3. POWERS 4. AFFILIATION TO THE FLINDERS UNIVERSITY STUDENT ASSOCIATION 5. MEMBERSHIP

Transcription

1

2 This constitution is for the Flinders University Postgraduate Society, Faculty Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences. This document will identify the following: 1. Name 2. Purpose 3. Powers 4. Affiliation to the Flinders University Student Association (FUSA) 5. Membership 6. Rights of Members 7. Register of Members 8. Executive Committee 9. Sub-Committees 10. General Members 11. Elections and Term of Office of Executive 12. Financial 13. Amendments 14. Winding Up 15. Definitions 1. NAME This society shall be known as the Flinders University Postgraduate Society Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science, (FUPS-FMNHS). It shall also be referred to as the abbreviated FUPS. 2. PURPOSE The purpose of this Society is to be the prime representative body for all postgraduate students within the Faculty Medicine, Nursing and Health Science. Postgraduate students in the Faculty can be enrolled internally or externally at Flinders University. Purpose will include: i. To provide a forum for open discussion on matters of general concern to postgraduate students and a means by which to effect change. ii. To link its members with the boarder scientific community including private and public organisations, bodies and institutions. iii. To create opportunities for participation in academic and non-academic activities that promotes interaction between postgraduate students across all schools and faculties and between other universities. iv. To create a feeling of community within the Faculty postgraduate students and provide support to all its members. v. To provide information to postgraduate students about where to find advice and advocacy support in matters concerning grievance processes. vi. To provide information on pastoral support services within the University vii. To promote the health and wellbeing of its members viii. To provide a forum for the election of postgraduate representatives to University committees.

3 ix. The Society is an inclusive and open organisation. Faculty postgraduate students are welcome to attend all meetings and be involved in the running of the Society. All students have the right to make suggestions or voice concerns directly to the Executive Committee or to the General Committee members. 3. POWERS i. The Society has power to do all things incidental or conducive to the attainment of its purpose. ii. The Society may only exercise its powers and use its income and assets for the attainment of its purpose. 4. AFFILIATION TO THE FLINDERS UNIVERSITY STUDENT ASSOCIATION i. The Society is affiliated to Flinders University Student Association ii. It is a condition of affiliation that the Society and its members must comply with all directions given by the Student Association and the Clubs Policies. iii. The Society must as far as practicable adhere to Student Association Marketing Guidelines, including logo usage and sponsorship recognition, as outlined by the Clubs Policies. iv. The Society shall not discriminate on the basis of gender, marital status, race, age, religion or sexual preference. 5. MEMBERSHIP i. The membership of the Society is voluntary and open to current postgraduate students in the Faculty. ii. Membership is automatically granted upon being accepted as a postgraduate student within the Faculty. iii. Only students may be members. iv. Associate Membership will be available to; a) Other students or staff of Flinders University by application to, and approval by the Society Executive at a cost of $25 per calendar year with no pro rata payments allowable. v. At the time of the establishment of the Society, the initial membership fee will be zero (0) dollars vi. FUSA, on the recommendation of the Society Executive, may approve an amendment to the membership fee to provide for a fee greater than zero (0) dollars. vii. The rights of members who have not paid the membership fee by the date for payment are suspended until the membership fee is paid. Date for payment is 31 March each year. viii. Except for the membership fee, there are no entrance fees or other amounts to be paid in respect of membership of the Society. ix. A person will cease to be a member of the Society: a) by resigning from the Society, advising the Secretary in writing; or b) by ceasing to be a postgraduate student in the Faculty x. In the event a postgraduate student does not wish to be a member of the Society, then a choice to opt out is available by advising the Society in writing at any stage of their candidature in the Faculty. xi. The Society must have a minimum of 10 current financial Flinders student members, and abide by membership regulations as stipulated in the Student Association Club Policies. xii. The Secretary and Student Association must make copies of this constitution freely available to members on request. xiii. The Society must have no less than 51% current Flinders University students as members

