Section 12 – NUS Conferences 

I. General 
A. 
The points below refer to any policy-making Conferences of the NUS. 
B. 
In the event that NUS Constitution, Standing Orders, Election Regulations or other policies 
contradict the Constitution and Standing Orders of the Union, the Constitution and Standing 
Orders of the Union shall take precedence. 
II. Delegation Leader 
A. 
The E&W Officer shall attend all NUS Conferences ex-officio and shall be the Delegation 
Leader. 
B. 
The Delegation Leader may wave his/her right to attend non-policy-making Conferences. 
C. 
The Delegation Leader shall call a Pre-Conference Delegation Meeting for the elected 
conference delegates that shall discuss: 
1. 
the procedure of NUS Conferences; 
2. 
the issues that are to be laid before the NUS Conference; 
3. 
any Union policy which relates to those issues. 
D. 
These meetings shall be reported to Union Council, in clearly worded minutes. 
E. 
There shall be a Deputy Delegation Leader. The Deputy Delegation Leader shall be the 
person receiving the most first preference votes in the delegation elections. 
F. 
The Delegation Leader, after consulting with delegates, shall prepare a report of the decisions 
taken at the Conference for presentation no later than the second Council meeting of the term 
following any conference. 
III. NUS Conference Delegates 
A. 
Delegates shall attend all policy-making NUS Conferences. 
B. 
Delegates may wave their right to attend non-policy-making NUS Conferences. 
C. 
Delegates shall adhere, at all times, to the Constitution and Standing Orders of the Union and 
all Union Policy. Any failure to do so shall be reported to Union Council who may take any 
action it deems necessary. 
D. 
Delegates shall attend a Pre-Conference Delegation Meeting. 
E. 
Delegates who are not members of Union Council shall be obliged to attend the following 
meetings of Union Council as observers: 
1. 
all meetings where motions/amendments to NUS Conference are to be discussed; 
2. 
the meeting immediately preceding the NUS Conference; 
3. 
any meetings at which Conference reports are to be presented. 
F. 
Delegates shall be obliged to attend all GMs where motions/amendments to NUS Conference 
are to be discussed. 
G. 
All delegates shall submit a report to that Council. This report shall be submitted no later than 
the second Council meeting of the term following any conference. The report shall include a 
record of: 
1. 
voting for motions and amendments; 
2. 
all voting preferences in NUS National Executive Committee elections; 
3. 
first and second voting preferences in all other elections. 
IV. Motions to NUS Conferences 
A. 
Ordinary Motions to NUS Conferences 
1. 
The Union shall submit at least one ordinary motion to the NUS Annual Conference. 
2. 
The deadline for the Union to submit ordinary motions to NUS Annual Conference shall 
be the first Friday in December, or as specified in the Standing Orders of the NUS. 
3. 
The Union may submit ordinary motions to NUS Conferences where the ordinary motion 
has been brought to the Union as one of the following: 
a. 
as a motion for discussion at a GM or Council; 
b. 
as a proposal for a referendum. 
4. 
The Executive shall not have the authority to submit ordinary motions to NUS 
Conferences on behalf of Council. 
B. 
Emergency Motions to NUS Conferences 
1. 
Emergency motion shall be as defined in the Standing Orders of the NUS. 
2. 
The deadline for the Union to submit emergency motions to NUS Conferences shall be 
1pm three working days before the beginning of Conference, or as specified in the 
Standing Orders of the NUS. 
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3. 
The procedure for submitting emergency motions shall follow the procedure for submitting 
ordinary motions, except the Executive shall have the authority to submit emergency 
motions to NUS Conferences between Council meetings. 
C. 
Amendments to Motions to NUS Conferences 
1. 
The deadline for the Union to submit amendments to ordinary motions to NUS Annual 
Conference shall be the second Friday in February, or as specified in the Standing Orders 
of the NUS. 
2. 
The procedure for submitting amendments shall follow the procedure for submitting 
ordinary motions, except the Executive shall have the authority to submit amendments to 
NUS Conferences between Council meetings. 
D. 
General 
1. 
The General Secretary shall sign all motions and amendments before submission to NUS 
Conferences. In the absence of the General Secretary, a member of Executive may act 
as signatory to motions and amendments. 
V. Voting 
A. 
General 
1. 
It is the responsibility of all members representing the Union at any NUS Conference to 
ensure that, whenever possible, the maximum number of votes allowed to the Union shall 
be cast. 
2. 
In the event that delegates do not follow Union policy, the Delegate Leader shall request 
a card vote. 
B. 
Requirements relating to Union Policy 
1. 
The delegation shall speak and vote as a unanimous whole according to: 
a. 
the Policy of the Union 
b. 
any instructions from a General Meeting 
c. 
any instructions from Council in that order of preference. 
2. 
Governance Committee shall ensure that delegates receive a copy of all current Union 
policy and shall advise the delegation on how the policy relates to the issues to be 
discussed. 
C. 
Exceptions to Voting Requirements 
1. 
Any member may speak as he/she wishes provided he/she indicates that his/her speech 
is made in a personal capacity. 
2. 
On motions, but not in elections, any member may abstain upon a matter of principle. 
3. 
There shall be a free vote on procedural motions and on any motion where the delegation 
is not bound by the provisions of this section. 
VI. NUS National Executive Committee Elections 
A. 
The Union may vote as a unanimous whole for particular election candidates by one of the 
means: 
1. 
There shall be a primary election held according to the Election Regulations of the Union, 
for positions on the NUS National Executive Committee. The delegation shall vote 
according to the results of the said primary election. 
2. 
A motion shall be submitted to a GM or Council to endorse/not endorse a candidate for a 
position on the NUS National Executive Committee. 
B. 
The Delegation Leader reserves the right to inspect ballot papers. 
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