Constitution of York Inter-Varsity Club

Last amended on Saturday, 19th September 2009 at the eleventh Annual General Meeting of York IVC.

Name

1. The name of the Club shall be "The York Inter-Varsity Club" hereinafter referred to as "the Club".

Objects

2. The objects of the Club are:
   1. To provide opportunities for social, cultural and recreational activities among graduates and other people of similar interests resident in York and its environs.
   2. To provide facilities for visitors or temporary residents from other Inter-Varsity Clubs, in accordance with the Reciprocal Agreement of the Association of Inter-Varsity Clubs.
   3. To promote and encourage subsidiary societies for the furthering of above aims.
3. The Club and its subsidiary societies shall not hold or express any political, religious or racial opinions, nor shall it be associated with any organisation which does.

Membership

4. Subject to the provisions of Article 8, the following shall be eligible for ordinary membership of the Club:
   1. Graduate or undergraduate of Universities and Colleges.
   2. Other persons considered by the Committee to have similar tastes and interests.
   3. Will be between the age of 20 and 45 years old when they make their application for membership. Only with the discretion of the Committee can a person over the age of 45 apply.
   4. Every Member as a condition of their membership will host a minimum of two events in each year of their membership, the details of which must be passed to the Events Co-ordinator before the appropriate deadline. If they do not they will be subject to increased membership fee of twice the normal rate. In the case of two Members who have joint membership both Members must host two events.
   5. The number of hosts of an event shall normally be limited to two, except for events involving a significant amount of organisation, e.g. events involving an overnight stay, and at the Committees discretion.
5. 1. All applications for membership are subject to approval by the Committee who may take such steps as it sees fit to determine the applicant's suitability for membership.
   2. Any person applying for membership, who appears to the Membership Secretary to be suitable, and upon payment of the entrance fee (if any) and subscriptions will be granted the facilities of the Club (subject to its rules), pending considerations from his/her applications to the Committee.
   3. All applicants for membership should present their application form with three different committee members' signatures to the membership secretary, however if there is no committee member present at the listed event then the host of the event may sign the application form on behalf of the committee.
   4. The Committee may at its absolute discretion refuse the application for membership without assigning any reasons.
6. Past and present students of the Commonwealth and Foreign Universities and past students of Institutions mentioned in Article 4 (a) if staying in Great Britain for a short period may become temporary members, and subscriptions shall be fixed by the Committee. The Committee shall, at its absolute discretion, refuse to accept any person as a temporary member, without assigning any reason.
7. Potential members (members who have not submitted an application for membership or if they have not had it approved) shall not be qualified either to vote at General Meetings or hold any office. They shall be entitled to all other benefits and privileges of the club except:
   1. access to the members' area of the web site.
   2. access to the members' address list.
   3. the right to attend events at members' homes except at the discretion of the host(s).
   All applicants for ordinary membership shall, if required, produce evidence of their eligibility for membership defined in Article 4.
8. 1. All applications for ordinary membership are subject to the approval of the Committee, who shall take such steps as it thinks fit to determine the applicant's suitability for membership. The Committee may, at its discretion, refuse any application for membership without assigning any reason.
   2. All ordinary members, having paid their current subscription, shall be entitled to the facilities afforded by the Club, and shall be entitled to join subsidiary societies of the Club. They shall be bound by the Constitution, Standing Orders (see Article 23) and other rules of the Club and those of the subsidiary societies they join or intend to join.
9. 1. The Club shall not knowingly admit as a member, any person who has been expelled, or who has been refused membership by any Constituent Club of the Association of Inter-Varsity Clubs without consultation with such Association.
   2. The Club shall not reconsider a membership application, if they have been previously rejected from the club.
10. Members of other Inter-Varsity Clubs which are members of or affiliated to the Association of Inter-Varsity Clubs may, subject to the payment of such supplementary fees or subscriptions as may from time to time be laid down by the Committee, enjoy all the privileges of membership of the Club, provided that at the same time they comply with the rules and regulations of the Club.
11. The Club has the following membership categories for which the Committee should set an annual fee and may also set an entrance fee or late renewal fee for each category:
    1. Single membership.
    2. Joint membership: to be eligible both Members must live at the same address.
    3. Concessionary membership: to be eligible the Member must be unemployed and seeking work or in full time education (not Open University) at the time of membership application or renewal. A concessionary Member must declare any relevant change of circumstances at time of membership renewal.
    4. Associate membership: this is only available to current members of other clubs affiliated to the Association of Inter-Varsity Clubs.
    These fees must be reviewed by the Committee each year. The fees shall be fixed by resolution of a General Meeting, provided that notice of intention to change such fee or subscription shall first have appeared in the Agenda or notice of meeting.
12. Every ordinary member shall be notified of the date on which his/her subscription falls due. If, after one month from that date, he/she has not paid his/her subscription, his/her membership shall lapse forthwith. If any lapsed member wishes to renew his/her subscription within twelve months of the renewal date, he/she shall be liable to the full subscription from that date and any entrance fee that may apply at the time.
    If after twelve months a lapsed member wishes to renew his/her membership it will be necessary to submit a formal application to the Committee. As long as the member renews their membership each year they can remain a member, but if there is a break in membership and they are over 45 when they re-apply it is up to the discretion of the Committee to approve their application for re-membership.
13. Any member may resign membership by giving the Membership Secretary notice in writing to the effect.
14. The Committee may invite any member who brings the Club or the Association into disrepute, disgrace or otherwise behaves in any manner which is considered harmful or injurious to the Club, the Association or any section of its members to resign membership with a specified time. Failing such resignation the matter shall be referred to the next Committee meeting and the members shall be invited by the Secretary to make representations at the Committee meeting or in writing in advance or both. If after full discussion two-thirds of the Committee members then present vote for the member's expulsion he/she shall thereupon cease to be a member of the Club.
15. Upon a person ceasing to be a member of the Club he/she shall forfeit all right to and claim upon the Club and its property and funds except for any claim notified to the Membership Secretary in writing at the time of resignation under Article 13 or 14 or within one month of a notice of expulsion being sent to him.
16. Every member of the Club shall communicate to the Club any change of his/her own address either by writing to the Membership Secretary or updating their details using the Club's web site.
17. No proceedings of the Club shall be invalidated solely because of the subsequent thereto of some accidental omission to give notice.

