Constitution of the Glasgow University Politics Society

CONSTITUTION

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

1. Politics Society
2. Name
3. Aims and Objectives
4. Membership
5. Governance
6. The Committee
7. Committee Members
8. Conduct of Committee Members
9. Finance
10. Amendments

A document to provide for the establishment and administration of a Glasgow

University Politics Society, and for connected purposes.
[17 September 2007]

1 Politics Society

(1) There shall be a Politics Society.

(2) The Glasgow University Politics Society is an independent student body. The
Society may be affiliated with other groups or organisations, but it shall not be
affiliated with any political body.

2 Name

(1) The Society shall be known as Glasgow University Politics Society, and will
hereafter be referred to as “the Society” or “GUPS”.

1
 Constitution of the Glasgow University Politics Society

3 Aims and Objectives

(1) The Society aims to create a social network for students studying or interested
in politics; and to provide a forum for discussion and debate.
(2) The Society shall endeavour to achieve better departmental integration,
improving relations between staff and students, and between Politics and other
departments.
(3) The Society aims to ease the transition between year groups by improving
overall student relations in the department.
(4) In addition, the Society may seek where appropriate to improve available
facilities in the department.

4 Membership

(1) Any matriculated student of the University of Glasgow is entitled to become a

member of the Society, subject to the payment of any membership fee due.

(2) In addition, membership of the Society shall be open to non-matriculated

students (associate members) who shall in total make up no more than 20% of
the Society’s members.

(3) Membership may be gained at any point during the academic year and shall
expire at the end of that academic year.

(4) Non-members may be entitled to participate in some Society events. The

decision to open events to non-members shall be at the discretion of the
Committee.

(5) The Society shall be under the democratic control of members

5 Governance

(1) Committee meetings should be held regularly throughout the academic year.

(2) The President shall compile an agenda prior to each meeting, which the Vice
President shall ensure is circulated to all Society members and any other
relevant party.

(3) Matters for discussion may be raised at any meeting by any Committee
member.

(4) In addition, any Society member wishing to raise an item may do so at any
meeting, having first notified the Vice President in reasonable advance.

(5) The Society shall have an Annual General Meeting at which the Society’s
accounts shall be submitted and approved by the membership. Members must
be given no less than 10 working days notice of the AGM.

2
 Constitution of the Glasgow University Politics Society

(6) Matriculated members shall have full voting rights at the Society’s AGM.

(7) The Society will conform to the SRC Equal Opportunities Policy and
restrictions set out in the SRC Constitution Schedule 5.

6 The Committee

(1) There shall be a committee of at least three officers which shall be responsible
for the organisation and administration of the Society and all its activities.

(2) Office bearers shall be elected at the beginning of each academic year by a
simple majority vote of GUPS members. Non-matriculated students must not
make up more than 10% of the voting body.

(3) In the event of a vacancy, a special general meeting should be called to elect a
replacement, and sufficient notice of its arrangement given to GUPS members.

(4) No elected positions shall be open to non-matriculated students of the

University of Glasgow. In addition, office-bearers shall not have opted
out of SRC representation under the Education Act 1994.

(5) Responsibility for holding and overseeing elections lies with the Committee of
the previous academic year, which will ensure that they are carried out in
accordance with this constitution.

7 Committee Members

(1) The Committee shall consist at all times of:

- a President
- two Vice Presidents
- a Treasurer

(2) In addition a Secretarial office and any other position deemed necessary may
be created at a later date. The decision to create further office positions shall
lie with the Committee, however all office bearers shall be elected by a
popular vote as laid down in Article 5.

(3) The President:

− Shall be the spokesperson for the Society.

− Shall hold overall responsibility for the administration of the Society and its
activities.
− Shall generally chair meetings.
− Shall be the first point of contact for all outside communications.
− Shall be responsible for communications with the SRC, Unions and other
bodies.
− Shall hold overall responsibility for social events and liaise with businesses
involved where applicable.
− Shall share responsibility for GUPS publicity.

3
 Constitution of the Glasgow University Politics Society

− Shall hear and deal with any complaints relating to any aspect of the Society,
seeking advice from any relevant persons involved.

(4) The Vice Presidents

− Shall undertake the responsibilities of the President in their absence.

− Shall, alongside the President, be responsible for communications.
− Shall be responsible for communications with all Society members prior to
Committee meetings and shall take note of any issues to be raised at such
meetings.
− Shall take minutes of Committee meetings and circulate these to all Society
members.
− Shall share responsibility for GUPS publicity.

(5) The Treasurer

− Shall collect and manage the membership fee.

− Shall keep an up-to-date list of all members and their contact details, and shall
ensure that it remains confidential and is not disclosed to anyone outwith the
Committee.
− Shall maintain an accurate record of all Society income and expenditure and
be responsible for any reimbursements due.
− Shall advise the Committee on matters of spending and finance.
− Shall draft budgets for any events arising throughout the year.
− Shall, together with the President, be responsible for any fundraising
undertaken by the Society.

8 Conduct of Committee Members

(1) The Committee undertakes to hold regular meetings to discuss matters relating
to the Society, and to accurately inform all GUPS members of any decisions
made and action taken. Any Society member wishing to raise an issue before
the Committee is entitled to do so.

(2) The Committee shall at all times take responsibility for the general
administration of the Society and the running of Society events. All Society
events shall require the presence of at least one of the President/Vice
President. Events involving the participation of more than fifteen Society
members require the presence of at least two elected office-bearers.

(3) Members of the Committee shall at all times in their official capacity act
reasonably and professionally, and deal with any issues arising efficiently and
effectively. Committee members shall take seriously any complaints from
Society members relating to their conduct or the Society generally. Serious
complaints and those from outwith the Society shall be directed to the
President who shall deal with them as a matter of urgency.

9 Finance

4
 Constitution of the Glasgow University Politics Society

(1) The Society shall be a non-profit making organisation.

(2) Financial matters shall be under the direct control of the Committee, acting on
the advice of the Treasurer. The Treasurer may make financial decisions on
behalf of the Society having sought the relevant guidance from the President
or Vice President.

(3) The Treasurer shall publish a report on the activities and corresponding
financial expenditure of the Society in January and in May of each year, and
ensure that it is available to all GUPS members.

(4) Fundraising for the Society may take place at any point throughout the year at
the discretion of the Committee, which shall hold overall responsibility for its
administration as laid down in Article 6.

(5) Signatories for all banking matters shall be the President, Vice President and
Treasurer.

10 Amendments

(1) Any disputes arising with regard to this constitution, or amendments made to
its meaning, shall be secured by a 2/3 majority vote, with at least 50% of
GUPS members casting a vote and non-matriculated members making up no
more than 10% of voters.

(2) On receipt of a petition signed by 10 percent of the membership, the Secretary

shall give five working days notice of a Special (or extraordinary) General
meeting to consider submitted amendments