How to Write and Use a Constitution

What is a Constitution?

All student groups will need to make sure that they have a group constitution. This is the document which sets out how your group organises itself and the rules by which you govern yourself. Unless your group is new, you should already have a constitution, which all new committee members should make themselves aware of. If you are unsure of whether your constitution exists or what it looks like, you should speak to your outgoing committee members. If you do not believe you have one contact representation@soton.ac.uk and we can let you know if we have a copy of one.

What do I do if I want to change our constitution?

If you want to change your constitution, it's best to check with the Democracy Team first, as all changes to constitutions have to be approved before they can have effect. Some sections from the model constitution cannot be changed (such as who is allowed to be members) and any rules will need to be in line with our regulations, so it is important to check with us first.

Any new or amended constitutions will then need to be voted on and passed by a formal meeting of your student group i.e. AGM (Annual General Meeting) or EGM (Extraordinary General Meeting).

If you would like any further advice on how to use or adapt this in your student group, please email representation@soton.ac.uk.

How do I write a constitution?

The easiest way to do this is to use the SUSU model constitution, which you can download here. A constitution should generally include the following:

• The name of the student group
• The purpose of the student group
• How the group is governed i.e. what committee exists, how regularly they meet and how decisions are passed
• The rules of group membership i.e. that according to SUSU rules, membership is open to all members of the Union.
• Any additional rules which members agree to abide by.