Management

18. The officers of the Club shall normally include a Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, two Membership Secretaries (Existing Members and Potential Members), AIVC Liaison and Publicity Officer, Events Co-ordinator, Bulletin Editor, Webmaster and up to three General Members.
19. The management of the Club shall be deputed to a Committee consisting of:
    1. The officers mentioned in Article 18.
    2. Those members of the Committee elected in accordance with Articles 28 and 29 of the Constitution.
20. The Committee, or any Sub-Committee of the Club may by resolution co-opt any additional members for the remainder of the meeting only, unless otherwise empowered by their parent body in accordance with Article 19. At least two-third of the members present and eligible to vote must vote in favour of such resolutions.
21. 1. The Committee may appoint such Sub-Committee as it considers necessary or expedient and may depute or refer to them such powers and duties as it may determine. Such Sub-Committees shall periodically report their proceedings to the Committee and shall conduct their business in accordance with any directions with the Committee might give.
    2. The Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer shall be entitled to attend any Committee or Sub-Committee of the Club.
22. Any Committee or Sub-Committee may act despite any vacancy thereon.
23. The Committee may make standing orders to govern its own meetings and those of the Sub-Committees of the Club and may make regulations governing the conduct of officers of the Club and the use of Club facilities by members.
24. The Committee shall have the power to appoint, pay and dismiss such servants of the Club as it deems necessary and may elect any such servant to temporary member of the Club during this tenure of office or for shorter time as it thinks fit.
25. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the funds of the Club, which shall be kept in recognised bank or building society. Cheques may be signed by two members of the Committee either the Treasurer, the Secretary or Chairman.
26. For all committee members who serve a full year on the committee, they shall be awarded half price membership, following the year in which they have served. For joint memberships where only one person qualifies for this, the reduction should be half the price of a single membership.
27. Members may suspend their membership for three to twelve whole months by writing to the Membership Secretary (Existing Members). During this time the Member will not receive any membership benefits and must not attend events.

Elections

28. At the Annual General Meeting an election shall be held for The Officers of the Club as defined in Article 18.
29. All nominations must be signed by at least two members of the Club and the written consent of the nominee obtained. All nominees must be full members of the Club.
30. Any vacancies remaining from the Annual General Meeting or occurring during the year shall be filled by election/co-option at a meeting of the Committee. At least seven clear days notices shall be given of such elections.
31. A Committee member shall be dismissed by the unanimous vote of all the other Committee members on grounds of either a breach of the Constitution or for some other serious reasons showing that he/she should no longer remain in office. An explanation shall be given to the Club members without delay and to the next General Meeting.

