Council election 2024: online voting
The election of a member of Professional Services staff to be a member of the University Council will be conducted by means of the online voting system.
To be eligible to stand in the election nominees must be members of the Professional Services staff and must be seconded by one other PS staff member, as set out on the nomination form which can be downloaded from this webpage (see link in the side box). The final deadline for submission of the self-nomination form (with the completed seconder support and candidate statement) is 12 noon on Friday 1 November 2024. Completed nomination forms do not require a signature and should be submitted electronically to governance@york.ac.uk. Receipt will be acknowledged by the team with follow up if required.
While this is a democratic election with the outcome determined by voting in a ‘first past the post’ manner, the Council is particularly keen to strengthen the diversity of its membership and therefore encourages individuals to stand from under-represented groups (which includes women, BAME, disabled, LGBT+ and gender-diverse candidates) and from across the full span of Professional Services grades and roles.
Timescale
The first email sent from the system announcing the election and inviting nominations will be sent on Friday 4 October 2024. Once the four-week nomination period has closed at midday on Friday 1 November 2024 eligible staff will then be sent a second email on Friday 15 November 2024 directing them to the online candidate list and inviting them to cast their vote electronically. The final deadline for voting will be Friday 13 December 2024 and the result will be announced in the week commencing Monday 16 December 2024. If no election is required (ie only one nomination is received), the result will be announced during the week commencing Monday 4 November 2024.
Further information
Further information about the role can be found in the Trustee Role Description and the relevant University regulation is Regulation 9. The elected member of PS staff whose term on Council is ending Jonny Exon (YSU) and the other elected PS staff member Karl Butler (Campus Safety) are happy to respond to any informal enquiries about the role from colleagues who might be interested in standing for election.
E-voting and confidentiality
Members of staff will require an IT Services username and password to access the online voting system. Staff who do not have an IT Services username at the time of the election and are therefore flagged on the staff database as "non-computer users" will be sent the notice of election and ballot paper in hardcopy (sent to payroll addresses via supervisors/managers).
In order to reassure colleagues about the confidentiality of e-voting, it should be noted that:
- the online system conducts a data audit which records whether a given username has voted or not (so that an automatically generated reminder email can be sent to those who are yet to vote);
- the system does NOT capture information regarding the candidate selected by individual voters but it does automatically count the votes submitted for each candidate, ie it is still a secret ballot conducted on a 'first past the post' basis.
Notes
Two Professional Services staff members are elected to Council in line with the University Statutes.
As the governing and trustee body of the University, the Council is responsible for the strategic mission, direction and oversight of the University, has ‘general control’ over its affairs and holds ultimate accountability and stewardship for the University’s reputation and assets.
It also provides advice and constructive support to the University Executive Board (UEB) and its membership includes the Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, the Pro-Chancellors and the Treasurer (as ex officio members), representatives of the Senate and Professional Services staff, co-opted lay (ie external) members and student representatives.
There are four formal meetings a year, plus a number of development sessions and other engagements.
ADAM HEWITT
University Secretary (Returning Officer)
September 2024
Timescale: 2024
- notification of election and request for nominations
Friday 4 October 2024- deadline for nominations
12 noon, Friday 1 November 2024- election period
Friday 15 November to Friday 13 December 2024- final deadline for voting
5pm, Friday 13 December 2024- result announced
w/c 16 December 2024
Candidate Statements 2024
Candidate Statements (PDF
, 132kb)
Nomination form:
Council Election 2024 self nomination form (MS Word
, 22kb)
Contacts
General Information:
Governance and Assurance Office
governance@york.ac.ukIT related enquiries:
ITsupport@york.ac.ukFAQs
Council Election 2024 FAQs (PDF
Chair of Council: Video Introduction