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Constitution.md

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Building Constitution

Preface

This is that building of the QUT Code Constitution, Though this is not the official Guild template this will help develop the idea and have all in place.

Constitution

Proposed Club/Society Name: QUT Code Club/Society moto: _________

Preliminary

Interpretation

The authority to interpret the meaning of this Constitution, and any matter on which this Constitution is silent shall be vested in the Committee subject to ratification by a General Meeting of the club and must be approved by QUT Guild.

Objectives

Aims and Objectives

The aims and Objectives of the club shall be: -- [This can be taken from CLub Start form]

Application of property

The income and property of the club shall be applied in promotion of its objects.

No member shall derive any pecuniary gain from the property or operations of the QUT Code. This does not apply to the winning of any trophies or awards.

###Membership

Membership types

  1. Ordinary

    1.1 Membership of this club shall be open to:

     (a)	Students of Queensland University of Technology;
 
 (b)	Any other member as determined by the club provided the membership requirements for registration with QUT Guild are satisfied.

    1.2 Membership commences at time of sign up and concludes at week two of the beginning of the next academic year.

    1.3 Subject to approval at the Annual General Meeting, the club may chose to charge a membership fee or offer free membership.

  2. Honorary Life Membership

    2.1 Members of the club may decide to grant Honorary Life Membership to any person or persons who members agree have made an outstanding contribution to the club.

    2.2 Honorary Life Members shall be elected by a vote of two-thirds majority of financial members present at any Annual General Meeting or General Meeting.

    2.3 Honorary Life Members will not be required to pay annual membership fees.

  3. Patron

    3.1 Members of the club may appoint a Patron, being a person who has played, or is playing a significant role in an area of relevance to the club’s aims and objectives.

    3.2 The Patron shall be elected by a vote of two-thirds majority of financial members present at any Annual General Meeting or General Meeting of the club.

    3.3 The Patron will not be required to pay annual membership fees and shall serve a term determined at an Annual General Meeting or General Meeting of the club. The Patron can resign at any time.

    3.4 The Patron shall be given all the privileges of club membership, excepting the right to vote at club meetings, unless they are also a financial member of the club.

Membership fees

  1. Fees for membership of the QUT Code shall be determined annually at the Annual General Meeting and shall, at all times, conform to the minimum membership fee required by Student Guild where the club is seeking operational financial support from Student Guild.

  2. All members who are not current Queensland University of Technology students shall pay a membership fee over and above the fee charged to current Queensland University of Technology students.

  3. Payment of the appropriate fee shall entitle a member to membership up to and including week two of the beginning of the next academic year.

  4. A financial member at any material time is a member who has paid membership in the current academic year.

Termination of membership

  1. A member may resign from the club by giving written notice of resignation to the secretary.

  2. The resignation takes effect on –

    (a) The day and at the time the notice is received;

    (b) If a later date is stated in the notice – the later date.

  3. The committee may terminate a member’s membership if the member

    (a) Is convicted of an indictable offence;

    (b) Does not comply with any of the provisions of these rules;

    (c) Has membership fees in arrears for at least 2 months; or

    (d) Conducts himself or herself in a way considered to be injurious or prejudicial to the character or interests of the club.

  4. Before the committee terminates a member’s membership, the committee must give the member a full and fair opportunity to show why the membership should not be terminated.

  5. If after considering all representations made by the member, the committee decides to terminate the membership, the secretary of the committee must give the member a written notice of the decision.

Membership records

  1. The Secretary in conjunction with the Treasurer, shall maintain a current record of members, which shall include:

    1.1. Names and addresses of all members of the club;

    1.2. Dates of payment of membership fee, including receipt number;

    1.3. Particulars of any resignations or other terminations of membership;

    1.4.Student numbers of all current Queensland University of Technology student members.

  2. The Secretary shall ensure the register of members is available at all Annual General Meetings, Special General Meetings, General Meetings and Executive Meetings of the club.

  3. The Secretary shall make the register available for inspection at all reasonable times to any member of the club and any authorised officer of QUT Guild.

###Club Management

Club management

  1. Annual General Meetings, Special General Meetings and General Meetings, open to all members of the club, are to be the primary decision-making bodies of the club.

  2. Decisions of a General Meeting of the club shall be binding on the committee.

  3. The administration and running of the club between such meetings will be the responsibility of the committee of the club.

Committee management

  1. The activities and operations of the _______________________________________ ________________(club name) shall be administered by a committee comprising the following office bearers:

    1.1 President;

    1.2 Secretary;

    1.3 Treasurer;

    1.4 Any such other office bearers as the club determines at a General Meeting.

  2. The committee of the club shall meet at least once per semester, or as frequently as business demands.

  3. Termination of a member’s position of the committee is subject to the following:

    3.1 A member may resign from the committee by delivery of a resignation in writing to the club’s Secretary, to be effective from that date, or a date specified in the letter of resignation;

    3.2 Being deemed to have vacated from office, if the member:

    a) dies;

    b) is no longer a financial member of the club;

    c) has not attended three (3) consecutive club meetings without tendering an apology;

    d) is non contactable by the club and QUT Guild after a period of 20 business days unless the absence is approved by the committee.

