We're holding an additional Members' Meeting following a majority vote by Hallam SU Officers.

12 February 2026

5pm - 7pm

Hallam SU - Owen

Please arrive by 5:15pm to be registered. If you arrive after 5:15pm, you will not be registered to vote and will not count towards quorum. This is when the meeting will officially begin. If we are not quorate, we are unable to hold any official votes. Quorum is fulfilled at 30 student members.

If you arrive after 5:15pm you will still be allowed into the event and can register to speak, but you will not be able to vote.

What's being discussed

This will be a 'single issue' Members' Meeting where we'll discuss and vote on the following suggested beliefs:

Palestine Solidarity: "HSU should proudly stand in solidarity with Palestine; publicly recognising Palestine as an independent state and expressing solidarity with those affected by the conflict in Palestine".

Note: If this belief is voted with majority 'yes' votes, this belief will be resolved as a 'student voice conclusion'. This means the outcome of the vote will be shared, but no further action will be taken as it sits outside of our charitable objects. Learn more about student voice conclusions.

Palestinian Student Support: "HSU should actively support our Palestinian students and give them official Liberation group status, with all the protections, resources and support that affords."

We encourage all members to attend and have their say. To do so and to learn more, simply book your free ticket online.

Book my ticket

Speak at the event

If you would like to speak for or against the beliefs, you can register online or at the event. Dependent on time, student members and those who sign up digitally will be prioritised to speak.

How the vote will work

There will be a maximum of three votes at this Members' Meeting, each decided by a simple majority (i.e. if there are more 'yes' votes than 'no' votes cast by members present at the meeting, the item will pass).

Students will vote online through our SU voting platform but must be present at the meeting to vote.

1. Should HSU approve the 'Palestine Solidarity' belief proposal?

• Yes
• No
• Abstain

2. Should HSU approve the 'Palestinian Student Support' belief proposal?

• Yes
• No
• Abstain

If this second vote reaches a simple majority for 'yes', a third vote will take place for the following:

3. Should HSU make the 'Palestinian Student Support' belief an HSU priority for the 2025/26 academic year?

• Yes
• No
• Abstain

How does 'abstaining' work?

If you vote to abstain, your vote won't count towards the final vote or influence whether the vote passes or not. In other words, we ignore abstentions when counting votes via a simple majority.

Example:

100 students vote (40 yes, 35 no, 25 abstain)

Outcome: Yes wins (40 yes vs 35 no)

FAQs

I would like to speak for or against a belief, is this possible?

That's great! You can sign up to speak for or against the belief in advance, or sign up at the beginning of the event.

You will only have up to 2 minutes to speak.

If I'm late to the meeting, will I be able to vote?

Due to the voting process, HSU will be implementing a cut off for attendees to vote. Therefore, to vote you must be at the meeting no later than 5:15pm.

If you arrive any later, you will be able to attend and observe, but not able to vote.

What's the difference between an HSU belief and an HSU priority?

A 'belief' is a stance we take on an issue impacting Hallam students. A 'priority' is a belief we decide to focus and act on as a priority.

There can be any number of beliefs at one time, but there can only be a maximum of six active priorities at any one time.

The SU and our elected Officers are mandated to take action on the chosen priorities during the current academic year.

What's the difference between a student member and an associate member?

A student member is a Sheffield Hallam University student. They can speak and vote in Members' Meetings.

An associate member is a staff member that works at either Sheffield Hallam University or Hallam Students' Union. They can speak in Members' Meetings, but not vote.

Further information regarding the voting process and structure for speeches on the beliefs will be shared with attendees at the event.

What is quoracy/quorum and why does it matter?

Quorum is the minimum number of people present to make decisions legitimate. As in accordance with our Bye-laws, quorum at a Members' Meeting requires 30 student members. If less than 30 student members are present, we will be unable to hold any official votes.

What is a 'student voice conclusion'?

A student voice conclusion is how a belief is resolved if it sits outside of our charitable objects (i.e the reason we exist as a Students' Union). Read more about what a student voice conclusion is.

If you have any other questions before the meeting, please reach out to us at democracy@shu.ac.uk.