Legal Hub

Welcome to the SUSNA Legal Hub.

Please find within all of the legally required documents that are available for website users to access.

If you require further support, please contact

Please click the links below to view the legal documents.

Who we are

We are the Stirling University Scottish Nationalist Party (SUSNA). Our website address is: https://susna.org.

Comments

When visitors leave comments on the site we collect the data shown in the comments form, and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection.

An anonymized string created from your email address (also called a hash) may be provided to the Gravatar service to see if you are using it. The Gravatar service privacy policy is available here: https://automattic.com/privacy/. After approval of your comment, your profile picture is visible to the public in the context of your comment.

Media

If you upload images to the website, you should avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS) included. Visitors to the website can download and extract any location data from images on the website.

Cookies

If you leave a comment on our site you may opt-in to saving your name, email address and website in cookies. These are for your convenience so that you do not have to fill in your details again when you leave another comment. These cookies will last for one year.

If you visit our login page, we will set a temporary cookie to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.

When you log in, we will also set up several cookies to save your login information and your screen display choices. Login cookies last for two days, and screen options cookies last for a year. If you select “Remember Me”, your login will persist for two weeks. If you log out of your account, the login cookies will be removed.

If you edit or publish an article, an additional cookie will be saved in your browser. This cookie includes no personal data and simply indicates the post ID of the article you just edited. It expires after 1 day.

Embedded content from other websites

Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website.

These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.

Who we share your data with

If you request a password reset, your IP address will be included in the reset email.

We do not sell any information to 3rd parties.

How long we retain your data

If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so we can recognize and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue.

For users that register on our website (if any), we also store the personal information they provide in their user profile. All users can see, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except they cannot change their username). Website administrators can also see and edit that information.

What rights you have over your data

If you have an account on this site, or have left comments, you can request to receive an exported file of the personal data we hold about you, including any data you have provided to us. You can also request that we erase any personal data we hold about you. This does not include any data we are obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.

Where we send your data

Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service. We also use Security tools to protect user data, and prevent spam on our website.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Last updated April 02, 2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. AGREEMENT TO TERMS

2. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

3. USER REPRESENTATIONS

4. USER REGISTRATION

5. PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES

6. USER GENERATED CONTRIBUTIONS

7. CONTRIBUTION LICENSE

8. SOCIAL MEDIA

9. SUBMISSIONS

10. THIRD-PARTY WEBSITE AND CONTENT

11. SITE MANAGEMENT

12. COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENTS

13. TERM AND TERMINATION

14. MODIFICATIONS AND INTERRUPTIONS

15. GOVERNING LAW

16. DISPUTE RESOLUTION

17. CORRECTIONS

18. DISCLAIMER

19. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY

20. INDEMNIFICATION

21. USER DATA

22. ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS, TRANSACTIONS, AND SIGNATURES

23. MISCELLANEOUS

24. CONTACT US

1. AGREEMENT TO TERMS

These Terms of Use constitute a legally binding agreement made between you, whether personally or on behalf of an entity (“you”) and Stirling University Scottish Nationalist Association, doing business as SUSNA (“SUSNA,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), concerning your access to and use of the susna.org website as well as any other media form, media channel, mobile website or mobile application related, linked, or otherwise connected thereto (collectively, the “Site”). We are registered in Scotland and have our registered office at University of Stirling Students Union, The Robbins Centre, Stirling, Stirlingshire FK9 4LF. You agree that by accessing the Site, you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by all of these Terms of Use. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH ALL OF THESE TERMS OF USE, THEN YOU ARE EXPRESSLY PROHIBITED FROM USING THE SITE AND YOU MUST DISCONTINUE USE IMMEDIATELY.

Supplemental terms and conditions or documents that may be posted on the Site from time to time are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. We reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to make changes or modifications to these Terms of Use from time to time. We will alert you about any changes by updating the “Last updated” date of these Terms of Use, and you waive any right to receive specific notice of each such change. Please ensure that you check the applicable Terms every time you use our Site so that you understand which Terms apply. You will be subject to, and will be deemed to have been made aware of and to have accepted, the changes in any revised Terms of Use by your continued use of the Site after the date such revised Terms of Use are posted.

The information provided on the Site is not intended for distribution to or use by any person or entity in any jurisdiction or country where such distribution or use would be contrary to law or regulation or which would subject us to any registration requirement within such jurisdiction or country. Accordingly, those persons who choose to access the Site from other locations do so on their own initiative and are solely responsible for compliance with local laws, if and to the extent local laws are applicable.The Site is intended for users who are at least 13 years of age. All users who are minors in the jurisdiction in which they reside (generally under the age of 18) must have the permission of, and be directly supervised by, their parent or guardian to use the Site. If you are a minor, you must have your parent or guardian read and agree to these Terms of Use prior to you using the Site.

2. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

Unless otherwise indicated, the Site is our proprietary property and all source code, databases, functionality, software, website designs, audio, video, text, photographs, and graphics on the Site (collectively, the “Content”) and the trademarks, service marks, and logos contained therein (the “Marks”) are owned or controlled by us or licensed to us, and are protected by copyright and trademark laws and various other intellectual property rights and unfair competition laws of the United States, international copyright laws, and international conventions. The Content and the Marks are provided on the Site “AS IS” for your information and personal use only. Except as expressly provided in these Terms of Use, no part of the Site and no Content or Marks may be copied, reproduced, aggregated, republished, uploaded, posted, publicly displayed, encoded, translated, transmitted, distributed, sold, licensed, or otherwise exploited for any commercial purpose whatsoever, without our express prior written permission.

Provided that you are eligible to use the Site, you are granted a limited license to access and use the Site and to download or print a copy of any portion of the Content to which you have properly gained access solely for your personal, non-commercial use. We reserve all rights not expressly granted to you in and to the Site, the Content and the Marks.

3. USER REPRESENTATIONS

By using the Site, you represent and warrant that: (1) all registration information you submit will be true, accurate, current, and complete; (2) you will maintain the accuracy of such information and promptly update such registration information as necessary; (3) you have the legal capacity and you agree to comply with these Terms of Use; (4) you are not under the age of 13;

 (5) you are not a minor in the jurisdiction in which you reside, or if a minor, you have received parental permission to use the Site; (6) you will not access the Site through automated or non-human means, whether through a bot, script, or otherwise; (7) you will not use the Site for any illegal or unauthorized purpose; and (8) your use of the Site will not violate any applicable law or regulation.

If you provide any information that is untrue, inaccurate, not current, or incomplete, we have the right to suspend or terminate your account and refuse any and all current or future use of the Site (or any portion thereof).

4. USER REGISTRATION

You may be required to register with the Site. You agree to keep your password confidential and will be responsible for all use of your account and password. We reserve the right to remove, reclaim, or change a username you select if we determine, in our sole discretion, that such username is inappropriate, obscene, or otherwise objectionable.

5. PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES

You may not access or use the Site for any purpose other than that for which we make the Site available. The Site may not be used in connection with any commercial endeavors except those that are specifically endorsed or approved by us.