4 6. RIGHTS OF MEMBERS i. Subject to the Constitution and the Regulations, all Members have the right to: a) vote in the elections of the Society; b) use and benefit from the services, amenities and programs overseen by the Society ii. Subject to a Constitution and the Regulations, Members of the Society: a) have the right to attend and vote at General Meetings and Annual General Meetings of the Society; b) are entitled to stand for election and hold office as an office bearer or General Committee member; iii. A right enjoyed by a member of the Society: a) is not capable of being transferred or transmitted to another person; b) terminates upon cessation of the student s membership. 7. REGISTER OF MEMBERS i. The Secretary shall maintain a Register of Members and Associate Members of the Society which records: a) the name and address of each member of the Society; b) the date of admission to, and cessation of membership of each member; c) the date on which each member last paid their membership fee, if applicable. 8. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE i. The Executive Committee acts as the steering force for the Society. The Executive will meet at least 10 times per calendar year to ensure the momentum of the organisation. ii. The Executive Committee may transact the business of the Society iii. The Executive is responsible for the management of the Society, including its financial management. iv. Decisions of the Executive shall be made in accordance with a Constitution and the Regulations. The voting members of the Executive Committee are: a) President b) Vice President c) Secretary c) Treasurer; and d) Two (2) voting General Members of the Society. v. A general meeting may establish other Executive positions. vi. Executive members may only hold one Executive position at a time. vii. Responsibilities: (i) President a) Chief spokesperson for the Society b) Chairing and convening Society Executive Committee and General meetings; c) Initiating policy and strategic action planning with the members; d) Implementing decisions of the Society; e) Officially representing the Society in dealing with Flinders University or FUSA; f) Reporting on dealings with Flinders University or FUSA to the Society

5 g) Signatory for the Society s budget and Society cheque book h) Power to exercise a casting vote in case of a tied vote. President must act in the best interest of the Society and in accordance with the Constitution. i) Assisting, advising and supporting all members of the Society (ii) Vice President a) Assisting as requested by the President b) Arranging events, book facilities, equipment, transport etc. (iii) Secretary a) Providing notice of meetings one week in advance of General Meeting and one month in advance of the Annual General Meeting (AGM); b) Preparing Agenda for meetings with circulation of agenda one week in advance of meetings to Society Executive and General Committee members; c) Taking minutes at all meetings; d) Acceptance of apologies for meetings e) Distribution of minutes to the Executive and General Committee within two weeks of all meetings being held f) Maintain a register of all current Society Members and Associate Members, including name, address and contact details. g) Responsible for the inward and outward correspondence of the Society, including regularly checking the Society pigeon-hole. (iii) Treasurer a) Responsible for all of the Society s money and to record all income received and payments made by the Society; b) Keeping a register of all assets held by the Society c) Preparation of an annual budget for the Society d) Presentation of a financial report to each Executive meeting e) Presentation of a financial report to the AGM for the last financial year f) Preparation of funding application proposals g) Maintaining the Society s bank account and all financial records, holding cheque and deposit books, petty cash tins and other financial related documents h) Acting as a signatory for the Society s bank account i) Verifying that all payments made are legitimate and have been made under the authority of the Society The role of the Executive is to act on behalf of the general committee and to receive feedback from all Flinders University Postgraduate Students within the Faculty and where appropriate to liaise with other Student Representatives throughout the University.

6 9. SUB COMMITTEES For the purpose of sharing workload amongst committee members a number of sub-committees are proposed. i) Professional Development, Industry Connections and Sponsors ii) Academic and Mentorship iii) Health and Wellbeing iv) Social, Community and Cross-Institutional Activities v) Post Graduate Conference vi) Website vii) Other sub-committees as appropriate approved by the Executive It is the responsibility of General Committee Members to report to the Executive Committee on the outcome/s of sub-committee meetings and to provide feedback from postgraduate students on matters relating to the concern of all postgraduate student members in the Society. 10. GENERAL MEMBERS i) The Executive must call at least three general meetings of members each year, including the Annual General Meeting (AGM). ii) The AGM must be held on an academic day. Its business includes: a) to confirm the minutes of the last AGM and any subsequent general meetings b) to consider reports from Executive members, including the Treasurer s financial report c) to elect the Executive d) any other business of which notice has been given iii) The Executive must appoint a Returning Officer at least two weeks before the AGM, who is responsible for the conduct of the Executive elections iv) The Executive may call a Special General Meeting (in this constitution SGM ) at any time, and must do so if requested in writing by at least 25% of members. The SGM must be held within 21 academic days of an Executive member receiving the request v) The Executive must give at least five academic days notice of the date, time and place of all general meetings to each member. The notice must state the business to be considered, including any item that a member has in writing, requested to be included. Only business of which notice has been given may be considered at the general meeting. The Executive must also advertise the meeting as far as practicable in any Student Association publication/s generally available to students for at least one week before the meeting vi) The quorum for general meetings is 20% of members or 6 people, whichever is the greater. Quorum for Societies with a membership greater than 100 members will be 20 people vii) The President is entitled to chair the meetings. If the President is not present, or does not wish to chair the meeting, the Vice-President is entitled to chair. If neither the President nor the Vice- President is present, or if neither wishes to chair the meeting, the meeting must elect another member to chair. viii) Each member present has one vote. Proxies are not allowed. Motions are passed by a simple majority of those present and voting. ix) It is the responsibility of General Committee Members to attend both the sub-committee meetings to which they have been elected (or volunteered) to and the regular Committee meetings at least 10 times per calendar year. x) Only during a SGM Society policy may be amended or new positions may be elected

