TASMANIA UNIVERSITY DEBATING SOCIETY (T.U.D.

S) CONSTITUTION

PART I: THE SOCIETY 1 1.1 2 2.1 Name of the Society The name of the Society shall be the Tasmania University Debating Society (hereafter the Society) Objects of the society The objects of the society shall be: a) to establish and maintain regular debating events for students within the University of Tasmania, including formal and informal debates and other events necessary to the development and betterment of the Society; b) to maintain and promote the activity of debating throughout the University of Tasmania and associated institutions; c) to promote the society and its members through inter-varsity and worldwide competitions; e) to protect the independence of the Society from interest groups and to safeguard freedom of speech for members participating in the Society. f) to do all acts that are necessary or conducive to the attainment or furtherance of the above objects. Membership of the Society There shall be thee classes of membership in the Society; 1) Voting Members 2) Associate Members 3) Honorary Life Members All students enrolled at the University Of Tasmania are voting members and possess voting rights provided they have paid the relevant membership fee stipulated by the Committee at the beginning of each year. Voting members of the Society shall be entitled to rights including voting, holding office, and any other privileges which the Committee may bestow on them from time to time.

3. 3.1

3.2

3.3

3.4.A The following persons are eligible to become associate members of the Society provided that any such person pays an annual subscription of the Society at any rate of subscription determined, according to each category of applicants, by the Committee of the Society at the beginning of each year:

a) Past students of the University of Tasmania b) Staff of the University of Tasmania 3.5 3.6 Associate members do not possess voting rights nor are they eligible to hold office. Any person who is not a voting or paid member of the Society and who has given a meritorious service to the Society over a number of years may by a two-thirds majority of a general meeting be elected an honorary life member of the Society; or Any person who is not a member of the Society and participates in debate on invitation by the Committee may be made an honorary life member for the purposes of Clause 3.9. Any member of the Society is eligible to participate in debate. Any person who is not a member of the Society cannot participate in debates run by the Society.

3.7

3.8 3.9

PART II: MANAGEMENT OF THE SOCIETY 4. 4.1 4.2 4.2a 5 5.1 Governance of the Society The affairs of the Society shall be managed by a Committee of the Society (hereinafter the Committee) All resolutions may be reviewed, and ratified, altered or overruled by a general meeting of the society. A two thirds majority of voting members attending a general meeting is required to alter or overrule a motion of the committee unless otherwise defined. The Committee The Committee shall comprise: a) The President of the Society (hereinafter the President) b) The Vice President of the Society (hereinafter the Vice President) c) The Treasurer of the Society (hereinafter the Treasurer) d) The Secretary of the Society (hereinafter the Secretary) e) The Media Officer; f) Sponsorship Officer; g) Competitions and TDU Liaison Officer; h) Two Activities Officers; The Committee shall hold office from January 1 to November 30 in the year following the annual election. No Committee member shall fail to attend a meeting of the Committee without a reasonable excuse, provided the Secretary in advance of the meeting.

4.1 4.2

4.3 4.4

4.5

The quorum for meetings shall be two-thirds of the members of the Committee, including two members of the Executive. Upon absence of an office bearer for three consecutive meetings without a reasonable excuse, the Executive may recommend to the Committee that the office bearer be removed from their his/her position and may put the position to election. The duties of the members of the Committee shall be provided by bylaw.

5 5.1 5.2

The Executive The Executive may act on behalf of the Committee provided that any such action shall be subject to ratification by the Committee. The Executive shall comprise: a) the President; b) the Vice President; c) the Secretary; d) the Treasurer; The quorum for meetings of the Executive shall be three (3).