As a user of the Site, you agree not to:

  • Systematically retrieve data or other content from the Site to create or compile, directly or indirectly, a collection, compilation, database, or directory without written permission from us.
  • Trick, defraud, or mislead us and other users, especially in any attempt to learn sensitive account information such as user passwords.
  • Circumvent, disable, or otherwise interfere with security-related features of the Site, including features that prevent or restrict the use or copying of any Content or enforce limitations on the use of the Site and/or the Content contained therein.
  • Disparage, tarnish, or otherwise harm, in our opinion, us and/or the Site.
  • Use any information obtained from the Site in order to harass, abuse, or harm another person.
  • Make improper use of our support services or submit false reports of abuse or misconduct.
  • Use the Site in a manner inconsistent with any applicable laws or regulations.
  • Engage in unauthorized framing of or linking to the Site.
  • Upload or transmit (or attempt to upload or to transmit) viruses, Trojan horses, or other material, including excessive use of capital letters and spamming (continuous posting of repetitive text), that interferes with any party’s uninterrupted use and enjoyment of the Site or modifies, impairs, disrupts, alters, or interferes with the use, features, functions, operation, or maintenance of the Site.
  • Engage in any automated use of the system, such as using scripts to send comments or messages, or using any data mining, robots, or similar data gathering and extraction tools.
  • Delete the copyright or other proprietary rights notice from any Content.
  • Attempt to impersonate another user or person or use the username of another user.
  • Upload or transmit (or attempt to upload or to transmit) any material that acts as a passive or active information collection or transmission mechanism, including without limitation, clear graphics interchange formats (“gifs”), 1×1 pixels, web bugs, cookies, or other similar devices (sometimes referred to as “spyware” or “passive collection mechanisms” or “pcms”).
  • Interfere with, disrupt, or create an undue burden on the Site or the networks or services connected to the Site.
  • Harass, annoy, intimidate, or threaten any of our employees or agents engaged in providing any portion of the Site to you.
  • Attempt to bypass any measures of the Site designed to prevent or restrict access to the Site, or any portion of the Site.
  • Copy or adapt the Site’s software, including but not limited to Flash, PHP, HTML, JavaScript, or other code.
  • Except as permitted by applicable law, decipher, decompile, disassemble, or reverse engineer any of the software comprising or in any way making up a part of the Site.
  • Except as may be the result of standard search engine or Internet browser usage, use, launch, develop, or distribute any automated system, including without limitation, any spider, robot, cheat utility, scraper, or offline reader that accesses the Site, or using or launching any unauthorized script or other software.
  • Use a buying agent or purchasing agent to make purchases on the Site.
  • Make any unauthorized use of the Site, including collecting usernames and/or email addresses of users by electronic or other means for the purpose of sending unsolicited email, or creating user accounts by automated means or under false pretenses.
  • Use the Site as part of any effort to compete with us or otherwise use the Site and/or the Content for any revenue-generating endeavor or commercial enterprise.
  • Use the Site to advertise or offer to sell goods and services.
  • Sell or otherwise transfer your profile.
  • Campaign on the behalf of another political party.

6. USER GENERATED CONTRIBUTIONS

The Site may invite you to chat, contribute to, or participate in blogs, message boards, online forums, and other functionality, and may provide you with the opportunity to create, submit, post, display, transmit, perform, publish, distribute, or broadcast content and materials to us or on the Site, including but not limited to text, writings, video, audio, photographs, graphics, comments, suggestions, or personal information or other material (collectively, “Contributions”). Contributions may be viewable by other users of the Site and through third-party websites. As such, any Contributions you transmit may be treated as non-confidential and non-proprietary. When you create or make available any Contributions, you thereby represent and warrant that:

  • The creation, distribution, transmission, public display, or performance, and the accessing, downloading, or copying of your Contributions do not and will not infringe the proprietary rights, including but not limited to the copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, or moral rights of any third party.
  • You are the creator and owner of or have the necessary licenses, rights, consents, releases, and permissions to use and to authorize us, the Site, and other users of the Site to use your Contributions in any manner contemplated by the Site and these Terms of Use.
  • You have the written consent, release, and/or permission of each and every identifiable individual person in your Contributions to use the name or likeness of each and every such identifiable individual person to enable inclusion and use of your Contributions in any manner contemplated by the Site and these Terms of Use.
  • Your Contributions are not false, inaccurate, or misleading.
  • Your Contributions are not unsolicited or unauthorized advertising, promotional materials, pyramid schemes, chain letters, spam, mass mailings, or other forms of solicitation.
  • Your Contributions are not obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, violent, harassing, libelous, slanderous, or otherwise objectionable (as determined by us).
  • Your Contributions do not ridicule, mock, disparage, intimidate, or abuse anyone.
  • Your Contributions are not used to harass or threaten (in the legal sense of those terms) any other person and to promote violence against a specific person or class of people.
  • Your Contributions do not violate any applicable law, regulation, or rule.
  • Your Contributions do not violate the privacy or publicity rights of any third party.
  • Your Contributions do not violate any applicable law concerning child pornography, or otherwise intended to protect the health or well-being of minors.
  • Your Contributions do not include any offensive comments that are connected to race, national origin, gender, sexual preference, or physical handicap.
  • Your Contributions do not otherwise violate, or link to material that violates, any provision of these Terms of Use, or any applicable law or regulation.

Any use of the Site in violation of the foregoing violates these Terms of Use and may result in, among other things, termination or suspension of your rights to use the Site.

7. CONTRIBUTION LICENSE

By posting your Contributions to any part of the Site or making Contributions accessible to the Site by linking your account from the Site to any of your social networking accounts, you automatically grant, and you represent and warrant that you have the right to grant, to us an unrestricted, unlimited, irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, royalty-free, fully-paid, worldwide right, and license to host, use, copy, reproduce, disclose, sell, resell, publish, broadcast, retitle, archive, store, cache, publicly perform, publicly display, reformat, translate, transmit, excerpt (in whole or in part), and distribute such Contributions (including, without limitation, your image and voice) for any purpose, commercial, advertising, or otherwise, and to prepare derivative works of, or incorporate into other works, such Contributions, and grant and authorize sublicenses of the foregoing. The use and distribution may occur in any media formats and through any media channels.

This license will apply to any form, media, or technology now known or hereafter developed, and includes our use of your name, company name, and franchise name, as applicable, and any of the trademarks, service marks, trade names, logos, and personal and commercial images you provide. You waive all moral rights in your Contributions, and you warrant that moral rights have not otherwise been asserted in your Contributions.

We do not assert any ownership over your Contributions. You retain full ownership of all of your Contributions and any intellectual property rights or other proprietary rights associated with your Contributions. We are not liable for any statements or representations in your Contributions provided by you in any area on the Site. You are solely responsible for your Contributions to the Site and you expressly agree to exonerate us from any and all responsibility and to refrain from any legal action against us regarding your Contributions.

We have the right, in our sole and absolute discretion, (1) to edit, redact, or otherwise change any Contributions; (2) to re-categorize any Contributions to place them in more appropriate locations on the Site; and (3) to pre-screen or delete any Contributions at any time and for any reason, without notice. We have no obligation to monitor your Contributions.

