Oxford University Scout and Guide Group

Constitution

Constitution of the Oxford University Scout and Guide Group

Amended 2nd March 1998

For convenience sake, throughout this constitution the use of the male and/or female pronoun is not intended to indicate any form of gender bias, and their use should be taken to be inclusive.

NAME, DEFINITION
1. The Oxford University Scout and Guide Group, hereinafter referred to as "OUSGG" or "the Group", is a Student Scout and Guide Club as defined in the Policy, Organisation and Rules of the Scout Association and in the Guiding Manual of the Girl Guide Association. As such, its aim and purpose is:
  To enable its members to maintain, renew or acquire an interest in the Scout and Guide movements through a varied programme of activities.
2. OUSGG shall be affiliated to the Student Scout and Guide Organisation, hereinafter referred to as "SSAGO".
MEMBERSHIP
1. Current Members
  1. Any person may be admitted to current membership of OUSGG, subject to Proctorial Regulations.
  2. Current Members shall pay termly or annual subscriptions, the level of which shall be decided from time to time at F&GPCs.
  3. Current Members may participate in any or all of the activities of the Group.
2. Old Members
  1. Any person may become an Old Member of OUSGG, subject to Proctorial Regulations.
  2. Old Members shall pay annual Old Members' subscriptions, the levels of which shall be decided from time to time at F&GPCs.
  3. Old Members shall have the same rights and privileges as Current Members, save that they shall not be entitled to stand for election or appointment, or vote at GMs of the Group.
3. Senior Members
  1. The Senior Members shall be requested to serve by the F&GPC.
  2. The period of office of a Senior Member shall begin on his acceptance of the office and shall conclude at such time as he alone, or in consultation with the F&GPC, shall decide.
  3. One of the Senior Members shall act as Senior Treasurer.
4. Termination of Membership
  1. Membership shall be deemed to have terminated upon non-payment of the appropriate subscription.
  2. Membership may at any time be terminated at the discretion of the Senior Treasurer after consultation with the F&GPC.
ELECTION AND APPOINTMENT OF OFFICERS
1. The officers of the Group shall be elected or appointed by a GM of the Group.
2. Any Member, elected to a post, must agree to be subject to Proctors rulings in University and club matters.
3. Nominations
  1. Nominations shall be in writing to the Secretary during the Nomination Period, signed by the proposer and seconder. A list of nominees, proposers, and seconders shall be displayed by the Secretary at all meetings during the Nomination Period.
  2. The Nomination Period shall begin fourteen calendar days before the date of the GM at which the election or appointment is to be made, and shall terminate at 22:00 on the day two calendar days before that date.
4. Voting
  1. Voting in elections shall be by the Single Transferable Vote system.
  2. Current Members who are unable to attend the election may nominate in writing someone to vote on their behalf by proxy or may send a postal vote to the Secretary.
  3. The option "None of the above" shall be included in an election when requested.
5. Posts
  1. These officers: Chairman, Chairman-Elect, Junior Treasurer, Secretary, Membership Secretary, Scout and Guide Liaison Officer, SSAGO Representative, Quartermaster, and Postscript Editor shall be elected by ballot at GMs.
  2. Other officers may be appointed and their term of office shall be decided by the GMs at the time of appointment. Officers appointed in the past have been: Lunchtime Meeting Organiser, Panda Minder, Postscript Distributor, and Activity Organisers for Winter Walking, Easter Activity, Summer Expedition, Annual Dinner, etc.
  3. Job Outlines
    See also rules 4, 5, and 6.
    
