In response to the very numerous and arguably unwieldy active policies that are currently in place at the OULS, our Vice Chair Johnathan Doran (working with the wider committee) has drafted a proposed OULS Charter with a view to consolidating these documents.

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The purpose of this short document is to provide a clear framework for the operation of the Society's functions (including the management of our considerable budgetary resources) to replace the 12-20 active governing documents of the OULS with just a few simple pages outlining the committee roles, how the group's money can be spent, and the means by which the group should change hands each academic year. In addition, current policies do not have a clear progeny - we are uncertain who drafted and implemented them, as well as if or when they were ever approved by members - and this document provides a mechanism for updating the group's rules that includes the presenting of those changes to its membership for authorisation. This will remove the ambiguity around the rulebook going forward and create a distinct 'character' that can be handed down between committees each year.

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The overall intention behind this proposed change is to 'reset' the rules that govern the OULS and to provide a point of reference, both of what members can expect of the group, and future committees can do as part of their roles. In essence, it is intended to make the group's rulebook more simple, and therefore more useful going forward.