Macquarie University Debating Society Constitution

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Constitution

Passed Unanimously at the MUDS AGM, Monday, September 13 th , 1993
1st Amendments passed at the MUDS General Meeting, 9 th August 1998
2nd Amendments passed at the MUDS General Meeting, 12 th August 1999
3rd Amendments passed at the MUDS Annual General Meeting, 19 th October 2000
4th Amendments passed at the MUDS General Meeting, 26 th March 2003
5th Amendments passed at the MUDS Annual General Meeting, 10 h October 2003
6th Amendments passed at the MUDS Annual General Meeting, 8th October 2007

1- Name
2- Objectives
3- Definitions
4- Membership
5- Membership Fees
6- Office Bearers
7- Powers of the Executive
8- General Meetings
9- Communications
10-Intervarsities
11-Other organisations on campus
12-Constitutional Amendments and Interpretations
13-Property
14-Dissolution and Disaffiliation

Appendix 1 - Life Members
Appendix 2 - Standard Forms
Appendix 3 - Relevant Considerations for the Executive

1. NAME

1.1 The name of the club shall be Macquarie University Debating Society (MUDS).

2. OBJECTIVES

2.1 The objectives of this club shall be:

a) To promote debating and public speaking activity at Macquarie University, to develop skills required in debating and public speaking within the Macquarie University Community and to provide opportunity for members to debate on the campus.

b) To ensure widespread and high quality participation in Intervarsity competitions.

c) To affiliate and co-operate with the Australasian Intervarsity Debating Association (AIDA) to promote debating.

d) To co-ordinate social activities amongst the club membership.

e) To promote the exchange of ideas and skills between members, and act as a resource base for members.

f) To raise community and campus awareness of the value and potential of debating.

g) To financially assist members selected to represent the society at Intervarsity competitions, where possible, and to co-ordinate fundraising activities and sponsorship for this purpose.

3. DEFINITIONS

3.1 For the purposes of this Constitution, the following terms shall mean:

Club: The Macquarie University Debating Society

AGM: Annual General Meeting

Executive: The elected Executive Committee of the Club

U@MQ: U@MQ is Macquarie University's student services organisation owned and operated by Macquarie University as a not-for-profit business.

Member: A financial member of the club

University: The Macquarie University

AIDA: The Australasian Intervarsity Debating Association.

Life member: A person conferred automatic membership to the society for life by resolution at a General Meeting.

Associate Member: A person other than a student of the university who has paid the Associate Membership fee of the Club.

4. MEMBERSHIP

4.1 All currently enrolled students of the University shall be eligible for membership of the Club.

4.2 The status of Associate Membership or Life Membership may be conferred on persons other than students of the University by resolution in general meetings. Associate and Life Members cannot be elected to an office bearing position or assume positions on the Club Executive, unless they are currently enrolled students of the University.

4.3 The total Club membership may include no more than 20 per cent of persons who are not students of the University and are Associate or Life Members.

4.4 Any of the persons eligible under rules 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3 of these rules shall upon payment of the annual subscription fee, be deemed a financial member of the Club. All members, whether or not they are financial or non-financial members, are bound by these rules.

4.5 There is a limit of one vote per member for all voting members of the club. All financial members of at least seven days standing have the right to vote. Non-financial members have the power to vote only if they are Life Members.

5. MEMBERSHIP FEES

5.1 The Annual subscription for members shall be determined on occasion by a general meeting of the Club or the Club Executive and shall be payable on the first day of the academic year each year or upon joining the society.

5.2 Membership fees for the members of the Club shall be a minimum of one dollar ($1). The Club Executive may determine the fee for Associate Membership.

6. OFFICE BEARERS

6.1 An Executive Committee consisting of President, Secretary, Treasurer and Five Committee Members shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting.

6.1.1 The President shall be the Chairperson and Convenor of the Executive Committee of the Club. The President is charged with the supervision, co-ordination and faithful conduct of the Club. He or she shall be responsible for the Club's communication and correspondence with U@MQ. The President shall be a signatory to the MUDS bank account.

6.1.2 The Secretary shall attend to all correspondence of the Club and ensure that a true and accurate record is kept of all duly convened General Meetings and Executive Meetings of the Club. . He or she shall maintain a file of the papers, records and documents of the Club. The secretary shall make minutes of all General Meetings available to U@MQ. The Secretary shall be a signatory to the MUDS bank account.

6.1.3 The Treasurer shall attend to all matters concerning the Club's finances. He or she shall be responsible for maintaining a file containing copies of requisitions, orders, petty cash vouchers and other essential documents of a financial nature. The Treasurer shall keep a columnar cash book showing details of receipts, expenditure and balance, and shall present to the Annual General Meeting of the Club a certified financial statement of the Club's accounts, and make records available to U@MQ at anytime. The Treasurer shall be a signatory to the MUDS bank account.

