Download important forms, check our processes and answer any quick questions your committee might have
The committee handbook provides quick guides to your Society's activities and processes, as well as some key documents that you'll need throughout the year. For any questions not covered below, please contact us!
? Get the old and new committees together. Talk about what went well last year, and what you'd do differently
? Make a note of all Society social media log in details
? Complete the Society Development Plan
? Complete the Committee Audit Form
? Book a meeting with the Student Activities staff member who supports your Society
? Sign your Constitution
Funding Bid Application ↓
In the case of any emergencies, follow the below procedure:
1. Contact the nearest first aider or official who will treat or stabilise the casualty
2. Ensure the immediate safety of all members of your group
3. On campus: Call SHU 24 hour security on 0114 225 2000 and ask them to call the Emergency Services.
Off campus: Contact the Emergency Services by telephoning 999 or 112
4. In office hours inform the Students' Union of what's happening on 0114 225 4111, for evenings, weekends and holidays contact SHU 24 Hour Security on 0114 225 2000
5. Await further instruction and support from the Emergency Services, Students' Union and/or University. Do not comment to the press if approached, and keep all information off social media in case of sensitive incidents.
6. All accidents, incidents and near-misses must be reported to the Students' Union within 24 hours.
Roles
SHSU Society Committees must have a President, Secretary, Treasurer and Equality & Diversity Officer. Your Society can add any additional roles where necessary, but these must be voted on at an Annual General Meeting and written into your Society Constitution.
Constitution
Your Society constitution is a set of rules and principles that govern your Society. This can contain role descriptions for committee members, specific policies relating to your activities, and information on your aims and objectives. Your constitution will also be bound by the Articles of Governance of SHSU, and will contain some standardised policies relating to finance, conditions of membership, elections procedure and more. Each new committee will sign the Society constitution when taking their positions, and any changes can be voted on at an AGM.
AGM (Annual General Meeting)
The purpose of an AGM is for the members of the society to hold the committee to account for the past year. This meeting happens once a year, and usually contains a report on the year's activities, a review of the Society's finances and recommendations for the next year. You should give your members at least 14 days notice before an AGM takes place. The AGM is also the time to elect a new committee (this can be done online or in person - more details below), as well as voting on any amendments to your constitution. Quorum for your AGM is 10% of your full society membership (associate members can attend, but only Hallam students count towards this number). If you need to add committee positions or alter your constitution outside of your AGM, you can hold an EGM (Extraordinary General Meeting) at any time.
Other Meetings
Your Society will likely have regular meetings for members, but you may also wish to schedule regular meetings for committee only - this is a good chance to sort out any issues and make any decisions on the Society's activities. Your Secretary should take minutes at committee meetings and distribute these to your members. The Students' Union holds 'All Societies Meetings' at certain times throughout the year - you must send a representative from your Society to these meetings where all Societies can discuss specific issues, feedback to SHSU Staff and the Activities Officer as well as having a chance to network and meet other committees.
SHSU Volunteering
Did you know that as a committee member, you are also a volunteer? Our friends at SHSU Volunteering have developed an awards system where all student volunteers can log their hours, skills and training sessions in order to be recognised for their hard work. All you need to do is set up a
Volunteer Profile, and begin logging the hours you contribute to your society. If you're unsure on what counts, drop volunteering@shu.ac.uk a line.
Any Sheffield Hallam student or staff member can join your Society as a
full member. Paid Societies must have a minimum of twelve full members. Anyone not currently studying or working at Sheffield Hallam University/SHSU can still join your Society as an
associate member, if you choose to open membership out to them. Associate members can attend all your activities, but cannot sit on committee or vote in elections. All members must be registered through the SHSU website - even for free Societies. If you wish to create an option for associate members to join your society, please
let us know so we can add this to your web page. Make sure any new members know when your next meeting is so you can make them feel welcome!
Dates
Committee elections for 2018/19 must take place between 9th April 2018 - 29th April 2018. Societies can set their own elections period within these three weeks but please ensure you allow enough time to publicise open roles, receive nominations and run the election itself. If your Society requires dispensation from the elections period, please contact
activitiesadmin@shu.ac.uk as soon as possible so we can make alternative arrangements.
Elections Process - Online
For online elections, you must select a returning officer. This will usually be your current Secretary, but must be someone impartial to the race (if your Secretary is running for a new position, you should nominate someone else from committee). The returning officer must inform
activitiesadmin@shu.ac.uk of the roles up for election, the dates of nominations and the dates of voting. You may choose to open nominations, or announce the results at your AGM. The returning officer will be informed of the results and will communicate these to the Society. Any vacant positions can be elected in an additional election if necessary.
Elections Process - In Person
For in person elections, you must select a returning officer. This will usually be your current Secretary, but must be someone impartial to the race (if your Secretary is running for a new position, you should nominate someone else from committee). The returning officer is responsible for setting the voting system, ensuring a fair and democratic election, counting the votes and communicating the results to
activitiesadmin@shu.ac.uk. Only full members are eligible to vote in Society elections. Any vacant positions can be elected at an EGM.
