Governance and Structure

Every society must have a constitution—a simple document that outlines your group's purpose, structure, and rules. It includes:

• Aims and objectives
• Committee roles and elections
• Membership rules
• Finance and meeting procedures

You'll review and update this during reaffiliation each year.

When you affiliate with Keele SU, your committee agrees to follow the Club & Society Agreement. This outlines your responsibilities, including:

• Running your group in line with SU policies
• Managing finances responsibly
• Ensuring events are safe and inclusive
• Submitting required documents (e.g. risk assessments, minutes)

It's a shared commitment between your group and the SU to maintain high standards and accountability.

Reaffiliation happens annually and is essential to remain an active society. During this process, you'll:

• Confirm your committee details
• Submit an updated constitution, budget and risk assessment
• Provide a handover document
• Reconfirm your society's aims and activities

Without reaffiliation, your group won't be able to access funding, book rooms, or appear on the SU website.

All societies must hold democratic elections for their committee roles. This ensures fairness and gives all members a chance to get involved.

• Elections are usually held in Semester 2
• All members must be given the opportunity to vote
• Process is managed by the SU

Keele SU provides tools and support to help you run your elections smoothly.

• Meeting Minutes – Keep records of decisions and share them with your committee.
• Risk Assessments – Required for all events and activities.
• Finance Reports – Treasurers must keep accurate records and submit reports when required.
• Social Media Access – Ensure account details are passed on during handover and passwords are updated.

The Student Experience Team is here to help with all things governance: