CONSTITUTION
Name
The name of the Club shall be "Otago University Tramping Club (Incorporated)".
The registered office of the club shall be the situated at the Otago University Campus, care of The Otago University Students Association (OUSA) office on Cumberland Street, Dunedin.
Affiliation
The club shall be affiliated to the Otago University Students Association and its successors.
The club shall be affiliated to the Federated Mountain Club of New Zealand.
The club shall be subject to the rules of any association to which it is affiliated. Where there is conflict between the rules of the club and the association to which it is affiliated the committee shall deem which are appropriate to follow. This choice shall be based on meeting the objectives of the club.
Interpretation
In these rules unless a contrary meaning appears “Rule” means rule of these rules; “Club” means “Otago University Tramping Club Inc”; “Committee” means the committee for the time being appointed under rule 16; “year” means the financial year of the Club as defined by Rule --. General Meeting may at times relate to Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings.
Club Objects
The Club objects are to promote and support Tramping, Mountaineering, Rock Climbing and any other activity they see fit.
Members will be encouraged to participate in these activities in an acceptable manner and with an unhealthy degree of enthusiasm and style.
The Club shall support conservation of recreational areas as it sees fit while remembering that the Outdoors must be preserved for future users to enjoy in the same manner and way that we have and do.
Club Colours and Emblem
The Club colours shall be whatever we choose, and the club emblem shall be the emblem displayed below.
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Membership
Membership Types
· Ordinary Member – Any student or non-student who has paid the appropriate subscription fees and filled in the membership form.
There shall be three Periods of ordinary membership, Semester One (S1), Semester Two (S2) and Whole Year (W).
· Life Member- On the recommendation of the committee the vote of two thirds of those present and voting at a General Meeting may elect any person to Life membership. This shall effect the right of present life members.
Joining the Club
Ordinary members joining the Club shall:
· Fill out the membership form to the best of their ability and knowledge.
· Pay the required subscription fee for the length of their membership.
· Receive a receipt for the subscription paid and a membership card from the Club.
· Be given information on how to access the proposed activities of the Club.
Life members of the Club shall:
· Receive a membership card from the Club if they request one.
· Be given information on how to access the proposed activities of the Club if they intent to participate.
Membership Periods
· Ordinary Membership Period’s shall be:
· Whole Year (W) ordinary membership shall run from the First day of March or such day as they join until the last day of February following.
· Semester One (S1) ordinary membership shall run from the First day of March or such day as they join in the First Semester until the first day of Semester Two.
· Semester Two (S2) ordinary membership shall run from the First day of Semester Two or such day as they join in the Second Semester until the last day of February following.
Ordinary Membership of the Club will lapse after the passing of the dates specified for each membership period.
· Life Membership period shall last from when the person is elected to Life membership until the day they die or until they choose to resign from membership of the Club.
Duties of Members
Members shall be encouraged to support the objects of the Club.
Members shall notify the Committee of any name or address changes.
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Member Entitlements
· Members shall be entitled to use the Club facilities, and to participate in Club activities in a manner consistent with the Club Objects.
· Members shall be entitled to use Club equipment subject to the Committee varying this entitlement as they see fit from time to time. This will be done by Committee resolution.
· Members shall be entitled to vote at a General Meeting.
· Members shall be entitled to a copy of each issue of the trip list for the period of their membership.
· Each Club Member shall be entitled to a copy of the “Antics Journal”; except Life members who have not paid for a copy and International Ordinary Members who have chosen not to pay for the mailing.
· Members shall receive a membership card on paying the required subscription and filling in the Membership Form.
· Members shall be entitled to reimbursement for any justified expenses. Any such reimbursements must have the approval of the Committee. No other financial gains are allowed.
Member Resignation
Any member may after having paid all amounts owing to the Club may resign by giving the Committee notice in writing to that effect.
Ordinary members will automatically resign from the club after the passing of the last day of there membership period.
Life member may resign from the Club at any time by giving the Committee notice in writing to that effect.
Member Expulsion
The Full Committee may expel from Membership by a two third majority vote any member wilfully disobeying any of these rules or guilty of any conduct rendering him or her unfit in their opinion to be a member of the Club; provided that before expelling him or her the Committee shall ask the person for an explanation of there conduct, and shall hear what they have to say in there defence.
Member Suspension (of Entitlements)
A Member’s entitlements may be suspended by Committee resolution for non-payment of expenses related to Club activities, equipment rental, and the loss or damage of Club equipment.
The suspension of membership entitlements will result in that member being unable to participate in club activities, use club facilities or access club equipment.
A representative of the Committee will notify the member in writing of the suspension of their membership entitlement and the action required to be undertaken by the member to have them reinstated.
Reinstatement of membership entitlements will be by Committee resolution and the member will be notified in writing.
