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2011, March 23 Constitution
2011, March 23 Constitution
2011, March 23 Constitution
Contents Article 1: Name Article 2: Objectives Article 3: Membership Article 4: Administration of the LGBT Article 5: Eligibility for election to the Committee of Management Article 6: Specific COM members and their roles Article 7: Honorary positions Article 8: Affiliations Article 9: Finance Article 10: Meetings and Constitutional Amendments Article 11: Elections Article 12: Committee Meetings Article 13: Interpretation of the Constitution Article 14: Mailing List Article 15: Subcommittees
Article 1: Name
This organisation shall be known as the Glasgow University Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Students Association. Hereinafter referred to as either the LGBT or the Association.
Article 2: Objectives
1. The LGBT exists to provide a social, campaigning, and welfare organisation to meet the needs of the LGBT Community within the University of Glasgow. 2. The LGBT shall work in accordance with and promote the ideals contained in the SRC Equal Opportunities Policy specifically with regard to LGBT people, though not exclusively. 3. The LGBT shall not affiliate to nor endorse any political ideologies, groups or societies. 4. The LGBT shall organise such meetings and activities as from time to time the administrative bodies, or general meetings, shall resolve to comply with Article 2(1) above. 5. In the event that the LGBT arrange or endorse a single gender event, it shall be ensured to be transfriendly.
Article 3: Membership
1. Fully matriculated students of the University of Glasgow are welcome to become full members of the LGBT. 2. Members of University staff, students from other institutions and members of the general public are welcome to become members of the LGBT, under associate status. 3. Associate Status does not permit such members to vote or to propose amendments to the constitution. 4. Associate members may only hold the positions of Past President, Honorary President or Honorary Vice President. 5. The Executive must ensure that associate members do not constitute more than 20% of the total membership of the Association. 6. A person awarded the Fellowship of the LGBT as described in Article 7(5) shall not be classed as a member, unless they also fall within one of the categories described in Articles 3(1) and 3(2).
7. Any vacancy of an Executive Officer or the Welfare Officer shall be filled at a validly
convened EGM, to be held within four academic weeks of the vacancy arising and to be conducted under the procedures outlined in Article 11. The position(s) will remain vacant if they become so within six academic weeks of the AGM.
8. Any vacancy for any other officer shall be filled by co-option to be held within four
academic weeks of the vacancy arising. Any such co-option is subject to ratification by a subsequent EGM. In the event the co-option is not ratified a special election will be held at the EGM and conducted according to the procedures outlined in Article 11.
4. The Welfare Officer i. Shall co-ordinate the welfare activities of the LGBT and in particular shall work with the Womens, Mens, Transgender, and the Postgraduate and Mature Students officers in achieving these goals ii. Shall be responsible for raising awareness of welfare issues with the membership, which may include supporting campaigns, and liaising with the appropriate bodies in the interests of achieving these goals iii. Shall ordinarily be responsible for maintaining the LGBT Student Befriendment Scheme under guidelines approved by the COM.
iv.
Shall maintain an advisory and supporting role for all members of the Association
5. The Events Co-ordinator i. Shall be responsible for coordinating publicity and arrangements concerning all events ii. Shall support the involved COM members in each event 6. The Womens Officer i. This post is only open to a person who identifies as female ii. Shall work under the auspices and direction of the Welfare Officer, in furtherance of that positions objectives 7. The Mens Officer i. ii. This post is only open to a person who identifies as male Shall work under the auspices and direction of the Welfare Officer, in furtherance of that positions objectives
8. The Transgender Officer i. This post is open to any person irrespective of gender identification ii. Shall work under the auspices and direction of the Welfare Officer, in furtherance of that positions objectives 9. The Postgraduate and Mature Students Officer i. This post is only open to a person who is either on a postgraduate defree or is identified as a mature student under University regulations ii. Shall work under the auspices and direction of the Welfare Officer, in furtherance of that positions objectives 10. The Campaigns Officer i. Within approval of the COM and the Association, the Campaigns Officer shall promote awareness of campaigns regarding LGBT issues, within accordance of Article 2(3) 11. The Publicity Officer i. Shall prepare publicity for the Association where necessary ii. Shall co-ordinate persons, from the COM or otherwise, to ensure the aforementioned publicity is suitably distributed iii. Shall give copies of all publicity to the Secretary iv. Shall be responsible for maintaining the Associations websites v. Shall ensure that the Association website contains up-to-date copies of the Associations constitution and any policies of the LGBT or LGBT committee that are presently in force 12. The General Ordinary Member i. There will be one General Ordinary Member irrespective of age, gender or year of study ii. The primary role of the General Ordinary represent the present needs and views of Association, and to facilitate other Officers appropriate open to all members Member shall be to the members of the of the COM where
13. The First Year Ordinary Member i. The First Year Ordinary Member shall ideally be in their first academic undergraduate year of study, but irrespective of age and
ii.
