Laws Studies Board - Constitution (as amended 28-2-05, 6-11-06 and 6-11-07).

(1) This constitution relates to the 'Laws Studies Board' which is a forum for discussion between academic staff and students working within the Department of Laws.

(2) The "Laws Studies Board" shall be a forum for discussion with no formal decision making rights.

(3) Students in each class (AS Law, A2 Criminal Law, AS Citizenship, ILEX Paralegal, Laws Research, AS Govt & Politics, A2 Govt & Politics, Debating Society, etc) shall select/elect a representative to fully participate in meetings of the Laws Studies Board - this person being a representative of the students in that class [if for any reason a class representative is unable to attend an LSB meeting they can nominate a substitute class representative to attend/vote in their place (this nomination must be placed in writing by the elected representative to the LSB Secretary)]. Any election ballot shall be by an elimating process, i.e. continued elections until one candidate has more than fifty per cent of the eligible votes cast.

(4) A student representatives term of office shall cease automatically at the end of an academic year, by resignation, should the student cease to be a student of the Department of Laws, via a vote of no-confidence from at least two-thirds of the students in the class they represent, or through disbandment of the board.

(5) Staff teaching/lecturing in the Department of Laws shall be encouraged/allowed to attend and fully participate in meetings of the Laws Studies Board.

(6) Staff (via a Department of Laws Staff Meeting) can also nominate up to two co-opted students to attend and fully participate on the Laws Studies Board. This term of office shall cease automatically at the end of an academic year, by resignation, should the student cease to be a student of the Department of Laws, or through disbandment of the board.

(7) Officers of the Laws Studies Board should be two Chair's (one Student and one Academic) and a Secretary.

(8) The Chair of meetings should alternate between a Student Chair (selected/elected by, and chosen from, the students sitting on the Laws Studies Board) and an Academic Chair (selected/elected by, and chosen from, the academic staff working within the Department of Laws).

(9) The Secretary (who shall normally take minutes etc) shall also be selected/elected by, and chosen from, the students sitting on the Laws Studies Board.

(10) The Laws Studies Board should not normally meet more than twice a term and preferably in one of the lunch breaks.

(11) Dates of the meetings of the Laws Studies Board shall be pre-determined by its members or on agreement between the Secretary and the Academic Chair.

(12) At least three days notice, and preferably seven days, shall be given for all meetings of the Laws Studies Board (notice to be posted by the Secretary [or a person so delegated] on the Student Notice board in H07 and/or on the Department of Laws Intranet site).

(13) Almost any item affecting the Department of Laws can be discussed at the Laws Studies Board with the exception of disciplinary and confidential issues, which are the sole prerogative of staff.

(14) Agenda's for meetings of the Laws Studies Board should normally be drawn up by the Secretary in consultation with the Academic Chair.

(15) Any person on the Laws Studies Board can place an item for discussion on the agenda provided that it is given in writing to the Secretary prior to the start of the meeting.

(16) Minutes (this includes provisional minutes) of the Laws Studies Board shall be published and placed on the Student Notice board (H07) and/or the Department of Laws Intranet site.

(17) In exceptional circumstances, the Head of Department of Laws (i.e. with the prior approval of a Department of Laws Staff Meeting) may disband the Laws Studies Board and/or arrange any meetings of the Laws Studies Board - i.e. so that staff and students can discuss any item(s) etc. Ideally, such action should be undertaken in consultation with Officers of the Laws Studies Board.