Your Responsibilities
This section of the Committee Handbook is not exhaustive and full training will be provided to the Society's Treasurer and President. All Societies have an account with our finance office in The HUBS. This is where your membership fees and any other income ends up, and where you pay outgoing costs from. The Treasurer, and wider committee are responsible for the financial activity of the Society and ensuring that it runs within the polices and guidelines of SHSU. Your Society account must NOT be overdrawn without the express written permission of a member of the Societies staff team, and SHSU reserves the right to refuse any outgoing payments that may cause this to happen. Remember that your Society's finances roll over year-on-year - you should always ensure that next year's committee will have enough money! The Society's Treasurer will receive regular statements regarding the Society's finances and must ensure that the committee does not spend any money that the Society does not have. In cases where claims for reimbursement which would cause the account to be overdrawn are refused, SHSU will not be responsible for any losses incurred by Society members. Download our
funding guidelines to learn how to top up your Society account.
Incoming Deposits to Your Account
If you require the collection of any money for your Society's activities (trip fees, event tickets, clothing etc) you can sell these online, just contact us to set up a product purchase. If you need to collect cash or cheques in person, ensure that these are paid into the Finance Office as soon as possible, informing the staff which Society you are from and what the money is for. You must not keep any Society money in external or personal bank accounts. If you collect any money for charity, you are also required to pay this into your Society account - stating which Society you are from and which Charity will receive the money.
Outgoing Payments From Your Account
When it comes to paying for items or services, there are two main methods:
1. Small costs up to £100 (such as refreshments for meetings, stationery etc) can be paid for by committee members and claimed back from the Students' Union. To claim money back, you'll need to complete a
claim form signed by the Treasurer or President and provide a receipt for the item. Bring your completed Claims Form to a member of the Societies Team at SHSU and we'll process it for you. Cash claims (under £50) can usually be collected from the Finance Office within 3 days, Bank Transfers (over £50) are paid weekly. Any purchases involving a purchase order, invoice, quotation or other financial documentation must follow the procedure for large costs, regardless of value.
2. Large costs over £100 (such as online clothing orders, venue hire, instructors or teachers etc) require orders to be placed by SHSU staff. We require details of the company that you are ordering from, information on what is being ordered and any quotes that you have received sent to
activitiesadmin@shu.ac.uk. We will also require authorisation from your treasurer that the order can be placed - this can be an email sent from their student account, or in person. Requests must be made a minimum of two weeks before delivery of the item or event is required. SHSU will not pay any invoices for goods or services that have not been ordered by our staff, or that would cause your account to be overdrawn. If you agree to hire an expensive venue without telling us and bring us an invoice when it comes to paying, you may find yourself considerably out of pocket! If you are intending on applying for additional funding for the purchase this must have been approved before the order is placed - funding can not be applied for retrospectively.
Additional Funding for your Society
SHSU has a number of ways for your Society to gain extra funds, but you should always aim for your Society to be self-sufficient. This means ensuring that your membership fee is reasonable for your planned activities, considering sponsorship or fundraising and setting reasonable ticket costs for any events, trips or items that you wish to organise for members. Download our
funding guidelines for full information on ways of funding your society. If you do need additional funding from SHSU, there are a number of options available to you:
1. All new Societies can apply for up to £50 for start up costs.
2. During our membership drives at the beginning of each semester, we will give you £1 for every person that joins your Society.
3. During our Give-It-A-Go periods at the start of each semester, we will give you £1 for every non-member that attends an activity you put on.
4. You can submit a bid for specific items using the Funding Request tab above. Funds are tied to certain criteria which are detailed in our funding guide.
Sheffield Hallam Students’ Union is committed to equality of opportunity for all, and all societies must make sure that they are open and welcoming to all students. The Students' Union recognises that it has the power to reduce the disadvantages experienced by individuals by making our services responsive to the different needs of individuals and groups. The Students' Union wants its services, facilities and resources to be accessible and useful to every student regardless of gender, age, ethnic origin, religious belief, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or any other individual characteristic which may unfairly affect a person’s opportunities in life. Your Society, as a key component of SHSU, must also commit to these principles and ensure that they are carried out in your activities and processes.
If you ever feel that you or a member of your society has experienced discrimination at any level please inform the
Activities Officer or a member of
the Societies Team. We know we can always do better - so let us know how! As a committee member you have responsibility to your Society and members to ensure that discrimination does not occur and that everyone feels welcome. Please note that as per our Articles of Governance, any formal complaints must be submitted in writing to the President of SHSU.
Physical Promotion
The annual Societies & Activities Fair takes place in Welcome Week. This is a great place to recruit new members and get your society some much needed publicity after the long summer break. Stalls are available free of charge for all societies new or old and you can be as creative as possible with how you decorate it. All societies will be invited to book a stall over the summer.
Digital Promotion
Make sure to have an active social media presence, updating your followers on what your Society is up to, announcing the dates of meetings and activities and engaging with your members. You can also send a regular newsletter to your members through the admin functions of our website, or send content to
activitiesadmin@shu.ac.uk if you'd like an event, news story or other item to be included in the newsletters that we send out. Societies can also submit artwork to
activitiesadmin@shu.ac.uk to be included on TVs and PC screensavers around the University. All Society promotion must include the
Students' Union Logo, NOT the University's logo. Artwork must be 800 x 600 pixels and can not include logos or advertisements for political parties or private companies.
Printed Materials
Consider flyers and posters for distribution in certain areas of campus, which can be printed at SHSU using your Society's bank account. Black and white costs 0.5p for A4 and 1p for A3, colour costs 4p for A4 and 8p for A3. All society posters and flyers must have the Students' Union logo included. Please note that posters and flyers placed in University buildings are likely to be removed. Send all printing requests to
activitiesadmin@shu.ac.uk
Give It A Go
New for 2017, Societies can now offer free sessions that any student can attend. This is a perfect opportunity to showcase what your Society is about and reach out to potential new members. SHSU organises two Give It A Go periods throughout the year - one in Welcome Week and one during Refreshers. If your Society would like to take part, contact the
Activities Coordinator or keep an eye out for emails from us!
As a committee, you hold responsibility for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of your members. SHSU has a responsibility to ensure that you are adequately trained and aware of all relevant policies and procedures
Risk Assessments
Risk assessments must be submitted for all events and trips that your Society offers. Your regular activities may not need a risk assessment, but this will be covered in your handover meeting. Risk assessments (and trip registration forms) must be submitted to
activitiesadmin@shu.ac.uk within the following time frames:
Single day trip or event - 3 working days' notice;
Overnight trip in the UK - 5 working days' notice;
Trip abroad - 10 working days' notice
First Aid
First aid training can be organised and subsidised by the Students' Union with priority for high risk groups. Members of these Societies will also need to be insured by personal accident cover. In the event of first aid being needed, you should alert staff at the venue where the accident occurred and following any emergency procedures where necessary.
Food Hygiene
If you wish to provide your own food at an event or fundraiser, you must complete and return a
Food disclaimer to us. Your committee can be liable for any illness caused by food or drinks provided or sold at Society events. Please note that external catering is not permissible at SHSU - contact us to see what our catering staff can do for you!
Trips, Socials, Events & Room Bookings ↓
Trips
For any trips (activities requiring travel outside of the University Campuses), you must complete a
risk assessment and a
trip registration form. Risk assessments and trip forms must be submitted to
activitiesadmin@shu.ac.uk within the following time frames:
Single day trip or event - 3 working days' notice;
Overnight trip in the UK - 5 working days' notice;
Trip abroad - 10 working days' notice.
You may find the
trip planning flowchart helpful in planning your trip. Large costs, including accommodation, should be requested through the Societies Team a minimum of 3 weeks in advance. Any trips or accommodation not booked through SHSU will cause the Society to be liable for costs and may lead to disciplinary action. Please refer to the finance section above for full details on financial and booking procedures.
If you want to organise a trip abroad for your society, it is strongly recommended that you go through a tour operator. This offers you some extra protection, and makes it significantly easier to plan! Why not have a look at our
trips abroad guidelines for useful tips?
Socials
Most socials will require a
risk assessment. Bar crawls are not encouraged, but if you really want to host one, you must inform the Societies Team to ensure it is carried out in an appropriate and safe manner. Initiations (where students are expected to perform a specific activity in order to gain entry, credibility or access) are not permitted under any circumstances. Any Society found to have organised an initiation will be subject to disciplinary action, as outlined in Bye Law 15 of the Articles of Governance. If you are unsure whether your proposed social might be classed as an initiation, just double check with the
Activities Officer or a member of
Societies Team.
Events
All other events will require a
risk assessment and where necessary a
room booking request and/or
guest speaker registration form. You will also need a film license if you are intending to screen a film -
our staff can arrange this for you. Remember that for all trips, socials and events, you may be able to apply for funding from the Students' Union. Refer to the finance section above on how to do this. If you are selling any tickets, these can be organised through the Students' Union website to ensure easy access and simple financial procedures. All trips, events and socials can be planned with support from the
Activities Coordinator. Many of our Staff members were on Society committees themselves as Students and can provide a host of experience, contacts and useful tips!
Give It A Go
New for 2017, Societies can now offer free sessions that any student can attend. This is a perfect opportunity to showcase what your Society is about and reach out to potential new members. SHSU organises two Give It A Go periods throughout the year - one in Welcome Week and one during Refreshers. If your Society would like to take part, contact the
Activities Coordinator or keep an eye out for emails from us!
Room Bookings
Room bookings can now be requested and managed
online. You will receive a login as part of your induction with SHSU staff. If you require any additional services, or are planning to host guest speakers, you will need to complete the necessary forms found on the Committee Resources tab above. If you wish to book a University room, please contact SHSU Helpdesk on 0114 225 4111 or
studentsunion@shu.ac.uk