8. SOCIAL MEDIA

As part of the functionality of the Site, you may link your account with online accounts you have with third-party service providers (each such account, a “Third-Party Account”) by either: (1) providing your Third-Party Account login information through the Site; or (2) allowing us to access your Third-Party Account, as is permitted under the applicable terms and conditions that govern your use of each Third-Party Account. You represent and warrant that you are entitled to disclose your Third-Party Account login information to us and/or grant us access to your Third-Party Account, without breach by you of any of the terms and conditions that govern your use of the applicable Third-Party Account, and without obligating us to pay any fees or making us subject to any usage limitations imposed by the third-party service provider of the Third-Party Account. By granting us access to any Third-Party Accounts, you understand that (1) we may access, make available, and store (if applicable) any content that you have provided to and stored in your Third-Party Account (the “Social Network Content”) so that it is available on and through the Site via your account, including without limitation any friend lists and (2) we may submit to and receive from your Third-Party Account additional information to the extent you are notified when you link your account with the Third-Party Account. Depending on the Third-Party Accounts you choose and subject to the privacy settings that you have set in such Third-Party Accounts, personally identifiable information that you post to your Third-Party Accounts may be available on and through your account on the Site. Please note that if a Third-Party Account or associated service becomes unavailable or our access to such Third Party Account is terminated by the third-party service provider, then Social Network Content may no longer be available on and through the Site. You will have the ability to disable the connection between your account on the Site and your Third-Party Accounts at any time. PLEASE NOTE THAT YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE THIRD-PARTY SERVICE PROVIDERS ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR THIRD-PARTY ACCOUNTS IS GOVERNED SOLELY BY YOUR AGREEMENT(S) WITH SUCH THIRD-PARTY SERVICE PROVIDERS. We make no effort to review any Social Network Content for any purpose, including but not limited to, for accuracy, legality, or non-infringement, and we are not responsible for any Social Network Content. You acknowledge and agree that we may access your email address book associated with a Third-Party Account and your contacts list stored on your mobile device or tablet computer solely for purposes of identifying and informing you of those contacts who have also registered to use the Site. You can deactivate the connection between the Site and your Third-Party Account by contacting us using the contact information below or through your account settings (if applicable). We will attempt to delete any information stored on our servers that was obtained through such Third-Party Account, except the username and profile picture that become associated with your account.

9. SUBMISSIONS

You acknowledge and agree that any questions, comments, suggestions, ideas, feedback, or other information regarding the Site (“Submissions”) provided by you to us are non-confidential and shall become our sole property. We shall own exclusive rights, including all intellectual property rights, and shall be entitled to the unrestricted use and dissemination of these Submissions for any lawful purpose, commercial or otherwise, without acknowledgment or compensation to you. You hereby waive all moral rights to any such Submissions, and you hereby warrant that any such Submissions are original with you or that you have the right to submit such Submissions. You agree there shall be no recourse against us for any alleged or actual infringement or misappropriation of any proprietary right in your Submissions.

10. THIRD-PARTY WEBSITE AND CONTENT

The Site may contain (or you may be sent via the Site) links to other websites (“Third-Party Websites”) as well as articles, photographs, text, graphics, pictures, designs, music, sound, video, information, applications, software, and other content or items belonging to or originating from third parties (“Third-Party Content”). Such Third-Party Websites and Third-Party Content are not investigated, monitored, or checked for accuracy, appropriateness, or completeness by us, and we are not responsible for any Third-Party Websites accessed through the Site or any Third-Party Content posted on, available through, or installed from the Site, including the content, accuracy, offensiveness, opinions, reliability, privacy practices, or other policies of or contained in the Third-Party Websites or the Third-Party Content. Inclusion of, linking to, or permitting the use or installation of any Third-Party Websites or any Third-Party Content does not imply approval or endorsement thereof by us. If you decide to leave the Site and access the Third-Party Websites or to use or install any Third-Party Content, you do so at your own risk, and you should be aware these Terms of Use no longer govern. You should review the applicable terms and policies, including privacy and data gathering practices, of any website to which you navigate from the Site or relating to any applications you use or install from the Site. Any purchases you make through Third-Party Websites will be through other websites and from other companies, and we take no responsibility whatsoever in relation to such purchases which are exclusively between you and the applicable third party. You agree and acknowledge that we do not endorse the products or services offered on Third-Party Websites and you shall hold us harmless from any harm caused by your purchase of such products or services. Additionally, you shall hold us harmless from any losses sustained by you or harm caused to you relating to or resulting in any way from any Third-Party Content or any contact with Third-Party Websites.

11. SITE MANAGEMENT

We reserve the right, but not the obligation, to: (1) monitor the Site for violations of these Terms of Use; (2) take appropriate legal action against anyone who, in our sole discretion, violates the law or these Terms of Use, including without limitation, reporting such user to law enforcement authorities; (3) in our sole discretion and without limitation, refuse, restrict access to, limit the availability of, or disable (to the extent technologically feasible) any of your Contributions or any portion thereof; (4) in our sole discretion and without limitation, notice, or liability, to remove from the Site or otherwise disable all files and content that are excessive in size or are in any way burdensome to our systems; and (5) otherwise manage the Site in a manner designed to protect our rights and property and to facilitate the proper functioning of the Site.

12. COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENTS

We respect the intellectual property rights of others. If you believe that any material available on or through the Site infringes upon any copyright you own or control, please immediately notify us using the contact information provided below (a “Notification”). A copy of your Notification will be sent to the person who posted or stored the material addressed in the Notification. Please be advised that pursuant to applicable law you may be held liable for damages if you make material misrepresentations in a Notification. Thus, if you are not sure that material located on or linked to by the Site infringes your copyright, you should consider first contacting an attorney.

13. TERM AND TERMINATION

These Terms of Use shall remain in full force and effect while you use the Site. WITHOUT LIMITING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THESE TERMS OF USE, WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO, IN OUR SOLE DISCRETION AND WITHOUT NOTICE OR LIABILITY, DENY ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE SITE (INCLUDING BLOCKING CERTAIN IP ADDRESSES), TO ANY PERSON FOR ANY REASON OR FOR NO REASON, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION FOR BREACH OF ANY REPRESENTATION, WARRANTY, OR COVENANT CONTAINED IN THESE TERMS OF USE OR OF ANY APPLICABLE LAW OR REGULATION. WE MAY TERMINATE YOUR USE OR PARTICIPATION IN THE SITE OR DELETE YOUR ACCOUNT AND ANY CONTENT OR INFORMATION THAT YOU POSTED AT ANY TIME, WITHOUT WARNING, IN OUR SOLE DISCRETION.

If we terminate or suspend your account for any reason, you are prohibited from registering and creating a new account under your name, a fake or borrowed name, or the name of any third party, even if you may be acting on behalf of the third party. In addition to terminating or suspending your account, we reserve the right to take appropriate legal action, including without limitation pursuing civil, criminal, and injunctive redress.

14. MODIFICATIONS AND INTERRUPTIONS

We reserve the right to change, modify, or remove the contents of the Site at any time or for any reason at our sole discretion without notice. However, we have no obligation to update any information on our Site. We also reserve the right to modify or discontinue all or part of the Site without notice at any time. We will not be liable to you or any third party for any modification, price change, suspension, or discontinuance of the Site.

We cannot guarantee the Site will be available at all times. We may experience hardware, software, or other problems or need to perform maintenance related to the Site, resulting in interruptions, delays, or errors. We reserve the right to change, revise, update, suspend, discontinue, or otherwise modify the Site at any time or for any reason without notice to you. You agree that we have no liability whatsoever for any loss, damage, or inconvenience caused by your inability to access or use the Site during any downtime or discontinuance of the Site. Nothing in these Terms of Use will be construed to obligate us to maintain and support the Site or to supply any corrections, updates, or releases in connection therewith.

15. GOVERNING LAW 

These conditions are governed by and interpreted following the laws of the United Kingdom, and the use of the United Nations Convention of Contracts for the International Sale of Goods is expressly excluded. If your habitual residence is in the EU, and you are a consumer, you additionally possess the protection provided to you by obligatory provisions of the law of your country of residence. Stirling University Scottish Nationalist Association

 and yourself both agree to submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Scotland

, which means that you may make a claim to defend your consumer protection rights in regards to these Conditions of Use in the United Kingdom, or in the EU country in which you reside.

16. DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Informal Negotiations

To expedite resolution and control the cost of any dispute, controversy, or claim related to these Terms of Use (each “Dispute” and collectively, the “Disputes”) brought by either you or us (individually, a “Party” and collectively, the “Parties”), the Parties agree to first attempt to negotiate any Dispute (except those Disputes expressly provided below) informally for at least ninety (90) days before initiating arbitration. Such informal negotiations commence upon written notice from one Party to the other Party.

Binding Arbitration

Any dispute arising from the relationships between the Parties to this contract shall be determined by one arbitrator who will be chosen in accordance with the Arbitration and Internal Rules of the European Court of Arbitration being part of the European Centre of Arbitration having its seat in Strasbourg, and which are in force at the time the application for arbitration is filed, and of which adoption of this clause constitutes acceptance. The seat of arbitration shall be Stirling, United Kingdom. The language of the proceedings shall be English. Applicable rules of substantive law shall be the law of the United Kingdom.

Restrictions

The Parties agree that any arbitration shall be limited to the Dispute between the Parties individually. To the full extent permitted by law, (a) no arbitration shall be joined with any other proceeding; (b) there is no right or authority for any Dispute to be arbitrated on a class-action basis or to utilize class action procedures; and (c) there is no right or authority for any Dispute to be brought in a purported representative capacity on behalf of the general public or any other persons.

Exceptions to Informal Negotiations and Arbitration

The Parties agree that the following Disputes are not subject to the above provisions concerning informal negotiations and binding arbitration: (a) any Disputes seeking to enforce or protect, or concerning the validity of, any of the intellectual property rights of a Party; (b) any Dispute related to, or arising from, allegations of theft, piracy, invasion of privacy, or unauthorized use; and (c) any claim for injunctive relief. If this provision is found to be illegal or unenforceable, then neither Party will elect to arbitrate any Dispute falling within that portion of this provision found to be illegal or unenforceable and such Dispute shall be decided by a court of competent jurisdiction within the courts listed for jurisdiction above, and the Parties agree to submit to the personal jurisdiction of that court.

17. CORRECTIONS

There may be information on the Site that contains typographical errors, inaccuracies, or omissions, including descriptions, pricing, availability, and various other information. We reserve the right to correct any errors, inaccuracies, or omissions and to change or update the information on the Site at any time, without prior notice.

18. DISCLAIMER

THE SITE IS PROVIDED ON AN AS-IS AND AS-AVAILABLE BASIS. YOU AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THE SITE AND OUR SERVICES WILL BE AT YOUR SOLE RISK. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, WE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN CONNECTION WITH THE SITE AND YOUR USE THEREOF, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. WE MAKE NO WARRANTIES OR REPRESENTATIONS ABOUT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE SITE’S CONTENT OR THE CONTENT OF ANY WEBSITES LINKED TO THE SITE AND WE WILL ASSUME NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY (1) ERRORS, MISTAKES, OR INACCURACIES OF CONTENT AND MATERIALS, (2) PERSONAL INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE, OF ANY NATURE WHATSOEVER, RESULTING FROM YOUR ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE SITE, (3) ANY UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR USE OF OUR SECURE SERVERS AND/OR ANY AND ALL PERSONAL INFORMATION AND/OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION STORED THEREIN, (4) ANY INTERRUPTION OR CESSATION OF TRANSMISSION TO OR FROM THE SITE, (5) ANY BUGS, VIRUSES, TROJAN HORSES, OR THE LIKE WHICH MAY BE TRANSMITTED TO OR THROUGH THE SITE BY ANY THIRD PARTY, AND/OR (6) ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN ANY CONTENT AND MATERIALS OR FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE OF ANY KIND INCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE USE OF ANY CONTENT POSTED, TRANSMITTED, OR OTHERWISE MADE AVAILABLE VIA THE SITE. WE DO NOT WARRANT, ENDORSE, GUARANTEE, OR ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY PRODUCT OR SERVICE ADVERTISED OR OFFERED BY A THIRD PARTY THROUGH THE SITE, ANY HYPERLINKED WEBSITE, OR ANY WEBSITE OR MOBILE APPLICATION FEATURED IN ANY BANNER OR OTHER ADVERTISING, AND WE WILL NOT BE A PARTY TO OR IN ANY WAY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MONITORING ANY TRANSACTION BETWEEN YOU AND ANY THIRD-PARTY PROVIDERS OF PRODUCTS OR SERVICES. AS WITH THE PURCHASE OF A PRODUCT OR SERVICE THROUGH ANY MEDIUM OR IN ANY ENVIRONMENT, YOU SHOULD USE YOUR BEST JUDGMENT AND EXERCISE CAUTION WHERE APPROPRIATE.

19. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY

IN NO EVENT WILL WE OR OUR DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, OR AGENTS BE LIABLE TO YOU OR ANY THIRD PARTY FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOST PROFIT, LOST REVENUE, LOSS OF DATA, OR OTHER DAMAGES ARISING FROM YOUR USE OF THE SITE, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING TO THE CONTRARY CONTAINED HEREIN, OUR LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY CAUSE WHATSOEVER AND REGARDLESS OF THE FORM OF THE ACTION, WILL AT ALL TIMES BE LIMITED TO THE LESSER OF THE AMOUNT PAID, IF ANY, BY YOU TO US DURING THE THREE (3) MONTH PERIOD PRIOR TO ANY CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING OR $20.00 USD. CERTAIN US STATE LAWS AND INTERNATIONAL LAWS DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF CERTAIN DAMAGES. IF THESE LAWS APPLY TO YOU, SOME OR ALL OF THE ABOVE DISCLAIMERS OR LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU, AND YOU MAY HAVE ADDITIONAL RIGHTS.

20. INDEMNIFICATION

You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold us harmless, including our subsidiaries, affiliates, and all of our respective officers, agents, partners, and employees, from and against any loss, damage, liability, claim, or demand, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, made by any third party due to or arising out of: (1) your Contributions; (2) use of the Site; (3) breach of these Terms of Use; (4) any breach of your representations and warranties set forth in these Terms of Use; (5) your violation of the rights of a third party, including but not limited to intellectual property rights; or (6) any overt harmful act toward any other user of the Site with whom you connected via the Site. Notwithstanding the foregoing, we reserve the right, at your expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter for which you are required to indemnify us, and you agree to cooperate, at your expense, with our defense of such claims. We will use reasonable efforts to notify you of any such claim, action, or proceeding which is subject to this indemnification upon becoming aware of it.

21. USER DATA

We will maintain certain data that you transmit to the Site for the purpose of managing the performance of the Site, as well as data relating to your use of the Site. Although we perform regular routine backups of data, you are solely responsible for all data that you transmit or that relates to any activity you have undertaken using the Site. You agree that we shall have no liability to you for any loss or corruption of any such data, and you hereby waive any right of action against us arising from any such loss or corruption of such data.

22. ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS, TRANSACTIONS, AND SIGNATURES

Visiting the Site, sending us emails, and completing online forms constitute electronic communications. You consent to receive electronic communications, and you agree that all agreements, notices, disclosures, and other communications we provide to you electronically, via email and on the Site, satisfy any legal requirement that such communication be in writing. YOU HEREBY AGREE TO THE USE OF ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES, CONTRACTS, ORDERS, AND OTHER RECORDS, AND TO ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF NOTICES, POLICIES, AND RECORDS OF TRANSACTIONS INITIATED OR COMPLETED BY US OR VIA THE SITE. You hereby waive any rights or requirements under any statutes, regulations, rules, ordinances, or other laws in any jurisdiction which require an original signature or delivery or retention of non-electronic records, or to payments or the granting of credits by any means other than electronic means.