6.1.4 The Committee Members shall undertake such duties as the Executive shall on occasion determine. The President shall, only after consultation and approval of the Secretary and Treasurer, allocate positions to the Committee Members.

6.1.5 AN AIDA Representative shall be elected by the Executive to represent the Club at AIDA meetings. This representative shall be the sole person responsible for attending meetings and shall maintain direct liaison and correspondence with the AIDA body, but may delegate these responsibilities to another member of the Executive if they are unable to attend.

6.2 The Immediate Past President shall be a member of the Executive Committee for one term until the next Annual General Meeting.

6.3 A Vice-President shall be elected from the Committee Members by the Executive at the first Executive Meeting after the Annual General Meeting. The Vice-President shall co-operate with the President and act on his or her behalf in the President's absence, illness or incapacity.

6.4 An Equal Opportunities Officer (EOO) shall be appointed from amongst the Committee Members to ensure that no members are discriminated against on irrational grounds. The EOO will be responsible for remedying any discrimination that he or she becomes aware of done by an officer of the Club, including, but not limited to, reconvening selections or securing an apology, but only after consultation and approval from the Executive.

6.4.1 Where the Equal Opportunities Officer is a male, There shall be a Women's Officer appointed by the Executive from amongst the female executive members. If there is no female executive member able to take the position, a Women's Officer shall be appointed from the General Membership and shall become an additional member of the Executive. Where the Equal Opportunities Officer is a female, she will automatically assume the position of Women's Officer.

6.5 The Executive of the Club shall be elected from its members at the Annual General Meeting and shall hold office for one year until the subsequent AGM. Only Macquarie University Student Members may be eligible to stand for positions on the Executive.

6.5.1 Should any Executive Member resign, be expelled, die or cease to take office, the casual vacancy may be filled by election at a duly convened General Meeting of the Club. If quorum is not reached at such a meeting, or if there are no nominees for the position, the casual vacancy may be filled by the remaining executive members co-opting a member. Where a Committee Member is vacating their position by resignation, they may alternatively co-opt a member to fill the vacancy, subject to prior approval by the Executive. The positions of President, Secretary and Treasurer may only be filled by election.

6.5.2 An office-bearer who ceases to be eligible for membership under section 4 shall be disqualified from continuing as a member of the Executive.

6.5.3 A member of the Executive may be removed from his or her position by a vote of “no confidence” which shall require a simple majority at a duly convened General Meeting.

6.5.4 Any member of the Executive who is absent from three consecutive Executive meetings may be removed from his or her position by a simple majority vote of “no confidence” at an Executive Meeting, only if quorum is not reached at a duly convened General Meeting under section 6.5.3

6.5.5 The Executive may co-opt from the General Membership an Honorary Officer to undertake any function for which none of the executive is competent to perform, that is essential to the objectives of the society under section 2. The Honorary Officer is a non-voting member of the Executive, and may be removed by a majority vote of the Executive or by resolution at a General Meeting.

6.6 A quorum of the Executive shall comprise of four executive members, including two of President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.

6.7 At any General Meeting of the Club or of the Executive, the President shall preside. The President may delegate the role of Chairperson of any meeting to another person. If the President is not present, the Vice-President shall preside. If neither be present, the persons present at the meeting as members of the Club or of the Executive (as the case may be) shall elect one from their number to preside at the meeting as its Chairperson. The Chairperson shall have a deliberative vote and shall have a casting vote in the event of an equal division of votes on any question.

7. POWERS OF THE EXECUTIVE

7.1 Subject to the decisions of a General Meeting of the Club and of this Constitution, the management and control of the affairs of the Club shall be vested in the elected Executive Committee.

7.2 Any four members of the Executive may call a General Meeting of which seven days notice must be given to Club members.

7.3 The Executive shall be the only authorised body to issue money, bills or dispense or acquire Club assets.

7.4 The Executive shall deal with membership disputes and act as a grievance body for general Club disputes. The Executive may refer disputes to a General Meeting of the Club or a meeting of U@MQ. Members may call a General Meeting pursuant to Section 8.2 of this Constitution.

7.5 The Secretary upon election shall notify U@MQ of the elected positions for the ensuing year.

8. GENERAL MEETINGS

8.1 There shall be an Annual General Meeting of the Club held on or before October 31 st each year.

8.1.1 Notice of the AGM shall be advertised at least seven days prior to the meeting under section 9.1

8.1.2 The quorum at the AGM of the Club, and at all other General Meetings, shall be equivalent to one half (50%) of the total of Club members or twenty members, whichever is less; of which ten must be physically present at the meeting.

