by-laws
By-laws for the Syddansk Studenterråd, adopted on April 18, 2008. The by-laws were last revised at the general meeting on February 17, 2026.
Section 1. Name
Section 1
The association’s name is “Syddansk Studenterråd”, abbreviated as “SDS”.
Section 2
The association’s international name is “Student Council of Southern Denmark”, abbreviated as “SDS”
Paragraph 3
The association is also known as “Students from Southern Denmark”, “Student Council at Southern Denmark University” and “Student Council at Southern Denmark University College”.
University”, ”student council of Southern Denmark” and “Student Representative Council University of Southern Denmark”
Section 2. Purpose
Section 1
The association's purpose is to actively represent students University of Southern Denmark and safeguard their interests locally as well as nationally, and to work to strengthen the study environment at the university. Syddansk Studenterråd is an interest organization and a student council for all University of Southern Denmark students at the university and therefore does not have ideological, religious, or partisan political affiliations.
Section 2
The association’s purpose is to create the best possible framework for all students through professional, social, and student policy activities. This is done, among other things, by actively participating in the student policy debate within local, national, and international areas, and by developing student democracy and study environments at SDU.
Paragraph 3
The Syddansk Studenterråd also represents student-run associations and professional bodies with their headquarters in Syddansk Studenterråd University of Southern Denmark, and whose main purpose and primary activities are not partisan political, ideological, religious or otherwise in conflict with the Syddansk Studenterråds purpose paragraph(s).
Section 4
The South Denmark Student Council is part of the national student movement as a member organization under the Danish Student Union (DSF).
Section 3. Membership conditions
Section 1
Membership is obtained by all enrolled students at University of Southern Denmark the university, and membership ends upon graduation University of Southern Denmark.
Section 2
Requests for active individual membership are communicated to the presidency via their primary email or by equivalent membership solutions as set by the board.
Paragraph 3
The presidency, elected board members, the business committee, the secretariat, event organizers, and club and committee representatives are automatically active members of the association.
Section 4
Associations with their home address and primary area of work University of Southern Denmark can be accepted as member associations of the Syddansk Studenterråd. Approval of admission as a member association is handled by the board.
Paragraph 5
The board has the authority to, at any time, exclude a member by a majority vote in accordance with §9, paragraph 5. The exclusion process as described in the association’s code of conduct. Excluded members have the right to speak their case at the next general meeting and have their exclusion from the association reviewed. Requests for review of the case for the general meeting must be submitted, as must other submitted proposals.
Section 4. Rights and obligations
Section 1
All students University of Southern Denmark have the right to speak and vote at the general assembly and are eligible to be elected to the association. These conditions do not apply to expelled members, who only have the opportunity to present their case and have their exclusion from the association reviewed at the next general assembly.
Section 2
Member associations have the right to appoint one (1) Association representative who speaks on behalf of their home association.
Paragraph 3
Members have no obligations regarding the association's activities.
Section 5. The General Assembly
Section 1
The association's highest authority is the general meeting. Between the general meetings, the board of directors is the highest authority, cf. § 10.
Section 2
The ordinary general meeting is held once a year in the first quarter. A call for a general meeting is issued with a minimum of one (1) month’s notice by sending a written notice to the active members of the association, member associations, and through the association’s primary external communication channels. All students at SDU are welcome to attend the general meeting.
Paragraph 3
Any general meeting held in accordance with §6, paragraph 2, is valid, regardless of the number of those present.
Section 4
Attending members have one (1) personal vote. The Board reserves the right to create online voting solutions for members who are unable to participate in the general meeting.
Paragraph 5
Changes to the Articles of Association take effect upon resolution at the general meeting, unless otherwise stated in the resolution.
Paragraph 6
In voting, the ordinary majority rule applies, while amendments to the statutes require a 2/3 majority of those present.
Section 7
The agenda for the ordinary general meeting must contain at least the following items:
- Selection of conductor
- Selection of a reference
- Approval of properly convened general meeting
- Chairman's report for approval
- Approval of the revised financial statements.
- Approval of the budget
- Treatment of received proposals
- Election of Chairman, Vice Chairman, Board of Directors and Deputies
- Selection of a critical auditor
- Optionally
Paragraph 8
If the general meeting does not approve the report, the accounts, and/or the budget, an extraordinary general meeting must be called, where the board presents the items that require approval.
Section 6. Deadlines and requirements
Section 1
Proposals that wish to be considered at the general meeting must be received by the board at least 7 days before the general meeting.
Section 2
Notification of candidacy for the position of Chairman and/or Vice Chairman must be received by the board in writing at least 7 days before the general meeting.
Paragraph 3
All students University of Southern Denmark can run for the position of president, vice president, board member, or substitute. These conditions do not apply to expelled members, who only have the opportunity to present their case and have their expulsion from the association reviewed at the next general meeting.
Section 4
To be eligible to serve as chairman of the Southern Danish Student Council, the candidate must have completed a minimum of two semesters of education at University of Southern Denmark the time of taking office.