23. MISCELLANEOUS

These Terms of Use and any policies or operating rules posted by us on the Site or in respect to the Site constitute the entire agreement and understanding between you and us. Our failure to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these Terms of Use shall not operate as a waiver of such right or provision. These Terms of Use operate to the fullest extent permissible by law. We may assign any or all of our rights and obligations to others at any time. We shall not be responsible or liable for any loss, damage, delay, or failure to act caused by any cause beyond our reasonable control. If any provision or part of a provision of these Terms of Use is determined to be unlawful, void, or unenforceable, that provision or part of the provision is deemed severable from these Terms of Use and does not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining provisions. There is no joint venture, partnership, employment or agency relationship created between you and us as a result of these Terms of Use or use of the Site. You agree that these Terms of Use will not be construed against us by virtue of having drafted them. You hereby waive any and all defenses you may have based on the electronic form of these Terms of Use and the lack of signing by the parties hereto to execute these Terms of Use.

24. CONTACT US

In order to resolve a complaint regarding the Site or to receive further information regarding use of the Site, please contact us at:

Stirling University Scottish Nationalist Association President C/O

University of Stirling Students Union

The Robbins Centre

Stirling, Stirlingshire FK9 4LF

Scotland

// //

The Terms and Conditions were last updated on July 3, 2022

1. Introduction

These Terms and conditions apply to this website and to the transactions related to our products and services. You may be bound by additional contracts related to your relationship with us or any products or services that you receive from us. If any provisions of the additional contracts conflict with any provisions of these Terms, the provisions of these additional contracts will control and prevail.

2. Binding

By registering with, accessing, or otherwise using this website, you hereby agree to be bound by these Terms and conditions set forth below. The mere use of this website implies the knowledge and acceptance of these Terms and conditions. In some particular cases, we can also ask you to explicitly agree.

3. Electronic communication

By using this website or communicating with us by electronic means, you agree and acknowledge that we may communicate with you electronically on our website or by sending an email to you, and you agree that all agreements, notices, disclosures, and other communications that we provide to you electronically satisfy any legal requirement, including but not limited to the requirement that such communications should be in writing.

4. Intellectual property

We or our licensors own and control all of the copyright and other intellectual property rights in the website and the data, information, and other resources displayed by or accessible within the website.

4.1 All the rights are reserved

Unless specific content dictates otherwise, you are not granted a license or any other right under Copyright, Trademark, Patent, or other Intellectual Property Rights. This means that you will not use, copy, reproduce, perform, display, distribute, embed into any electronic medium, alter, reverse engineer, decompile, transfer, download, transmit, monetize, sell, market, or commercialize any resources on this website in any form, without our prior written permission, except and only insofar as otherwise stipulated in regulations of mandatory law (such as the right to quote).

5. Newsletter

Notwithstanding the foregoing, you may forward our newsletter in the electronic form to others who may be interested in visiting our website.

6. Third-party property

Our website may include hyperlinks or other references to other party’s websites. We do not monitor or review the content of other party’s websites which are linked to from this website. Products or services offered by other websites shall be subject to the applicable Terms and Conditions of those third parties. Opinions expressed or material appearing on those websites are not necessarily shared or endorsed by us.

We will not be responsible for any privacy practices or content of these sites. You bear all risks associated with the use of these websites and any related third-party services. We will not accept any responsibility for any loss or damage in whatever manner, however caused, resulting from your disclosure to third parties of personal information.

7. Responsible use

By visiting our website, you agree to use it only for the purposes intended and as permitted by these Terms, any additional contracts with us, and applicable laws, regulations, and generally accepted online practices and industry guidelines. You must not use our website or services to use, publish or distribute any material which consists of (or is linked to) malicious computer software; use data collected from our website for any direct marketing activity, or conduct any systematic or automated data collection activities on or in relation to our website.

Engaging in any activity that causes, or may cause, damage to the website or that interferes with the performance, availability, or accessibility of the website is strictly prohibited.

8. Registration

You may register for an account with our website. During this process, you may be required to choose a password. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of passwords and account information and agree not to share your passwords, account information, or secured access to our website or services with any other person. You must not allow any other person to use your account to access the website because you are responsible for all activities that occur through the use of your passwords or accounts. You must notify us immediately if you become aware of any disclosure of your password.

After account termination, you will not attempt to register a new account without our permission.

9. Content posted by you

We may provide various open communication tools on our website, such as blog comments, blog posts, forums, message boards, ratings and reviews, and various social media services. It might not be feasible for us to screen or monitor all content that you or others may share or submit on or through our website. However, we reserve the right to review the content and to monitor all use of and activity on our website, and remove or reject any content in our sole discretion. By posting information or otherwise using any open communication tools as mentioned, you agree that your content will comply with these Terms and Conditions and must not be illegal or unlawful or infringe any person’s legal rights.

10. Idea submission

Do not submit any ideas, inventions, works of authorship, or other information that can be considered your own intellectual property that you would like to present to us unless we have first signed an agreement regarding the intellectual property or a non-disclosure agreement. If you disclose it to us absent such written agreement, you grant to us a worldwide, irrevocable, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, store, adapt, publish, translate and distribute your content in any existing or future media.

11. Termination of use

We may, in our sole discretion, at any time modify or discontinue access to, temporarily or permanently, the website or any Service thereon. You agree that we will not be liable to you or any third party for any such modification, suspension or discontinuance of your access to, or use of, the website or any content that you may have shared on the website. You will not be entitled to any compensation or other payment, even if certain features, settings, and/or any Content you have contributed or have come to rely on, are permanently lost. You must not circumvent or bypass, or attempt to circumvent or bypass, any access restriction measures on our website.

12. Warranties and liability

Nothing in this section will limit or exclude any warranty implied by law that it would be unlawful to limit or to exclude. This website and all content on the website are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis and may include inaccuracies or typographical errors. We expressly disclaim all warranties of any kind, whether express or implied, as to the availability, accuracy, or completeness of the Content. We make no warranty that:

  • this website or our content will meet your requirements;
  • this website will be available on an uninterrupted, timely, secure, or error-free basis.

Nothing on this website constitutes or is meant to constitute, legal, financial or medical advice of any kind. If you require advice you should consult an appropriate professional.

The following provisions of this section will apply to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law and will not limit or exclude our liability in respect of any matter which it would be unlawful or illegal for us to limit or to exclude our liability. In no event will we be liable for any direct or indirect damages (including any damages for loss of profits or revenue, loss or corruption of data, software or database, or loss of or harm to property or data) incurred by you or any third party, arising from your access to, or use of, our website.

Except to the extent any additional contract expressly states otherwise, our maximum liability to you for all damages arising out of or related to the website or any products and services marketed or sold through the website, regardless of the form of legal action that imposes liability (whether in contract, equity, negligence, intended conduct, tort or otherwise) will be limited to the total price that you paid to us to purchase such products or services or use the website. Such limit will apply in the aggregate to all of your claims, actions and causes of action of every kind and nature.

13. Privacy

To access our website and/or services, you may be required to provide certain information about yourself as part of the registration process. You agree that any information you provide will always be accurate, correct, and up to date.