8.1.3 If within thirty minutes from the time appointed for the meeting a quorum is not present, the Chair shall adjourn the meeting for at least seven days but no more than twenty one days.

8.1.4 The Purpose of the AGM shall be to:

(a)receive a report and statement of the accounts for the previous year.

(b)elect the office bearers for the ensuing year

(c)accept reports from outgoing office-bearers

8.2 There shall be at least one General Meeting within ten days upon the receipt of such written request signed by twenty members.

8.3 Members may give a proxy for their vote at a general meeting in writing only. For a proxy vote to be valid, it must be signed, and must specify the date of the meeting and the member to be exercising their vote for it to be valid. No member present at a meeting can hold more than five proxy votes.

8.4 A Returning Officer shall be appointed by the Executive from the General Membership to preside over the election of office bearers at the AGM. The Returning Officer may not stand for election for the positions of President, Secretary or Treasurer in the same year that he or she is the Returning Officer. The Returning Officer may vote and hold proxies. The Returning Officer will be responsible for ensuring that all proxies exercised at the AGM are valid, and that the elections are conducted fairly and in accordance with this document.

8.5 Nominations for the position of President, Treasurer and Secretary must be received in writing by the Returning Officer 48 hours before the AGM.

8.5.1 Nominations must be proposed and seconded by members of the society. One member may be nominated for multiple positions, but the nominations for subsequent positions become invalid once that member has accepted a position on the Executive.

8.6 The Returning Officer must assume the Chair for the election of Office Bearers at the AGM. The election will proceed in order as follows: President, Secretary, Treasurer and the Committee Members. Election will be by simple majority. In votes where there is no majority, the candidate with the least votes will be eliminated until a majority is reached. For the election of Committee Members, members should cast one vote for each position available, but shall not cast any two votes to the same person, except if that vote is exercised as a proxy for another, and no vote has been assigned to that candidate on their behalf already. In the event of an equal division of votes, the Returning Officer, as Chair, shall have the casting vote.

8.6.1 If there is only one nomination for the position of President, Secretary or Treasurer, the Returning Officer may confirm the election without calling a vote. If there are no nominations for the position of President, Secretary or Treasurer, the Returning Officer can waive rule 8.5 and call for nominations at the AGM, for that position. The Returning Officer shall call for nominations for Committee members at the AGM. If the number of nominations for Committee members does not exceed the number of vacancies stipulated by this Constitution, the Returning Officer may confirm their election without calling a vote.

8.7 All General Meetings must be held on University grounds, and on a weekday during term.

9. COMMUNICATIONS

9.1 One weeks notice of General Meetings shall be placed by the Secretary on the MUDS Website. Notice should also be sent to members either in a publication or by special notice, or by phone or e-mail, where possible.

9.2 The Secretary shall give all Executive members forty-eight hours notice of all meetings. In the case of an emergency Executive meeting, notice by method of phone to all Executive members shall suffice.

9.3. Notices advertising registration dates for Intervarsity selection trials shall be accompanied by a statement of Section 10.6.1 of this constitution.

9.4 Members of MUDS who are enrolled solely in an external program of study shall be notified of General Meetings and of Intervarsity selection trials by mail, phone or e-mail.

10. INTERVARSITIES

10.1 The Macquarie University Debating Society shall select representatives for all intervarsities for which it is eligible, unless a General Meeting votes against participation in a particular event.

10.2 The Macquarie University Debating Society shall be committed to high standards of adjudication and shall train members in adjudication and participate in accreditation schemes, where applicable. The Club shall be represented by adjudicators at all intervarsities, except that the Club shall only send adjudicators of an appropriately high standard to intervarsities.

10.3 The Macquarie University Debating Society shall be bound by the rules of the Intervarsity Convenor and the Australasian Intervarsity Debating Association.

10.4 The Macquarie University Debating Society shall set no unreasonable limits on intervarsity attendance by individual members, and will abide by all limits subscribed by the Convenors, where feasable.

10.4.1 Where an intervarsity competition has a specific purpose, the Executive may set guidelines for selections in keeping with that purpose, but must give notice of any relevant considerations along with notice of those selections.

10.4.2 The Executive may at its discretion offer financial assistance to delegates and may limit its assistance to a portion of the delegates on the basis of need or merit, but may not exclude any delegate from receiving assistance who would otherwise satisfy the criteria set by the Executive, on personal, subjective or irrational grounds.

10.5 The right to attend trials for Intervarsities shall be limited to members of fourteen days standing.

10.5.1 Unless exceptional circumstances prevail, no member will be permitted to participate in Intervarsity selection trials unless they have registered by the date set by the Executive.

