Note: As an 'explainer' document, naturally I’ve omitted some of the more complex details involved. If anyone’s interested, you can read up on these in the Constitution.
What is a GM?
A GM, or General Meeting, is an opportunity for the entire JCR to meet up and collectively discuss major decisions affecting the whole JCR.
- GMs are usually held 3 times a term, on Sunday at 8pm, with pizza and snacks
- They are chaired by the President and minuted by the Secretary, with minutes publicly available soon after the GM
- For a GM to operate, it must reach quorum – 35 members (excluding the Chair)
- The order of business at GMs consists of:
- Officers’ Reports – updates from Committee Officers
- Questions to Officers – questions may be submitted for any Officer via email to the Secretary by end of day Thursday before a GM, allowing for a response to be delivered orally or in writing at the GM
- Discussion of Motions
Alongside regular GMs, there is also an Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the end of Michaelmas Term where the Committee submits annual reports etc., and there is a provision to hold an Emergency GM for time-sensitive issues should the need arise.
Motions
These form the main substance of GMs, and can be proposed by anyone, on (almost) any topic considered relevant to the whole JCR – examples include spending motions, adding to the JCR Standing Policy (its opinion) or even Constitutional Amendments.
- For details on how to write a motion, check Writing a Motion
- Don’t worry too much if unsure about how to write a motion, you can always ask the Secretary for advice and feedback so long as this is done well before the deadline
- Most motions must be submitted to the Secretary via email by end of day Thursday before a GM, but can also be submitted even if there is no GM coming up
- Motions that involve statements to be made on behalf of the JCR, such as a public letter or social media post, must be submitted by end of day Tuesday before a GM
Consulting Committee Officers
- If your motion is relevant to any of the Committee roles, please consult them before sending a finalised version to the Secretary
- Some changes don’t need to go through a GM, and even if they do, Committee Officers can give you advice on the feasibility and effectiveness of your motion
- They’re also just more likely to support your motion if you give them advance notice
- Please consult the Treasurer in advance for spending motions of over £200 or motions involving reimbursement backdating over two weeks
- Please also consult the Treasurer for spending under £50 as the Committee may be able to approve your spending without needing to go to a GM
- Please consult the President, Secretary and other relevant Committee Officers in advance for proposed amendments to the Constitution or Standing Orders
Amendments
Amendments may be proposed to motions, though no changes can be made regarding the sum of money requested, and must be submitted to the Secretary via email by end of day Saturday before a GM
- To propose an amendment, write out the full amended motion, highlighting any changes in the colour blue
- The proposer of the original motion can then choose to accept or reject the amendment, and must let the Secretary know of their decision by 5pm Sunday
- If an amendment is rejected by the motion’s proposer, then the following steps shall take place:
- The original motion will be debated and voted on
- If this is rejected, then the amended motion(s) will be debated and voted on
- If there are two contradictory amendments (that seek to amend similar sections of the motion in different ways), there will be a vote to determine which attracts greater interest before moving onto debate on the more popular amendment
Procedure for Debate
The format is as follows:
- Proposition – a speech by the proposers explaining the motion
- Short Factual Questions – can be asked to proposers or JCR Committee
- Debate – members give speeches in proposition or opposition (no back-and-forth dialogue, at most, you can give another speech to respond to new points)
- Summary – one summary speech per proposition and opposition
- Voting – anonymously via the Element App (see here for details)
Voting Majorities
- 50% – for most motions and amendments, spending motions up to £200, Standing Policy dated over three years prior to the AGM
- 60% – for spending motions over £200, up to £500; or motions to reimburse money backdating over two weeks up to £500
- 67% – for motions involving a withdrawal of money from JCR Reserves (not regular spending motions, which withdraw from the JCR General Fund)
- 75% – for spending motions over £500, up to £10,000; or motions to reimburse money spent before the current term up to £10,000; or amendments to the Constitution (at two consecutive GMs); or amendments to the Standing Orders
- 90% – for spending motions over £10,000
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