We have developed a policy to address any privacy concerns you may have. For more information, please see our Privacy Statement and our Cookie Policy.

14. Accessibility

We are committed to making the content we provide accessible to individuals with disabilities. If you have a disability and are unable to access any portion of our website due to your disability, we ask you to give us a notice including a detailed description of the issue you encountered. If the issue is readily identifiable and resolvable in accordance with industry-standard information technology tools and techniques we will promptly resolve it.

15. Export restrictions / Legal compliance

Access to the website from territories or countries where the Content or purchase of the products or Services sold on the website is illegal is prohibited. You may not use this website in violation of export laws and regulations of United Kingdom.

16. Assignment

You may not assign, transfer or sub-contract any of your rights and/or obligations under these Terms and conditions, in whole or in part, to any third party without our prior written consent. Any purported assignment in violation of this Section will be null and void.

17. Breaches of these Terms and conditions

Without prejudice to our other rights under these Terms and Conditions, if you breach these Terms and Conditions in any way, we may take such action as we deem appropriate to deal with the breach, including temporarily or permanently suspending your access to the website, contacting your internet service provider to request that they block your access to the website, and/or commence legal action against you.

18. Force majeure

Except for obligations to pay money hereunder, no delay, failure or omission by either party to carry out or observe any of its obligations hereunder will be deemed to be a breach of these Terms and conditions if and for as long as such delay, failure or omission arises from any cause beyond the reasonable control of that party.

19. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend and hold us harmless, from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses and expenses, relating to your violation of these Terms and conditions, and applicable laws, including intellectual property rights and privacy rights. You will promptly reimburse us for our damages, losses, costs and expenses relating to or arising out of such claims.

20. Waiver

Failure to enforce any of the provisions set out in these Terms and Conditions and any Agreement, or failure to exercise any option to terminate, shall not be construed as waiver of such provisions and shall not affect the validity of these Terms and Conditions or of any Agreement or any part thereof, or the right thereafter to enforce each and every provision.

21. Language

These Terms and Conditions will be interpreted and construed exclusively in English. All notices and correspondence will be written exclusively in that language.

22. Entire agreement

These Terms and Conditions, together with our privacy statement and cookie policy, constitute the entire agreement between you and Stirling University Scottish Nationalist Association in relation to your use of this website.

23. Updating of these Terms and conditions

We may update these Terms and Conditions from time to time. The date provided at the beginning of these Terms and Conditions is the latest revision date. We will give you a written notice of any changes or updates, and the revised Terms and Conditions will become effective from the date that we give you such a notice. Your continued use of this website following the posting of changes or updates will be considered notice of your acceptance to abide by and be bound by these Terms and Conditions. To request a prior version of these Terms and conditions, please contact us.

24. Choice of Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by the laws of United Kingdom. Any disputes relating to these Terms and Conditions shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of United Kingdom. If any part or provision of these Terms and Conditions is found by a court or other authority to be invalid and/or unenforceable under applicable law, such part or provision will be modified, deleted and/or enforced to the maximum extent permissible so as to give effect to the intent of these Terms and Conditions. The other provisions will not be affected.

25. Contact information

This website is owned and operated by Stirling University Scottish Nationalist Association.

You may contact us regarding these Terms and Conditions through our contact page.

26. Download

You can also download our Terms and Conditions as a PDF.

The SUSNA Safeguarding Policy

Please be aware that this policy has been taken from the SNP website, we are dedicated to protecting our members and we share the values and vision that the policy that the SNP has adopted. As an affiliate of the Scottish National Party, the rules and policies in place nationally apply to SUSNA and its members.

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The Stirling University Scottish Nationalist Association acknowledges the duty of care it holds to safeguard and protect children who are involved in SUSNA or affected by the activities of the organisation.

This Safeguarding Policy outlines the behaviour expected of:

  1. Staff, volunteers, members and elected representatives of SUSNA and;
  2. Staff, members and volunteers of other organisations who engage with children and adults at risk through SUSNA and its activities.

This policy covers those under 18 years of age, and adults deemed at risk by their local authority.

The underpinning principles of the policy are:

  • Empowerment: Those in contact with children and young people are supported and educated in protection from harm
  • Prevention: Being aware – it is better to take action before harm occurs
  • Protection: Protecting those most vulnerable from harm
  • Accountability: accountability and transparency in safeguarding practice. It is the responsibility of all staff, volunteers, members and elected representatives to behave with integrity, maturity and good judgement

The purpose of the Policy

The Safeguarding Policy is intended to provide a minimum framework for safer working practice for staff, members, volunteers and elected representatives who work with, or come into contact with, children and adults at risk at all levels of party engagement and activity.

It serves to help to protect children and adults at risk from abuse and/or inappropriate behaviour from other individuals and to clarify the standard of behaviour required of staff, members, volunteers and elected representatives.

Upholding the Safeguarding Policy

It is the responsibility of all staff, members, volunteers and elected representatives to ensure that their behaviour meets the standards of this policy at all times. Any breaches of the policy must be reported.

Staff and members who are found to have breached this policy may be subject to the SUSNA disciplinary procedures. Any breach of the code involving a volunteer or member of staff from another organisation will result in them being reported to the appropriate safeguarding officer within that organisation.

SUSNA will work will local authorities, community agencies and Named Persons where it is felt behaviour that has breached the policy constitutes a safeguarding allegation.

Acting in a position of trust

Staff, members and volunteers, including elected representatives and senior officials, should be aware that they may be seen as role models by children, young people and adults at risk and therefore they must act in an appropriate manner at all times.

Elected representatives and others in positions of authority must take particular care that their status and power is not used, or may seem to be used, inappropriately to influence children or adults at risk or to cause them harm.

If you have, or receive, any information that a child or an adult at risk has been harmed, or is at risk of being harmed by their own or someone else’s behaviour, you must report it immediately. Do not wait to report.

When engaging with children and adults at risk on behalf of SUSNA, staff, volunteers and elected representatives are considered to be acting in a position of trust.

  • A relationship of trust can be described as one in which one party is in a position of power or influence over the other by virtue of their work or the nature of their activity.
  • It is vital for any person working on behalf of the organisation in a position of trust to understand the power this can give them and the responsibility they must exercise.
  • Any behaviour which could allow a sexual relationship to develop between a person in a position of trust and a child or young person must always be avoided.

Working with children and adults at risk

Staff members, volunteers, members and elected representatives must adhere to the below at all times:

Positive relationships:

  • Treat children and adults at risk fairly, without prejudice or discrimination and avoid favouritism
  • Ensure that all contact, interactions and communications (face-to-face and online) with children and adults at risk are appropriate and relevant to the work of SUSNA
  • Use language which is appropriate and be mindful of SUSNA equality policy.
  • Ensure that the focus of any relationship with a child or an adult at risk that they have met through SUSNA remains professional at all times
  • Foster a culture where everyone, and in particular children, young people and adults at risk feel comfortable enough to raise any concerns they may have about inappropriate behaviour towards children or adults at risk, without fear of reprisal.

Planning events or activities:

  • Maintain appropriate conduct and avoid threatening or aggressive behaviour that may lead to children or adults at risk feeling anxious or frightened during meetings or events
  • Value and take the contributions of children and adults at risk seriously, actively involving them in planning activities wherever possible
  • Plan activities so that they involve more than one other person being present, or at least within sight and hearing of others. There may be occasions where this is not possible so in such circumstances the meeting should be conducted in a room with an open door and/or in sight of other adults
  • Plan activities so that they are held in suitable venues and locations for children and adults at risk and ensure that appropriate travel arrangements and health and safety measures are in place.

