2019-09-04

Title 1: Basic principles

 

Article 1

The words mentioned in these regulations have the following meanings:

• University: Lebanese University
• Union: National Union of Lebanese University Students
• Students: Lebanese University students
• Constituency delegates: Students elected in each electoral district.

 

Article 2

A student union called "National Union of Lebanese University Students" shall be established at the Lebanese University, which shall be the sole representative of the student movement at the Lebanese University and shall have an independent legal personality.

 

Article 3

The center of the Union shall be in Beirut, with its principal office in one of the buildings or campuses belonging to the Lebanese University.

 

Article 4

The Union shall have an office on each university campus.

 

Article 5

All Lebanese students enrolled at the Lebanese University shall be considered members of the Union.

 

Article 6

Non-Lebanese students shall enjoy the benefits of the Union, provided that such benefits do not confer upon them the right to vote or to stand for election.

 

Chapter 1: Objectives of the Union

 

Article 7

The National Union of Lebanese University Students is an institution whose purpose is to defend the interests of students, to work for the strengthening and development of the Lebanese University, and to support the university in fulfilling its scientific, cognitive, and academic role, and in strengthening its national role.

 

Article 8

The Union is concerned with all matters relating to the Lebanese University and its branches in the national, educational, media, cultural, social, and economic fields. In particular:

• Strengthen the spirit of cooperation among students and embody the values of constructive teamwork.
• Contribute to activating the role of student activities in the scientific, cultural, social, and sporting fields, and support them financially and morally.
• Consult and cooperate with the university administration in resolving students' problems, developing their contributions, and preserving their legal rights in their various affairs at the university.
• Develop a spirit of dialogue, respect other opinions and work for the unity of the student body.
• Create opportunities for positive cooperation between the university's students at the faculty, institute, branch, and administrative levels.

 

Article 9

The union actively participates in the student movement in Lebanon, in Arab countries and worldwide. It also participates in promoting Lebanese and Arab issues in all Arab and international fields and forums, in accordance with the laws in force.

 

Chapter 2: Elections

 

Article 10

Delegates from all electoral districts are elected by the General Assembly.

Delegates from all electoral districts are elected in one day at the invitation of the President of the Lebanese University, in December of each year according to the proportional voting process and the provisions of these regulations, and exceptionally in November 2019.

 

Article 11

Each faculty, institute, deanery, branch or university center is considered an electoral district.

 

Article 12

The number of delegates for the electoral district is determined on the basis of one delegate for every 100 students, according to the principle of proportionality.

 

Article 13

The nominative lists of Lebanese students registered each year who are entitled to participate in the electoral process (referral list) are posted on the branch bulletin board and on the electronic pages.

 

Article 14

Nomination requests for the lists, signed by all candidates, are submitted to the secretariat according to the electoral districts specified in Article 11.

• Candidates' names will be entered on the list in the order agreed in advance, in a period beginning on the date the elections are called and ending one week before they are held.
• Candidates must have paid their Union dues and obtained all the credits required to enter the new academic year (with the exception of first-year candidates).
• If the student is registered in more than one faculty, he has the right to stand and vote in the faculty where he has the most credits. In the event of a tie in credits, the oldest registration is taken into account.

 

Article 15

The list of accepted candidates is announced at least one week before the election date.

 

Article 16

Elections in the electoral districts referred to in Article 11 are supervised by a commission made up of the faculty council chaired by the dean or by a commission made up of the branch council chaired by the branch director and a delegate from each list. An appeals commission is made up of members of the University Council.

 

Article 17

For elections, the identity card (or an individual certificate of enrolment no more than three months old) and the university card serve as proof of the right to vote and stand for election. If the university card is not issued, it is replaced by a registration receipt.

 

Article 18

Elections are held by direct secret ballot according to the proportional electoral system, on the basis of a closed, completed and pre-printed list, the order of which has been agreed in advance. Each voter registered on the lists has the right to vote for only one of the lists in competition without being able, under penalty of nullity of the ballot, to modify the order of the names of the candidates on the list, nor to cross out or add the name of one of the candidates. Ballots containing expressions, indications, additions or supplements are also considered invalid, as are ballots in which the voter has voted for more than one list. Vouchers or envelopes devoid of votes are considered valid and counted as blank votes.

