GOVERNANCE OF CLUBS AND SOCIETIES
5.1 Full Membership:
- Any member of the Union is eligible to be a Full Member of a Club or Society, subject to the payment of the necessary membership fee.
- Those taking part in Club or Society activities must be Members of the Club or Society (see section 6.4 of these regulations for further details) by beginning of Week 5 of term 1 and prior to taking part in any activity. NGB requirements may require those participating in sport to purchase membership by an earlier date
- The Principals Officers (President/Treasurer) of a Club or Society are responsible for checking individuals have purchased the appropriate membership prior to taking part in activity.
5.2 Associate and Visiting Membership:
- Any non-UCL students, who regularly take part in the activities of a Club or Society, must purchase Associate or Visiting Membership of the Union.
- The criteria and fees for Associate and Visiting Membership are set by Union Council.
- Associate or Visiting Members must additionally purchase membership of the relevant Club or Society.
- Associate or Visiting Members may not take part in representative sport if the competition host does not allow them to.
- Associate or Visiting Members may take part in representative sport if the governing body does allow it and with approval from Activities Network Executive. Activities Network Executive will make this decision based on whether a UCL student would be denied an opportunity if a non-UCL student was to participate and whether the participation of a non-UCL student would enhance the activity for UCL students.
- Associate or Visiting Members may not take part in theatrical productions in the Bloomsbury Theatre unless they are granted permission to do so by the Activities Officer. Theatre Users Board will make this decision based on whether a UCL student would be denied an opportunity if a non-UCL student was to participate and whether the participation of a non-UCL student would enhance the activity for UCL students.(see appendix 6 for further details)
- Associate or Visiting Members may not vote at General Meetings of the Union or of Clubs and Societies or take up club officer positions.
5.3 Club and Society General Meetings:
- General Meetings of Clubs and Societies are where all Full Members of the Club or Society have the right to attend and vote. Associate or Visiting Members do not have voting rights.
- Clubs and Societies must have an Annual General Meeting (AGM) once a year. This meeting must take place during Term 2
- Throughout the year, Clubs and Societies may hold Extraordinary General Meetings (EGMs) as and when needed.
- General Meetings must be held in a location which is fully accessible (i.e. has disabled access and does not serve alcohol).
- General Meetings must be openly publicised to all members of the Club or Society a minimum of five term days before the meeting.
- Finalised agendas for General Meetings must be publicised to all members of the Club or Society at least three term days before the meeting (see Appendix 2 for a sample agenda).
- Quoracy for Club and Society General Meetings shall be 15% of the Club or Society membership or 10, whichever is greater.
- If quoracy is not reached, then no decisions taken at the meeting shall be official until they are ratified by the Activities Officer.
- For AGMs, meeting minutes (see Appendix 3 for sample minutes) must be submitted to the Union by the specified date along with a copy of the ratified constitution and any Officer election results.
- For EGMs, meeting minutes must be submitted to the Union no later than 5 term days after the meeting along with details of new Officers on the appropriate forms and a copy of the ratified constitution (if it has been changed).
- General Meeting minutes will be considered and ratified by Activities Network Executive.
5.4 Club and Society Constitutions:
- Clubs and Societies will be bound by a constitution which must be approved at least once a year at the Club or Society AGM (see Appendix 4 for a template constitution).
- Constitutions will lay out the aims and objects of the Club or Society, and in particular the core activities and Principal Officers.
- Core activities are those which the Club or Society must carry out every year, and the Principal Officers are President and Treasurer.
- A constitution may be changed at any point, but all changes must be approved by a two-thirds majority vote at a quorate Club or Society General Meeting.
- All changes to Constitutions must also be reviewed and ratified by Activities Network Executive.
- All Clubs & Societies constitutions are subject to regular review by the Activities Network Executive.
5.5 Appointment of Officers:
- All Club and Society Officers must be elected at a General Meeting of the relevant Club or Society or by a Union facilitated online election.
- As a minimum, every Club or Society must have two Principal Officers: a President and a Treasurer. Co-Presidents and/or Co-Treasurers are not permitted.
- All Officer positions must be listed in the Club or Society constitution and must be filled every year, and no person may hold more than one of these positions at the same time per Club or Society .
- Officers may stand for re-election at the end of their period of office, but may not hold a P principal Officer position for more than two years with any single Club or Society.
- Any full member of the Club or Society can stand for election to any officer position listed in the Club or Society constitution. All Officers must be Full Members of the Club or Society.
5.6 Resignations and No Confidence Motions:
- If a President or Treasurer chooses to resign before the end of their period of office they must submit their resignation in writing to the ActivitiesOfficer.
- Following an early resignation of the President or Treasurer an EGM must be held. Another Officer may act as the President or Treasurer in the interim period if ratified by the Activities Officer
- If other Officers choose to resign, they should submit their request in writing to the President and the Union. An EGM may then be called to elect a member to fill the position.
- A motion of no confidence in any Officer may be called by either a petition signed by at least 15% or 10 of the Full Members of the Club or Society (whichever is the greater) or by a two-thirds majority vote at a Club or Society committee meeting.
- If a no confidence motion is called then an EGM must be held, and in order for the no confidence motion to be carried it must be supported by two-thirds of those present and voting. Normal EGM regulations will apply.
5.7 The President:
- Shall hold office from the day after the end of term 3 until the last day of term 3 in the following academic year .
- Shall be a Principal Officer of the Club or Society and shall ensure that the Club or Society operates within its Constitution and within these Regulations.
- Shall call General Meetings of the Club or Society and shall ensure that appropriate elections for the following year’s Officers take place.
- Shall be the primary point of contact between the Union and the Club or Society members. They must ensure that the Club or Society is represented at all relevant Union meetings
- Shall have ultimate responsibility for all the activities of the Club or Society, including joint responsibility for the financial affairs with the treasurer [see below 5.8.2]
5.8 The Treasurer:
- Shall hold office from the day after the end of term 3 until the last day of term 3 in the following academic year
- Shall be a Principal Officer of the Club or Society and shall be jointly responsible for all financial matters of the Club or Society.
- Shall authorise and record all expenditure on behalf of the Club or Society except for when they need to reclaim money themselves. In this case the President shall authorise this expenditure.