5.3

PART III: GENERAL MEETINGS 6 6.1 Business which may be considered by a General meeting A General Meeting may consider such utems of which notice is given in accordance in writing to the the Secretary or Social Media Officer at least four days before the date of the meeting. Convening of General Meetings Notice of General Meetings shall be posted on the Society notice board or the TUDS social media pages or website: a) at least fourteen (14) days before the Annual General Meeting b) at least seven (7) days before an Extraordinary General Meeting c) at least three (3) days before a Special General Meeting Annual Genneral Meeting (Hereafter the AGM) The AGM of the Society shall be held each year at a date, time and venue fixed by the Committee. At the AGM the Executive shall present: a) the minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting and of any other General Meeting held since the last AGM; b) the balance sheet and audit report of the Society for the previous financial year; and c) the budget for the current year Extraordinary General Meeting (Hereafter the EGM) An EGM of the society shall be held within the first month of the first semester of each academic year. At such meeting:

7 7.1

8) 8.1 8.2

9) 9.1 9.2

a) the President shall present a report; b) the Treasurer shall present a balance sheet, statement of accounts and an itemized funding proposal. 10 10.1 10.2 11 11.1 11.2 Voting at a General Meeting Every full member of the society shall be entitled to one vote upon every voting matter. No proxy votes shll be accepted for any reason whatsoever. Quorum Greater than 50% of voting members present is required to carry a proposal. The quorum at any general meeting shall be ten full members or constituents of the society ot 10% of the members of the society, whichever is the lesser.

PART IV, POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE 12 12.1 Standing Committees The Committee may establish such sub-committees as it may from time to time determine, provided that the President shall be an ex officio member of any such committee Expulsion of Members of the Society The Committee shall have the poswer to expel eny member from the society for misconduct of a nature opposed to the interests, reputation and objects of the society. Expulsion of Committee Members If a member of the Committees actions have been complained of, the Executive shall in meeting with the member complained of, determine whether the behavior constitutes persistent and willful disregard of duties or acting in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the society. If the Executive determines that the behavior falls into one of these categories it must make a recommendation to the Committee to that effect. The Committee has the power to expel any Committee member from the said persons office for persistent and willful disregard of duties or acting in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the society, having regard to any recommendation made by the Executive under 14.1. On the determination of the Executive that any committee member is likely to act in the future in a manner which would qualify for expulsion under 14.2, the Committee shall be empowered to vote to expel that member under a two-thirds majority.

13 13.1

14 14.1

14.2

14.3

14.4 14.5

The power under 14.2 shall at all times be executed in accordance with natural justice. If a member of the Committee acts in a manner that falls outside their powers or duties under the Constitution or By-Laws, the President has the authority to withhold privileges or tasks given to that Committee member as a result of membership of the Committee. Where the member mentioned in 14.5 is the President, the Vice President, the Treasurer and the Secretary shall have the authority mentioned in that provision.

14.6

PART V: POWERS OF THE SOCIETY 15.1 Without limiting the powers of the Society, the Society in General Meeting shall have the power to: a) pass a resolution censuring the Committee or individual members of the Committee. b) pass a resolution of no confidence in the Committee or individual members of the Committee. c) ratify, alter or overrule any decision or resolution of the Committee. 15.2 These powers can be exercised if a two-thirds majority of voting members favour the proposal. PART VI: FINANCIAL PROVISIONS 16 16.1 16.2 SOCIETY BANKING The bankers of the Society shall be the Commonwealth Savings Bank of Australia, Hobart Tasmania University Branch. The Society shall maintain a minimum of one bank account: a) the TUDS No.1 account which shall be maintained for all other purposes of the Society. The signatories to the TUDS No. 1 account shall be: a) the President; b) the Treasurer; c) the Secretary; and d) the Vice President

16.3

17 Liability for Debts 17.2 The members of the Society who are not members of the Committee will not be liable for debts incurred by the Society. 17.3 The Society will not be liable for debts incurred by any member of the Committee, or by any person purporting to act on behalf of the Society, unless such person had the authorisation of the Committee in incurring such a debt.

PART VII: BY-LAWS

18.1 18.2 18.3

This Constitution may be carried into effect by such by-laws that are enacted in accordance with this part. The provisions of this constitution shall operate notwithstanding the provisions of any by-law, and, in the caes of inconsistency, the provisions of this Constitution shall prevail. A by-law for carrying this Constitution into effect may be enacted, amended or repealed by a motion passed by a two-thirds majority of a General Meeting.

PART X: AMENDMENT OF THIS CONSTITUTION 23 23.1 Amendment, Alteration and Repeal This Constitution may be altered, amended or repealed by a resolution passed by a three-quarters majority of voting members present and voting at a Special General Meeting, provided that notice of such resolution is given in writing to the Secretary of the Society at least three (3) days before the date of the meeting and shall be posted on the Society notice board.