iii.
gender The primary role of the First Year Ordinary Member shall be to represent the present needs and views of the members of the Association, and to facilitate other Officers of the COM where appropriate The election for First Year Ordinary Member will be by way of a byelection to be held at a validly convened general meeting, to preferably be held in the last week of October/first week of November
14. The members of the COM shall not be wholly bound by the limitations of the descriptions of their roles in the above articles. It is expected that they work as a coherent whole to further the cause of the Association. Consequently, they may exchange responsibilities with other members of the COM where both parties agree and may delegate tasks to other members of the LGBT where appropriate and provided the COM do not disagree. 15. The SRC Delegates i. Shall be members of the Students Representative Council (SRC) ii. Shall ordinarily be the SRC Sexual Orientation Equality Officer and the Gender Equality Officer iii. Shall communicate the interests of the LGBT to the SRC and the wider LGBT student population on campus iv. May be another person from the SRC, nominated by the COM where either the position has remained vacant or the COM finds the LGBT Officer to have consistently and/or grossly worked against the interests of the LGBT 16. The Past President i. Shall be the last person to have held the office of President before the current incumbent of the office ii. Advise and assist the COM at the committees discretion 17. While any member of the committee may be approached regarding any grievances concerning the Association, specific issues should be directed to the appropriate officer on the committee, or the executive.
Article 8: Affiliations
1. i. The COM shall affiliate the LGBT to the Students Representative Council annually. and the Queen Margaret Union and/or Glasgow University Union annually.
2.
ii. The COM shall affiliate with the Glasgow University Union and/or the Queen Margaret Union annually. Affiliations to other organisations are permitted, provided that they do not infringe the principles of this constitution.
Article 9: Finance
1. The Executive shall be responsible for the Association finances. 2. The Executive should get a budget and/or proposals relating to spending ratified prospectively by the COM. 3. In the event that the COM have not prospectively approved spending, the COM may reject actual spending and refuse to remunerate such spending from Association funds. 4. The signatories on any bank account of the Association must be elected members of the COM. At least two such signatures shall be required to withdraw funds from such a bank account. Ordinarily, the authorised signatories shall be the three members of the Executive.
3. 4. 5. 6.
7. 8. 9.
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Article 11: Elections 1. Only full members of the LGBT shall be entitled to vote in elections. The Chair shall be
entitled to a deliberative vote. 2. Elections shall be by secret ballot 3. Elections will be conducted under secret ballot using the following system; voters must number the candidates in order of preference. Votes are first sorted according to first preference. If a candidate achieves a majority (over 50%) they will assume the position. In the case that a majority is not achieved by any candidate, the ballots of the candidate with the least votes shall be redistributed according to the second preference. This process shall continue until one candidate achieves a majority. 4. [repealed 23rd of March 2011] 5. In the election for the Honorary Vice-Presidents, after all persons to be nominated for such a position are named, the Chair shall call for a vote, by show of hands, on each in turn. Each candidate must achieve a majority of those voting to be elected. In the event that more than three candidates achieve a majority after all candidates are voted on, the three candidates achieving the most votes shall win. 6. In the event of a tie in Article 11(3) or Article 11(5), the result shall be determined by the toss of a coin by the Chair. 7. The Chair must temporarily stand down to be eligible to stand for election 8. Votes shall be counted by two impartial persons who are not standing as a candidate for election at that General Meeting. They shall be nominated for the position at the General Meeting and shall be allowed to fulfil this role provided that not more than five full members present object to their appointment. 9. Each candidate may oversee the counting process. 10. Newly elected members of the COM shall take up office at the adjournment of the General Meeting.
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