The text was translated from Norwegian to English using OpenAI’s ChatGPT and quality assured by the Student Council.
Last amended/updated: 16/06/2025 by the Student Council’s Annual Meeting 2025
1. Purpose
§ 1 The Student Council is the highest student-led body at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences (NIH) between two annual meetings, elected by the students.
§ 2 The purpose of the Student Council is to promote both the collective and individual interests of students towards the administration, educational authorities, and society at large.
§ 3 The abbreviation of the Student Council is SST.
§ 4 The statutes may be amended with a 2/3 majority at the Annual Meeting.
2. The Board
§ 5 The Board's responsibilities are to:
- Implement resolutions adopted by the Annual Meeting
- Appoint any committees, working groups or individuals to carry out specific tasks and develop instructions for them
- Administer and exercise necessary financial oversight in accordance with applicable instructions and regulations
- Represent NIH students in both internal and external forums
- Participate in national student political forums via the Norwegian Student Organisation (NSO)
- Manage and facilitate the work of class representatives in promoting and safeguarding students’ interests at the institution
- Handle day-to-day operations according to current instructions
§ 6 The Board consists of:
- Remunerated with voting rights:
- One Student President
- One Student Vice-President
- Three Board members
§ 6a The chair of a student council at any of NIH’s four departments has observer status with the right to speak at Student Council Board meetings.
§ 7 All members of the Student Council have delegate status at Student Council meetings.
§ 8 The Student President or half of the Board may convene Board meetings.
§ 9 The Student Council is bound by confidentiality pursuant to Section 5-3 of the Universities and University Colleges Act.
§ 10 The Student President and Student Vice-President automatically occupy the two Student Council seats on NIH’s Board of Governors. The Student Council shall determine a ranked list of alternates for the other Board members. Other tasks and roles are allocated internally at the first Board meeting.
§ 11 The Board operates according to adopted role and committee instructions. Instructions for elections, the Student President and Student Vice-President (§ 20) may only be amended at the Annual Meeting. Other instructions may be amended by a simple majority at Board meetings.
3. Annual Meeting
§ 12 The Annual Meeting is the Student Council’s highest decision-making body. The Student Council convenes the meeting.
The ordinary Annual Meeting shall be held by 1 October.
§ 13 The following have mandatory attendance with speaking, proposal and voting rights:
- Members of the Student Council
- Three (3) appointed representatives of the class representatives
The following have observer status with speaking and proposal rights:
- Incoming members of the Student Council
The following have observer status with speaking rights:
- Students at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
§ 14a First notice of the Annual Meeting shall be sent at least two weeks in advance and include the date, agenda and current statutes.
§ 14b Second notice shall be sent at least 48 hours in advance and include the meeting location, updated agenda, practical details and all case documents.
§ 15 The deadline for submitting proposals is one week before the Annual Meeting. All NIH students may submit proposals. Additional proposals not listed on the agenda may be considered with a 2/3 majority.
§ 16 The Annual Meeting may commence and make decisions when at least half of the voting members are present.
§ 17 A chair and a secretary for the meeting shall be elected by simple majority.
§ 18 Resolutions are passed by simple majority, unless otherwise specified. Amendments to the statutes require a 2/3 majority (§ 4).
§ 19 The following must be addressed at the ordinary Annual Meeting:
- Approval of notice and agenda
- Annual report
- Audited accounts
- Statutes
- Instructions for elections, Student President and Student Vice-President
§ 20 Matters outside the agenda may only be discussed if 2/3 of attendees approve.
§ 21 The Annual Meeting may grant delegate status to one representative from each study programme, with a 2/3 majority.
4. Extraordinary Annual Meeting
§ 22 An extraordinary Annual Meeting may be convened by a simple majority of the Board or by demand from at least 1/3 of the student body.
§ 23 Notice must be sent 14 days prior.
§ 24 Only matters justifying the extraordinary meeting may be addressed.
5. Case Processing
§ 25 The Board is quorate when at least half of the voting members are present.
§ 26 All political and organisational decisions require an absolute majority (i.e. three (3) votes).
§ 27 Conflict of Interest:
- § 27a A Board member is disqualified if the matter benefits them personally, financially or socially.
- § 27b Disqualification decisions are made by simple majority.
- § 27c A disqualified member must leave the meeting.
- § 27d Members must disclose any potential conflicts of interest.
6. Elections
§ 28 All elections must be held in writing or digitally according to the election instructions. Positions are elected in the order: Student President, Student Vice-President, Board member.
§ 29 All semester-registered students are eligible for the Student Council.
§ 30 The term of office is from 1 July to 30 June.
§ 31 Election results must be announced by 15 May. Elections must follow the statutes and election instructions.
§ 32 All semester-registered students have the right to vote.
§ 33 If there are too few candidates, a supplementary election must be held by 30 September.
§ 34 The Student President and Student Vice-President must be of different legal genders in line with § 4-4 of the Universities Act. At least two genders should be represented among Board members. Gender diversity is encouraged to reflect the student body.
7. Student Associations
§ 35 The Student Council shall promote a strong student association environment and act as a liaison to the institution’s leadership.
§ 36 The Student Council shall serve in an advisory role to all student associations.
8. Finances
§ 37 The Student Council’s funds shall be used in accordance with its purpose and decisions by the Board or Annual Meeting.
§ 38 The Board holds collective responsibility for finances and appoints one member as Financial Officer.
§ 39 The Financial Officer is responsible for ongoing financial oversight and reporting.
§ 40 The Student President may not also serve as Financial Officer.
§ 41 The Student President and Financial Officer share access to the online bank.
§ 42 The Student Council shall establish guidelines for grants to associations, classes and other purposes.
9. Freshers’ Week
§ 43 The Student Council shall assist NIH administration in planning Freshers’ Week.
10. Ethics, Safe Organisation and Whistleblowing
§ 44 The Student Council shall, where possible, consider environmental and ethical factors in planning. Any concerns should be reported via NIH’s whistleblowing procedures. The Student Council shall maintain updated guidelines and visible posters.
§ 45 If a member breaches the law, statutes or guidelines, the Board may impose sanctions, including warnings, suspension or expulsion. All sanctions require a 2/3 majority and may be appealed to the Board.
11. Dissolution
§ 46 Dissolution requires a 2/3 majority at the Annual Meeting.
§ 47 Upon dissolution, the Board must report how remaining funds have been used.
§ 48 No Board member may claim funds upon dissolution.
12. Signatory Rights
§ 49 The right to sign on behalf of the organisation is held jointly by the Student President and Student Vice-President.
13. Miscellaneous
§ 50 The Student Council has editorial freedom over statutes and internal guidelines.