1. Elected Officer Standards Panel Jamie Scudamore Union Programmes Development

2. Story so far… Year on year casework SU2012 floated Working group established Delivery September 2013

3. Today Explore the agenda Questions and comments on the basic approach Can we define “political performance” and “misconduct” effectively Proactive standards settings- what is a “great” elected officer (and is this common across the movement) What would the role of our Panel be? Make up? Answers to some key questions

4. Student Officers One of our roles as an umbrella body is professional association We are committed to driving up and maintaining standards of elected officer performance and behaviour Previously neglected area but critical as legitimacy/quality of elected models comes under scrutiny

5. Student Officer Discipline Now a large slice of the annual casework load Hugely distortive to priorities and strategic effort Very costly in reality and in kind Corrosive with long term impacts on culture Not helped by existing (old) model constitution

6. Analysis Four statuses –student (member of the university) –elected officer –trustee –employee Not as simple as one trumps the others Interrelationships critical Trustees are governors of constitutions as well as employers Lots of external advice silos inside one of the frameworks

7. Legal Advice Sabbaticals are employees (QC Opinion) Need to make employment law requirements compatible with (not overriding of) other structures Revisions to the model constitution discussed with CC, BWB as well as national discussions with other national bodies

8. Approach/Principles Building blocks Approach –Student Member of University –Member of the Union –Elected Officer of the Union –Trustee of the Union Coin Slots Approach –Punching a staff member: Panel –Not delivering on a manifesto: Democracy –Grey areas –Attempt to distinguish between misconduct and performance

9. Approach/Principles Externality Approach –“Which slot” not handled by President –Misconduct panel not the same as the TB Positive Standards Approach –Codes –Agreements –Role Modelling –Handling difficulty

10. Responsible for promoting high ethical standards in local democracy. Oversaw Code of Conduct, covering elected and co-opted members serving on a range of authorities. The board maintained an independent national overview of local investigations into allegations that members' conduct may have fallen short of the required standards. In certain cases, The board investigated allegations itself. It could not impose sanctions on members, but if it considered that further action may be necessary, it referred cases to the Adjudication Panel for England or to the relevant authority's own standards committee for determination.

11. Our own standards board Organised and funded by NUS but “not” NUS High ethical standards in officers Code of Conduct on an opt in basis Organising and supplying external members of panels External “coin slotting” and external appeal where required

12. Context AHUA and CUC very excited Charity Commission also interested and excited Pilot/advisory group Recruitment of board members from pilot group and stakeholders

13. Assumptions Funded and organised by NUS NOT NUS – organise and supply panel Common Code of Conduct to sit alongside on an ‘opt-in’ basis Provide a mechanism for non-binding external appeal where required

14. 4 Key Questions Do we advise on whether a certain situations are a question of misconduct or not, or simply put out remit of panel and let unions decide to refer? Should we facilitate internal investigations into misconduct? Do we deal exclusively with the Trustee Board? Should we set minimum or aspirational standards?

15. Next Steps TimingActivity November 2012Union Development Zone Conference Workshop December 2012Working Group Meeting January – March 2013Pilot Cases in new model MarchMeeting of Working Group May 2013Final Proposals Published June 2013Recruitment of Volunteer Pool September 2013EOSP operational, open to referrals

16. Feedback, Comments & Questions… Jamie Scudamore, Union Programmes Development Jamie.scudamore@nus.org.uk 07585 969873evelopment