 

Article 19

1. The number of seats for each list is determined on the basis of the electoral quotient.
2. To determine the electoral quotient, the number of voters in each major electoral district is divided by the number of seats it contains.
3. Lists that have not reached the electoral quotient are removed from the calculation of seats and the electoral quotient is again determined after deduction of the votes obtained by these lists.
4. The remaining seats are allocated to the qualified lists which have obtained the largest share of the remaining votes in the first division in order, provided that this process is repeated in the same way until all the remaining seats have been distributed.
5. If one seat remains and the largest share is equal between two eligible lists, the seat is allocated by drawing lots to one of the two lists.

 

Article 20

If a delegate's seat becomes vacant for any reason, it is filled by the first loser on the list to which the delegate whose seat has become vacant belongs. If there is no loser on this list, the election is repeated within a maximum period of two weeks, in accordance with the procedures set out in the present regulations.

 

Article 21

Any unsuccessful candidate may contest the election results before the University Council within three days of the results being announced, and the Council will rule on the appeal within five days.

 

Title 2: Union bodies

 

Article 22

The National Union of Lebanese University Students is composed of the following bodies:

A - The General Authority.

B - The Executive Committee.

C - Faculty councils.

D - Branch councils.

 

Chapter 1: General authority

 

First: Formation of the general body

 

Article 23

The Union's General Meeting is made up of all the delegates elected in the various electoral districts.

 

Article 24

The General Meeting is considered the highest authority of the Union. It draws up the general policy of the union, and its decisions and recommendations are binding on all union bodies.

 

Article 25

The Union's General Meeting is made up of all the delegates elected in the various electoral districts.

 

Article 24

The General Meeting is considered the highest authority of the Union. It draws up the general policy of the union, and its decisions and recommendations are binding on all union bodies.

 

Article 27

The agenda for the second ordinary session of the General Meeting includes:

1. Discussion of the General Meeting agenda.
2. Discussion of the Executive Committee's reports on the union's activities during the session just ended, provided that copies of these reports are distributed at least one week before the date of the General Meeting.
3. Discussion and approval of the financial report.
4. Elaboration of the general policy of the Union.

 

Article 28

The Executive Committee prepares the agenda for the General Meeting on the basis of recommendations from the Student Councils.

 

Article 29

Extraordinary sessions or sessions of the general meeting may be held at the invitation of the president of the union or by decision of the union's executive committee, or at the request of at least one third of the student councils to the executive committee, provided that the invitation includes an agenda. The course or session is held within a maximum of two weeks from the date of submission of the request.

 

Article 30

Ordinary General Meeting sessions are only considered legal if an absolute majority of members are present. If the quorum is not reached, an invitation is sent to a second session on the basis of the same agenda within three days of the date of the first session, and the second session is legal for those attending.

 

Article 31

At extraordinary General Meeting sessions, two-thirds of members must be present to reach quorum. If the quorum is not reached, the General Meeting is postponed for one day, after which the quorum is deemed to have been reached by an absolute majority of members.

 

Article 32

The General Meeting takes its decisions by an absolute majority of members present, except in cases where the system requires a special quorum.

 

Chapter 2: The Executive Committee

 

First: Election of executive committee members

 

Article 33

The national union's executive committee is a central body responsible for implementing the union's general policy and managing organizational, financial, administrative, cultural, educational, media, social, sporting and related activities of all kinds. The committee monitors the work of the academic faculties through the intermediary of the student representatives in the academic faculties.

 

Article 34

The Executive Committee is made up of twenty-five members, each unit being represented by at least one member elected by the General Assembly from among its members according to the proportional system. The other six members must all be from outside the doctoral schools.

 

Article 35

The process of electing members of the Executive Committee is overseen by a committee headed by the most senior dean and comprising three members of the University Council, the General Secretary of the University and two members of the teaching staff of the Faculty of Law, Political & Administrative Sciences, provided they are specialists in "law".

