Students' Guild
The Oyam Institute of Sciences and Technology Student (OIST) guild represents the entire will and noble aspirations of the Student Leaders who established the Students Guild Constitution of the OIST and its predecessors since January 2023.
It was established by the manner of democratic values and practices; conscious, at the moment of the OIST students being in need to foster national unity, patriotism, independence, peace and progress in their Institution and the whole Nation at large to the attainment of purposes in order to encourage worthy traditions of academic and professional life and efficient governance; being aware, that by virtue of the position they occupy in their society, they are the vanguard of the youth and have a duty, by their endowments of enlightenment, energy and selflessness, to play a leading and progressive role in the building of a free, peaceful and prosperous Uganda; convinced that their interests as students of OIST and the interest of the various stake holders in this Institution are complementary and mutually advantageous and that nothing should divide them from the OIST Administration since they are one and together having a common destiny. Committed, to preserve and promote all the desirable aspects of their indigenous culture and striving for distinctiveness to establish good will among the members of the Students Guild on one hand and the OIST Administration and persons connected with the Students Guild in whatever manner on the other hand.
Aims & Objectives
The aims and objectives of the OIST Students Guild shall be:
– To establish an efficient and effective students’ government.
– To work with the OIST Administration to address pertinent matters affecting the Guild members.
– To promote matters of interest to the OIST.
– To encourage and promote established academic and social traditions of the OIST.
– To uphold such values and qualities as are espoused by the OIST to prepare the students for service to the community
– To seek representation and/or participation in or on the different organs of the OIST administration.
– In consultation with the OIST administration, negotiate with the Government of the Republic of Uganda or other bodies on issues of contention among the Guild members.
– In consultation with the OIST administration, work in cooperation with other student organizations and establish friendly relations and understanding with other external organizations, when and where it is not detrimental to the Institute and the country.
– To pursue any other undertakings that shall be deemed to be beneficial to the Students’ Guild and the entire Institution
Structure & Organs
– There shall be a General Assembly which shall comprise of all the full members of the Students Guild.
– The General Assembly shall be the supreme organ of the Students Guild.
– The Students Guild shall exercise its power during the Students General Assembly.
– The Students Guild shall have the power to hold accountable the Guild leadership.
– The General Assembly shall be a consultative forum where members of the Guild can initiate ideas for consideration and action by the Guild Representative Council (GRC)
Guild Executive
There shall be a Guild Executive which shall be composed of the following officers:
a. The Guild President
b. The Vice Guild President
c. The General Secretary
d. The Assistant General Secretary
e. Secretary for Campus and Community Affairs
f. Secretary for Finance, Project Planning and Production
g. Secretary for Information and Communication
h. Secretary for Academic Affairs
i. Secretary for Sports and Games
j. Secretary for Justice and Constitutional Affairs
Should there be a need to create a new office, it shall be approved by at least three quarters of the total membership of the Guild Representative Council (GRC) and confirmed by the Dean of Students. The Guild President shall nominate the members to the Guild Executive, including the Vice Guild President, from the Guild Fraternity, specifying the office to which she/ he is nominated.
The nominated candidates shall be vetted and approved by the GRC within three (3) working days after swearing-in. Nominated candidates who have been approved by the GRC shall be appointed to the Guild Executive by the Guild President. Any member of the GRC appointed to the Guild Executive shall automatically lose his/her seat as a GRC and a by-election to replace him/her shall be organized within fourteen (14) days.
Guild Representative Council
There shall be a Guild Representative Council herein after referred to as the GRC. The GRC shall be the legislative body of the Guild and shall consist of:
a. The Guild Speaker
b. The Deputy Guild Speaker
c. The General secretary
d. Two elected representatives, one female and one male, from each constituency of the Institution.
The constituencies of the Institution shall be as follows:
a. Resident students
b. Non-resident students
c. Academic Faculties
d. Graduate students
e. Students with special needs
f. Weekend and online students
No one representative shall represent more than one of the constituencies listed above.
Care-Taker Government
There shall be a care-taker government, which shall be an ad-hoc arrangement between the out-going and in-coming government. The care-taker government shall be headed by the Guild Speaker, assisted by the Deputy Guild Speaker, and guided by the Dean of Students and the Institution Legal Advisor. The Care-taker government shall assume office in the presence of the out-going Guild President and the Executive and shall oversee the transition from the out-going to the in-coming guild government from the dissolution of the old government to the swearing in of the new government.
Electoral Commission
There shall be an Electoral Commission that shall be established under the provisions of Article 18 of this Constitution.
Election Petitions Tribunal
There shall be Election Petitions Tribunal (hereafter referred to as “tribunal”) established under the provisions of Article 8.7 of this Constitution.
Election & Assumption of Office
There shall be Students Guild elections every second semester of the academic year. By the powers conferred upon it, under Article 18 of this Constitution, the electoral commission shall be responsible for organizing and managing all Guild elections.