Overview

The Student Council engages students in a real-world experience that helps them learn about leadership. Prince Sultan University launched its first student Council in 2007 with elections and voting for 5 positions which are president, vice president, secretary, media, and treasurer. The Student Council provides diverse activities and events for students and the university’s community. Students in the Council coordinate special cultural, educational, and thought-provoking events.

Definition

A student council is a representative structure through which students in a university can become involved in its management affairs, working in partnership with university management and administrative staff and parents for the benefit of the university and its students.

Scope

To what will the policy apply? The policy will apply to the establishment and operation of the student council at Prince Sultan University

To whom will the policy apply? The policy will apply to PSU students, faculty, department councils, college Councils, university councils and others involved with the students’ Council.

Objectives

The council objectives are:

1. To provide responsible and equitable student leadership and to mirror the opinions and concerns of all segments of PSU multinational student body;
2. To motivate students in campus life and form a close-knit interdisciplinary and multinational student community at PSU;
3. To establish and maintain a student governance system for the enactment and enforcement of the just laws and the promotion of adequate activities for the student body
4. To promote the general welfare of the students; to encourage personal responsibility, loyalty, and a high sense of honor; and to further the principles upon which the university was founded and continues to operate;
5. To actively promote and participate in student activities, service projects and other special events that arise;
6. To help in the comprehensive development of PSU students;
7. To represent the student body of Prince Sultan University by providing a forum for expression, discussion and action concerning student rights, privileges, and opinions;
8. To uphold the highest standards of personal integrity and honor throughout the university community by serving as the leadership of the student body;
9. To serve as a liaison between the student body and the administration; cultivating friendships and cooperation among the students, faculty and staff, thereby fostering unity in diversity and the rejection of intolerance;
10. To provide students with a voice in the governance of the university. The Student Council is recognized as the official representative voice of the student body at Prince Sultan University. Students can freely and openly express their views to the university Student Council officers who will ensure appropriate follow-up when necessary.

The Student Council shall uphold the following values

1. Representation: to respect and protect the educational and social interests of its members;
2. Participation: to develop a sense of community among its members, and to encourage students to fully participate in a a range of social, cultural, sporting, and recreational activities.
3. Communication: to promote good relations with other council members.
4. Developments: to provide opportunities for personal developments.;
5. Equality: to treat and provide opportunities all the students and the council members equally

Regulations and procedures of the Student council elections

First: Voters and candidates

• All university students have the right to vote. A voter shall not cast his vote more than once during a single election. Voting by proxy shall not be permitted.
• All university students who meet the conditions specified in article (5) in this statute have the right to run for the elections of the Student Council, provided that the candidate shall personally apply for nomination. Applying through a representative shall not be permitted.

Second: Student Council nomination procedures

Receiving requests for nomination shall be announced by the Deanship of Student Affairs.

• Requests shall be received each academic year in the 12th week of the first semester
• The Dean of Student Affairs shall formulate and head the Temporary Electoral Committee; the committee shall include the following members:
  1. Two members from the Deanship of Student Affairs.
  2. One faculty member.
  3. One member from the current Council.
  4. One member from the IT dept.
• Temporary Committee shall perform its functions in accordance with the provisions of this statute.
  1. Supervise the election campaigns of the candidates.
  2. Directly supervise the electronic program of the election.
  3. Design and prepare the electronic forms of nomination.
  4. Receive nomination requests and ensure the fulfillment of nomination conditions.
  5. Inform the candidates about the acceptance or rejection of their nomination requests within three days from the date of receiving their requests.
  6. Ensure that there are no impediments that hamper the electoral process.
  7. Provide the necessary logistic services to the candidates.
  8. Forward the results of the elections by the Chairman of the Temporary Committee in writing to the Rector for review and approval.
  9. Announce the election results.
     Receiving nomination requests for the Student Council shall be announced at least (10) days before the date of the election. Nomination period shall not be less than a week. It will start at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday and end at 10:00 p.m. on Saturday. Whatever the number of voters is, the election shall be deemed valid.

Third: Procedures of the Student Council voting process

1. The Temporary Committee shall determine the number of candidates.
2. The candidates complete the nomination forms prepared by the Deanship of Student Affairs.
3. The members of the Council shall be elected via secret ballot with their representatives using an online platform specified for this purpose.
4. Each candidate designs his electoral campaigning materials in a visual or audio form (video, or PowerPoint, etc.) The Deanship of Student Affairs determines the appropriate place and time for presenting these materials.
5. The electoral campaigning of each candidate shall include the following:
   • A summary of his CV.
   • His proposed program.
   • His vision and mission.
6. Before presenting the materials of the electoral campaigning to the public, the candidates shall submit them to the Dean of Student Affairs to approve their content.