The university's general secretary acts as the commission's rapporteur.

 

Article 36

Applications for election to the Executive Committee must be submitted to the General Secretariat of the University within five days of the announcement of the results of the delegate elections.

 

Article 37

Members of the Executive Committee are elected by the General Meeting by direct secret ballot, according to the proportional electoral system with preferential voting, on the basis of a closed and incomplete list of 13 or more candidates, drawn up in advance.

 

Article 38

If one or more seats on the Executive Committee fall vacant, they are filled to complete the term of office by direct secret ballot by the General Meeting at an exceptional session held specifically for this purpose within two weeks.

 

Second: The duties and powers of the Executive Committee

 

Article 39

Within a maximum of three days from the date of its election, the Executive Committee holds a session chaired by its oldest member, in order to allocate tasks among its members, by direct and secret ballot.

 

Article 40

The members of the Executive Committee divide their duties as follows:

• Chairman
• Vice-Chairman
• Secretary
• Financial affairs coordinator
• External affairs coordinator
• Internal Affairs Coordinator
• Coordinator of Educational Affairs
• Coordinator of cultural affairs
• Media affairs coordinator
• Social affairs coordinator
• Sports affairs coordinator
• Academic Publications Affairs Coordinator
• Environmental affairs coordinator
• Alumni Affairs Coordinator
• Advisory members

 

Article 41

The Chairman of the Executive Committee is the President of the Union and is responsible for implementing its policies. He assumes the following duties:

1. Carry out the decisions of the Executive Committee and General Meeting.
2. Chair meetings of the Executive Committee and General Meeting.
3. Represent the union in all official matters.
4. Sign correspondence, minutes of sessions and any decisions or bulletins issued by the Executive Committee.
5. Supervise Executive Committee members in the performance of their duties.
6. Control all union bodies.
7. Examine reports from student representatives in academic units and submit them to the Executive Committee.

 

Article 42

The Vice-Chairman assumes the duties of the Chairman in his absence.

 

Article 43

The Secretary of the Executive Committee is responsible for the following tasks:

1. He draws up the minutes of the sessions and sends out invitations.
2. Receive all Union correspondence, prepare outgoing mail and send it after signature by the President.
3. Keep all files, papers and documents relating to the union.

 

Article 44

The financial coordinator is responsible for the following tasks:

1. Head the Union's Financial Affairs Office, which includes the Treasurers of the Student Councils, provided that no one else is Treasurer or President of any of the Student Councils.

2. To draw up, with the Union's Financial Affairs Office, the Union's draft annual general budget and the draft budgets of the Student Councils for discussion and approval at the General Meeting.

3. Oversee all disbursements of funds from the Union account or Student Council account, each according to the budget assigned to it under official obligations.

4. Oversee all imports of the union and its branches, including imports of publications, advertisements, parties, etc.

5. Sign all financial transactions (invoices, urgent expenses, etc.) with the Treasurer and the President of the Student Council.

6. Record foreign exchange transactions in a special register and save transactions for each banknote.

7. Place all union funds, including income from the various student councils, under the name of "The National Union of Lebanese University Students" in one of the banks appearing on the list of official banks in force in Lebanon, provided that this bank is Lebanese. This bank is chosen by decision of the Executive Committee.

8. Sign with the Union President and Secretary all deposit and withdrawal operations.

9. Participation of the Union President and Secretary in the execution of all banking operations.

10. Deposit into the union's account with the bank any amount entering the fund within a maximum period of the first working day following the date of receipt, so that the amount held by the fund does not exceed three million Lebanese pounds.

11. Submit periodic reports on the union's finances.

 

Article 45

The external affairs coordinator handles the union's relations with other unions, student representative organizations and all other union organizations in Lebanon, the Arab countries, and the world.

 

Article 46

The internal affairs coordinator ensures coordination between the various bodies of the union and between these bodies and the administrative and educational bodies of the Lebanese University.