    3.3 A member’s committee position may be terminated if the member;

    a) is convicted of an indictable offence; or

    b) does not comply with the provisions of the rules set out in the constitution;

    c) conducts himself or herself in a way considered to be injurious or prejudicial to the character or interests of the club as determined by QUT Guild.

    3.4 Before a vote of members is taken about removing the member from office, the member must be given a full and fair opportunity to show cause why he or she should not be removed from office.

  4. Where a casual vacancy occurs with the committee then:

    a) if the vacancy occurs after 1 August in any given year, the committee may appoint another member of the club to full and vacant position and serve until the expiry of the original term; or

    b) if the vacancy occurs before 1 August in any given year, the committee must call an election for the position within 20 business days of the vacancy occurring using the rules applicable in section 18. The committee may appoint an existing member of the committee to fill the vacant position and serve until the winner of such an election has been determined. The winner of an election held pursuant to this provision to fill a vacant position will serve until the expiry of the original term attaching to the position.

Sub-Committees

  1. The club may from time to time as it sees fit, establish sub-committee to carry out specific functions.

  2. The membership of each sub-committee and its responsibilities shall be determined by a majority vote at a General Meeting.

  3. The convenor of each sub-committee shall normally be a member of the committee.

###Meetings

Annual General Meeting

  1. The Annual General Meeting of the club shall be held no earlier than week six (6) and no later than week 12 of Semester two (2) each year.

  2. The following business is to be considered at the Annual General Meeting:

    2.1 Confirmation of the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting;

    2.2 President’s report, and reports from other Executive officers (if required);

    2.3 Presentation of the financial statement for the previous financial year;

    2.4 Election of the committee;

    2.5 Determination of the annual club membership fees for the academic year;

    2.6 General business.

General Meetings

  1. General Meetings of the club may be held as frequently as required, but a least once per semester.

Special General Meetings

  1. Special General Meetings may only be called by the Executive, or a petition of one-third of the total financial membership of the club.

  2. Such a petition or decision by the Executive shall specify the reasons for such Special General Meeting, and these reasons shall be advised to members in their meeting notification.

  3. Business at the Special General Meeting shall be restricted to such business specified in the notification.

Notice of meetings

  1. The Secretary shall call meetings of the club on such dates, at such times and in such places convenient to the club members.

  2. Notices of Annual General Meetings, Special General Meetings and General Meetings of the club shall be advised using the following methods:

    a) Posted on notice boards though the campuses including the QUT Guild Clubs Centre;

    b) Emailed to members;

    c) Social media.

  3. Required notification of such meetings shall be:

    3.1 Fourteen (14) days for Annual General Meetings and Special General Meetings;

    3.2 Seven (7) days for General Meetings and Executive Meetings.

Meeting procedure

  1. The President shall preside as chairperson of every meeting of the club. In his/her absence, a Chairperson shall be elected at the meeting.

  2. The President shall maintain order and conduct the meeting in a proper and orderly manner.

  3. Any matter for resolution shall be decided by a majority of votes of the financial members present where the club is charging membership fees.

  4. Every financial member present, where the club is charging membership fees, shall be entitled to one (1) vote, and in the case of an equality of votes, the Chairperson shall have a second or casting vote.

  5. Voting shall be by a show of hands, except where specified elsewhere in this Constitution.

  6. Any club meeting may decide by a vote of a simple majority of members present to allow observers full rights of audience and debate.

  7. Authorised officers of QUT Guild shall be allowed rights of audience at any club meeting.

  8. The Secretary shall take full and accurate minutes of all matters, resolutions and other proceedings at all General, Special and Annual General Meetings of the club. The minutes will be open for inspection at all reasonable times to any financial member of the club or authorized officer of QUT Guild who requests to see the minutes.

Proxies

  1. Subject to the approval of the committee, each member may vote personally or by proxy.

  2. No member may hold more than two proxies.

  3. Before taking a vote on a motion at a meeting, the President must inform the meeting attendees whether any proxy votes have been received and how any proxy votes are to be cast.

  4. An instrument appointing a proxy must be in writing and must contain the following:

    a) The members name

    b) The proxy’s name or the name of the proxy’s position

    c) The meeting at which the proxy is to be used

Quorum

  1. A quorum is the minimum number of people needed to be present to run a meeting of the club.

  2. The quorum at meetings shall be as follows:

    2.1 Annual General Meetings – the number of committee members times two (2) plus one (1);

    2.2 Special General Meetings and General Meetings – the number of committee members plus one (1);

    2.3 Executive Meetings - one (1) more than half the total Executive Committee of the club for the time being.

  3. Proxies are not included in quorum.

  4. If within half an hour from the scheduled time of commencement of any Annual General Meeting, Special General Meeting, General Meeting or Executive Meeting, a quorum is not present, the meeting shall stand adjourned to a time and place determined by the Secretary of which every member shall receive due notice.