7 11. ELECTION AND TERM OF OFFICE OF EXECUTIVE i) Only members who are current postgraduate students within the Faculty are eligible to be elected to and hold Executive positions. ii) Executive members may serve an unlimited number of terms iii) All Executive positions must be elected by secret ballot at the AGM iv) Executive members elected at the AGM hold office from the end of that AGM until the end of the next AGM. v) Executive members cease to hold office if they: a) resign by writing to the Secretary (or, in the case of the Secretary, to the President); cease to be a postgraduate student within the Faculty or if membership fees are charged, cease to be a financial member; b) are removed be a resolution of no confidence passed by a two-thirds majority of members present and voting at a SGM; or c) fail to attend two consecutive meetings of the Executive without giving apology to the Executive vi) The executive may fill a single vacancy in its membership. If there is more that one vacancy, the Executive must convene a SGM to fill the vacancies by secret ballot. vii) Quorum at an AGM is 50% of total membership or 10 members, whichever is lesser. 12. FINANCIAL i) The Society indemnifies Executive members against any liability incurred in that capacity (other than to the Society), unless the liability arises out of conduct involving a lack of good faith. ii) iii) The financial year of the Society is from 1 January to 31 December An annual membership fee will be set by the Society executive, and approved at the Annual General Meeting. All rights (including voting) of members who have not paid their membership fee by the date set by the Society Executive are suspended until the fee is paid. iv) All income (including membership fees) received by the Society must be promptly paid into the Society account. v) All payments must be authorised by the Executive or a general meeting, and all payment slips must be signed by at least two Executive members, including the Treasurer. vi) Payments under $250 maybe paid at the discretion of the Treasurer and the other Executive signatory. All payments must be conductive to the purpose of the Society. vii) All assets held by the Society are the property of the Student Association, including those purchased by the Society. Except that items purchased by the Society with funds raised independently of the Student Association, such as sponsorship, remain the property of the Society as long as it continues to exist. Property will then become the Student Association s if the Society ceases to exist. viii) All assets held by the Society if the Society has been inactive for 12 months or more must be returned to the Student Association 13. AMENDMENT i) This constitution may only be amended: a) by resolution passed by two-thirds majority of members present and voting at a SGM of which notice in accordance with clause 5. vii (including of the proposed amendment) has been given; and b) with approval of the Student Association

8 14. WINDING UP i) The Society may be wound up voluntarily by resolution passed by a two-thirds majority of members present and voting at a SGM of which notice in accordance with clause 5.vii (including of the proposed resolution) has been given. ii) If the Society is wound up (whether voluntarily, by a court or the Student Association due to breach of Clubs and Societies Policies), any remaining assets must not be distributed to any member, but must instead be returned to the Student Association 15. DEFINITIONS In this constitution: i) FUPS-FMNHS and FUPS refers to the Flinders University Postgraduate Society Faculty medicine, Nursing and Health Science ii) current student and student both have the same meaning as student in the Constitution of the Flinders University Student Association. (FUSA) iii) references to meetings include meetings held by telephone and video conference; iv) references to written communications include v) Student Association refers to the Flinders University Student Association (FUSA) vi) Faculty refers to the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science vii) Members in this Constitution refers to all postgraduate students in the Faculty Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences unless otherwise described viii) General Committee member referees to the General Committee of FUPS.