Have you got a question about petitions and how to go about creating one? Or maybe you aren't sure of the process? Have a look at the topics below to see if we already have an answer!
What is a petition? The dictionary says it is “a formal written request, typically one signed by many people, appealing to authority in respect of a particular cause.”. For students at UoB it’s a chance to raise an issue that affects you, highlight it to your fellow students and have it taken forward on your behalf.
How do I create a petition? Once you have an idea, creating a petition is easy. Simply follow this link, log in to the website and complete the form. There’s plenty of help available too if you are unsure of anything!
What do I do if my petition is approved? If your petition is approved….congratulations, your work is done! Now it’s our turn. It will now be submitted to our Scrutiny Committee and Trustee Board for final ratification. The SU will then take your petition as an official policy and progress it for the next two years, with the final aim of making change happen for our students. We will continue updating the petition's forum to provide progress updates to you and all students.
How many votes does a petition need to go forward? For a petition to be considered, it needs a minimum voter turnout that equals 1% of the student population. So if the total student population was 14,500, we need at least 145 votes). For a petition to pass, it needs 51% of voters to vote in favour. Using the example above, that would amount to about 73 students.
What happens if my petition doesn’t get enough votes to progress? Should this happen we won’t accept any petitions on this particular topic in the near future. However, any feedback collected on your petition will be passed on to the Officer Team, as well as the Scrutiny Committee, as it is still something students care about!
Who can create and vote for petitions? Only registered students of UoB in the UK (members of Beds SU) are able to create and sign petitions. If you are not a member but would like to support/hear more about one of our petitions please contact help@bedssu.co.uk
I have a question about petitions. Who can I speak to? Great! We are delighted that you have a question. The best thing to do is to send an email to help@bedssu.co.uk and we’ll do our best to help!