Download important forms, check our processes and answer any quick questions your committee might have
Committee Resources (forms, guidelines, etc) ↓
Emergency Procedures ↓
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.
Your Committee ↓
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 standardised policies relating to finance, conditions of membership, elections procedure and more. Each new committee will sign the Society constitution when taking their positions, which signifies the ratification of the Society with the Students' Union.
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). Quorum for your AGM is 10 full members of your Society (associate, reciprocal and life members can attend, but only current Hallam students count towards this number). Elections that take place in the middle of the year (to replace, or add, committee members) should take place in an EGM (extraordinary general meeting).
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.
Your Members ↓
Any current Sheffield Hallam student can join your Society as a full member. Societies should have a minimum of 10 full members at the end of the first semester, or after 6 months if they are set up in the middle of an academic year. Staff members at SHSU/SHU can join your Society as associate members, if you choose to open membership out to them, as well as graduates of Sheffield Hallam University holding a Students' Union life membership. You may also choose to open membership to current students at other NUS affiliated organisations - these are known as reciprocal members. Associate/life/reciprocal 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 2019/20 should take place between 1st - 14th April 2019. Societies can set their own elections period within these two 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 us of the roles up for election, the dates of nominations and the dates of voting by returning the AGM pack which will be sent to you in the second semester. 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 us. Only full members are eligible to vote in Society elections. Any vacant positions can be elected at an EGM.
Annual election results should be communicated to SHSU via the Committee Audit form so we can update our records. Individual changes/additions to roles can be communicated to SHSU via email.
Finance ↓
Your Responsibilities
This section of the Committee Handbook is not exhaustive and full training will be provided to the Society's Treasurer and President at our Training Conferences. As a society, you should ensure you are sustainable and have enough money in your account to fund your day-to-day activities. As money rolls over into the following year, it's also good to ensure you leave the society with enough money to function in the future. Society accounts do not have an overdraft and SHSU will not be responsible for losses incurred by the refusal of payments from accounts with insufficient funds.
Additional Funding, Fundraising and Sponsorship ↓
All Societies should aim to cover the costs of their day-to-day activity through membership fees, or charging for events/activities/merchandise. However, there may be times when you wish to bring in a little extra cash for your Society, and we can help you to do so!
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. You can submit a bid for Students' Union funding for specific items using the Funding Request tab at the top of the page. Funds are tied to certain criteria which are detailed in our funding guide.
4. Consider funding sources outside the Students' Union, such as South Yorkshire's Community Foundation and O2 ThinkBig
5. Look to local businesses and organisations for Sponsorship. This could be financial support, space for meetings, resources for activities and much more - think outside the box! You may also wish to approach your academic department to see if they have any funding available for student groups. The Committee Resources tab at the top of this page has a range of guides and resources to help you secure a sponsorship that's right for you.
Equality & Diversity ↓
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.
Promoting Your Society ↓
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 them. 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 - be sure to send out regular welcomes to members that join throughout the year so they feel part of your Society!
Give It A Go
Societies can offer free (or low cost) sessions that any student can attend as part of our Give It A Go programme. This is a perfect opportunity to showcase what your Society is about and reach out to potential new members. SHSU organises and promotes several society Give It A Go periods throughout the year. If your Society would like to take part, contact the Activities Coordinator or keep an eye out for emails from us!
Health & Safety ↓
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 ↓
Room Bookings
Room bookings at The HUBS 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 or speak to the Activities Coordinator. If you wish to book a University room, please contact SHSU Helpdesk on 0114 225 4111 or hubshelpdesk@shu.ac.uk
Trips
For any trips (activities requiring travel outside of Sheffield), 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 to the Society) 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
Societies can offer free (or low cost) sessions that any student can attend as part of our Give It A Go programme. This is a perfect opportunity to showcase what your Society is about and reach out to potential new members. SHSU organises and promotes several society Give It A Go periods throughout the year. If your Society would like to take part, contact the Activities Coordinator or keep an eye out for emails from us!