  5. Adjourned meetings shall be held no more than 28 days following the initial scheduled date of the meeting.

  6. Annual General Meetings must be held during the Semester. As result of lack of quorum, should item 17.5 require that adjourned meetings be scheduled during student vacation period, item 17.5 shall be disregarded and the meeting shall be adjourned until the following Semester however must occur no later than week three (3).

  7. If within half an hour from the scheduled time of commencement of such adjourned meeting, a quorum not be present, the meeting shall proceed with those members present.

  8. If within half an hour from the scheduled time of commencement of any Special General Meeting called for any purpose a quorum not be present, the business to be dealt with at the meeting shall lapse.

###Elections

Elections

  1. Office bearers of the club shall be elected annually at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the club and shall hold office until the completion of the following AGM.

  2. As per item 9.4b, should an election be required as a result of a casual vacancy the election shall be held at a Special General Meeting of the club.

  3. All financial members of the club shall be eligible to nominate for positions and cast one (1) vote for positions in elections.

  4. All elections shall be presided over by the Chairperson.

  5. Nominations for positions on the committee will be called at the Annual General Meeting.

  6. Officers shall be elected by a simple majority vote of financial members at the Annual General Meeting.

  7. Voting shall be by a show of hands, unless at least five (5) members of the club demand a secret ballot.

  8. If a secret ballot is to be held, the meeting shall elect a Returning Officer who shall organise and conduct a secret ballot.

###Finance

Finances

  1. The financial year of the club shall run from 1 January to 31 December of each year (or 1 July to 30 June).

  2. The income and property of the club shall be applied in promotion of its objects.

  3. The funds of the club shall be banked in a bank and appropriate account approved by QUT Guild.

  4. The Treasurer shall keep and maintain proper books and accounts showing correctly the financial affairs of the club.

  5. All monies shall be banked by the Treasurer or committee member as soon as practicable after receipt of them.

  6. All authorised bills and outlays will be paid by cheque signed by at least two (2) committee members of the club, one of whom should be the Treasurer. Where applicable, bills can also be paid by electronic transfer, as authorised by the committee.

  7. Cheques shall be crossed “not negotiable” except those in payment of petty cash reimbursements which may be open.

  8. All payments shall be firstly approved and authorised by the committee or a General Meeting of the club, as determined by the club.

  9. As soon as practicable after the end of each financial year, the Treasurer shall prepare a Statement of Income and Expenditure for the financial year just ended which shall be presented to the Annual General Meeting of the club for approval.

  10. The Treasurer shall ensure that the books of the club are kept accurately so that documentation required to support applications for financial assistance can be provided.

  11. No member shall derive any pecuniary gain from the property or operations of the QUT Code. This does not apply to the winning of any trophies or awards.

###Miscellaneous

Alterations to the Constitution

  1. Alterations or amendments to this Constitution shall be made only at Annual or Special General Meetings, duly called in accordance with the procedures of this Constitution, and must be carried by a vote of a two-thirds majority of the financial members present at the meeting.

  2. Notices of intention to alter or amend the Constitution must be sent to all members at least fourteen (14) days prior to the date at which the meeting will be held to consider such alterations or amendments.

  3. Any alterations to the Constitution must be ratified by the QUT Guild.

Dissolution of the club

  1. The club shall be dissolved if:

    1.1 Membership is less than 15 members;

    1.2 The club fails to fulfill the registration requirements as specified by QUT Guild;

    1.3 A vote to dissolve the club is carried by a two-thirds majority present at a General or Special General Meeting of the club called for this purpose, in accordance with the procedures of this Constitution. If quorum cannot be obtained after two (2) successive meetings called to resolve this issue, the matter shall be referred to the Executive. The Executive may then decide to dissolve the club by a vote of a two-thirds majority present at an Executive Meeting called for this purpose, in accordance with the procedures of this Constitution.

Distribution of surplus assets

  1. In the event of the club being dissolved:

    1.1 Any assets purchased using any funds granted by the QUT Guild shall be returned to QUT Guild;

    1.2 Any assets or funds raised exclusively as a result of club activities shall not be paid to or distributed among members of the club but shall be given to an organisation of similar purpose as agreed to by the remaining members at a Special General Meeting of the club or if no such organisation exists, shall be granted to the QUT Guild.

    1.3 Any funds remaining in the club’s bank account and any other assets held on behalf of the club three (3) months after dissolution shall be deemed to be the property of Queensland University of Technology.