A student voice referendum run by Edinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA) has passed.
The referendum was put forward by EUSA Sabbatical Officers with the question: “Should your Students’ Association change its approach to student voice, in line with the recommendations of the 2025/26 review of representation and democracy?”
The referendum passed with 83.5 per cent of votes in favour.
The total number of votes in favour was 2,834, with 355 votes against, and 203 abstentions.
In order to pass, the referendum needed at least 2,000 votes in favour, or support from two thirds of voters.
The passing of the proposal means that EUSA’s existing Democracy Regulations will be replaced by new Student Voice Regulations.
This includes changes to academic student voice. Whilst Programme Representative roles will “remain the same,” there will be “some changes to recruitment and registration processes and increased coverage of Postgraduate Research programmes.”
Further roles will be introduced in larger Schools, such as ECA, SPS, and LLC, and will be appointed by a panel rather than elected.
Whilst Programme Representative roles are currently voluntary and unpaid, EUSA have outlined within the proposal that School and College Representatives will be paid by the University.
The proposal also outlines a change from Liberation Officers and Section Representative roles to “student-led Liberation networks,” which have the aim of “bring[ing] together relevant societies and interested students… to shape the Association’s work with marginalised and non-traditional students.”
The EUSA Sabbatical Officers have run a “Say YES to the REF!” campaign with a £750 budget.
Whilst there was no official “NO” campaign formed despite calls for one, the Student Staff Solidarity Assembly (SSSN) and Protect Student Voice shared an Instagram post highlighting both “YES” and “NO” arguments.
Protect Student Voice advocated for students to vote “NO” to the referendum, calling the grounds for the proposal “dubious and flawed.”
The “NO” argument highlights that “the payment proposal is not ensured,” raising concerns as “They [the University] cannot even pay their contracted staff.”
Protect Student Voice also raised concerns that replacing student voting with panels is “anti-democratic and fosters elitism,” whilst Liberation Networks would “foster division and dysfunctionality.”
Under the new model of student voice, the “Student Council would no longer exist,” and would instead “be replaced by a programme of thematic Working Groups, each one supported by a Sabbatical Officer and a dedicated Student Voice.
Protect Student Voice said that this “diminishes student democracy and accountability.”
Following the results, EUSA commented: “You’ve given us a mandate to begin turning the proposals into reality and making the improvements you voted for.”
“For most students, you’ll start to see change in early 2027 when our new look Elections launch.”
Image by Isabel Beiboer for The Student