Reporting abuse and concerns

  • Ensure that allegations or disclosures about abuse by an adult or child are taken seriously and reported, including peer-on-peer abuse by children or young people
  • Challenge unacceptable behaviour and report all allegations and suspicions of abuse
  • Respect a child or an adult at risk’s right to personal privacy but never agree to keep any information relating to the harm of a child or an adult at risk confidential

Physical contact

  • Carefully consider any physical contact with a child or an adult at risk. Ensure that physical contact is appropriate and not unnecessary or unjustified.
  • Be aware that physical contact with a child or an adult at risk may be misinterpreted, no matter how well intentioned
  • Staff, volunteers members and elected representatives should:
    • Consider the way in which they offer comfort and reassurance to a distressed child or adult at risk and do it in an appropriate way
    • Record and report situations which may give rise to concern from either party
    • Not assume that all children or adults at risk seek physical comfort if they are distressed
    • Ensure that if any kind of physical support is required during any activities, it is provided only when necessary in relation to the activity and that this is done in a way that other colleagues can observe and in a way that the child or adult at risk is comfortable

It is essential that staff, volunteers, members and elected representatives do not:

  • Conduct in behaviour which leads to sexual contact or a sexual relationship with a child, or with a child involved in SUSNA activity.
  • Physically, emotionally or sexually abuse, maltreat or exploit any child or an adult at risk or neglect their basic physical and psychological needs
  • Exaggerate or trivialise child abuse or the abuse of adults at risk
  • Make sarcastic, insensitive, derogatory or sexually suggestive comments or gestures to, or in front of, children or discuss adult sexual relationships in front of them
  • Give or receive gifts and/or substances such as drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, e-cigarettes to or from a child
  • Encourage or appear to encourage children to drink alcohol or take drugs
  • Allow their judgment to be impaired by alcohol or any other substance when acting in a position of trust
  • Photograph or film children without first obtaining consent
  • Take advantage of the vulnerability of an adult at risk to achieve financial gain for themselves or SUSNA
  • Investigate safeguarding concerns – reporting concerns is their immediate responsibility
  • Undertake activity which lessens the effectiveness of this code or display attitudes or behaviours which are not conducive to protecting and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk

Online safety

SUSNA acknowledges the positive impact that involvement with social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram can have on the lives of our members and their ability to learn about and engage in political debate. SUSNA uses the online environment to encourage people in our campaigning work and events.

At the same time, we recognise the dangers and potential risks that online activity can pose to both children and adults at risk. There are a wide range of ways to communicate and this is a rapidly changing environment as new technologies, applications and social media sites emerge. To safeguard children, adults at risk and protect themselves whilst using online media and apps, staff, volunteers, members and elected representatives must adhere to the standards below:

1. Openness and scrutiny

  • Try to avoid use of private messaging facilities on social networks or apps. If communication needs to be private then do this by email exchange or phone and note the conversation afterwards
  • Ensure there is always a record of these conversations that would be open to others to check if necessary e.g the use of Snapchat is inappropriate
  • It should always be clear who a communication is from when communicating with a child or an adult at risk
  • Never use anonymous apps (where the sender can remain anonymous)

2. Content

  • When communicating online observe the same rules of behaviour as if speaking in person. Be professional, polite and respectful
  • Ask yourself whether the content of the message could be misunderstood or misinterpreted by someone else
  • Always ensure the content of any online communication has clear SUSNA business purposes
  • Don’t use any ‘text speak’ abbreviations, symbols or emojis even if you ordinarily use these in your personal life
  • Never disclose non-public and confidential information about the SUSNA, its staff/volunteers or the children or adults involved

3. Text messaging

The use of text messaging to communicate with individual children and adults at risk increases the vulnerability of both the child and the member or volunteer. It should therefore be avoided where possible.

There may, however, be circumstances in which it is justified, subject to appropriate safeguarding considerations. In these circumstances:

  • Members and volunteers should only send individual text messages to a child in response to a specific question or immediate request. Members and volunteers should not engage in general conversation with children via text message
  • All messages should be stored and backed up regularly on a computer – phone messages should not be edited or deleted
  • Children’s mobile phone numbers should be kept secure via passcode locks on phones and computers. The mobile phone numbers should not be shared with anyone else unless consent has been given
  • The content should relate solely to SUSNA activity
  • All bulk text messages sent to children and young people should also be sent through approved channels and recorded for external moderation if required

Safeguarding reporting principles

Recognise – that a child, young person or adult at risk is being harmed or might be at risk of harm

Respond – appropriately if a child, young person or adult at risk tells you about what is happening to them or somebody else

Report – your concern. Don’t keep it to yourself or try to deal with it on your own

Record – your concern and who it has been reported to

Reporting a safeguarding concern

It is important that safeguarding concerns are reported promptly so that the report can be assessed and action taken to protect the people involved. Members of staff, volunteers, members or elected representatives of SUSNA must report safeguarding concerns no later than the next working day that the concern is raised or received.

The contact email is 

Guidance can be sought from SUSNA at any time.

If any person is at immediate risk of harm or requires medical attention the emergency services should be contacted immediately by telephoning 999. Once the safety and welfare needs of the individual have been addressed, the Secretary must be contacted as soon as practical.

Rights and Obligations of Membership

The rights of membership include:

  • Contributing towards development of the organisations policies
  • Contributing to local campaign activities
  • Seeking to stand in internal elections for offices in the organisations executive committee
  • Receiving information on the organisations operation and campaigns
  • Have the choice over membership of the Scottish National Party (the SNP)

Members must:

  • Be over the age of 16
  • Endorse the Aims of the SNP
  • Abide by the Policy and Direction of the SNP and SUSNA
  • Accept the Constitution, Rules and Standing Orders of the Party and SUSNA
  • Pay a subscription to SUSNA
  • Inform the Executive Committee of SUSNA if they are subject to any disciplinary action from the University of Stirling Students Union

Members must not:

  • Breach the Codes of Conduct
  • Contest, or declare an intention to contest, any parliamentary or local government election except as an authorised SNP candidate
  • Be a member of a political party expected to contest elections in opposition to the SNP
  • Be a member of any organisation inconsistent with SNP membership
  • Be excluded from the University of Stirling Students Union (USSU)

Membership ceases when a member

  • Intimates their resignation to the Party or SUSNA
  • Publicly resigns
  • Does not pay their subscription to the University of Stirling Students Union
  • Becomes ineligible for membership
  • Is expelled from the Party or SUSNA

A person may be an associate member of the organisation if they are:

  • under the age of 16
  • An individual falling into a description of persons set out by National Conference
  • Not a student at the University of Stirling

Associate members have all the rights and duties of ordinary members, except that they may not:

  • vote in any body of SUSNA or in any selection contest
  • Be a delegate to any body of the organisation
  • be eligible for election to any position in the Party where the position is to be filled before their sixteenth birthday
  • Vote in any SUSNA matter

Those intending to join SUSNA must inform the Executive Committee of any disciplinary action or sanctions being taken against them by the University of Stirling Students Union, the University of Stirling, the SNP, or any other external organisation. An intended member must inform the Executive Committee of any criminal convictions, to ensure that we can safeguard our members effectively. Your membership will be subject to review by a special meeting of the SUSNA Executive Committee, following this, a special meeting will be held with the intended to inform them of the decision of the committee.

