Regulation XIX

Hall Committees

(Version effective from 1 August 2011)

Introduction

1.1 This regulation arises from Senate’s function under Statute XIV 6.(xxii) to regulate the discipline of the University and 6.(xxiii) to take such steps as it thinks proper for regulating organisations of Students.

1.2 Each Hall shall have a Hall Committee composed of students resident in the Hall and elected by all student members of the Hall. In exceptional circumstances and with the agreement of the Warden, the Committee may include a maximum of two student members of the Hall who are not resident in the Hall. The Hall Chair must be resident in the Hall.

Hall Constitution and Committee Membership

2.1. There shall for each Hall be a Hall Constitution which sets out the membership of the Hall and Hall Committee, the roles, duties, and responsibilities of Committee members, and procedures for meetings, financial management, elections, and changes to the constitution. This shall include procedures for the presentation and auditing of Hall Committee accounts. The Hall Constitution shall contain no provisions which contravene this regulation or any other part of the University’s charter, statutes, ordinances, regulations, policies or codes of practice. In the event of conflict the latter shall prevail over the Hall Constitution. On the advice of the Student Experience Committee, Senate may identify issues that need to be included in the said hall constitution.

Duties of Hall Committees and Members

3.1 The duties of the Hall Committee and its members shall be:

  1. to foster the community life of the Hall in all respects and to represent the views and interests of student members to the Warden, imago Services, the Students’ Union and other appropriate authorities within the University.
  2. to be the principal body representing its members’ views and interests within their Hall and local community.
  3. to provide leadership to new students and information on student life and living in Hall. They will also provide help to members encountering problems with student life and seek to minimise the likelihood of such problems occurring.
  4. to develop the student community through the provision of entertainment, media, social and other services, and support for a wide variety of student led cultural, recreational and sporting groups. These services should be run in collaboration with, and taking into account the needs of, the University and Loughborough Students’ Union. The Hall Committee is responsible for making all reasonable efforts to ensure the welfare and safety of users of its services and participants in events it has organised.
  5. in arranging social, sporting, Rag or other events for members of the Hall, to take account of the guidance in section 5 below.
  6. to co-operate with the Warden, Sub-wardens and University authorities in maintaining standards of behaviour within the Hall and ensuring compliance with University policies and procedures relating to student behaviour and discipline.
  7. to collect Hall subscriptions and to manage the resulting funds in the best interests of subscribing members and according to proper accounting practice, including the auditing and publication of accounts. The Warden shall have the responsibility for reviewing hall finances on a quarterly basis to ensure that they are managed appropriately, following guidelines produced by the University Finance Office.
  8. to ensure that the activities they organise and their own actions are consistent with the Hall constitution, University and Student Union policies, guidance and codes of conduct.
  9. to carry out any further duties set out in the Hall constitution
  10. to always act in the best interest of members of the Hall and not to make any personal financial gain from carrying out the role. Any offers of significant material gifts to a Hall Committee member must be declared to the Hall Committee, the Hall members and Warden and can only be accepted if they can be used to benefit Hall members rather than the individual Committee member. Gifts or financial support from the Students’ Union to Hall Committee members may be exempted from the requirements of this paragraph with the approval of the Chief Operating Officer.

Hall Committee Membership and Discipline

4.1 Students found guilty of a Major Offence committed in Hall or during the commission of their duties as a member of the Hall Committee or who have been moved to another Hall for disciplinary reasons shall be disqualified from future membership of Hall Committees.

4.2 Where a student is under investigation for such a Major Offence and the Chief Operating Officer believes that the student is likely to re-offend in the immediate future and/or represents a risk to other students, staff or to property, they may suspend a student from participating as a member of Hall Committee pending formal disciplinary proceedings under the terms of Ordinance XVII 4.

Hall Events

5.1 For the purposes of this regulation, a Hall event shall include any formal or informal gathering on or off-campus where attendance has been co-ordinated in advance by a member or members of the Hall Committee acting in that capacity.

5.2 In making arrangements for Hall events, the Committee shall inform and consult the Hall Warden and any other members of University staff who may be affected.

5.3 If, after appropriate consultations, an event is of concern, the Warden or Hall Committee may refer it to the Chief Operating Officer. Where the Chief Operating Officer believes that a planned event may threaten the welfare of students, staff or local residents, create a significant risk of disorder, or may bring the University into disrepute, they shall have power to proscribe it.

5.4 No Hall event shall involve premeditated:

  1. games involving the consumption of alcohol as a forfeit
  2. drinking competitions of any kind
  3. activities which threaten the health and safety of participants through irresponsible actions
  4. activities which bring the University or Students' Union into disrepute
  5. activity which involves degrading behaviour on the part of students, whether voluntary or otherwise

These instances are also prohibited and fall under this regulation if spontaneously initiated by or involving a member of Hall Committee in an official capacity. In addition; Hall Committee members are responsible for taking all reasonable steps to ensure that the above activities are not initiated spontaneously during a Hall event (and should report any such behaviour by other students to a sub warden, Warden or other appropriate member of University staff).

5.5 During Hall events Hall Committees have a Duty of Care to offer guidance to their members on welfare and safety issues.

Hall Sponsorship

6.1 In making arrangement for Hall sponsorship the Hall Committee shall inform and consult the Hall Warden and any other member of University or Union staff that may be affected.

6.2 If after appropriate consultation any sponsorship agreements are of concern, they may be referred to the Chief Operating Officer. Where the Chief Operating Officer believes that a sponsorship agreement may threaten the welfare of students, staff, or local residents, create a significant risk of disorder or may bring the name of the University/Loughborough Students Union into disrepute, they shall have the power to proscribe it.

6.3 No sponsorship agreement with any licensed premises shall contain any contracted commitment on behalf of the Hall Committee to bring any specified numbers of students to those premises.

6.4 No sponsorship agreement shall involve the advertising of alcoholic drinks.

6.5 No sponsorship agreement shall run for any term longer than the end of the academic year for which the responsible Hall Committee are in office.

Hall Publications

7.1 No official Hall publication, including websites, shall contain obscene, insulting/offensive material, or material that may bring the University/Loughborough Students Union into disrepute, and/or may constitute harassment.

7.2 All publications must be approved by two members of Hall Committee and the Hall Warden. A record of approval for all Hall publications must be signed by all parties and kept on record.

Breach of this Regulation

8.1 Any breaches of this Regulation by Hall Committee members will be regarded as offences under Ordinance XVII governing student discipline.

8.2 Failure to comply with good financial practices in management of Hall bank accounts, failure to observe good practice in relation to Health and Safety, organisation of and/or engagement in activities prescribed under paragraph 5.4 and production of material prohibited under paragraph 7.1 will be regarded as breaches of this Regulation. This list is not intended to be exhaustive.