10.5.2 The Executive shall give 14 days notice of the registration date for all Intervarsity selection trials.

10.6 All delegates to an intervarsity competition must be paid financial members of MUDS before the start of that competition.

11 OTHER ORGANISATIONS ON CAMPUS

11.1 The Club shall affiliate with U@MQ each year and apply to it for funding as is required by the Club.

11.2 The Club may affiliate to other student bodies upon a two-thirds majority of those members present at a General Meeting.

12. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS AND INTERPRETATIONS

12.1 In the first instance, the Executive of the Club shall interpret this Constitution. Upon written application by at least five members of the Club to U@MQ, U@MQ shall interpret this Constitution and this Constitution's relationship to the procedures of the U@MQ as described under rule 12.4

12.2 This Constitution may be repealed or amended or a new Constitution made by a two-thirds majority of those members present at a General Meeting provided such notice of repeal, amendment or new rule has been given to the President in writing no less than seven days before such a meeting.

12.3 Such an amendment shall not become effective until the Club receives notification of approval of the amendment by U@MQ.

12.4 Where inconsistencies or anomalies exist between this Constitution and the Constitution, Ordinances and Regulations of U@MQ, the Constitution, Ordinances and Regulations of U@MQ take precedence.

13. PROPERTY

13.1 All assets and property of the Club shall be vested in the Executive, and they shall be dealt with in such a manner as they may be directed by the Club in General Meetings or by the Executive pursuant to the authority granted to it in this regard by the Club in a General Meeting.

13.2 Upon dissolution of the Club, the Executive shall seek to pay an outstanding Club debts. Any remaining assets of the Club shall be transferred to another non-profit organisation within three months of dissolution of the Club.

14. DISSOLUTION AND DISAFFILIATION

14.1 The Club may be dissolved or may disaffiliate from U@MQ by a resolution of a two-thirds majority at a General Meeting of the Club. Notice of such a motion must be promulgated to all members at least 14 days before the meeting. If the Club is dissolved under this rule, it shall be the responsibility of the incumbant Executive of the Club prior to such dissolution or disaffiliation, to notify U@MQ of such dissolution of disaffiliation.

14.2 If upon the dissolution of the Club under rule 14.1 there remains after the satisfaction of all debts and liabilities any monies or assets whatsoever, the same shall not be paid or distributed to members of the club, but shall be paid to or transferred to a similar non-profit organisation, to be determined at the dissolution General Meeting conveyed as per section 14.1

14.3 If the Club does not hold an AGM for a period of eighteen months, the Club will be dissolved automatically.

Appendix 1. LIFE MEMBERS

Those who have been conferred with life membership to the Macquarie University Debating Society for exceptional service to the Club are:

Fenja Berglund 1995

Ben Way 1997

Kirsty Nowlan 1997

Steve Kaless 1998

Hooma Mishra 1998

Marc Lane 2000

Michael Saadat 2001

Lisa Lepore 2002

Shane Ewen 2002

Eamon Mooney 2003

Daniel Philips 2004

David Cramsie 2004

Felicity Wilson 2005

Melissa Saadat 2005

Tamer Morris 2005

Camilla Di Diase-Dyson 2005

Matthew Fellew 2006

Appendix 2. STANDARD FORMS

Standard Proxy Form:

I,_______ (name)_____ hereby assign my proxy vote for the (Annual)

General Meeting held on_ (day of week)_, the_ (day)_ of_ (month)_, _ (year)_

at _____ (place)_____ to _____ (member)_____ (or his/her assignee)

Signed: ______________ (signature)__________________ , _____ (date)_____

Standard Nomination Form:

I, _____ (name)_____ hereby nominate _____ (name)_____ for the position of

_____ (postition)_____ in the _ (year)_ Macquarie University Debating

Society Executive.

Proposed: _____ (name)_____ _____ (signature)_____ _____ (date)_____

Seconded: _____ (name)_____ _____ (signature)_____ _____ (date)_____

Appendix 3. RELEVANT CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE EXECUTIVE

When excercising its discretion in setting guidelines for selections as set out in s.10.4.1, the Executive should have regard to the following considerations:

· Maximising the number of novice speakers for the Easters (Australian) Intervarsity Debating Competition.

· Limiting the experience of “experienced” speakers for the Easters (Australian) Intervarsity Debating Competition to those who have debated in not more than a few Australasians or Worlds competitions.

· Maintaining a high standard of adjudication

When excercising its discretion in providing financial support as set out in s.10.4.2, the Executive should have regard to the following criteria:

· Setting a maximum level of funding at no more than the cost of registration + two-thirds of the cost of airfare

· Funding no less than n-1 adjudicators, where n is the number of teams to be funded.