For a period of 90 days after membership commences, the Executive Committee may, in exceptional circumstances, declare any membership invalid. The Secretary will advise the individual concerned that their membership is invalid. Any subscriptions which have been paid will not be refunded, as this is managed by the University of Stirling Students Union.

If a person who has been entered as a member is found to have been ineligible at the time of application to join the Party, the membership is invalid.

Applicability

Every member of the Stirling University Scottish Nationalist Association is required to abide by the Code of Conduct which is set out below

Code of Conduct

This Code of Conduct sets out minimum standards of behaviour which the organisation expects from every member of the organisation so that the organisation may function in pursuing its aims in accordance with its constitutionally laid down policy and direction. The organisation consists at any given time of all its members and therefore every member has a duty to adhere to and promote adherence to the standards.

  1. Every member owes a duty to SUSNA to abide by its constitutionally laid down policy and direction and its Constitution, Rules, and Standing Orders.
  2. A member shall not disavow the aims of SUSNA in whole or in part.
  3. Members shall respect each other’s good faith in endorsing SUSNAs aims.
  4. Every member owes a duty to SUSNA to refrain from conduct likely to cause damage to or hinder SUSNAs proper pursuit of its aims in accordance with its constitutionally laid down policy and direction.
  5. No member may make racist statements in any context.
  6. Every member has a responsibility not to discriminate in his or her conduct on the ground of race, colour, gender, religious belief or non- belief or sexual orientation.
  7.  No member may make malicious allegations of illegal or improper conduct against any other member or maliciously cause to be reported or published in the media the fact that an allegation of illegal or improper conduct by a member is known to have been made.
  8. No member shall abuse, harass, bully, or maliciously defame any other member whether via the media or otherwise.
  9. No member shall be a member of any organisation contesting elections in opposition to the SNP or deemed to be a political party under the Party’s Membership Rules or announce an intention to join any such organisation.
  10. No member shall stand for election to a Scottish local authority, the Scottish Parliament, or the Parliament of the United Kingdom other than as an SNP candidate.
  11. Any member elected as a Party candidate to any level of government owes duties to the Party to sign the Party’s group Standing Orders for that level of government as soon as practicable after being elected and to re-sign the group standing orders as soon as practicable after any amendment of them by the Party.
  12. Any member resigning from a Party group at any level of government owes a duty to the Party also to resign as a member of the local authority or Parliament to which he/she was elected as a Party candidate.
  13. No member shall make a statement on behalf of SUSNA without the authority of the organisation nor make any such statement that he/she knows or ought to know does not properly reflect the position of the body in question.
  14. All members owe a duty to SUSNA to respect the internal confidentiality of Office Bearer reports and of papers issued only within SUSNA except insofar as these have been put into the public domain by or with the authority of the Executive Committee.

AUTHOR: PRESIDENT DATE: 08/06/2022 STATUS: APPROVED

The Stirling University Scottish Nationalist Association recognises and embraces the benefits and opportunities that social media can bring as a tool.  For the purposes of this policy, social media is defined as a type of interactive online media that allows parties to communicate instantly with each other or to share data in a public forum.  This includes online social forums, anonymous apps, blogs, video-and image-sharing websites and similar facilities.  It can be used to share news, information and successes, keep staff and students up to date with important developments and promote healthy academic debate about controversial subjects and areas of research.

There is, however, an inherent risk involved in using social media, in that, it is an instantaneous and far reaching form of communication and inappropriate use can impact upon staff, students and the reputation of the University, society, and the national SNP Party.

The society encourages members to engage, collaborate and innovate through social media; however, wherever and whenever the member does this, they must be aware of the potential impact on both themselves and the society.

Purpose of policy

This policy is intended to minimise the risks of social media which can impact on the wellbeing of students and the reputation of the society, so that students and staff can enjoy the benefits of social networking whilst understanding the standards of conduct expected by the University.

Who does this apply to?

This policy relates to all members who create or contribute to blogs, wikis, social networks, apps, forums, virtual worlds, or any other kind of social media. It should be applied to all use and all forms of social media where there is potential impact on the society and party, whether for work-related or personal use, whether during working hours or otherwise.

Principles

  • Members should only comment within their own area of expertise to provide individual perspectives on non-confidential activities at the Society.
  • Members should never represent themselves or the society in a false or misleading way. All statements must be true and not misleading; all claims must be substantiated.
  • Use common sense and common courtesy. Members should ask permission to publish or report conversations that are meant to be private or internal to the society. The societies privacy, confidentiality and legal guidelines for external communication should not be violated by a members efforts to be transparent.
  • Where appropriate, the society reserves the right to monitor use of social media platforms and take appropriate action to protect against any misuse that may be harmful to the society, in accordance with the IT regulations and where the law permits.
  • Members should seek guidance before participating in social media when the topic being discussed may be considered sensitive (e.g. a crisis situation, intellectual property, issues which may impact on the societies reputation, commercially sensitive material). Social media activity around sensitive topics should be referred to the Campaigns and Publicity Officer, failing this, either the secretary, vice-president, or president.
  • If a members use of social media is considered to be derogatory, discriminatory, bullying, threatening, defamatory, offensive, intimidating, harassing, creating legal liability for the society, bringing the society or the SNP into disrepute, breaching the SUSNA Constitution or any other society policy or procedure then the University may take action under the member disciplinary procedure. This may include comments, videos, or photographs, which have been posted on social media sites about the society, other students, or the SNP (including the YSI and SNP Students).
  • A member should not engage in illegal activity through social media or engage in any activity that promotes terrorism.  The very fact of possessing or disseminating terrorist material may be sufficient to warrant an investigation by the police and a member would be put in the position of having to advance a credible defence. 
  • The societies response to any misuse of social media in a personal capacity will be reasonable and proportionate to the perceived offence; the nature of the postings/comments made and the impact or potential impact on SUSNA.
  • Social networking sites may be referred to when investigating possible misconduct/gross misconduct.
  • Members should be aware of security threats and be on guard for social engineering and phising attempts.  Social networks can also be used to distribute spam and malware.
  • The society may require members to remove social media postings which are deemed to constitute a breach of these standards and failure to comply with such a request may, in itself, result in disciplinary action.

Responsibilities

SUSNA Executive Committee members should be transparent and state that they are on our committee if they are posting about the society (This can be in your social bio). You should never impersonate another individual.

Members are responsible for their words and actions in an online environment and are therefore advised to consider whether any comment, photograph or video they are about to post on a social networking site, is something that they would want students, members and other SNP Members, the press or people outside the society to read.

Guidance

  • Be transparent
  • Protect Personal Information
  • Follow the law and these guidelines
  • Be responsible

IMPORTANT NOTE:

SUSNA SOCIAL MEDIA ACCESS IS LIMITED TO MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ONLY.

YOU MUST SEEK ADVICE FROM THE CAMPAIGNS AND PUBLICITY OFFICER PRIOR TO RETWEETING, SHARING, OR LIKING A POST. IF YOU CANNOT REACH THE CPO PLEASE CONTACT EITHER: SECRETARY, VICE-PRESIDENT, OR PRESIDENT.

APROVAL IS REQUIRED EVERY TIME (EXCLUDING FOR VICE-PRESIDENT, PRESIDENT, AND SECRETARY).

SOCIAL MEDIA ACCESS WILL BE REVOKED IF THIS POLICY IS NOT FOLLOWED.

**AT THIS TIME SUSNA DOES NOT HAVE A CAMPAIGNS AND PUBLICITY OFFICER**

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