be put to the membership during the defined referendum period.

B. The wording of the referendum question must be approved by the House Council.

C. The majority necessary for the adoption of policies in a House-initiated referendum shall be fifty percent (50%) of voters plus one vote

D. If a majority is obtained in a House-initiated referendum, the policy change proposed by the referendum shall be adopted immediately after the referendum result is declared official.

Section Three: STUDENT UNION COUNCIL-INITIATED REFERENDA

A. Any motion to place a question before a House through a referendum must be presented as a written motion and signed by at least four (4) members of the Students’ Union Representative Council and distributed to all Students’ Union Representative Council members at a meeting of Students’ Union Representative Council. If passed, the question will be put to the membership during the defined referendum period.

B. The wording of the referendum question must be approved by the Students’ Union Representative Council.

C. The majority necessary for the adoption of policies in a Council-initiated referendum shall be fifty percent (50%) of voters plus one vote

D. If a majority is obtained in a Council-initiated referendum, the policy change proposed by the referendum shall be adopted immediately after the referendum result is declared official.

Section Four: IN-HOUSE STUDENT-INITIATED REFERENDA

A. Any resident of a particular residence House or Hall may initiate a referendum by presenting a question to the Returning Officers, who shall indicate within twenty four 24 hours whether the proposed question respects the House Council