The voting process shall be conducted as follows:

1. Phase one
   1. Announcing the time and date of receiving nomination requests.
   2. The candidates shall complete the nomination forms online.
   3. The Temporary Committee shall select the candidates in accordance with the provisions of this statute.
   4. The Temporary Committee shall inform the selected candidates, and then the Committee shall publish their names online at the election process website.
   5. Each candidate prepares his campaigning materials.
   6. After obtaining a written consent for the campaigning materials from the Temporary Committee, the candidates may upload the materials to the website specified for the election process at the university website.
   7. The Temporary Committee shall ask the university students to visit the election process website to know the campaigning programs of the candidates, and vote.
   8. The identity of the students shall be verified by an application prepared for that. The application shall allow the student to vote for one candidate only. It shall not allow him to re-vote or modify his vote afterwards. The system shall count the number of votes given for each candidate and screen the winning candidates based on the majority of votes they have obtained.
   9. The Temporary Committee shall announce the names of the elected members of the Student Council.
2. Phase two
   1. The Dean of Student Affairs shall accompany the members of the Student Council to meet the university Rector to listen to his directives and to sign “PSU Student Agreement”. The Dean of Student Affairs shall prepare and coordinate for two meetings to be held between the university Rector, Vice-Rectors and the members of the Student Council. One meeting shall take place in the first semester and the second in the second semester.
   2. The new Student Council shall assume its responsibilities after the first meeting with the university Rector.
   3. Under the supervision of the Dean of Student Affairs and within five days of the announcement of the election results, the new Student Council shall take over whatever in the position of the former Student Council, such as:
      • The office and stationery of the Student Council at the Deanship of Student Affairs.
      • The seals of the Student Council.
      • The archive of the Student Council.
      • Sums of money, financial ledgers, invoices, receipt vouchers, and issue vouchers.
      • The former Council shall bear the responsibility of any losses occurring in its possession.

Fourth: The candidates and their electoral campaigns

1. The candidates shall do the following:
   1. Complete the forms of nomination online.
   2. Ensure that all information and documents attached with the nomination form are valid and complete.
   3. Apply for nomination within seven days from the announcement of the elections.
   4. Conduct the electoral campaigning during the period specified by the Temporary Committee.
   5. Carry out and comply with the instructions of the Temporary Committee.
2. In conducting their electoral campaigning, the candidates must observe the following:
   1. The promotional material should not exceed five minutes.
   2. The promotional material must be approved before using it.
   3. Unless a written approval by the Dean of Student Affairs is obtained, posters shall not be permitted in campaigning.
   4. The materials of electoral campaigning shall be put at the university website. Unless a written approval by the Dean of Student Affairs is obtained, no advertisement or electoral campaigning material shall be put inside the university campus.
   5. Distribution of advertisement by hand is not permitted.
   6. Each electoral campaigning material shall belong to one candidate only. Group campaigning is not permitted in any way.
   7. No candidate shall begin his campaign prior to obtaining the consent of the Temporary Committee for his nomination.
   8. No candidate shall present any privilege for his nomination.
   9. A candidate shall not use any other means not specified in these regulations to promote his electoral campaign.
   10. The Temporary Committee is entitled to immediately stop any electoral campaign that includes incorrect or misleading information, or disagrees with the provisions of these regulations.

Fifth: The fund of the Student Council

1. The fund of the Student Council shall be as follows:
   1. The fund provided by the university depending on the action plans adopted by the Deanship of Student Affairs. The Dean shall coordinate with the Vice-Rector for Administrative and Financial Affairs concerning this issue.
   2. Donations and grants approved by the Dean of Student Affairs.
   3. The revenues of the Student Council’s activities approved by the Dean of Student Affairs.
   4. Any other revenues approved by the Dean of Student Affairs.
2. The Council shall have a Financial Controller approved by the Dean of Student Affairs, who shall audit its revenues and expenditures, and prepare the annual budget of the Student Council.
3. The revenues of the Student Council shall be deposited at the Deanship of Student Affairs. If any payment is needed, it shall be done under issuance vouchers where the counter-signing of the Chairman and the Treasurer of the Council shall be adopted.
4. A petty cash not exceeding (1000 SR) from the budget allocated for urgent expenses shall be given to the Chairman of the Student Council. The Treasurer shall hold this petty cash which will be paid under issuance vouchers and for specific purposes. The person who receives the money shall sign these vouchers. The petty cash shall be replaced whenever it is spent.

Sixth: Incentives offered to the Council members

1. At the end of the term of the Student Council, the Council members shall be awarded certificates of appreciation. These certificates shall include an evaluation of the member’s performance level during his service at the Council.
2. The members of the Student Council shall be given the privilege of attending the university events, and participating in its activities and programs.
3. Depending on available resources, the Council members shall be enrolled in a training course (on leadership, entrepreneurship, time management, etc.) held by the Deanship of Student Affairs.

Seventh: General Provisions

1. The Student Council shall exercise its powers in a manner that does not contradict the rules and regulations of the university, or the work and powers of its different departments.
2. If the members of the Council do not agree on how to distribute the functions and powers among themselves, the Dean of Student Affairs shall distribute them. His decisions shall be binding on all members.
3. In case of a rift, lack of cooperation or unfair competition takes place between the members of the Council, and they fail to contain it, the Chairman of the Council shall forward the issue to the Dean of Student Affairs to resolve it.
4. In the event of a vacancy in the Council among the members, the next candidate who has obtained more votes in the elections held to nominate the members of the Student Council shall join the Council. Should that not be possible, the Dean of Student Affairs shall appoint one of the distinguished students in the Council.
5. The Dean of Student Affairs shall appoint a representative to attend all the meetings of the Student Council as an observer.
6. Matters not covered by this Statute shall be subject to the decisions of the Dean of Student Affairs.

Eighth: Dissolution of the Student Council

1. The Student Council shall be dissolved by the resignation of the majority of its members.
2. The university management has the right to dissolve the Student Council.
3. When the Student Council is dissolved, the Dean of Student Affairs shall assign the election date for a new Student Council. The current Student Council shall remain in working order until the date of the elections.
4. The provisions of this policy shall be in effect as of the academic year 2020/2021.

Related documents:

1. Students’ Council Regulations
2. Student Handbook 2019
3. Student Council Campaign
4. Student Council Nomination Form