 

Article 47

The coordinator of educational affairs submits recommendations to the executive committee concerning curricula, teaching methods, examinations, scholarships, specialization scholarships abroad, and all matters concerning educational affairs at the university.

 

Article 48

The cultural affairs coordinator is responsible for intellectual and artistic activities and for organizing cultural and artistic conferences and exhibitions.

 

Article 49

The coordinator of media affairs is responsible for various media tasks, including the publication of newsletters, the organization of conferences and advertising affairs, in coordination with the coordinator of financial affairs.

 

Article 50

The Social Affairs Coordinator deals with the social situation of the university students, including problems of housing, food, transport, health, and social assistance. He also seeks to strengthen human links between students.

 

Article 51

The sports coordinator is responsible for organizing courses and meetings in the various fields of sport and civic education. He monitors sports activities in university faculties and makes suggestions for improving sports activities at the university.

 

Article 52

The university publications coordinator is responsible for making recommendations concerning the organization, printing and distribution of university conferences and research work.

 

Article 53

The Environmental Affairs Coordinator deals with environmental issues, organizes and participates in volunteer campaigns to preserve the environment, and coordinates with the various parties concerned.

 

Article 54

The Alumni Affairs Coordinator handles relations with alumni associations in the various faculties and institutes of the Lebanese University and increases the level of cooperation with them in order to support the union's movements and activities aimed at supporting and developing the university at various levels.

 

Third: Executive Committee meetings

 

Article 55

The executive committee of the national union meets periodically every week or at least every two weeks and meets in extraordinary session when convened by its chairman or by one third of its members.

 

Article 56

The ordinary session of the Executive Committee is considered legal if attended by more than half the members of the Committee. Extraordinary sessions are legal if attended by two-thirds of the Committee members. If this is not possible, the committee meets twenty-four hours after the date of the first meeting. This session is considered legal if more than half the members attend. If this is not possible, a third session will be held twenty-four hours after the date of the second meeting and will be legal for all who attend.

 

Article 57

The Executive Committee takes its decisions by majority vote, and in the event of a tie, the Chairman has the casting vote.

 

Article 58

The decisions of the Executive Committee are binding on all student union councils and bodies.

 

Article 59

1. One third of the delegates to the General Meeting may object to the decisions of the Executive Committee before the General Meeting, by adopting a mechanism for vetoing decisions by an absolute majority of the number of members of the General Meeting.
2. One third of the delegates of the general meeting may appeal the decisions of the executive body to the university council on matters affecting the university.
3. The University Council has the right to intervene automatically to veto decisions of the Executive Committee if such decisions conflict with the laws and regulations in force at the Lebanese University, or if they violate morality and public order, or if they undermine the unity of the University, its security, or national axioms.
4. All appeals must be submitted within seven working days from the date of notification of the decisions under appeal.

 

Chapter three: Branch councils

 

First: The formation of branch councils

 

Second: What applies to doctoral school student councils, faculty student councils and deanery student councils applies to branch student councils in the subjects that belong to them.

 

Article 60

The branch Student Council is made up of all the branch's elected delegates.

 

Article 61

The administrative body of the branch Student Council is made up of:

• Chairman of the Section Student Council
• Vice-Chairman
• Secretary General
• Treasurer
• Three members.

In the event of there not being a sufficient number to fill all the positions mentioned, the duties will be divided between the existing number of elected members.

 

Article 62

The president of the branch student council and the members of the administrative body are elected separately by direct secret ballot by the members of this council and according to the majority system.

In the event of a tie, the best academic result or the oldest member is considered the winner.

 

Article 63

If one or more seats are vacant on the administrative body of the branch council, they are filled by direct secret ballot by the branch student council within one week of the date of the vacancy.

 

Second: The work of branch councils and their powers

 

Article 64

The work of the Chairman and the members of the Branch Council administrative body is determined within the framework of the work assigned to the Chairman and the members of the Union's Executive Committee in accordance with the provisions of these by-laws.

 

Article 65

The Branch Student Council submits to the Executive Committee of the Union, through its President, its recommendations on all matters relating to the Branch and connected with the general policy and work plan of the Union in its internal and external dimensions.