Meetings

32. Not less than fourteen days' notice shall be given of any General Meeting.
33. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) shall be held during late September/October in every year the date to be fixed by the Committee and published by the Secretary at least fourteen days in advance.
34. The business of the AGM shall include:
    1. Reception of the financial report to include the audited accounts for the preceding year.
    2. Reception of the Chairman of a report of the Club's activities during the previous year.
    3. Election of Officers of the Ordinary Committee Members as laid down in Article 28.
    4. Any motion relevant to the meeting of seven days' notice has been given to the Secretary.
    5. Any other business agreed by the Meeting.
35. The Committee may at any time order an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM). The Secretary shall convene an EGM within twenty one days of the receipt of a written requisition signed by at least 10 of the ordinary members stating the purpose of the meeting is required, or with such longer period as is stated in such requisition. The principle business of the EGM shall be stated in the notice of meeting or preliminary agenda circulated at least fourteen days before the meeting.
36. The final agenda for an EGM incorporating any motions relevant to the purpose of the meeting received by the Secretary shall be drawn up by the Secretary and be available to any member at least seven days before the meeting. No business shall be discussed at an EGM other than that on the Agenda.

Quorum and voting

37. The quorum for any General Meeting shall be twenty-five per cent of the ordinary members or 10 whichever is the lesser number.
38. At all the General Meetings of the Club every ordinary member present shall be entitled to one vote on every motion and in case of an equality of vote the Chairman shall have a casting vote. Voting shall be by a show of hands unless ten members request a secret ballot. Proxy votes cannot be accepted.
39. The Committee shall meet once in each calendar month.
40. Not less than three clear days' notice shall be given of a Committee Meeting. The quorum for a Committee Meeting shall be four persons.
41. Minutes of all meetings shall be taken and shall be open to inspection by any member of the club on application to the Secretary.

Account and auditing

42. The financial year of the Club shall end on the 31st August in each year.
43. Auditors shall audit the accounts after the end of the financial year and before the Annual General Meeting.
44. No member shall, except for services rendered at the request of the Committee on any pretence or in any manner receive any profit, salary or emoluments from funds or transactions of the Club.
45. If any officers of the club should incur telephone or mileage expenses, the following rates are applicable; 10 pence per minute for a telephone call and 25 pence per mile.

Dissolution

46. If, at any General Meeting of the Club, resolution for dissolution of the Club be passed by two-thirds of the members present, a poll of all ordinary members shall be held not less than one month and not more than three months thereafter. If such resolution be confirmed by two-thirds of those voting in the poll, the Committee shall thereupon, or at such future date as shall be specified in such resolution, proceed to realise the property of the Club, and after discharge of all liabilities, shall divide the residue equally among the ordinary members, or shall dispose of it in accordance with the resolution. Honorary and temporary members shall have not claim to such residue. Notice of motion to dissolve the Club shall be given not less than fourteen days before the meeting.

Interpretation and amendment of the constitution

47. The Committee shall be the sole authority of the interpretation of these Articles of Constitution, and of any regulations made there under, and the decision of the Committee upon any question of the interpretation or upon any matter affecting the Club and not specially provided by these Articles or by any regulations made there under shall be final and binding upon the members.
48. 1. Subject to AIVC approval these Articles of Constitution may be added to, repealed or amended by resolution of a General Meeting, the intention of which shall have appeared on the notice of or Agenda for the meeting, provided that two-thirds of the members present vote in favour thereof. Voting shall be by show of hands unless at least ten members shall demand a secret ballot.
    2. This Constitution must comply with the AIVC Constitution at all times. If the AIVC Constitution is amended this Constitution must be amended appropriately as soon as possible by the Committee and a copy sent to the Secretary of the AVIC.

Liability

49. No member shall by virtue of being a member of the Club have any more rights to compensation for injury, loss or damage arising from any of the Club's activities than if he/she were not a member of the Club.

Insurance

50. The Club is covered by a Public Liability insurance policy from AIVC. The Club pays a levy to AIVC per member per year for the insurance.

Club web site

51. 1. Members of the Club are entitled to access to the Members' area of the Club's web site.
    2. Members must keep their login credentials for the web site secret and inform the Membership Secretary (Existing Members) or Web Officer if they believe any security breach has taken place.
    3. Members consent to web site usage, data access and data changes being audited.
    4. To use the site Members must supply an up to date email address and inform the Club of any changes by updating the information through the web site or writing to the Membership Secretary (Existing Members).
    5. Members may use the messaging facility to send appropriate messages to other Members. Appropriate topics for messages include but are not limited to: notification of Club event cancellations or changes of date, time or venue; promotion of an existing or ad-hoc Club event; Club news or communications from Committee Members regarding the Club; and advertising of accommodation where the member is a landlord or co-tenant/flatmate. The Committee will decide whether any messages sent are inappropriate.