    Chairman
    The Chairman shall be the previous term's Chairman-Elect and ensure the smooth running of the programme during his term of office.
    Chairman-elect
    The Chairman-Elect shall be elected at the TGM in each term, prepare the programme of the following term, and record the minutes of term and vacation activities.
    Junior Treasurer
    The Junior Treasurer shall be elected at the TGM in Trinity term and keep a proper account of the financial transactions of the Group, including Activity, Equipment and Savings accounts, giving statements of accounts when necessary.
    Secretary
    The Secretary shall be elected at the TGM in Trinity term and deal with the correspondence and general administrative duties of the Group.
    Membership Secretary
    The Membership Secretary shall be elected at the TGM in Hilary term, organise the recruitment of members, maintain links with, and records of, existing members, organise the Group's stall at Freshers' Fair, and be the Postscript Distributor each Michaelmas term.
    Scout and Guide Liaison Officer
    The Scout and Guide Liaison Officer shall be elected at the TGM in Michaelmas term and liase with the Scout and Guide Associations.
    SSAGO Representative
    The SSAGO Representative shall be elected at the TGM in Michaelmas term and liase with SSAGO.
    Quartermaster
    The Quartermaster shall be elected at the TGM in Trinity term and maintain the Group's equipment.
    Postscript Editor
    The Postscript Editor shall be elected at the TGM in Trinity term and edit and produce "Postscript".
    Lunchtime Meeting Organiser
    The Lunchtime Meeting Organiser shall be elected at the TGM in each term, organise the weekly lunchtime meeting of the Group, and administer the library.
    Postscript Distributor
    The Postscript Distributor shall be elected at the TGM in Michaelmas and Hilary terms and distribute "Postscript".
    Activity Organisers
    Activity Organisers shall be elected when necessary, organise the activity specified in their title, e.g. Winter Walking, Easter Activity, Summer Activity; and record their endeavours for the benefit of their successors.
    Annual Dinner Organisers
    Annual Dinner organisers shall be elected once a year to organise the Annual Dinner.
6. Recall
  Any officer may be recalled from Office by an EGM of the Group, as provided for in (4(c)).
7. Unfilled Posts
  Any Group post left unfilled shall be filled at the discretion of the F&GPC by co-option.
GENERAL MEETINGS
1. General Meetings
  1. General Meetings (hereinafter and hereinbefore referred to as "GM"s) shall have sovereignty in Group affairs, subject to Proctorial regulations.
  2. All members of the Group shall be entitled to attend GMs.
  3. Current Members shall be entitled to vote on resolutions and in elections at GMs.
  4. The Chairman and Secretary of GMs shall be the Senior Treasurer (or his nominee) and the Secretary, respectively.
  5. Minutes of General Meetings shall be distributed to all Officers and Senior Members of the Group no later than one week after the close of the meeting.
2. Termly General Meetings
  1. The quorum of a TGM shall be either 30% or ten of the Current membership of the Group, whichever be the lesser.
  2. The agenda of a TGM shall be displayed during at least one meeting of the Group preceding the TGM or distributed via e-mail to all Current and Senior Members prior to the meeting.
  3. The agenda of TGMs shall include:
    1. Reports from all officers of the Group.
    2. Elections for such posts as shall be due for election as provided for in (3 e (iii)) or as decided by the TGM.
    3. Such other motions as shall have been submitted to the Secretary, or referred by the F&GPC.
  4. The presiding chairman of TGMs shall have a casting vote only.
  5. Motions other than Constitutional Amendments shall be deemed passed by a simple majority of those present and entitled to vote.
  6. The TGM in Michaelmas term shall be designated the Annual General Meeting, and the agenda therefore shall additionally include:
    1. A full and detailed statement of accounts for the previous year, presented by the Junior Treasurer.
3. Extraordinary General Meetings
  1. An EGM shall be called upon the presentation to the Secretary of a petition to that effect, signed by either one half or twenty-five of the Current membership of the Group, whichever be the lesser.
  2. The petition shall contain a statement to the purpose of the EGM, which may be to recall any officer from office or to consider any motion except a Constitutional Amendment.
  3. The Secretary shall arrange the date of the EGM, to be at least seven days after presentation of the petition and shall take reasonable steps to give notice to all members during that period. This rule stands unless waived by a Senior Member or his nominee.
  4. Unless a quorum of two-thirds the number of signatories of the petition is present no motion of recall shall be put to an EGM.
  5. A motion of recall shall be deemed passed by a two-thirds majority of those present and entitled to vote.
  6. Upon passage of a motion of recall, the EGM shall proceed immediately to an election for the now vacant post.
  7. Nominations for a presumed such election shall be open immediately the petition concerning the EGM is presented to the Secretary. The officer mentioned in the motion shall be automatically nominated, unless he shall decline such nomination.
  8. The option "None of the above" shall be included for such an election.
  9. Upon the defeat of a motion of recall, all nominations shall be null and void and the presumed election shall not proceed.
THE FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE
1. The functions of the Finance and General Purposes Committee (hereinafter and hereinbefore referred to as "F&GPC") shall be:
  1. To approve major items of expenditure.
  2. To undertake or delegate such tasks as a GM may mandate it to perform.
2. The F&GPC shall have the authority to make decisions on behalf of the Group.
3. The F&GPC shall meet whenever it is needed, but at least once during each full Term.
4. Any Current Member may request that the Secretary organise an F&GPC.
5. The agenda of the F&GPC meeting shall be displayed during at least one meeting of the Group preceding the F&GPC meeting or distributed via e-mail to all Current and Senior Members prior to the meeting.
6. The Secretary shall take all reasonable steps to give notice to all Current Members of a forthcoming F&GPC.
7. The quorum of the F&GPC shall be five.
8. The ex-officio members of the F&GPC shall be the Senior Member, Chairman, Junior Treasurer, Secretary, and Chairman-Elect.
9. Other Current Members of the Group are entitled to attend.
10. The Chairman (or his nominee) shall chair the F&GPC.
11. The Secretary shall act as Secretary to the F&GPC.
12. Voting of the F&GPC shall be by simple majority, the presiding chairman shall have casting vote only.
13. The Secretary shall summarise the decisions of the F&GPC in the following edition of "Postscript".
14. Minutes of F&GPC meetings shall be distributed to all Officers and Senior Members of the Group no later than one week after the close of the meeting.
NEWSLETTER
1. The official newsletter of the group shall be known as "Postscript".
2. All Members of the Group shall be entitled to receive a copy of each edition of "Postscript", except those Old Members who choose to view "Postscript" via the medium of the "World Wide Web", who shall not receive a printed copy of each edition and shall pay reduced annual subscriptions as a result.
MASCOT
1. The Group shall have a Mascot, a Panda, dressed in subfusc, and called " ".
2. The Group shall have a deputy mascot, a fork, called " Mr.Fork ".
3. The Group shall have a temporary sub-deputy mascot, a panda, called " Ed ", until June 2000.
CONSTITUTION
1. Constitutional Amendments
  1. Any Current Member may move a Constitutional Amendment.
  2. Notice of a proposed Constitutional Amendment must be given to the Secretary signed by proposer and seconder, at least two weeks before the TGM at which it is to be moved.
  3. A proposed Constitutional Amendment shall have been published in "Postscript" before it may be moved at a TGM.
  4. A Constitutional Amendment shall be deemed carried by a two-thirds majority of those present and entitled to vote at the TGM at which it shall have been moved.
2. Interpretation
  The Constitution shall be interpreted by the Senior Treasurer in consultation with the F&GPC.
3. Distribution
  Copies of the current Constitution shall be distributed (by the Secretary) to all Officers and Senior Members of the Group, and shall be made available to any other Member upon demand.

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