Branch student councils may not decide to resort to democratic pressure tactics, including sit-ins and strikes, without the agreement of the executive committee.

 

Article 66

The Branch Student Council makes decisions on matters relating to the Branch's internal activities and within the scope of its powers. A copy of these decisions is sent to the Chairman of the Executive Committee.

 

Article 67

Any student of the branch has the right to contest the decisions of the administrative body of the branch's student council before the Executive Committee. The President of the Union may also request the administrative body of the Branch Student Council to reverse any decision it has taken which is contrary to the interests of the University.

 

Article 68

The Branch Council meets regularly every week or at least once a fortnight and holds extraordinary meetings at the invitation of its President or one third of its members, or by decision of the Executive Committee.

 

Article 69

Branch Student Council meetings are considered legal if more than half of its members are present, and its decisions are taken by absolute majority, with the exception of the decision on sit-ins and strikes, for which two-thirds of the votes of the delegates making up the Council are legally required.

 

Chapter Four: Faculty Councils

 

Article 70

In each university faculty unit, a student council is set up, made up of the presidents of the faculty student councils and its secretaries.

 

Article 71

After its constitution, the faculty student council holds its first meeting under the chairmanship of the president of the union or the person he designates for this purpose, and elects, according to the majority system and by direct secret ballot, from among its members, its president, vice-president, secretary and financial affairs coordinator.

In the event of a tie, the highest academic score or the oldest member is considered the winner.

 

Article 72

At university faculty level, the faculty student council performs a function similar to that of the executive committee.

 

Article 73

Faculty student councils undertake to respect all Executive Committee decisions, even if they have a differing opinion.

 

Article 74

The decisions of the Faculty Student Councils are binding on the Student Councils of the Branches to which they belong, with the exception of those which explicitly contradict the decisions of the Union Executive Committee.

 

Article 75

Any student of the unit may appeal to the Executive Committee against the decisions of the Faculty Student Council.

 

Article 76

The Faculty Student Council holds ordinary meetings at least once a month, and extraordinary meetings at the invitation of its President or one third of its members.

 

Article 77

Council meetings are considered legal if more than half the members are present.

 

Article 78

The Faculty Student Council takes its recommendations and decisions by a majority vote of the members present. In the event of a tie, the Chairman has the casting vote.

 

Article 79

The faculty student council appoints student representatives (two students) to the faculty board.

 

Chapter 3: Participation in the management of the Lebanese University

 

Article 80

The union chooses its representatives on academic councils as follows:

1. The administrative body of the Branch Student Council appoints its representative to the Branch Council.
2. The Faculty Student Council appoints the two student representatives to the Faculty Council.
3. The Union's General Assembly elects the Union's four representatives to the University Council.

 

Article 81

Student representatives on academic councils must be second-year students or above.

 

Article 82

Student representatives attend all meetings of the academic councils and enjoy all the powers and duties enjoyed by other members of the university's councils, faculties, and branches, in accordance with the regulations in force at the Lebanese University, in particular Legislative Decree no. 115 dated 30/6/1977.

 

Chapter Four: Union funds

 

Article 83

Union imports include:

1. An annual registration fee paid by the student, the value of which is determined in the general budget of the union, after approval by the President of the university.
2. The university's or state's contribution to the union budget.
3. Gifts or donations from union members.
4. Proceeds from invested funds and parties.
5. Proceeds from advertising and publicity.
6. Other donations which the Executive Committee decides to accept, provided they do not conflict with the aims and principles of the union, and after approval by the University Council.

 

Article 84

The income of the union is divided between the different sections of the budget, with fifty percent going to the student councils and fifty percent to the executive committee.

 

Article 85

The union's funds are deposited in a bank in accordance with the terms of the present regulations.

 

Article 86

Funds belonging to the student council are deposited in a bank determined by the student council in consultation and coordination with the financial affairs coordinator of the executive committee.

 

Article 87

The Union has a unified annual budget, approved by the General Assembly and by the President of the Lebanese University, and implemented by the Executive Committee at the general level, and by the Student Councils within the framework of their work.

