Constitution

THE QUEEN'S COLLEGE OF GUYANA ASSOCIATION (UK)

CONSTITUTION

1. NAME
The name of the association shall be The Queen's College of Guyana Association (UK) hereinafter referred to as the Association.


2. OBJECT
The object of the Association shall be to advance the education of the students at The Queen's College of Guyana, hereinafter referred to as the College, by providing and assisting in the provision of facilities for education at the College which are not normally provided, and to provide relief to poor students at the College, either generally or individually, through the provision of goods,, grants and services.


3. MEMBERSHIP
3.1 Membership of the Association shall be open to anyone who has attended the College as a student or been a member of its staff. Membership may also be offered to others in accordance with clauses 3.3 and 3.4 below.
3.2 For those eligible, membership may be secured by payment of subscriptions as set out by the Management Committee (but see clause 3.4).
3.3 Others may be admitted to membership of the Association on the approval of the Management Committee through sponsorship in writing by two members of the Association, at least one of whom must be a former student or member of staff of the College. All members shall have equal rights and obligations of membership except as limited by clauses 4.1, 4.2, 4.4 and 5.1 (iv).
3.4 The Committee may at its discretion confer honorary membership on persons whom it considers deserving of such recognition.


4. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
4.1 The Officers of the Association shall be:
The President, who must be a former student or member of staff;
Vice Presidents (in such numbers as may be decided by members);
The Management Committee;
all elected initially at the inaugural meeting of the Association and thereafter annually at the Annual General Meeting (AGM).
4.2 The Management Committee, hereinafter referred to as the Committee, shall comprise seven members, at least five of whom shall be former students or members of staff of the College.
4.3 The number of consecutive terms for which a member may be elected to the Committee shall not exceed three.
4.4 As soon as is practicable, but not more than 21 days after an AGM, the Committee shall meet to choose from among their number:
a Chairman, who must be a former student or member of staff of the College;
an Honorary Secretary;
an Honorary Treasurer;
such other postholders as may be deemed necessary for the proper and efficient functioning of the Committee and Association.
Members of the Association shall be notified of these appointments within fourteen days of their being made.
4.5 The Trustees of the Association shall be the elected members of the Committee, and appointees under sub-clause 5.1(vi) below.


5. POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
5.1 The Committee shall be empowered to:
(i) Make rules for the running of the Association and set the level of membership subscriptions, such rules and subscription levels to be ratified by the membership at a General Meeting;
(ii) Organise fund raising appeals and activities provided the Association shall not undertake any permanent trading activities in raising funds for its charitable objects;
(iii) Collect and disburse funds in keeping with the object of the Association;
(iv) Co-opt members to the Committee as may be necessary from time to time. Such co options shall ensure that former students and members of staff of the College remain a majority on the Committee;
(v) Set up ad hoc sub committees as may be required from time to time for specific undertakings and appoint members thereto; set terms of reference for and delegate powers to such sub committees provided all acts and proceedings of such sub committees shall be reported back to the Committee in a timely manner;
(vi) Appoint additional Trustees and seek appropriate persons to be Patrons;
(vii) Generally manage the affairs of the Association.
5.2 A meeting of the Committee shall be called at least once every ninety days. Three elected members of the Committee, one of whom shall be the Chairman or the Secretary, shall constitute a quorum.


6. THE FINANCIAL YEAR
6.1 The Financial Year shall run from 1st October to 30th September.


7. THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
7.1 The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than 30th November.
7.2 Notice of the AGM shall be sent to members by post or email. A minimum period of notice of 30 days from the date of posting as evidenced by the postmark on the cover or the date of the email shall be given.
7.3 A quorum at the AGM shall be not fewer than twelve paid up members nor less than one tenth of the paid up membership of the Association.
7.4 The business of the AGM shall include but not be limited to:
(i) Adoption of the minutes of the previous AGM and intervening Extraordinary General Meetings.
(ii) Receiving reports on functions and activities.
(iii) Adoption of the accounts of the Association which shall have been examined or audited in accordance with the prevailing legal requirements.
(iv) Election of Officers.
(v) Appointment of an Independent Examiner or Auditor, as required by (iii) above, who shall not be a member of the Association.
7.5 The AGM shall be chaired by the President or in his absence by the Chairman of the Committee.


8. EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETINGS
8.1 By the order of the Committee or on receipt of a written request, which shall state the purpose for which the request is made, signed by twelve or more
members, the Secretary shall call an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).
8.2 The rules governing the issuance of notices of EGMs shall be as in Clause 7.2 above except that the period of notice shall be 15 days. An EGM must be convened by the Secretary within 30 days of receipt of a valid request for the same except that no EGM shall be convened in the month before or in the month of an AGM. In such a case the subject of the requested EGM will be discussed at the AGM.
8.3 A quorum at an EGM shall be as for an AGM (Clause 7.3).
8.4 No business shall normally be transacted at an EGM other than that of which notice has been given to members.


9. AMENDING THIS CONSTITUTION
9.1 This Constitution may be amended only at an AGM or at an EGM specially called for the purpose provided always that no amendment shall be made to clause 2 (Objects), clause 9 (Dissolution) or to this clause without the written approval of The Charity Commission and no amendment shall be made which would have the effect of causing the Association to cease to be a charity in law.
9.2 Amendments may be proposed by the Committee or by members of the Association. An amendment shall be deemed to be carried only if at least two thirds of members present vote in favour of it.
9.3 Amendments proposed by members of the Association must be submitted to the Secretary in writing using the exact form of words the proposers require to be inserted into the Constitution. An outline of the proposers' intent without an accompanying form of words will not be entertained.
9.4 (i) Proposed amendments for consideration at an AGM must be received by the Secretary no less than 14 days prior to the AGM. Each proposal must be signed by at least two members as proposer and seconder.
(ii) The convention of an EGM for the purpose of amending the Constitution is governed by the clauses in Section 7 Extraordinary General Meetings.
9.5 Copies of all proposed amendments shall be emailed or posted first class to members at least 14 days before the General Meeting at which they are to be discussed except for amendments proposed by members for consideration at an AGM in which case the copies shall be posted at least 7 days before the AGM.


10. DISSOLUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION
In the event of the dissolution of the Association, its assets shall be conveyed to the College for the benefit of the students in any manner which is exclusively charitable at law and if and insofar as effect cannot be given to this provision then to some other charitable purpose.


(Incorporating amendments approved at EGM held 3rd March 1989 and AGMs held 28 October 1994, 5 November 1999, 10 November 2000, 31 October 2003, 10 November 2012 and 18 November 2016)

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