The Cambridge University Czech & Slovak Society Constitution

1. The name of the Society shall be ”The Cambridge University Czech & Slovak Society” (hereafter referred to as the ”Society”).

2. The Society’s purpouse shall be to the advancement of education by:

   • providing members with speaker meetings and a forum for the discussion and exchange of ideas on a diverse range of topics relating to the events affecting the situation in the Czech Republic and Slovakia;

   • initiating and maintaining coordinated dialogue between the Czechand Slovak students at the University of Cambridge, as well as at other universities in the UK and abroad.

   • raising awareness about studies at foreign universities for Czech and Slovak students by organizing presentations and a shadowing scheme.

3. All members of the University shall be eligible to join the Society. One becomes a member of the Society by joining the official mailing list. Nonmembers of the University may apply to the Committee for membership to the Society. The Committee shall have the right to offer honorary membership as it sees fit. It shall not refuse an application for membership on the grounds of race, sex, sexual orientation, religion or political views. It may expel any member for behaviour likely to bring the Society into disrepute.

4. The day-to-day management of the Society’s affairs shall be in the hands of the Executive Committee, which shall normally be elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).

5. The Society’s Committee shall consist of a Faculty Member (Senior Treasurer), President, Secretary, Junior Treasurer, Access officer, Webmaster, an Events officer and any number of general committee members. The Senior Treasurer, who shall be a member of the Regent House, or other person approved by the Junior Proctor., shall be confirmed by the Committee each year to examine the Society’s accounts. The Senior Treasurer shall not be liable for any financial debt or other obligations of the Society unless he or she has personally authorised such debt in writing. A majority of the elected members of the Executive Committee shall be full-time undergraduate or postgraduate students of the University

6. Full committee meetings shall be not less than once per academic term, though speaker meetings, discussion sessions and social events shall take place more frequently.

7. The officers, excepting the Senior Treasurer, shall be elected annually during the Easter Term at a General Meeting of the Society, from among the Members of the Society. Voting shall be by secret ballot and by Instant Run-Off Voting (Alternative Vote). At least two weeks before the General Meeting for the annual election, the President shall post a notice stating the time and location at which the election is to be held. At least three days before the General Meeting for the annual election, the President shall post the names and manifestos of each candidate for office.

8. An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) may be held at any time during Full Term. It shall be held in Cambridge and may be called by the Executive Committee or at the written request of at least ten members. An EGM shall have the same powers as an AGM.

9. The President shall take the Chair at any General Meeting. In the absence of the President the meeting shall elect a Chairperson for that meeting. The quorum for a General Meeting shall be five members and a written record of every General Meeting shall be kept.

10. The Committee shall retain the right to levy an annual membership fee on the Society’s members.

11. The Constitution may be amended at a General Meeting, with approval of at least two thirds of those present. No amendment to this Constitution intended to remove the position of Senior Treasurer, to alter its prerogatives and duties, or to change the criteria and procedure for the appointment of a Senior Treasurer can be put to a vote without the prior written agreement of the Junior Proctor of the University of Cambridge.

12. On dissolution, all assets of the Society remaining after all liabilities have been met shall be transferred either to another Registered University Society, or to the Societies Syndicate.

13. In order to carry out the charitable purposes, the trustees have the power to:

    • raise funds, receive grants and donations
    • apply funds to carry out the work of the charity
    • co-operate with and support other charities with similar purposes
    • do anything which is lawful and necessary to achieve the purposes

14. Money and property

    • Money and property must only be used for the Society’s purposes.
    • Trustees must keep accounts. The most recent annual accounts canbe seen by anybody on request.
    • Trustees cannot receive any money or property from the Society, except to refund reasonable out of pocket expenses.
    • Money must be held in the Society’s bank account.

15. The Society’s only disciplinary sanctions are to expel or to suspend a member whose actions are felt to be such as to bring the Society into disrepute, or to adversely affect the smooth running of the Society in a major way. Such expulsion or suspension can only be effected by a majority vote of all Executive Committee members, excluding the Senior Treasurer. In the event of an expulsion, the excluded member is required to return all equipment, documents and finances belonging to the Society within 7 days. He/she will not be entitled to any full or partial refund of annual subscriptions. If the excluded or suspended member wishes to appeal the decision, that appeal should be made to the Senior Treasurer, who will consider all the facts, and whose decision will be final. An appeal as to the process of exclusion, but not a further investigation into the facts, may be lodged with the Junior Proctor.