Subscriptions
Ordinary Members shall pay a subscription decided upon by the Committee in February of each year. If the Committee takes no vote at this time, the subscription for each ordinary membership category shall remain the same as in the previous year.
Life members shall not be required to pay an annual subscription.
Committee
The management of the Club shall be delegated to a Committee consisting of the following office holders:
· President
· Vice President
· Secretary
· Treasurer
· Two Gear officers
· Safety/Training Officer
· Patron
· Other office holders as decided by the club membership present at the Annual General Meeting.
· And General committee members
The Committee shall be comprised of not more than 10% of the Club membership at the time of the Annual General Meeting and not less than ten members.
No office holder may hold one position consecutively for a period of more than two years except for General committee members.
The Committee shall hold office from the General Meeting at which they are elected until the following September at which time an Annual General Meeting shall be held to elect a new Committee.
The committee may appoint a member to fill any vacancy until the next Annual General Meeting to carry out tasks as required by the committee. This may be on a temporary or permanent basis.
Nomination of Candidates for Elected Positions
Each candidate shall be a member and shall be nominated in writing by one member and seconded by another.
The nominee must consent to the nomination.
The secretary must receive this written nomination prior to the Annual General Meeting.
The secretary shall keep a list of all nominations on the notice board as they are received.
If no nomination for a position is made prior to the Annual General Meeting then verbal and written nominations may be made during the meeting.
Election of Candidates to Office
Election of officers shall take place in the following order:
· President
· Vice President
· Secretary
· Treasurer
· Two Gear officers
· Safety/Training Officer
· Patron
· Other office holders as decided by the club membership present at the Annual General Meeting.
· General committee members
Duties of President
The President shall:
· be the custodian of the good name of the Club;
· ensure the Club and committee is run effectively in accordance with its objects;
· ensure all sub-committees are run effectively and for that purpose is an ex-officio member of all sub-committees;
· ensure that a report of the activities of the Club during the previous Year is produced annually and presented at the Annual General Meeting of the club.
Duties of Vice-Presidents
The Vice-Presidents shall:
· deputise for the President, as the need arises;
· together with the President, Secretary and Treasurer(s), if available, form an executive to consider urgent matters. (To be ratified by the committee at earliest opportunity)
Duties of Secretary and Membership Officer
· The Secretary shall keep and have the custody of a Minute Book containing full and correct minutes of all Committee and General meetings.
· The Membership officer or a person so delegated by the General Committee shall keep and have the custody of a Register showing the name, address and date of birth of each member, and the date at which they became a member.
· All entries in such records shall be kept properly up to date.
· The Secretary shall forward to the Registrar of Incorporated Societies such notices and returns (including the Annual Financial Statement) as the Registrar shall from time to time require.
Duties of Treasurer
The Treasurer or persons so delegated by the Treasurer shall keep such accounts as the Committee may from time to time require, and shall keep all entries properly up to date.
Auditor
The Auditor shall be the OUSA treasurer or other appointed person or entity deemed suitably qualified by the Committee to carry out this work in an appropriate manner. They shall be chosen at each Annual General Meeting.
The Auditor shall not be a member of the Committee.
Meetings
Committee Meetings
The Committee shall meet at least monthly from February to November inclusive.
Extraordinary meetings of the Committee may be called for by any member of the club and shall be for a purpose relevant to the objects of the Club.
Notice of Committee Meetings
Notice of a meeting shall be sent to each member of the committee at least 48 hours prior to the meeting.
Procedure at Committee Meetings
The presence of at least 25% of the current committee shall constitute a quorum, and the Chairperson shall have a deliberative vote and a casting vote.
Each person present shall have a single vote.
The President, if present, shall be entitled to be Chairperson; if the President does not take the chair, the meeting shall be chaired by the Vice-President; failing that the meeting shall elect another Chairperson.
Office holders will present an up to date summary of their area of responsibility at each committee meeting.
Annual General Meetings
The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than the last day of September in each year. The Committee shall determined the date of the Annual General Meeting in August of each year.
Extraordinary General Meetings
Any extraordinary General Meeting shall be for a purpose relevant to the objects of the Club and
may be called by the Committee or
shall be called by the Secretary to be held within twenty-eight days of receiving a petition signed by at least 10% of the current membership. The petition will state the proposed business to be transacted at the meeting. If the Secretary does not organise the meeting then the members making the petition may convene the meeting.
Notice of Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings
Fourteen days notice of the intended meeting shall be made on the email list, in papers (Critic) and by announcement at club meetings.
The time, location and agenda of the meeting shall form the content of the notice.
If the intended meeting is postponed due to lack of numbers (10% of membership) then the meeting will be held 7 days later at a time and location to be announced on the day following the original meeting date. This will be via club meetings and the email list.
Motions for Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings
Any motions to be voted on at an Annual and Extraordinary General Meetings must be given to the Secretary at least 15 days prior to the meeting. This is to enable the secretary to complete the notice of meeting stating what the agenda is.