Section 7. Elections of the General Assembly
Section 1
At the general meeting, the board of directors is elected in the form described in §9, paragraph 3.
Section 2
At the general meeting, two alternates are also elected to the board.
Paragraph 3
If it is not possible to fill all positions due to insufficient candidates, the general meeting may, by a simple majority vote, authorize the board to find members for the positions that have not been filled.
Section 8. Extraordinary General Meeting
Section 1
An extraordinary general meeting is held when the presidency or a majority of the board of directors deems it necessary, or when 1/3 of the association's active individual members request it in writing to the board.
Section 2
An extraordinary general meeting is convened with 8 days’ notice upon the dispatch of a written notice to the association’s active members and via the association’s primary external communication channels.
Paragraph 3
Proposals that wish to be considered at the extraordinary general meeting must be submitted to the board at least 3 days before the general meeting.
Section 9. The Board of Directors
Section 1
The board is responsible for the association's activities between the general meetings.
Section 2
The board year runs from the constituent board meeting to the constituent board meeting of the next board term.
Paragraph 3
The board consists of up to 10 members, of which 8 are elected at the general assembly: 1 chairman, 1 vice chairman and 6 board members. Elected student representatives in the university board, elected through the Southern Denmark Student Council, are also part of the board. The board convenes no later than one (1) month after the approved general assembly.
Section 4
Alternate members of the board can participate in board meetings on equal terms with the remaining board members. The board decides for itself who, in addition to the elected board members and alternate members, may participate in the board meetings. They have a voice but not a vote.
Paragraph 5
The board makes decisions by a simple majority of votes. In the event of a tie, the chairman has the decisive vote.
Paragraph 6
The presidency consists of the chairman and the vice-chairman. The presidency represents the board in the day-to-day operations of the association.
Section 7
The Business Committee and the Secretariat are appointed by the Presidency. The Secretariat is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the association, under the leadership of the Business Committee.
Paragraph 8
The board itself sets its own rules of procedure. The rules of procedure must include, as a minimum, the following: meeting times and agenda.
Paragraph 9
The Chairman and/or the Vice-Chairman reserve the right to refer to themselves in any gender-specific manner they wish.
Section 10
Upon the expiration of the chairmanship, the vice-chairman holds both the vice-chairmanship and the chairmanship until the next general meeting.
Section 10. Association committees and clubs
Section 1
The association may, as needed, establish, organize, and operate committees and clubs that either operate independently or under the decision-making authority of the board.
Section 2
Committees and clubs can be established by submitting a purpose/vision paper that describes the scope and purpose of the committee or club, and by a simple majority vote in the board.
Section 4
A committee or club can be dissolved by a 2/3 majority vote in the board or a simple majority vote at the general meeting.
Section 11. Safety declaration
Section 1
All members of the Syddansk Studenterråd, regardless of their position, must be able to contact a trusted person. This can be done by writing or speaking with a trusted person, or anonymously by submitting a written letter to the association’s mailbox, where the trusted person is listed on the envelope. If the sender wishes to have the letter returned, the person must have it and can at any time have it destroyed. A more detailed description of the trusted person’s function, structure, and procedure is described in the association’s social policy.
Section 2
When renting the association’s premises to partners or member associations, the relevant institution’s own guidelines apply. However, as a partner or member association, you are obligated to follow the association’s applicable rules for the use of premises and facilities and the association’s social policy when using the association’s premises and facilities.
Section 12. Finances
Section 1
The fiscal year follows the calendar year from January 1 to December 31.
Section 2
The Board of Directors is responsible for the financial arrangements within the budget approved by the General Assembly.
Paragraph 3
The accounts are prepared by an external auditor and submitted for approval at the general meeting.
Section 4
The chairman has the duty to present a fair picture of the association's finances to board meetings.
Section 13. Drawing Rules and Finances
Section 1
The association is drawn up by the chairman or upon resignation of the vice chairman.
Section 2
The chairman and vice-chairman can jointly approve that the business committee and board members may have access to payment cards for the association's bank accounts.
Paragraph 3
The chairman and the vice-chairman can jointly approve that the business committee, the secretariat, board members, organizers, committee and club members can have access to or view access to the association's bank accounts.
Section 14. Finance and Liability
Section 1
The association is solely liable with its assets for its obligations. Members are not personally liable for the association’s obligations and cannot claim any part of the association’s assets or dividends.
Section 2.
The association’s funds may only be used to fulfill the purpose of the paragraph.
Paragraph 3.
The association's assets must be placed in a recognized financial institution.
Section 4
The association undertakes to take out comprehensive board insurance that meets the guidelines set out in §14, paragraphs 1-3.
Section 15. Establishment and dissolution of the association
Section 1
The association can be dissolved if there is a two-thirds majority in two consecutive general meetings, of which at least one (1) must be an ordinary general meeting University of Southern Denmark. The Danish Student Union is informed of the result of the vote immediately thereafter.
Section 2
The remaining funds that may be in the association are allocated to purposes that benefit the University of Southern Denmark students.
Paragraph 3
The Syddansk Studenterråd was founded on February 18, 2008.