 

Article 88

Union funds are spent in the following areas:

A - Allocations decided by the executive committee of the student councils and other parties it designates.

B - Building rents and expenses for electricity, telephone, stationery, publications, communications and other supplies.

C - Public projects and various activities carried out by the union to achieve the objectives set out in these regulations.

 

Article 89

Union funds are disbursed within the limits of the budget as follows:

A - Amounts not exceeding three million Lebanese pounds by the Chairman of the Executive Committee, the Secretary and the Financial Affairs Coordinator, provided that the Executive Committee approves such disbursement at its first session. If the amount exceeds this sum, prior approval must be obtained from the Executive Committee.

B - In student councils, the president and treasurer are entitled to disburse an amount not exceeding three hundred thousand Lebanese pounds. However, if the amount exceeds this sum, prior approval of the relevant student council must be obtained.

C - Union funds are withdrawn from banks by means of checks signed by the president, secretary and financial affairs coordinator (treasurer), based on written approval from the student council executive committee, in accordance with property.

 

Article 90

The Executive Committee shall engage a chartered accountant to audit and verify the accounts of the union, its center, faculties and branches, and submit the documents to the University Council for approval of the audit results.

 

Article 91

Credit from the union's budget may be transferred to a center, faculty or branch, on the proposal of the financial affairs coordinator or one of the student councils, and with the approval of two-thirds of the members of the executive committee.

 

Chapter Five: Withdrawal of trust

First: Withdrawal of confidence in the Executive Committee

 

Article 92

Confidence may be withdrawn from the Executive Committee or any of its members.

 

Article 93

Withdrawal of confidence is proposed by means of a written, reasoned and detailed letter, signed by at least one third of the members of the general meeting of the union.

 

Article 94

Confidence may be withdrawn from any member of the Executive Committee, or from the Executive Committee as a whole, by a decision taken by an absolute majority of the members of the General Meeting of the Union meeting in special session for this purpose. New members are elected to complete the term in accordance with the procedures set out in these regulations and at a special session held for this purpose.

 

Second: Withdrawal of confidence in the Branch Student Council's administrative body

 

Article 95

Confidence may be withdrawn from the administrative body of the Branch Student Council or from any of its members.

 

Article 96

Withdrawal of confidence is proposed by means of a written, reasoned and detailed letter, signed by at least one third of the members of the Branch Student Council.

 

Article 97

Confidence is withdrawn from the entire administrative body or from one of its members by a decision taken by an absolute majority of the members of the Executive Committee at a special session held for this purpose.

 

Article 98

The decision of the Executive Committee may be contested before the University Council within three days of the date on which it was taken.

 

Article 99

A member whose confidence has been withdrawn loses his status as a member of the general meeting of the union and of the board of directors. The Branch Student Council appoints one of its members to assume the duties of the member whose confidence has been withdrawn. However, if confidence is withdrawn from the entire administrative body, the branch students are invited to elect a new board for the remainder of the term.

 

Chapitre 6 : Modifier le règlement

 

Article 100

The Executive Committee of the Union or more than one third of the members of the General Meeting may submit a proposal to amend one or more articles of the present regulations.

 

Article 101

The General Meeting of the Union approves this amendment at a session whose agenda is limited to discussion of the draft amendment, by a two-thirds majority of all members of the General Meeting, provided that the amendment is passed by an absolute majority.

 

 

Article 102

Le Recteur de l'université émet, après approbation de son conseil, une décision approuvant la modification du présent règlement.

 

Chapter 7: Final provisions

 

Article 103

Members of the union's executive committee continue to exercise their functions until new members are elected, provided they have not lost their status as university students.

 

Article 104

A student who loses his or her status as a university student, for whatever reason, automatically loses membership of the union committees.

 

Article 105

The terms and conditions of application of this system are laid down by decision of the University President on a proposal from the Executive Committee.

 

Article 106

The present rules are implemented as soon as they are published and are communicated whenever necessary.

 

Beirut, 4 September 2019

President of the Lebanese University

Fouad Ayoub

 

Decision