The debates on the Conference special resolutions are happening in May and we want students to get involved, sharing their views and hearing others too.
Special resolutions:
- Resolution A is the proposal to officially approve the change to the name of our elected Student team from ‘Central Executive Committee’ to ‘Student Leadership Team’.
- Resolution B proposes changing our elected Student Leadership Team to include three to five Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) roles to represent the existing Groups at the Association in a more comprehensive way.
- Resolution C proposes a trustee term change for 2026 to be a one, rather than two, year term in a move towards then holding separate annual elections for student leaders and trustees.
There will also be discussions around policies put forward by other students including an argument for University support for students with undiagnosed additional needs.
Conference debates:
Friday 10 May – what to expect
Sunday 12 May – trustee term change, new EDI roles and a student policy
Monday 13 May – student policy discussion
Wednesday 15 May – what’s in a name?
Friday 17 May – trustee term change, new EDI roles and a student policy
Saturday 18 May – student policy discussion
Tuesday 21 May – what’s in a name?
See more details including times and joining links on our website. And if you want to read more about Conference, voting and the big day itself, visit our Conference hub.
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1 Ask questions about the special resolutions and vote early!
Voting on Conference resolutions opens on Friday 24 May (you will be emailed a voter code) and the voting page will provide the information you need to fully understand the resolutions.
Attending one of our debates will allow you to hear an overview of each special resolution from Association staff and Student Leaders. Having the special resolutions presented to you in this way will allow you to ask any questions you have to solidify your understanding. This means you can vote confidently based on the direction you want to see the Association take on the matters in question.
Also, when you attend one of our debates, you will be invited to vote early! Once you have voted, you will be able to register for all of the amazing sessions on Conference day itself on Saturday 15 June.
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2 Give your opinion
The debates are an opportunity to verbally share your opinion on the changes to the Association that are being put forward.
At the debates, you will be able to share your thoughts and views with other students which could influence the way they choose to vote.
Sharing your views is what Conference is all about and the debates are just one of the ways you can use your student voice to influence the way your Students Association is run.
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3 Consider the thoughts of other students
If you purely want to attend one of the debates to listen, that's fine too!
You might not be sure how you're going to vote on the Conference resolutions so the debates are a great chance to hear other students' thoughts which might help you make some decisions about how you feel about the special resolutions.
There are two debates dedicated to discussing policies put forward by students. These are on Monday 13 May and Saturday 18 May. In March and April, we gave students the chance to share their policy ideas and we look forward to hearing what other students think about these ideas too.
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4 Meet other students
Studying in a distance-learning environment like the OU can make it difficult to meet other students. Online events like these give you a space to meet other OU students. Students who attend are devoting time to hearing and discussing thoughts on possible changes being made to the Students Association, so you will likely meet students who share similar interests to you!
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5 Gain new skills and develop confidence
The debates are a welcoming place to share thoughts and opinions and develop confidence in speaking within a group setting.
The session is being hosted by Association staff and Student Leaders who will ensure that students have the opportunity to speak if they want to share their thoughts.
Check out our article on employability skills you'll develop by getting involved in Conference 24.
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